Learn to Surf | How To Surf

Surfing Cutback

09. Basic Turning - Surfing Cutback

surfing cutbackHow to do a surfing cutback - If you have taken your surfing this far I bet you think surfing is pretty amazing right?! Well things are about to get a whole lot more fun. You’re about to step up your game to the next level… Turning and more particular the cutback turn!!
All things great in surfing involve some kind of turn so by learning how to do turns will give you the foundation to build maneuvers upon.
Lets start out with the most basic turn… The surfing cutback. A cutback is when you surf out along a wave away from the curl and head towards where the wave starts to flatten out and is less steep, once you reach this area you do a carving style turn that takes you back towards the curl and where you have just come from.

How To Nail A Cutback In Surfing

So lets start with doing a forehand (stomach facing the wave) cutback. You have taken off, done your bottom turn and are heading along the wave with some speed, now you want to do your cutback. Using your toes, hips and shoulders slightly angle a turn up towards the top half of the wave, when you reach this area you want to start your turn back down towards the bottom of the wave. If you start your turn too late you will just end up going off the back of the wave from where you were angling towards the top half. So to start your turn make sure your knees are bent and your feeling in a stable position, once you get to the top half of the wave transfer your weight onto your heels and put most of your pressure on your back foot. At the same time as doing this look down to the bottom of the wave, twist your shoulders which will then be followed by your hips and your board. Keep this position until you find yourself heading back towards the whitewash. Because you are looking where you are going you should be able to see the white water coming at you. Once you have reached the point that you are happy it's time to come out of the cutback and go back along the wave. So to do this you have got your cutback round to the point where you feel you can't go any further so you need twist your shoulders and turn your head so that you are again looking back down the line of the clean faced wave, at the same time you need to transfer your weight from your heels to your toes and put all your pressure on your back foot to make the turn, remember to keep those knees bent with a fairly low centre of gravity. If all goes to plan you will now find yourself going back along the wave setting up for your next turn. This is going to take lots of practice so keep sticking at it and eventually you will find that sweet spot on the wave that will allow you to do a surfing cutback with great speed and power, throwing up heaps of spray at the same time.