The key moves
for progressing in surf

Getting better at surfing comes down to mastering a handful of precise techniques. From the pop-up to the cutback, every manoeuvre builds on fundamentals that every surfer needs to ingrain. Here we break down the essential moves, with practical drills to work on both on dry land and in the water.

1. The pop-up: getting up in one motion

The pop-up is the most fundamental technique in surfing. It is the move that takes you from lying on the board to standing on it. A clean pop-up is the non-negotiable base for every manoeuvre that follows.

Dry-land drill: the pop-up on the sand

Before you get in the water, practise 20 to 30 pop-ups on the sand or on a yoga mat. Time yourself: a good pop-up takes less than half a second. Get a mate to film you – it is the best self-analysis tool there is. If your feet don't land in the right spot first time, go again until the move feels natural.

2. The take-off: catching the wave at the right moment

The take-off is the moment you commit to the wave and start your descent. It is the transition between the paddling zone and the face of the wave. A good take-off decides 80% of how the ride goes.

Positioning at the peak

The peak is where the wave breaks first. For a clean take-off, sit slightly to the side of the peak (towards the shoulder), not directly on it. That way you avoid taking the lip on the head and give yourself time to get up before the wave catches you.

The committing strokes

When you feel the wave lift you, take three or four deep, powerful strokes. Don't look back: trust the feeling. When the wave carries you and the nose tips downward, that is the moment to pop up.

The drop down the face

Once you are up, your weight should be slightly on the front foot to drive the board down the face. Too much weight back and the board stalls and you go over the nose. Too much forward and you bury the nose (a pearl). The balance is subtle – it comes with repetition.

3. Trim: finding speed and the right line

Trim is the art of holding your speed as you surf along the face of the wave, without any pronounced turn. It is the foundation of every advanced manoeuvre: no trim, no bottom turn, no cutback.

The trim position

Standing, adjust your weight: front foot to speed up (dropping down the wave), back foot to slow down (climbing back towards the lip). Trim is about finding the sweet spot on the face where the board holds its speed effortlessly.

Reading the wave

While trimming, your eyes are constantly scanning the wave: where is the steepest section? Where does the wave open up a shoulder to work with? Trim is not passive – it is an active exercise in reading and anticipating.

4. The bottom turn: the key manoeuvre

The bottom turn is the first real manoeuvre every surfer needs to master. It is the turn you make at the bottom of the wave to climb back towards the lip and generate speed for the moves that follow. No bottom turn, no modern surfing.

Common bottom-turn mistakes

• Too early: setting the bottom turn while there is still face to drop down loses speed. Wait for the bottom of the wave.
• Looking at the nose: your gaze should be up the wave, not down at the board.
• Not enough bend: without deep compression the turn is soft and ineffective. Bend your knees more than you think you need to.
• Over-turning: a bottom turn is not a 180°. Aim for 90 to 120° of rotation at most when starting out.

5. The cutback: coming back to the power

The cutback is the manoeuvre that lets you come back to the powerful part of the wave after you have surfed too far out onto the shoulder. It is a tight turn, and often the first 'real' turn that improving surfers learn.

When to cut back?

When you feel the wave losing power behind you (the shoulder flattening off), it is time to cut back. The timing is crucial: too early and you miss the power section; too late and the wave has already closed out.

The mechanics of the cutback

1. Initiation: shift your weight onto the back foot, engaging the back rail.
2. Rotation: shoulders and gaze turn first, the board follows. The movement is circular and smooth.
3. Re-entry: the board comes back towards the powerful part of the wave (the pocket). That is where the energy is greatest.
4. Exit: once back in the pocket, release the pressure and pick up your trim again.

6. The top turn: turning at the top of the wave

The top turn is the turn you make high on the wave, near the lip. It is a more advanced manoeuvre that needs a solid bottom turn and good trim as prerequisites.

The mechanics

After a bottom turn has driven you up the wave, the top turn involves:

• Reaching the lip (or just below it) with enough speed
• Shifting your weight onto the back foot to pivot
• Using the tail kick (the lifted rear of the board) as a pivot point
• Dropping back down while controlling your line

The snap: the aggressive top turn

The snap is a sharper top turn, where the board pivots almost 180° at the top of the wave and drops back down with power. It is the signature move of modern surfing. It calls for a short board (a shortboard or fish) and steep waves.

Recommended progression by level

Dry-land drills to progress faster

Surfing isn't only worked on in the water. Here are the complementary drills that speed up your progress:

• Pop-ups on a mat: three sets of 10 reps, three times a week. Time each pop-up.
• Dynamic core work: plank (3 × 45 sec), Russian twists (3 × 20), mountain climbers (3 × 30). Core strength is crucial for stability on the board.
• Surfskate or skateboard: work on turns, transitions and balance. A surfskate (Carver, YOW, Smoothstar) recreates the feel of surfing on tarmac.
• Squats and lunges: 3 × 15 squats, 3 × 10 lunges per leg. Leg power is the engine of your turns.
• Video analysis: film yourself in the water and compare your moves with the tutorials. Self-analysis is the most underrated progression tool there is.