Why Don't We Do Intermediate Surf Lessons?

It's simple really. I haven't yet met an intermediate surfer that needs or wants and intermediate surfing lesson! I have meet some accomplished beginners that would like to connect a few dots, jump over a particular stumbling block or dial in a line-up and catch a few more waves than usual at a new surf break and have a happy surf Holiday/vacation in Barbados.

With the help of the guys at the surf shop, that's Zac, we have decided to close all intermediate surfing lessons because it's a BS place to start and can only lead to more BS. That means unhappy surfing customers and unhappy surf coaches, never a good thing. Instead we have 121 surfing lessons. 

If you hadn't already noticed I have strong feelings about intermediate surfing lessons and what actually constitutes an intermediate surfer and so do the guys on the team. That's mostly Zac and myself. Zac and I have strong feelings about the terms intermediate surfer and intermediate surfing lessons.

In terms of a surfers ability intermediate is such a broad skill level spectrum to interpret and left to opinions could actually mean anything. It could mean,

"I've tried it once and did ok. So I am not a beginner."

Why does nobody want to enjoy being a beginner anymore, savoring the journey and monumental wins along the way?

Skill levels will always overlap at either end of the spectrum and surfing being such a dynamic sport full of open skills performed in an open uncontrolled environment the term intermediate surfer asks more questions than it provides answers.

Do you begin to see where this is going and just a little bit of what we have to do, offer people and surfers at a surf school?

So, we don't like the term intermediate surfer because it's hard to define. Let me ask you... What skills does and intermediate surfer have that a novice or beginner doesn't and what is it they're missing that would make them an expert?

What then can a surf coach do to help an intermediate surfer aspire and specifically how do they do that?

Very quickly there is a fantasy version of an intermediate surfer and the things they can and cannot do as well as the fantasy vision of the lesson itself. As we all know perfect planning prevents piss poor performance and you can see that a high value intermediate surfing lesson would require some planning. Planning that needs to account for surfboards size and shape, location and conditions, traveling time and of course the tide and swell. These are all promises made that need to be delivered all at once before surfing can begin and then how to make a high value intermediate coaching or surfing lesson.

Once you enter into the realm of technical surf coaching at an intermediate skill level you are assuming all of the basics are mastered and can be performed executed with near perfect form nearly 100% of the time. Without that there is no point.

Quickly you can see that an intermediate lesson is technical otherwise its just a surf buddy. Surf buddy, to me, makes way more sense and has a significantly higher chance of delivering and achieving on expectations simply by putting the fun factor back into the surfing session.

The real question intermediate surfers are asking when talking about intermediate surfing lessons is,

"Look dude, I've done some surfing. Don't mind how much...I used to rip when I was a kid, whatever. I don't want to be in the beginners session because I think I am past that and my ego says I don't want to be there. So help me. My first session was hopeless it and I don't want to be hopeless. I want to be the same awesome I was years ago. Please help me reach the fantasy version of myself that I done went and paid good ticket money on airfares to be here for.

So, get your surf guru Harry Potter magic wand out sprinkle some fairy dust on me while I think happy thoughts and we can do this just like Peter Pan!"

The amount of times I've heard this song. I've turned up at the beach with the waves, the surfers and the boards and it turns out that everyone needs a welcome to surfing 101 surfing lesson.

Straight up, any intermediate surfing lesson should begin with a show me what you can do session. From there any intermediate surfing lesson should move directly into he realm of 121 personal coaching and in an ideal world that needs to be captured on film from the beach and discussed broken down in super slow motion several times. To be truly effective it probably needs some training drills down the gym and it's gonna take time. This could be in a group situation becasue learning from others accelerates the process. But captured content is 100% required for surfing development. You cannot see yourself surf.

So an intermediate surfing lesson, to be effective, is a 121 surfing lesson or surf buddy. We can do anything we want in a 121 surfing session and can do it nearly anywhere you'd like to as well. It's now kinda like a surf guide. Our 121 sessions can be for pairs of mates, couples etc... but only if you know each other and agree to share a surf coach. Putting the focus on the individuals session as a whole takes massive amounts of pressure off the surfer and the surf coach. It starts out honest and can only finish well!

It's cool to take a surf buddy and get welcomed to the line-up. Not bullyed to the shoulder because you're not a familiar face, already rip or have massive boobs and can flirt your way to a few set waves. If you don't know just ask and who knows what can happen. Ego is the biggest killer in surfing. That and intermediate surfing lessons.