110: 3 Unconventional Surfing Tips To Catch More Waves and Learn Fast

Podcast - SURF MASTERY

Are you still struggling to catch waves—even after months of trying? What if the problem isn’t you, but the technique you were taught?

In this episode, surf coach Michael Frampton breaks down the three unconventional, yet game-changing, tips that helped a frustrated beginner surfer finally start catching waves—without paddling, without stress, and without shame. If you’ve ever felt like giving up, this one’s for you.

• Learn why “matching” waves beats “catching” them—and how this mindset shift changes everything.

• Discover how to spot the right kind of whitewater for maximum success.

• Get a simple, no-paddle drill that can skyrocket your progress in just one session.

Press play now to hear the exact tips that helped Jason—and dozens of other surfers—go from stuck to stoked in weeks, not years.

Join the Wave Catching Academy: https://learn.surfmastery.com/wave-catching-academy-1

You Tube Vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpEKf1cbT4Q

Key Points

• Introduction of the podcast and its purpose to help surfers catch more waves, surf with more speed, style, and grace, and gain confidence in the water.

• Announcement of a long-form interview with Professor of Philosophy Aaron James about surfing philosophy, encouraging listeners to subscribe and stay tuned.

• Story of Jason, a 42-year-old beginner surfer who struggled to catch waves despite surfing almost daily for three months, highlighting the importance of proper technique and guidance.

• Tip number one: Match waves, don't catch waves, emphasizing a change in perspective and the importance of the language used to shape beliefs and actions.

• Tip number two: Focus on wave selection by choosing waves with smooth flat water in front, as not all broken white water waves are equal.

• Tip number three: Stop headling; beginners should use an 8 or 9-foot soft top, position the board correctly, and jump onto the board as the white water hits the tail to match the wave's speed.

• Summary of the three tips: Match waves, choose the right white water, and stop headling, with a reminder to check the show notes for a visual demonstration.

• Promotion of the Wave Catching Academy as a solution for those frustrated with not catching waves, with a call to action to join before registrations close at the end of the week.

Outline

Introduction to the Surf Mastery Podcast

• The Surf Mastery Podcast aims to help passionate surfers catch more waves, surf with more speed, style, and grace, and gain wisdom and confidence in the water.

• The podcast caters to both beginner surfers struggling to catch waves and longtime listeners.

• An upcoming long-form interview with Professor of Philosophy Aaron James on surfing philosophy is announced.

Story of Jason and the Importance of Correct Technique

• Jason, a 42-year-old beginner surfer, had been surfing almost daily for three months but felt like giving up due to lack of progress.

• Jason had taken a few group lessons at a local surf school and watched YouTube videos but was not making progress.

• A session was booked with the podcast host to address Jason's struggles.

• The host observed Jason's technique and identified that Jason was doing almost everything wrong but remained positive and enthusiastic.

• Jason was advised to use a bigger board and focus on matching waves rather than catching them.

Tip Number One: Match Waves, Don't Catch Waves

• The first tip emphasizes a change in perspective: instead of trying to catch waves, one should match them.

• Waves are not running away; they are coming towards the surfer.

• This tip encourages surfers to think of surfing as dancing with the ocean.

Tip Number Two: White Water Needs Flat Water

• The second tip focuses on wave selection and the importance of choosing the right waves.

• Surfers should look for waves with the smoothest water in front of them.

• The water between the wave and the beach should be nice and smooth and flat to make it easier to catch the main wave.

Tip Number Three: Stop Headling

• The third tip advises beginners to stop paddling for waves.

• Beginners should go into waist-deep water with an 8 or 9 foot soft top board.

• The board should be pointed towards the beach with hands in the center of the board on either rail.

• Wait until the white water hits the tail of the board and then jump onto the board and move forward towards the beach at the same time.

• The surfboard should be 90 degrees perpendicular to the wave for proper timing.

Wave Catching Academy

• The Wave Catching Academy is introduced as a solution for those frustrated with not catching waves.

• The academy promises to teach surfers how to catch waves effortlessly in weeks, not years.

• Registrations for the academy are open until the end of the week.

• More details and booking information can be found on the website surfmastery.com

Transcription

Welcome back or welcome to the Surf Mastery Podcast. The podcast that helps passionate, lifelong surfers to catch more waves, surf with more speed, style, and grace, and to gain wisdom and confidence in the water. Today's episode is for the beginner surfer who is struggling to catch waves.

And for the longtime listener who's tuning in again, we've got a long-form interview coming up with Professor of Philosophy Aaron James, all about surfing philosophy, later this week. So make sure you're subscribed and keep an eye out for that one.

Let's get into today's episode. Let me tell you a quick story about Jason and then I'll go into three actionable tips.

So just before COVID hit, I was doing a lot of surf lessons and surf guiding in Southern California. And I got a call from Jason who had just discovered the show. And he'd heard an episode where I had said that after four weeks of surfing as a new surfer, you should be catching unbroken waves out the back. And he realized just how far behind the curve he was.

So he gave me a call. He was 42 and had been surfing almost daily for three months after having a few group lessons at his local surf school. And he said some days he just felt like giving up and that surfing just maybe wasn't something that he was physically capable of. But at the same time, he was hooked on surfing and felt extremely drawn to surfing and the ocean.

So we booked a session. I met Jason at a local beginner-friendly surf spot. And the first thing I do with a new client is just observe.

So I watched Jason flail around for about five minutes on his seven-foot soft top and I knew what was going on, so I waved him in. Basically, he had the complete wrong approach. It's a pretty typical story actually, especially for those who have started later in life. A few lessons at a local surf school that specializes in the tourist experience or teaching school kids, and then watching a few YouTube videos, and yeah, you can go pretty wrong.

As he was coming in, I went to the car and got the nine-foot soft top. He needed that. And as we sat down at the beach, I said, “Jason, mate, well done. Look, you're very confident in the water. But I got good news. And I've got best news.” He said, “Okay,” hesitantly. I said, “No, that means there's plenty of room for improvement. And the best news is that you've got a huge smile on your face despite all of that.”

So we had a quick chat about him sticking with a bigger board for a while. And then we talked about the difference between catching waves and matching waves. We just watched the surf for about five minutes and talked about wave selection. It's a big one actually. Most beginners aren't taught choosing the right whitewater. It's very important.

Then our goal for the last 40 minutes of the session was to catch as many waves as possible with as little effort, without paddling. So I went out with him in waist-deep water and gave him plenty of tips and talked him through the process. He said at the end he caught more waves in that 40 minutes than he'd caught in the last three weeks.

So let's break down the main things I taught Jason on that day into three tips that you can use.

Tip number one is to match waves, don't catch waves. This is a bit of a perspective change. The goal is not to catch waves. Waves are not running away from you. They are coming towards you. Another way to think of it is you've got to accept the invitation to dance. The language we use and the way we speak about and think about things shapes our perspectives and our beliefs, and therefore our actions.

So next time you go for a surf, think of it as dancing with the ocean. Match the wave. Don’t catch the wave.

Tip number two is whitewater needs flat water. This is about wave selection—choosing the right waves. This is not often talked about when it comes to beginners catching whitewater, but not all broken whitewater waves are equal. If you're struggling with consistency, chances are that you're choosing the wrong waves and you're not looking at the details of which waves you should be going for.

The key here is to look for the waves with the smoothest water in front of them. The water in between the wave and the beach needs to be nice and smooth and flat. The more boils or rips or little waves in front of the wave, or waves going across or backwashes there are, the harder it is to catch the main wave that you're looking at. Just like a mountain biker that’s looking at the details of where the front wheel is going, looking at the terrain.

So too should you be looking at the details of the water in front of you. So remember, whitewater needs flat water.

Tip number three. Stop paddling. That's right. If you are new to surfing, you need to stop paddling for waves. All you need to do is go into waist-deep water with an 8 or 9-foot soft top. No other board is appropriate for a beginner.

You point the board towards the beach, have your hands in the center of the board on either rail, wait until the whitewater hits the tail of your board, and then jump onto your board and forward towards the beach at the same time. That's it. That is all you need to do.

That is how you match the speed of the wave. Catching waves is all about timing. It is really important that your surfboard is 90 degrees to the wave. Not 89 degrees, not 91—90 degrees, perpendicular to the wave. Don't look at everyone else paddling. Don't let anyone else tell you you need to paddle. You don't.

If you need a visual on this, there is a link to a YouTube video in the show notes.

So to summarize: match waves, don’t catch waves. Whitewater needs flat water. And stop paddling.

Now if you are sick of the frustration and the shame that goes along with not catching waves, and you really want to learn how to catch waves finally, there is a formula to effortlessly catch waves in weeks, not years—without feeling like a kook. Guaranteed.

Join the Wave Catching Academy now. There is a link in the show notes to find out more details and to book. Registrations are open until the end of this week. There are links to that on the website at surfmastery.com.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend. And if you want more surfing tips, including free PDFs and blogs, etc., surfmastery.com is the place to go.

And of course, there is the back catalog of timeless episodes of the Surf Mastery Podcast on Spotify, Apple, and Google, etc.

Thank you for tuning in. Until next time, keep surfing.

110: 3 Unconventional Surfing Tips To Catch More Waves and Learn Fast

For the passionate surfer—whether you're a weekend warrior, a surf dad, or an older surfer—this podcast is all about better surfing and deeper stoke. With expert surf coaching, surf training, and surfing tips, we’ll help you catch more waves, refine your paddling technique, and perfect your pop up on a surfboard. From surf workouts to handling wipeouts, chasing bigger waves, and mastering surf technique, we’re here to make sure you not only improve but truly enjoy surfing more—so you can get more out of every session and become a wiser surfer. Go from Beginner Surfer to advaned.