What Is Surfing? An A-Z Guide to the Sport
What is surfing, exactly? Ask a surfer and you may get a dreamy answer about freedom and salt water. Ask a beginner and you may hear “standing on a board, I think?” Both are right, but there is much more to it. This A-Z guide explains the sport in plain words, along with the terms you will hear on any beach.
What is surfing: a surfer riding a small clean wave in Da Nang
What Is Surfing? The Short Answer
Surfing is a water sport in which a person rides a wave toward the shore, usually standing on a board. The rider paddles to catch the wave’s energy, stands up and steers along its face. You can read about its long history in this overview of surfing, which traces the sport back to Polynesian culture.
What Is Surfing as a Sport Today?
Surfing is both a relaxed hobby and a competitive sport. Competitors are judged on the difficulty and style of their rides, and the sport made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games, as explained in this page on surfing at the Summer Olympics. Yet for most people, surfing is simply a way to spend time outdoors, stay fit and enjoy the ocean.
The A-Z Glossary of Surfing
A to F
- Beach break: waves that break over a sandy bottom. This is the friendliest type for beginners.
- Barrel (or tube): the hollow space inside a breaking wave.
- Closeout: a wave that breaks all at once, leaving no clean shoulder to ride.
- Duck dive: a technique to dive under an incoming wave with your board.
- Fin: the small blade at the bottom of the board that gives it direction and stability.
G to O
- Goofy: standing with the right foot forward. The opposite is regular, left foot forward.
- Leash: the cord that attaches your board to your ankle.
- Lineup: the area beyond the breaking waves where surfers wait for their turn.
- Offshore wind: wind blowing from the land toward the sea, which smooths wave faces.
P to R
- Peak: the highest point of a breaking wave, where most surfers aim to start.
- Pop-up: the movement from lying down to standing on the board.
- Rash guard: a stretchy top that protects the skin from sun, wax and rubbing.
- Rip current: a strong channel of water flowing away from the shore. Learn more in this guide to rip currents.
S to Z
- Set: a group of larger waves that arrive together.
- Soft-top: a foam board, the safest and most stable choice for beginners.
- Swell: organized waves that have traveled across the ocean.
- Wax: the grippy coating applied to the top of the board to keep your feet from slipping.
- Whitewater: the foamy part of a wave after it has broken, ideal for first practice.
- Wipeout: a fall. Everyone has them, and they are part of the fun.
What is surfing in practice: a lineup of surfers waiting for waves
What Is Surfing Like for Beginners?
Honestly, it is tiring and humbling at first. You will paddle a lot, fall a lot and swallow a bit of seawater. But the first time you catch a wave and feel the board glide under you, the effort makes sense. A small, stable board and a good instructor make the learning curve far gentler.
Try Surfing in Da Nang
Da Nang’s long beaches offer gentle waves that suit learners, especially in calmer months. If you want a board for your first sessions, you can see the options at Dana Surf Rental.