The coaching methods for what I would call a Beginner or Novice surfer (level 1 or 2) are quite different from what is best for an Intermediate or Average surfer (level 3 or 4), so we always get clear on your level before booking you in.
The Levels:
Level 1: Beginner – You have either never surfed before, surfed a little bit on your own, or had a few lessons here and there. You might be able to stand up and ride whitewater waves but you have little experience at paddling out to catch the bigger ‘green’ waves before they break.
Level 2: Novice – You have a reasonable amount of experience under your belt – you might have started 6-12 months ago and been surfing hard since, or you might have been surfing on and off sporadically for years. You attempt to surf out the back as much as possible but still feel your positioning is poor and your sessions are hit or miss. On small easy days you get some good rides, but other days you really struggle!
Level 3: Intermediate – You are consistently turning and riding across unbroken waves and you catch nearly everything you go for. You can perform some basic moves like cutbacks or little floaters on whitewater sections but you are aware your fundamentals need some work and you sometimes struggle to generate speed and you also find late takeoffs and steeper waves challenging. You might be a late starter to surfing or someone who hasn’t surfed regularly enough to nail the core skills yet.
Level 4: Average to Advanced – You’re an experienced surfer and have the ability to surf a wide range of conditions with confidence. You know how to generate speed, perform basic moves and are at least attempting more advanced ones. You might be a ‘weekend warrior’, or maybe you’ve been surfing for 15 years plus. Ability wise you might still be working on your core technique and style, or you might be a solid surfer who surfs top to bottom, throws spray and gets barreled regularly. This level is broad.
Coaching Options for Beginners and Novices
Note, if you’re a level 2 we can also do private lessons as found in the next section for average surfers. We just tweak things slightly and rather than filming you we paddle out with you to help you improve positioning and timing the takeoffs.
Services available to you:
The Become a Surfer Course – 3 or 5 days
Level 1 & 2: On our popular Raglan based course you will learn all the skills you need to become a confident surfer fast. You can expect a mix of theory lessons and plenty of water time with your coach in the waves with you, providing regular feedback.
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Beginner Surf Lessons
Level 1: A 2 hour introductory lesson at the beach in Raglan. This is for those who just want to give surfing a go and see if they like it.
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Novice Surf Camps in Raglan
Level 2: An intensive 3 day camp to make you a more well-rounded surfer and expose you to new experiences within surfing, land based training, movement and forecasting – a deeper dive towards intermediate surfing.
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Coaching Options for Intermediate or Average Surfers
You’re beyond the basics but you’re not professional or aspiring to be one. You’re what I call an average surfer and most surfers fall into this group, maybe 90% of us.
Services available to you:
Private Surf Coaching in Raglan
Level 2 – 4: These lessons usually involve video coaching and review but we also do in-water coaching depending what you need help with. We target the common problems average surfers face and look at technique, mobility limitations and land based training.
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Surf Coaching Camps in New Zealand and Overseas
Level 2 – 4: These surfcamps are designed to inspire you and unlock your potential while surfing good waves with a few like minded people of a similar surfing level. 2 video coaching sessions per day + land based training in between. NZ, Indo and Taiwan.
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Aotearoa Strike Missions
Level 2 – 4: Get surf coaching in epic conditions! Short notice surf camps when we see a good swell approaching somewhere in New Zealand. Sign up to receive alerts.
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