Body surfing can be a blast. For a lot of people, it’s just something to do when the waves are too small to surf–but for some, it’s a real way of life. It’s much more than just getting body womped onto the sand. For those that have spent enough time doing it to really grasp the ins and outs of it, there are a million little tips that make it easier.
The video you see above was made by Cyrus Sutton and Korduroy.tv a few years ago. Featuring Keith Malloy, it looks at different body surfing communities and divulges a few tips that you should take with you next time you’re in the waves sans board.
“You’re looking for a hollow, peaky powerful little nugget of a wave.”
1. Find the right wave:
“You make not be able to make a real fast down the line wave,” Keith says, “so you’re looking for a hollow, peaky powerful little nugget of a wave, almost like something you’d want to ride a thruster in. The beauty of that is if it’s waist high, you’re can get totally barreled in the most critical part of the wave.”
You’ve got to want it. Kick those feet.
2. Read it right and kick hard:
“Bodysurfing is a lot about surface tension and planing,” Keith explains. “When you’re swimming around your body is under water. But when you actually start riding that wave, you need to be like, 50 percent above the water or else it’s really not going to work. The way you do that is by taking off on the right part of the wave, kicking hard, and starting to get a little bit of planing surface going. That will project you down the line.
Handplane, check. Fins, check. Itsy bitsy teeny weenie yellow polka dot bikini… CHECK.
3. Use the right tools:
“The two best tools for [body surfing] would be wearing swim fins–which is pretty obvious–and then a hand plane, because it’s just going to give that little extra edge to get your speed going,” says Keith. “You really do put almost all of your weight forward on your front hand… that’s what’s skimming the water. The rest of your body is submerged, or above it, but you’re really planing off your hand.”
And if Keith’s tips aren’t enough for you, body surfing legend Mark Cunningham simplified it at the end: “I’ve got basic body surfing tips. You want to hear them?” he asked. “Know how to swim, have a suit that’s going to stay on, kick like hell, and come out of the water smiling.”
See more awesome videos from Korduroy at Korduroy.tv.
