When the surf looks average, it’s tempting to drive home. But for progressing surfers, days like these are where the little improvements happen.
Here’s how to make a messy day count:
Grab more foam.
Gutless waves don’t have much push, so ride something with more volume than your everyday board, like a twinny, a fish or a mid-length. The extra float helps you paddle into soft waves and carries you through the flat sections.
Make wave selection your focus.
Random peaks everywhere is perfect practice for reading the ocean. Spend a few minutes watching before you paddle out. Look for the peaks that hold their shape and have a shoulder, and let the ones that close out go. Every wave you choose well teaches you something you’ll use on better days.
Work on speed generation.
Small, weak waves won’t give you speed for free, so you have to make it. Stay high on the face near the pocket, keep your weight over your front foot and use your legs to pump along the wave. Once you’ve got speed, try to fit in one manoeuvre while the wave is still steep.
Then, when it’s pumping, you get to apply everything you learned in the rough stuff.
Next time you show up and it looks marginal, don’t go home. Paddle out with a goal.
Struggling to get speed on small, weak waves? DM us and tell us what’s happening. Our coaches can help you work out why.
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I did just that today actually, bad conditions but still got a good paddle in
Get a job
Hey. I remember that ol boy. Hope Sage is well.
Still better than Florida
Looks waist high to me.
That looks like a good day in Perth! 😂
I’d give anything to surf bad waves. Took it for granted when I lived in California…. we didn’t even check the reports. We just based our sessions around when we were all out of class.. South Shore Massachusetts we either get hurricane/Nor’Easter swell or it’s a LAKE. Ruthless.
Great tip
That’s peak condition for Pensacola
Yeah mad, let’s make all those shitty days crowded too
Sunday 🤩
Don't surf in bad conditions lol
How do you like that helium tech in those windy conditions?
As my instructor/sensei/good friend would say: "Who are you to refuse bad conditions?" He's right as allways.
That’s a good day at my local break!
Mate, messy is my besty
This would be a good surf day here in Japan!
Desperation
Wow, this is true. When I get into some real waves, I’m gonna be ripping harder than Kelly Slater…..
Overcast, onshore, small and gutless = sharks. At least a few more legs dangling out the back decreases the odds it'll be you.
I would happily head out in those conditions hardly any people