Uh, I Think It’s Okay To Want To Improve Your Surfing

First, let’s get this straight, nobody wants to watch me surf on film; not even myself. Upon viewing, I nitpick everything. And when my job revolves around the world’s finest surfing, stuff like my silly T-Rex hands, late lip hits or the fact that my dismounts are the most viewer friendly part of my repertoire stick out. Also, the difference between a good surfer in the water and a good surfer on film is chasmic – not claiming to be either.

As goes with every facet of passion, surfing is an area that I’m looking to improve. Trick tips have been a present in every board-oriented activity for decades now. But, watching Kolohe Andino blast an Alley-Oop on an overhead wave in a tropical locale is hardly relatable, nor is watching Rob Machado ride a flawless frontside tube at Chopes. As enjoyable as they are to watch, and as articulate as Mike Parsons is while breaking them down, it’s tough to imagine yourself in their place.

We wanted to stick an average surfer (me), in average waves, send the clips into Hurley and have my surfing critiqued as a part of their new Hurley Surf Club. Then take their advice, return to the water and to see if the coaching can actually improve my surfing (yes, there are more to come). So we’re putting out the raw video clips; no photos or frame grabs, no longwinded recollections of what I learned, just me surfing, and them critiquing. Granted there are far better surfers (and worse) than I who read this site. But for the average Jack or Jill, watching me hit the lip slightly too late to get a proper jam in then analysing how to connect the ride from take-off to bottom turn to off the top is the experiment at hand: Does The Hurley Surf Club work?

The Hurley Surf Club is free, all you got to do is film and submit four waves. Head here for further details.