In preparation for our upcoming Essence of Bodysurfing retreat, I put together a sample training program specifically designed to improve strength, conditioning, and body control for bodysurfing.  From a physical perspective, bodysurfing requires: Bodysurfers with good fitness will be more confident and capable in the ocean, which ultimately translates to catching more waves and having more fun.   The primary movements…

As a surfer, building confidence in the ocean is key to your safety and survival. The best way to build confidence is by spending more time in the ocean without a surfboard—swimming and bodysurfing. Surfboards are great floatation devices. But what happens when you wipeout, break your leash, and have to swim back to the beach? Are you confident in…

When I set out to teach bodysurfing, I had no idea what I was doing. Prior to 2020, I had never taught bodysurfing and couldn’t find any information on how to do it. I had already been teaching board-surfing for several years, but bodysurfing was a whole different ballgame. Just because I was an experienced bodysurfer didn’t necessarily mean I…

Bodysurfing is the oldest and simplest form of wave riding, and prior to the invention of the surf leash in the 1970s, was once a prerequisite skill for any surfer swimming after a lost board post-wipeout. For centuries, anyone who surfed—by way of necessity—also knew how to bodysurf. As the purest form of surfing, bodysurfing is arguably the best way…

One of the great things about bodysurfing is that we can always get better at it. Wave riding is a lifelong pursuit, and the better we are, the more fun we have. Whether you are a beginner bodysurfer honing your technique in the white water, or an intermediate bodysurfer attempting to get barreled for the first time, here are four…