Stab Magazine | Kolohe Andino's 12 Step Program Towards Improving Your Surfing

The site will undergo maintenance on Monday, 23rd June from 3 AM to 3:30 AM CST.

Live Now — 1-Week Premium Peek — Episode 2 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

368 Views

Kolohe Andino’s 12 Step Program Towards Improving Your Surfing

Hurley Surf Club anonymous. 

style // Mar 1, 2017
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Want to become a well-oiled machine that traverses any wave face without a glitch? Unfortunately, there’s no roadmap to flawlessness. With this in mind, we tapped into the brain of Kolohe Andino to bring about 12 simple steps to improve your surfing. It’s not all trick tips and in the water how-tos. Surfing–like anything worth adoration–is a multi-faceted entity; so in association with the Hurley Surf Club, here are 12 rational tips designed to make a difference. 

1. Surf on an empty stomach.
In the morning, I think it’s best to have a big cup of Bullet Coffee. That’s about it. It’s hard to surf with food in my stomach; I like to keep it all liquid. I do know a couple of people who can eat breakfast burritos and go out and surf a heat, but when you’re paddling, you’re rolling around on whatever you just ate–it bogs you down and feels weird.  

2. Have a warm up routine.
It’s best to hit the water feeling warm and loose. I have a nice routine before I surf at home where I use my pilates reformer and do stretches with rubber bands. The last 15 months I’ve been dealing with some injuries and stretching before I surf helps me loosen up quickly. On the road, I do stretches with the rubber band and roll out on a fitness ball.  

3. Hydrate, refill and relax after long sun-bleached days. 
I drink a lot of water, eat a big meal and just melt into a couch. I’m sure a lot of people would say a cold beer is the way to go, but I don’t drink so I just stick with water. 

4. No wax? Rub some sand on it. 
If I forget wax and have an old layer on my board, I usually just ask somebody if I can borrow some. But if I can’t find anybody and want to avoid slippage, I go to the water’s end and rub as much sand and goop on my feet and my wax until I feel comfortable surfing on it. 

5. Got a soggy suit? Throw it in the dryer. 
Before every session, I throw my suit in the dryer for 30 minutes and just nuke the thing. Afterwards, it feels brand new and ready to go. Sometimes if I’m going for two sessions I’ll throw two suits in there. You could wrap it in a towel but I usually just throw it in solo.

Kolohe HSC2

Fluidity relies on a body that’s loose and steady as a bow and arrow.

Photography

Domenic Mosqueira

6. Don’t think too much.  
The best way to approach a wave is to surf it laterally and go where it will give the most speed. Overthinking what you’re going to do on a wave never goes the way you want. Surf the wave section to section. Surf with it rather than trying to force it. 

7. Always keep your head in line with where you want to go. 
The most helpful thing to concentrate on is looking the direction you want to go. Keep your head in line with the turn you want to draw. If you’re doing a round house and feel the wave is speeding up in front of you, you still want to focus on the white wash you’re going to rebound off before heading back down the line. This goes back to not overthinking it. 

8. Wait your turn. 
That’s a rule of thumb for anywhere I’d say. If there’s an eggy Lowers crowd I usually just wait my turn for a good one then go. If I was somewhere up North at a localised spot, it’s smart to do the same thing. 

9. Don’t paddle out at an unfamiliar spot with more than two people. 
I’ve never paddled out to a localised spot with more than two people, but if I were to, the best way to do it (if there were four of you) would be, go in groups of two, then have the other two come out a half hour or so later. Don’t paddle around the locals, drop in on them or act like a kook. 

10. Keep your hands in front of you in the tube. 
If you’re going frontside it helps to keep your hands in front of your body. That’s a little tip that’s always worked well for me and gives you a better chance of coming out of the barrel. But also, Christian Fletcher once said, “If you came out you weren’t deep enough,” which is a good one for when you don’t make it. Then you can just be like, ‘I was in the perfect spot’. 

11. Stay low while doing airs. 
For airs, the best way to keep your body over your board is to stay low. That’s the most important thing; it keeps you closer to the board and more centred. 

12. Learn the double-loop technique for your leash string.
You don’t need a separate leash string for every surfboard. I do the classic leash string knot, but I tie it before I put it into the plug. Once it’s tied, I slip the looped side (the one without a knot) into the plug, then I half it so there is one loop on each side. I feed my leash through the two. When you velcro the leash, it holds it all together. 

For more information on how to join the Hurley Surf Club and become a better surfer, head here.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 2

Our seven surviving surfers confront an oddly large California beach break.

Jun 19, 2025

Why Is One Of The World’s Longest Lefts Being Bulldozed?

Pavones residents displaced as excavators move in.

Jun 19, 2025

The Seven Surfing Conspiracies

Inside surfing’s shadow government: what they don’t want you to know.

Jun 18, 2025

Mongrels Flood The Mondrian, Doped Youth Resurfaces in Versace

An autopsy of the Solento Surf Film Festival — and a breakdown of the biggest…

Jun 18, 2025

The Billion Dollar Hole Behind Lakey Peak: Should Surfers Be Worried?

A massive gold mine is being excavated behind the Indonesian surf village, fueled by foreign…

Jun 17, 2025

Record-Smashing Surf Coach Eyes Off His Next Victim: Sydney Olympic Park

Blakey Johnson’s July plans: survive 108+ hours in the cool, recirculated waters of URBNSURF. 

Jun 17, 2025

Watch: Milk & Honey, Presented By YETI & Sun Bum

A surf film starring Stephanie Gilmore, Caity Simmers, Coco Ho, and Frankie Harrer.

Jun 17, 2025

Stab Interview: WSL Tour President Graham Stapelberg On The Changes And Challenge(r)s Of The Post-Cut Era

Maxing Pipe, Triple Crown realities, Jordy Smith, sponsors up the yin-yang, and more.

Jun 16, 2025

Was That The Best Day Of Performance Surfing In 2025?

Kerrupt flips, double airs, and a cornucopia of 9 point waves.

Jun 15, 2025

Watch: Albee Layer Drops His Second Stab Edit Of The Year In 4 Months

And we dare say "Less Than Easy" is even better than the former.

Jun 13, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 1

Our first loser goes home in this "king of the hill" showdown.

Jun 12, 2025

How To Convince A Bunch Of Small Town Floridians That They Need A Wavepool

Warren Smith is creatively diversifying the tourism portfolio of his hometown.

Jun 12, 2025

Italo And Filipe Lost, But Surfing Won Today

No shortage of excellence on Day Two at Lowers.

Jun 11, 2025

Opinion: Griffin vs Filipe Was A Masterclass In Surfing & Judging

And the exact reason Lowers is on tour.

Jun 11, 2025

How Politics Canceled A WSL Pro Junior Event In The Basque Country

The Israel-Palestine conflict hits surfing.

Jun 11, 2025

Wait, Is Lowers A Left?

Day One of the Lexus June Gloom Pro is wrapped, and Kelly's free for drinks.

Jun 11, 2025

Stab Interview: The Secret Lives Of Keith Malloy

On surf films, big waves, sibling bonds, and stunt-doubling for Matthew McConaughey.

Jun 9, 2025

Why Kelly Slater’s Favorite Wave Isn’t Producing More Pro Surfers

A critical analysis of the Soup Bowl surf community.

Jun 8, 2025
Advertisement