How to Boogie Board
Select a boogie board that is the appropriate size for you., Go to a swimming beach that has 1- to 2-foot-high waves., Secure the strap to your wrist or just above the elbow before entering the water., Enter the water and lie down with your belly on...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Select a boogie board that is the appropriate size for you.
When standing on its tail, the board should reach to the level of your belly button.
You should be able to hold the board under your arm and against your side without much slack between your armpit and the edge of the board.
Make sure that an arm or wrist strap is attached to the board. , Make sure that the beach is free of large rocks, boats and fishing equipment. , You don't want to lose your board in the current! ,, When a wave is about to break, you will see a bulge form at the highest point, or the crest, of the wave. , Not every wave will be strong enough to carry you.
Attempt smaller, non-powerful waves at first and work your way up to larger ones. , A few seconds before the wave starts to break, point the nose of the board toward the beach.
Lie flat on your belly, with your hands a couple inches down on the side and from the top.
Keep your shoulders parallel to your hands, with your elbows bent and resting close to the outer edge of the board. , Getting ahead of the wave will help you catch it. ,, If you have paddled the board at the right speed and in the direction of the wave, you should now feel yourself moving effortlessly toward the beach.
You should no longer need to kick or paddle, as the wave will do the work for you. , You can ride a wave down the beach ("ride in the barrel") by positioning yourself on the board in a way that enables you to apply weight to either side of the board as the wave starts to push you towards the beach. -
Step 2: Go to a swimming beach that has 1- to 2-foot-high waves.
A good bottom turn is the foundation for all other maneuvers, such as 360's.
As the wave catches you, keep your hands over the nose of the board.
Lean onto your elbow to dig the edge of the body board into the wave.
Extend your legs as you turn to prevent your feet from dragging in the water.
After you start to turn, center your body weight on the board and lean forward slightly to gain speed. , A cut back is a turn back to the curl of the wave that you can do to regulate your speed or to reposition yourself along the wave.
Start by doing a turn on your left to just under the top of the wave.
Shift your weight on the outside rail (away from the wave) while applying pressure with your right hand to the middle of your right rail.
Lift up the upper left corner of the board with your left hand and lean to your right.
Look at the inside of the wave and visualize the spot where you want to stop your turn.
When you reach that spot, lean left to get back in the curl of the wave and shift your weight back to the normal position. , After you've mastered the bottom turn and the cut back, try a full rotation.
This can be done on the flat section of a wave, in the white foam, off the lip or even in the air.
The technique is the exactly the same wherever you attempt a
360.
Make a bottom turn to position yourself in the curl of the wave.
Turn slightly to the left to face the wave.
Slide forward on your board so that your face is roughly level with the nose of your board.
Lift your legs, arch your back and throw your head to the left.
Keep looking in the direction you want to spin and your shoulder will follow.
After your 360 is complete, perform a bottom turn to gain speed for the next maneuver and put your feet back in the water. -
Step 3: Secure the strap to your wrist or just above the elbow before entering the water.
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Step 4: Enter the water and lie down with your belly on the board.
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Step 5: Kick and paddle to where the waves are breaking.
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Step 6: Choose the wave you want to ride.
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Step 7: Get in the ready position.
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Step 8: Start paddling and kicking toward the beach in the same direction the wave will break.
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Step 9: Scoop the water with your hands to gain speed.
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Step 10: Catch the wave!
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Step 11: Lean left to turn left; lean right to turn right.
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Step 12: Turn at the bottom of the wave without losing speed.
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Step 13: Do a cut back.
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Step 14: Do a 360.
Detailed Guide
When standing on its tail, the board should reach to the level of your belly button.
You should be able to hold the board under your arm and against your side without much slack between your armpit and the edge of the board.
Make sure that an arm or wrist strap is attached to the board. , Make sure that the beach is free of large rocks, boats and fishing equipment. , You don't want to lose your board in the current! ,, When a wave is about to break, you will see a bulge form at the highest point, or the crest, of the wave. , Not every wave will be strong enough to carry you.
Attempt smaller, non-powerful waves at first and work your way up to larger ones. , A few seconds before the wave starts to break, point the nose of the board toward the beach.
Lie flat on your belly, with your hands a couple inches down on the side and from the top.
Keep your shoulders parallel to your hands, with your elbows bent and resting close to the outer edge of the board. , Getting ahead of the wave will help you catch it. ,, If you have paddled the board at the right speed and in the direction of the wave, you should now feel yourself moving effortlessly toward the beach.
You should no longer need to kick or paddle, as the wave will do the work for you. , You can ride a wave down the beach ("ride in the barrel") by positioning yourself on the board in a way that enables you to apply weight to either side of the board as the wave starts to push you towards the beach.
A good bottom turn is the foundation for all other maneuvers, such as 360's.
As the wave catches you, keep your hands over the nose of the board.
Lean onto your elbow to dig the edge of the body board into the wave.
Extend your legs as you turn to prevent your feet from dragging in the water.
After you start to turn, center your body weight on the board and lean forward slightly to gain speed. , A cut back is a turn back to the curl of the wave that you can do to regulate your speed or to reposition yourself along the wave.
Start by doing a turn on your left to just under the top of the wave.
Shift your weight on the outside rail (away from the wave) while applying pressure with your right hand to the middle of your right rail.
Lift up the upper left corner of the board with your left hand and lean to your right.
Look at the inside of the wave and visualize the spot where you want to stop your turn.
When you reach that spot, lean left to get back in the curl of the wave and shift your weight back to the normal position. , After you've mastered the bottom turn and the cut back, try a full rotation.
This can be done on the flat section of a wave, in the white foam, off the lip or even in the air.
The technique is the exactly the same wherever you attempt a
360.
Make a bottom turn to position yourself in the curl of the wave.
Turn slightly to the left to face the wave.
Slide forward on your board so that your face is roughly level with the nose of your board.
Lift your legs, arch your back and throw your head to the left.
Keep looking in the direction you want to spin and your shoulder will follow.
After your 360 is complete, perform a bottom turn to gain speed for the next maneuver and put your feet back in the water.
About the Author
Brian Castillo
Brings years of experience writing about hobbies and related subjects.
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