We spoke to Chloe, the self-confessed "advanced beginner", in The Wave HQ team to find out what it's like to surf our new Improver wave.
How would you describe your surfing experience so far?
I would say I’m an advanced beginner! I had my first Beginner Lesson almost 5 years ago but only started focusing on progressing 2 years ago. I've surfed tiny waves in the sea, at The Wave I used to surf Waikiki but I recently tried the new Improver wave and loved it! I might not have made it into bigger waves yet but I love getting into the water each time – and that’s what’s important!
Having surfed the Waikiki wave before, what stands out as different about the Improver wave?
The biggest difference is the take-off – it’s so much easier to navigate. For those of you who have tried Waikiki you’ll remember you needed to use the first wave to get very close to the wall before catching the wave. You could also get caught by the current while waiting for your turn. There were a few times I’d used so much energy getting into the right position, I was exhausted by the time it came to catching the wave! This is completely removed in Improver. You take off like all of our other sessions – easy! In terms of the wave itself, I generally found it very similar to the Waikiki in terms of size and power but I seemed to have a much better session! Perhaps this was down to starting the wave well with an easier take-off.
Did you feel more confident attempting new things on the Improver wave compared to the Waikiki wave?
I found it easier to catch the wave at the right point, which meant I was a bit steadier on my feet and I started trying to turn. Now I feel more confident navigating the lineup and take off, I think I might try the Intermediate wave soon!
For someone ready to move beyond the Beginner wave, what would your advice be?
If you feel like you’re confident on your board and standing up more times than not, I’d say just go for it! My biggest advice is to make the most of lessons! Our lessons are only £10 more than a session and you get invaluable advice and support from our expert coaches. You start with 30 minutes outside of the lake and then your coach is also in the water with you – your own personal cheerleader! This particularly helped me for the first session I had in The Reef, I was feeling nervous about how the lineup worked and where I needed to position myself to take off, but my coach was with me every step of the way. You also tend to find you get a lot of support from the other people in your lesson, you’re all in the same boat, cheering each other on, which creates a lovely environment!
What’s similar between the Waikiki and Improver wave?
They’re both very gentle waves, I didn’t feel out of control or out of my depth at all. One of the great things about Waikiki and now the Improver wave is the mixed abilities within the session. In the group you’ll find there are lots of people learning and just starting out, so you won’t feel too pressured to perform your best ever wave, most of us are just figuring it out too! We’re also probably focusing so much on our own waves that we don’t have time to even look at anyone else…
What are your top tips for learning to surf?
1. Go at your own pace – it’s not a race! Take as many Beginner Lessons and Improver Sessions as you need. Need to take a breather midway through the session? That’s fine too!
2. Make the most of lessons and coaching
3. Have fun! I might not be standing on every wave but as long as I’m having fun I’ve had a great session.