16 most common mistakes of base position

Previously I have already given you our very general description of the Surf Base Position, the one we advocate in our teaching method. Today we will describe to you some of the most common mistakes.

1. Very open base – This gives you much less range of motion in the hip, and also causes your body weight to be projected backwards from the centre of the board, which will cause you to brake. The so-called ‘foot on the nose, foot on tail’ position will also take away balance, stability and leg strength, which you will need later on when you start manoeuvring.
2. Very closed base – Very closed base will also take away balance and stability. In fact, a mistake that is not listed here and that you should know is that the feet should not remain fixed, but should be adjusted. Even when you are still only moving forward, you should train your dancing feet, light on the board, so that you can adjust them when it becomes more necessary.
3. Front foot points to the nose – This one I have unfortunately seen taught on the beach. Serious, as it also doesn’t allow you to have balance on the board and will also make turning difficult. If you make this mistake you should correct it by over-correcting and placing it perpendicular to the stringer of the board – that wooden line that runs across the whole board from the back to the front edge.
4. Thinking that the back foot must be on top of the keels at this early stage – so if the feet/handles should be shoulder-width apart, more or less, and if the front foot should be in the centre/middle of the board, just do the maths. Of course, we will need to put the back foot there on the fins to turn. But for now, the turns, while the turning angle is still small, can be done with a slight bending movement, looking and turning/tilting on the way up. Later we will move both feet if it is a big board or just the back foot if you are a shortboarder, to make a more radical turn.
5. Thinking that the position of the feet is fixed – It isn’t. Whether you ride a big board or a small board, you’re going to have to adjust your feet a lot depending on the manoeuvres you want to do.
6. Knees apart and pointed in opposite directions – The back knee should also point forward to allow for greater hip-femoral functionality.
7. Legs/ Knees too bent – I have said before in other posts that this is one of the reasons many of the riders are condemning the evolution. This exaggerated strength in the legs is not necessary when the ride on the wave is controlled. On the contrary, it will make you unable to use them to make a change of direction or absorb instability along the wave.
8. High tension legs – I reinforce the previous description. To understand how serious this error is.
9. Lateral pelvis and shoulders – Over-correcting, in order for the brain to process the information about the required position, we should try to turn the shoulders aligning with the perpendicular of the stringer of the board and the pelvis should make an angle of at least 45º, never less, so that in the future, it will not be almost impossible to correct this functional constraint.
10. Arms aligned with the board stringer – Again, overcorrection, both perpendicular to the length of the board.
11. Arms hang both on the same side of the board – Always, one on each side of the Rail or board edge.
12. Back foot does not support the heel – Recurring error, often due to lack of mobility in the ankle, often, because if your Trainer, does not identify you the error. If the reason for this mistake is lack of mobility, a coach who is also trained in Physical exercise and health can help, if there is pain, you should seek a therapist.
13. Look directed at the feet or down – Apart from not knowing where you are going, if you make this mistake, you are also a great danger!!! Look directed where you want to go, ALWAYS!
14. Very marked “ninja” style – This not at all flexible approach, needs to let in more and new information. Try it and you will see the difference.
15. Center of mass designed on the back support – Have you noticed, for sure, that sometimes when you miss the wave, after standing up the board points upwards?
16. Center of mass projected on the 2 supports– It’s due to your ninja position, or lateralized position. The consequence is again, the loss of waves,…

To correct these mistakes? Hummmm, I have a tip: Come and meet us!