Power, muscle strength & fluid for Advanced Surfers
Many advanced surfers believe that the only way they can improve their surfing is by surfing more and in more challenging waves. Although this is true, there is no doubt that SmoothStar can provide many benefits to advanced surfers. Some of these include:
- Core strength training
- Surfing technique adjustments
- Practice progressive surf maneuvers such as aerials
- Connecting turns for fluid rail-to-rail surfing
There are many videos and photos of SmoothStar teamriders on our SmoothStar video section. SmoothStar Team Riders love getting airtime – we feel it is just following the trend of “progressive surfing". There is nothing better than the SmoothStar crew filming or taking photos of teamriders perform amazing airs, tail slides… people in skateparks just sit and watch. You will see many SmoothStar photos with people gazing at our teamriders.
Can I practice aerials (airs) on a SmoothStar?
100%. SmoothStar is used all the time by many surfers to fine tune
their airs from setup to landing. There are a variety of airs that you
can practice, these include:
-frontside airs
-backside airs
-grab rail airs
-two hand grab rail airs
-superman airs
Can I do better airs with SmoothStar?
Generally speaking, the more speed you have on a wave, the bigger and higher the aerial maneuver. On a SmoothStar it is very similar. Just like you would pump yourself on a wave and launch to do you air, you do the same on SmoothStar. Here are the steps:
You need to get to a skatepark which has a similar gradient as a wave face.
Pick the lip or spot where you are going to launch your air then work out the best approach to generate speed. Typically you would pump and carve down the line on your surfboard, do the same on SmoothStar to generate the speed into the lip.
Just before you hit the spot, ensure you are fully compressed: knees bent and your torso is directly over your board. This will ensure that you stay connected to your board.
As you lift off from the lip you will extend your legs but then let your board push up underneath you, and go back into your compression. You may want to grab the rail whilst in the air, this might help you keep connected to the board.
The most important element is to keep compressed and keep directly over your board. Keep your knees as high as possible to get height with the board. Extend your legs before and wait for the impact of the landing and absorb the landing through your compression.
When trying airs for the first time on a SmoothStar, we recommend that you wear appropriate safety gear – including: helmet, knee pads, wrist guards.
How to “Link your Turns” like a Pro?
Many advanced surfers become better by linking their turns together. Joel Parkinson and Kelly Slater are fine examples of this. They can go from one turn to another in one smooth transition. The keep a fluid motion and it all looks effortless. So how do you do this on SmoothStar?
- Get to a skatepark or steep driveway.
- Pick a combination of tricks and maneuvers that you think suit the skatepark walls.
- Do a slow run through on your SmoothStar.
- With a piece of chalk, put “x” where you want to do your trick.
- Follow the x’s.
- Do the same linking time and time again, try to complete with smooth transitions, generating more speed with compression.
Tip for Linking Turns
Turns For the last maneuver or “x” that you have
marked, imagine it is like the end of a wave. The typical end to a wave is
where it closes out. Typically, you would “throw” the tail. Try to do the
same on SmoothStar.
What Muscles can I Strengthen?
The best muscle improvement will be those used to increase surfing compression. More
compression – the more speed – the more speed, the more powerful and critical maneuver.
However, for advanced surfers we recommend increasing the time you keep your compression.
When surfing a surf wave, you would compress from any where to 0.5 a second to 2 seconds –
depending on the wave size. To improve your muscle strength, we would recommend
compressing for 4 times this length of time. This will increase the muscle mass in the areas
necessary for good surfing compression. Initially start on a flat area, progressing to driveway
slopes, then to skateparks with steeper gradients.
Note: You should start to feel a burning sensation on your thighs and back legs. This is GOOD – it means you are getting a good workout and your legs are strengthening.
Key Tip to Ultimate Compression
- Keeping compressed at speed
- Keep compression for 2 – 8 seconds
- Extend out of the carve but quickly compress again and repeat compression.
- Don’t straighten legs or back, keep compressed.
- Do 5 reps at a time
Can you improve transition turns?
One of the underrated aspects of advanced surfing is the position of your shoulders and hand placements. Every advanced surfer should put their hand in the face of the wave to use as a pivot. However, one element that is overlooked is the hand and shoulder movement when completing the top turn. With SmoothStar you can practice going from a bottom turn to a top turn – as you approach the top part of the top turn, you should throw your outside arm up above your head and swing your shoulders around to the direction away from the white wash. This will provide you with more torque and more spray from the top of the lip.
