How to Surf with Style: Relaxation and Flow on the Wave
Why Style Comes from Relaxation
Watch great surfers and you’ll notice something: they look calm. Their boards are flying, but their upper bodies are still, fluid, and relaxed. Style doesn’t come from effort—it comes from ease. Most average surfers, however, fight their boards. Fatigue from paddling, anxiety during takeoff, and excitement on the wave all create upper-body tension, which locks the hips and legs and kills flow.
How Tension Destroys Movement
When your shoulders and arms are tight, every movement becomes forced. Your hips freeze, your knees stiffen, and your reaction time slows. You stop feeling what the wave is doing, making small adjustments impossible. This leads to awkward, crouched surfing and choppy turns—especially when trying to rebound off whitewater or control tricky cutbacks.
How to Fix It: Relaxation Training in the Water
One of the best ways to break tension is to learn the cross-step on a longboard. It’s almost impossible to do stiff. Try this drill:
- Paddle into a small wave on a longboard.
- Trim along the face, stand tall, and consciously relax your shoulders and arms.
- Let your fingers and hands hang loosely, soften your upper body, and start to move your feet—cross-stepping instead of shuffling.
You’ll instantly feel the difference. A relaxed upper body allows your lower body to move naturally, making every weight shift and adjustment smoother. Bring that feeling back to your shortboard—you’ll notice your style and control improve overnight.
Surfing Is Play, Not Control
Experimentation builds style. Try trimming, spinning, or even riding backwards for a second just to loosen up. When you stop forcing control and start flowing, you’ll find new sensations and balance points that make your surfing feel effortless.
How TRAX Helps You Find Flow
TRAX captures how your board moves—speed, balance, and rail engagement—across your waves. By comparing sessions where you’re relaxed versus tense, you’ll see exactly how flow and efficiency translate into faster, cleaner surfing. It’s proof that less effort really does equal more style.
Related Reading
- Fix Your Surf Stance – From Poo Stance to Power
- Not Surfing Fluidly? Here’s Why.
- Embrace the Suck – Why Struggling Is How You Progress in Surfing
