12/02/2026
🇬🇧
🎯 TECHNICAL STRUCTURE OF A SUP SURF WAVE
1️⃣ TAKE-OFF : THE FOUNDATION
No wave = no surf = no progression.
Everything starts here.
➤ Take-off stance (staggered stance)
✔️ Front foot parallel to the rail → maximum left/right vision
✔️ Back foot slightly back, opened ~45°
✔️ Shoulder-width stance → 360° balance
✔️ Knees bent
✔️ Eyes up
From the take-off:
• Read the face
• Identify sections
• Anticipate
Reading = control.
2️⃣ TRANSITION INTO SURF STANCE
Once engaged:
✔️ Step back toward the tail → more control
✔️ Widen your stance → efficient weight transfer
No width → no amplitude → no efficiency.
Technical rule:
• Front foot pressure = speed & glide
• Back foot pressure = turns only
Too much back foot = board slows down.
3️⃣ SECTION MANAGEMENT
🔹 Soft section
Goal: generate and maintain speed.
✔️ Wide stance
✔️ Front foot pressure
✔️ Active line
✔️ Stay close to the shoulder to keep power
The softer the wave, the closer you stay to the shoulder.
No paddle use (except for radical maneuvers).
Paddling creates:
• unnecessary movements
• imbalance
• inverted weight shifts
Result: loss of speed.
Speed comes from footwork.
🔹 Steep section
Divide the wave:
⬆️ Top / mid-face = speed zone
⬇️ Bottom = turn zone
On a steep section:
✔️ Stay in the speed zone
✔️ Avoid dropping too low
Too low =
→ speed loss
→ section closing
→ getting trapped
➡️ Slight step back toward the tail for more control.
🔑 Coaching Summary
Clean take-off.
Eyes up.
Wide stance.
Front foot to accelerate.
Back foot to turn.
Less paddle.
Speed is built.
Not paddled.
