Bodyboarding is an average difficulty level watersport for the beginners. It can be practiced by any age group and required only a few days of practice. The surfer needs to have a good swimming ability, strength to hold the board and improved fitness levels.
What size bodyboard do I need? How to use a bodyboardEquipment:
- The bodyboarding
- A leash (attaches to your upper arm for preventing the board to lose).
- A wetsuit or a rash guard (wetsuit keeps your body warm in colder water and rash guard protects from the sun).
- fins and fin socks.
Choosing the location:
When you’re going to try bodyboarding for the first time. Choosing a location is an important choice basically, beaches are the ideal for bodyboarding. Because of a lifeguard, fewer rocks, reef bottom, and sand-bottomed beaches. The waves at the beaches are not high current for the beginners.
Paddling out:
Before paddling out into the water, body posture is important while surfing the bodyboard.
- Get the board and lie on it with your hands holding at the top of the board.
- another end of the board ending at lower belly.
- once you’re in this posture paddle your hand at the side of the board and legs (similar to the swimming with your hands).
Practice on white water waves:
- After the paddle practice, you’re needed to catch out on the waves. Get into the water with your board up to knee depth.
- With the correct posture get on the board and begin paddling out. Kick with your both feet for more power.
- Try to maintain the nose of the board about 1 – 2 inches on the surface of the water.
Finding the Perfect wave:
- In the beginning stage, you should not attempt to catch high and fast waves. It may cause to slip from your board.
- choose the waves which are heading towards shore. Which won’t be high and fast waves.
- Turn towards the waves and start paddling out.
- check for the place where waves are breaking out. This gives to improve the performance of the bodyboarding.
Connect with wave and control:
- when you find the right wave, stay 5 or 10 feet beyond. Turn towards the beach and start paddling fast you can also lean forward to gain more power.
- Controlling the board can be done by keeping one hand on the board and paddle with the other.
- If you wanted to turn right side hold the nose of the board on the right side and paddle with the left hand.
- If you wanted to turn left side holds the nose of the board on the left side and paddle with the right hand.
- The fast movements can be achieved by pushing the nose of the board downwards and slower by lifting the nose upwards.
- Here you can also turn right or left by leaning on that side and placing the elbow on the same side upper deck.
You’ll gain a momentum when you keep on surfing the bodyboard, to achieve maximum speed (trim) in the flat on the surface you need-to lean towards the nose of the bodyboard. This will reduce drag and increase greater control.