FAST START DRILL


AIM: 

To teach surfers the skill of starting a heat quickly.


PREPARATION: 

Ask the surfers to go for a light jog on the beach followed by stretching exercises.


DRILL: 

  • Send the surfers out for 5 minutes. 
  • Ask them to catch two waves in five minutes.
  • They should start the drill once they have reached the peak in the line-up.
  • The surfers must return to the beach after the end of the drill.

NOTES TO THE COACH

The object is not to catch waves for the sake of catching waves.

The surfers should be instructed to catch waves that allow them to perform manoeuvres.

Catching poor waves at the start of a heat puts the surfer in a position of playing catch-up for the remainder of the heat.

The goal of all competition surfers should be, to be leading the heat at the end of the 1st five minute segment.

So therefore, the surfer in this drill is attempting to get two quick waves on the scoreboard, but, the waves they are looking for must still be of sufficient quality to gain good scores from the judges.

Another aim of this drill is to help surfers understand that they can catch waves quickly if required.

It may be that the surf is lully and inconsistent, so a good strategy could be to catch a quick wave to get a score under your belt, and then wait for better waves as the competitive heat goes on.

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