7 Reasons Why Surfskate Can Improve your Surfing
1. Surfskates have been designed to feel like surfboards
1. Surfskates have been designed to feel like surfboards
Surfskates are skateboards with specific trucks that simulates a surfboard movement.
The trucks are looser than those of a regular skateboard and allow for more cruisey turns, mimicking the rail-to-rail movement as though you’re on a surfboard.
2. Muscle Memory
2. Muscle Memory
Not everyone has access to perfect waves or a wave pool, every day. And even if you do, it’s difficult to put into practice the things which you are working on when you’re up and riding a wave.
When you’re on a wave, it often only lasts a few seconds.
And there’s so much adrenaline, it’s difficult to remember what you planned to work on.
It’s only when you finish the wave that suddenly you remember all those things you wished you tried – and you have to wait until the next wave to try again!
When you practice on surfskate, you can repeat the movements over and over again. Your body will get used to it, and soon those movements will become instinctive.
The more you practice on the land, the easier you’ll find it to translate to the water – whether you’re pumping, turning, or doing another type of manoeuvre.
3. Generating speed with pumping
The loose trucks on a surfskate mean that you can generate speed by pumping, rather than pushing with your feet. This movement is exactly the same as you do when you’re on a surfboard, pumping to generate speed on a wave.
Pumping can be tricky to learn, because it requires the whole body to work in sync to generate speed.
However once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s easy to translate into surfing – and it’s critical to do to ensure you get enough speed for manoeuvres, barrels, etc.
4. Practicing on a surfskate will help you fix bad habits and mistakes
4. Practicing on a surfskate will help you fix bad habits and mistakes
It’s important to have the right stance when you’re surfing, as it will give you better control on your board.
A lot of beginners often have the “poop stance” which is where they are too side-on, squatting with both knees pointing out…and try to pump by bending at the hips rather than the knees.
Practicing on a surfskate will help you to fix any problems like this, and will give you better control when you’re on a surfboard too. Plus your style will be a lot cooler too!
5. Improve your balance
5. Improve your balance
Those who start surfing as their first board sport often struggle with balance. So practicing for just 10 minutes a day will get your body used moving on a board.
Many people are scared to start surfskating as an adult, especially if they weren’t a skater as a kid. If you’re worried about this, you can wear protection (like wrist guards, knee pads, helmet etc) as you get used to it.
6. Surf with more confidence
6. Surf with more confidence
Using a surfskate will give you more confidence while surfing too. As well as having better muscle memory, your mind will feel more comfortable too as you’ll feel more in control.
Surfing requires confidence and you’ll find the more confidence you have, the better you’ll become.
7. Flow and Style!
7. Flow and Style!
Everyone surfs and skates differently, and it’s all down to personal style. Practicing on a surfskate will help you to create your own style – whether you want to be more aggressive like Gabriel Medina or more chill like Mikey February.
Feel free to share how surf skating has improved your surfing by tagging us on our Instagram account, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!