How to find and maximize your speed
Speed is a crucial necessity for all of bodyboardings high
performance moves. The best and easiest ways to capture
speed on a wave is your bottom turn. A smooth bottom turn
at just the right point on a wave will help slingshot you
in to that perfect section to hit.
1.As you take off on the wave look for any chop back wash
or object that will get in your path and slow you down.
Also look for any side wave, surge or back wash which could
help give you speed.
2.Then drop down the face of the wave and look to turn and
engage your edge a bit past mid way or three forth of the
way down the face, which will initiate your speed track.
If you wait till the bottom of the wave some times you lose
that power pocket. Unless the wave is significantly hollow
or large then you need to make sure you are well locked
at the bottom of the wave.
3.Now that you have finished your bottom turn you need to
gain momentum on your board by moving forward towards the
nose of the board creating your weight mostly on the rail
while pushing down, up or along the wave face. This is called
trimming you will soon hit a point of you maximum speed,
and then you will start to lose speed unless the wave gets
step again in which case you would be riding a long wave.
You will want to optimally do your maneuver during this
time when you have the most speed. Some times their will
be a section to bust on some times not you will have to
make your choice of pulling in to a tube, hitting a lip
or doing a cutback or spin, to wait for the section.
(Hints) Look for step sections on the wave to increase you
speed from section to section. Also bowling hollow sections
help give you speed as you travel up towards the lip as
the water is being forced in that direction as well, so
if you can tap in to the waters speed you can help get that
extra push when tiring to launch or do a move off the lip.
Side waves a backwash will help give you speed if you are
able to harness their power in to your advantage. Paddling
hard and fast helps also to get extra speed as you take
off on the wave .