Photo by Tasha Orlova
Martine Geijsels, a well-supported longboard surfer from Holland, has been residing with us at AST for a few weeks in El Salvador. When she's not ripping on her trusty Guy Takayama longboard, she's likely to be found wandering down a canopied path in search of a damn good pupusa, swaying in a hammock with a fresh-fruit smoothie (or a cold one), or making friends with locals, tourists, and passersby.
Martine gave us 5 tips to pass along to you for your surfing pleasures. Now get out there!
1. Catch Waves
- Learning to surf starts with catching heaps of waves. Grap a board that suits your level, the waves, and your body height/weight. Later on you can dive into the discipline that you like best - shortboarding, longboarding or maybe both!
2. Explore the Sea
- Surfers sometimes act like sheep and follow each other in the water. That doesn’t mean it is the best spot. Find your own.
3. Just Chill
- Relax, because when your body is relaxed, you will surf better. Not only you will get more flow out of surfing, but you will also learn new tricks quicker.
4. Fuel Up!
- Drink enough water and eat enough for your session to last longer. Better have a quick brekkie before a long surf, than a short surf before a long brekkie.
5. Shake it Off
- Make fun out of the water and get back in refreshed. Some people can’t let go when they have a bad session. It's part of the game. It's better to take your mind off surfing for a bit, forget about the session, and paddle out with an open eye and new energy.
There are rules in the water, but not in your own surfing: express yourself!
Scroll along with Martine on her travels at @martinegeijsels
Have some tips of your own, or want to talk surf with us? Contact us and one of our super-frothy staff is all ears.
