JULY 2020
HAMBURG
Also if you are a local check out our spot selection of Hamburg’s finest surfskate locations and skateparks.
Photography and Text by Maximilian Gerdau
Truth is, learning to surfskate will consume time and require patience: there is no easy way around it. However with the right coach and surfskate tutorial videos at hand you will be able to speed up your progress a lot.
There is tons of material out there from various surfskate coaches – we have curated a fine selection of 10 lessons which in our opinion are on point and will quickly move you forward. Before we start consider two rules of thumb:
First – You will have much more fun and motivation over time doing this with a group of friends. So have a look if there is a local community you can join – you will not only learn faster from others but make new friends.
Second – The fastest way to progress, when not exercising with a coach, is to see yourself on video. Feeling a flow does not always mean that you actually have the style you are aiming for. So tape yourself and compare your movements with the following videos – it will help a lot.
This video is in spanish and Àlvaro is talking quickly however if you are a beginner this is a spot on tutorial to find the right stance, body posture, coordination and to learn the basic movements of surfskating and surfing.
There are so many videos out there on how to pump – we believe Chris Mills is the only one who got it right by especially focussing on compression. This is pumping how you should be doing it on land and in the water.
This video is an in depth analysis of Felipe Toledos speed generation and rotation abilities by Kale Brock. Kale will give you a comprehensive lesson on how to become more agily and dynamic on your surfskate and in the water.
This second video on rotation is not a tutorial but more of an introdution to the Swelltech System. We decided to put it in the list as an example for a flawless technique and for how maneuvers can be tranfered 1 : 1 from surfskating to surfing.
In this video David is demonstrating a flawless frontside bottom turn and top turn. We love the videos by Vinden VBG because they are short and sweet and will quickly help to understand the key principles of these basic maneuvers in surfing.
Another video by Vinden in which David is demonstrating the backside bottom turn and how to do a powerful top turn. Again this video is short and sweet focussing on the key principles you need to keep in mind improving on these maneuvers.
The roundhouse cutback is one of surfings most elegant but also practical meneuvers in order to get the most out of a wave and your ride. In this video David is teaching the key principles that will turn your cutback into one single smooth maneuver.
In this video Shane Lai is giving a step by step lesson on how to learn the frontside reverse 360. He breaks down the maneuver into three parts, explaing each one of them in detail and eventually how things come together to a single movement.
The classic layback might remind you of early skate videos out of Dogtown. However this retro maneuver can be transferred to a progressive layback carve in the water and David from Vinden VBG will explain to you how it is done on land.
We finally come to another retro classic that is not necessarily a maneuver you will be doing in the water. But it is just too awsome to look at to be missing on this list – in this tutorial David will show you how to become a specialist at it.
A compact surfskate FAQ that answers the most frequently asked questions like which surfskate to buy, how to learn your first maneuvers and where to find our finest local spots in Hamburg.
OCT 2020
To help you make the best decisions on what surfskate to buy we created a short & sweet buyers guide based on our own experience and on what we see in the local communities.
OCT 2020
We are currently super excited about having a couple of handcrafted and regionally produced prototype boards beneath our feet – they already feel great.
OCT 2020
Our selection of Hamburg’s recommended surfskate locations and skateparks. We are covering a fine range of spots for any level from beginner to pro.
Feel free to drop us a line if you have any suggestions for this tutorial site. Whether you have a cool tutorial video in mind that you would like to recommend or any other ideas how to improve things – we are always super happy to hear from you. You can write us in English or in German.
COMING SOON
NOV 2019
During our second trip to Munich and the Eisbach we are witnessing a colder and rougher side of the world’s most notorious river wave (coming soon),
FEB 2020
8000 kilometers along the coasts of New Zealand – on this journey from Cape Reigna to Bluff we get the full experience: from perfect surf to a shark attack (coming soon).
NOV 2018
Staying for a couple of nights in a cozy apartment in Williamsburg we realize there is much more surf culture present in New York than you would think (coming soon).
We always heartily welcome new comrades. Leave us your name and address and we will find you.
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