Fear in the lineup is real and no it’s not just a feeling limited to beginner surfers.
Many surfers suffer anxiety in the water for many reasons such as feeling as if they are not good enough to be at the spot, having to navigate a crowded line up, a fear of getting in someone’s way or fearing wipeouts. Sadly, if these fears are not taken care of they can stagnate your surfing progress or even prevent you from paddling out in the first place.
But we can fix this. Kima Surf’s experienced surf guides can help you in overcoming fear and gaining genuine confidence. The lineup doesn’t have to feel like a battleground if you have the correct guidance, attitude and mindset. It can be your playground.
Let’s examine what is preventing you from moving forward and how to overcome it.
If you are completely new to surfing, we recommend you take our 5-day Learn To Surf Course. This 5-day course will make your first surfing experience enjoyable and you will learn all the basics in a safe way! In small groups, our experienced surf guides will teach you all the necessary skills, such as paddling and techniques to get you onto your feet in theory as well as in practice. If you are in the intermediate and advanced stages of your surfing journey and your feeling of fear is hindering your surfing progression, then it is a good idea to avoid going into super crowded line-ups, big waves or heavy conditions. This will only intensify your fears. Rather:
We personally select surf spots at Kima Surf based on your skill level and comfort level from our custom-built six-star session planner. You will always be challenged in the greatest possible way, but never pushed too hard or too quickly.
Most surfing fears can originate from one of the many categories below:
The truth is that every surfer has been there. Even the most experienced surfers hesitate. Understanding your fear and confronting it with awareness rather than avoidance is crucial.
Expert advice from our coaches: „When you know what to do and when to do it, your fear decreases.“ It takes patience, encouragement and repetition to build confidence.
If you are unaware of the „unspoken rules“ within the lineup up this can be a major source of lineup anxiety.
Here is a brief review of proper etiquette:
Kima Advice: In our regular surf theory lessons, we learn everything from Surf Etiquette to how to read the waves so we will back you up with all the knowledge so you can feel comfortable and ready to catch some waves accordingly.
A lot of surfers experience crowd anxiety; this is totally normal and easily handled. Crowd anxiety is felt when there are loads of other surfers in the lineup with you and you may feel anxious to catch a wave and drop in on someone, or have a collision with another surfer or maybe you find it frustrating to catch a wave as someone is always already on the wave.
This is how to deal with it:
Keep in mind that nobody is observing you as much as you believe. The majority of surfers concentrate on their individual session.
Our staff is right there with you during Kima’s guided surf lessons, demonstrating when to go, where to sit and how to confidently hold your space.
The bottom line is to surf through your fear of surfing; you cannot talk your way out of it. The more you surf through your fear of surfing the more minor improvements you will see, like:
The mental game is frequently what keeps you back the most, even while the physical fear is present. You need to truly believe in yourself, mindset is everything in surfing and being confident in your abilities and skill level is vital for your improvement.
To help strengthen your mindset, you can:
To support your mental game, our camps in Bali and Sri Lanka also offer daily yoga classes, which many surfers find incredibly helpful for staying grounded both in and out of the water.
It takes time to develop a feeling of confidence. However, with consistent practice, the help of experienced surf guides and the correct attitude, you can begin to overcome your fears.
When it comes to overcoming your fears, first and foremost, you are not alone and it does not imply that you are not a good surfer. Every surfer, from complete beginners to seasoned pros, have experienced moments of hesitation and self-doubt. Fear is a natural part of the surfing journey.
The most important thing is how you react to it.
At Kima Surf, we think that developing self-confidence is equally as important as learning how to ride waves. In order to help you turn fear into confidence, our coaches are available to accompany you during the awkward times.