Surfing maneuvers

Surfing begins with the surfer eyeing a rideable wave on the horizon and then matching its speed (by paddling or by tow-in). A common problem for beginners is not even being able to catch the wave in the first place, and one sign of a good surfer is being able to catch a difficult wave that other surfers can not.

Once the wave has started to carry the surfer forward, the surfer will then jump to his or her feet in what is termed a "pop-up" and proceeds to ride down the face of the wave, generally staying just ahead of the breaking part (white water) of the wave (in a place often referred to as "the pocket" or "the curl"). This is a difficult process in total, where often everything happens nearly simultaneously, making it hard for the uninitiated to follow the steps.

Surfers' skills are tested not only in their ability to control their board in challenging conditions and/or catch and ride challenging waves, but also by their ability to execute various maneuvers such as turning and carving. Some of the common turns have become recognizable tricks such as the "cutback" (turning back toward the breaking part of the wave), the "floater" (riding on the top of the breaking curl of the wave), and "off the lip" (banking off the top of the wave). A newer addition to surfing has been the progression of the "air" where a surfer is able to propel oneself off the wave and re-enter.

"Tube riding" is when a surfer maneuvers into a position where the wave curls over the top of him or her, forming a "tube" (or "barrel"), with the rider inside the hollow cylindrical portion of the wave. This difficult and sometimes dangerous procedure is arguably the most coveted and sought after goal in surfing.

"Hanging Ten" and "Hanging Five" are moves specific to longboarding. Hanging Ten, refers to having both feet on the front end of the board with all ten of the surfer's toes off the edge. Hanging Five is having just one foot and five toes off.

Common Terms:

• Regular - Right foot on back of board

• Goofy - Left foot on back of board

• Take off - the start of a ride

• Drop in - dropping into (engaging) the wave, most often as part of standing up

• Dropped in on - taking off on a wave in front of someone else (considered inappropriate)

• Snaking - paddeling around someone to get into the best position for a wave (in essence, stealing it)

• Bottom turn - the first turn at the bottom of the wave

• Shoulder - the unbroken part of the wave

• Cutback - a turn cutting back toward the breaking part of the wave

• Fade - dropping back into the wave

• Chili Cheese Dog - a Costa Rican term; wiping out in a really messy way

• Over the falls - going over the top of the wave

• Pump - an up/down carving movement that generates speed along a wave

• Stall - slowing down from weight on the tail of the board or a hand in the water

• Floater - riding up on the top of the breaking part of the wave

• Hang-five/hang-ten - putting one or two feet respectively over the the nose of a longboard

• Re-entry - hitting the lip vertically and re-rentering the wave in quick succession.

• Switch-foot - riding opposite stance from what feels natural

• Tube riding - riding inside the curl of a wave

• Carve - turns (often accentuated)

• Off the Top - a turn on the top of a wave, either sharp or carving

• Snap - a quick, sharp turn off the top of a wave

• Fins-free snap - a sharp turn where the fins slide off the top of the wave

• Air/Aerial - airing off the top of the wave