If you’re still perfecting your takeoff & aren’t yet angling it (or still learning how) this one’s for you.

Angling your takeoff is a foundational aspect of your surfing & is used by all skill levels – from beginners to pros – so it’s definitely something you want to add to your repertoire.

🤔 Why is angling your takeoff so important though? Here’s a few reasons:

More time to pop up

One of the main reasons why you want to angle your takeoff is b/c it gives you more time to actually get to your feet as you’ll already be trimming along the face of the wave.

Faster down the line

Another main reason is that you’ll be able to get down the line faster than if you didn’t angle your take off. This is great for faster breaking waves, getting around a section, or if you constantly find yourself getting caught behind the wave before you even had a chance to get going.

Steeper or later takeoffs

It’s also great for taking off on steeper waves or making later takeoffs. As your surfing advances, it’s also a key aspect of learning to get barreled or fading your takeoff.

🏄 Now that you know why it’s important, here’s how to actually do it:

Look down the line

You want to be looking where you want to go, which is a common thing in surfing (and life 😅) in general. If you look towards the bottom of the wave, that’s where you’ll end up. So instead, look down the line in the direction you want to go.

Lean on your inside rail

By leaning on your inside rail you’ll be setting the board up “in trim”. Maintain this inside rail pressure even as you get to your feet. Too much pressure & you may go over the back, not enough & you’ll end up in the flats. Play around with it though & you’ll find what works best.

Find the right angle

You’ll have to play around with what angle works, but the steeper the wave the more angle you can take. Another helpful tip is the closer to the pocket/peak of the wave, the more angle you can take. If you’re over on the shoulder & angling too much, you’ll most likely miss the wave completely.

💬 Are you familiar with angling your takeoff? How has it improved your surfing?

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