If you're into catching a wave and riding it, then there are few reasons why you wouldn't enjoy gliding through the air on some wheels. Skateboarding is a great way to spend your time when you can't hit the water; you'll also be pleased to hear that it can help to improve your surf performance too!
Read on to find out how skating will help to boost your performance! Who knows, you might even end up putting your wetsuit to the side to hone your newfound skating skills!
Can I Surf if I Already Skateboard?
Although skating is an excellent way to fine-tune your surfing skills, it won't let you jump the queue when it comes to starting as a beginner; but you never know, you might be naturally gifted on your surfboard!
The main reason that skaters won't be able to become surfing gods overnight is because of two factors:
- Surfing is a water sport; you'll need to have a good grasp of how the ocean works.
- As a beginner, surfers spend most of their time working on their paddling skills instead of standing up and riding.
Once you've got these down, you'll be free to bring in your assortment of experience and knowledge from skateboarding, although it's worth noting that most surfboards will need you to put your weight on the back of the board instead of the front.
Why Skateboarding Improves Your Surfing
Balance
The balance involved with skating runs pretty close to replicating what's needed when in the water. If you regularly skate, you'll start to notice a significant improvement in your balance when surfing.
Balance is a crucial component of surfing as it not only helps you stay on your board for longer but will also result in an improved posture and endurance, building on your body awareness, position and movement confidence.
Flow
Flow is paramount in skating and surfing; it's something created through a series of gentle movements and can create some serious speed and forward momentum.
If you're keen to try out skateboarding, you will be able to understand the mechanics of your surfboard better while retaining a sense of control of your surroundings.
The only way to master this is through repetition, which will teach you how your board will respond and the effects of your body movement in relation to your board.
Timing
Surfing is all about awareness and adapting to your environment; a major component of this is timing. When surfing, your timing and decision making will go hand-in-hand, and these need to be pretty accurate to allow you to reach your peak.
Skating is another example of requiring a sense of timing to be at the heart of mastering your board. By regularly skating, you will be able to keep practising your timing skills outside of the water.
Style
Skating can help to fine-tune your style, whether you're in or out of the water.
As a beginner, you might not get much of a chance to practice your style as you'll spend most of your time working on your paddling skills, so if you want to make sure you hit the water with a bit of flair, you might want to consider taking up skating.
Focus
Both sports require attention to detail and a lot of focus. When it comes to your reaction time, skating cuts pretty close in terms of similarities to surfing. As a lover of either sport, you'll relate to one wrong move being the cause of some serious pain.
We hope this article has proven helpful! If we can summarise with anything, it's that you should definitely consider investing in a skateboard!
For more information on surfing, whether you're looking to perfectly size your first wetsuit or find some surfing sweet spots, check out our blog!
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