It happens to us too: we get a run of good waves every day and we practically forget that there is a world beyond surfing. But at some point the sea has to take a break and it’s time to get out of the water and look for those sensations elsewhere. There are many ways to flow and if what you are looking for is fun, adrenaline and speed on a board, surely many of you have ended up in the world of asphalt. Skate, longboard, surfskate… we have plenty of options to choose from and find our flow in skateparks, roads, bowls or, if we’re a bit more “old school”, empty swimming pools! (is it possible to get those scenes from Lords of Dogtown out of our heads?)
In addition, skateboarding offers a myriad of benefits from a surfer’s point of view: positive transfer, working similar muscle groups, cardio, surfing specific technique (if you skate with a surfskate), equally valuable coordination for your motor skills (if you use a skate or longboard), the possibility to take it easy when thinking about what you are going to do (something we rarely have time for in the waves), conditioning to the sensations of speed and sliding… So sometimes we swap the paraffin for sandpaper, and the tip dives for a few scrapes on the knees. It’s part of the game and falling down from time to time means we are leaving our comfort zone behind: great!
And like every summer, at Raz SurfCamp we offer safety-first lessons, taught by instructors with years of skating and teaching experience, which is a perfect opportunity to try and get on a skateboard in controlled and safe conditions, saving us a lot of frustration and the occasional unnecessary scare.
If you’ve never tried it, you can’t even imagine how amazing it is. Ramp skate, surfskate technique lessons, tarp surfing, longskate at sunset… what would you like to try?