February 26, 2024

Week 6: HOW TO BOTTOM TURN

THIS WEEK: I wanted to talk to you about something I reference in every surf, especially on surf trips...

FRONTSIDE - BOTTOM TURNS.

Maybe the most import turn in all of surfing.

There will be more feedback on this in the future but there are 3 pivotal pieces of a frontside bottom turn that are essential to every level of surfing.

No matter what level you’re at, you can always go back to the basics of your bottom turn.

Use these tools below along with the previous week’s email on “Taking-Off” to maximize these 3 steps.

1. You’ll never go faster than your fins. This means, leaning forward, lunging, hopping and disconnecting your upper body from your board will actually slow you down. The goal of your bottom turn is to harness your speed you achieved when you took off and/or from pumping down the line.

2. Hand on water. Putting your back arm’s hand on water when you bottom turn will force you to stay low, harnessing your speed from your take off and allow you to coil up for your top turn. Bending your back knee in can help you achieve “hand on water” and keep you on your fins - driving your board to the lip.

3. Where your head goes your body will follow. This is the basic rule of gymnastics. This concept will help you with all your turns and when you’re learning to do airs. When you’re doing your frontside bottom turn, you want to always be looking at the lip or the section that you’re planning to turn on. This will give your technique direction.

ABOVE is one of the GOATS of surfing - Tom Curren.

3x World Champion and what many regard as the pin-point of "perfect" technique. See his first wave at Jeffery's Bay here:

Tom Curren - JBay - Bottom Turn

Doing proper Bottom Turns will change your surfing.

Consistently practicing them with intent will drastically increase your level rapidly.

Go get some!

- Matt

Leave a comment