Intermediate surfer tips nobody puts in order
Most intermediate surfer tips get dumped on you as one big checklist. Turning, fitness, wave reading, duck diving, all at once. Here's what to fix first, second and third, and why the order beats the list every time.
If you want intermediate surfer tips that actually change something, skip the seven-point lists. Intermediate is the longest stage in surfing. The beginner wins are behind you, the instinctive stuff is still ahead, and progress gets quiet enough that most people stall without ever clocking it. Here's the order I'd work through. Not a pile of things to chip at all at once.
Plenty of advice tells you to fix your turning, your fitness, your wave reading and your duck dive in the same week. That's how you end up slightly better at everything and noticeably better at nothing. Work through these in order and the gains stack instead of scatter.
01 Self-check
Are you actually intermediate?
Roughly: you catch most waves you paddle for, you ride the open face instead of running straight to the beach, you can turn both ways on purpose, your lineup etiquette holds up, and you're comfortable a bit beyond head-high. Sound like you? Then these intermediate surfer tips are aimed squarely at your stage.
You're intermediate if
The markers line up
Most waves caught. Riding the face with intent. Turns both ways. Etiquette solid. Comfortable past head-high.
Not quite yet
Fundamentals first
Still hunting consistent green waves, or turns that happen by accident rather than on purpose? These tips will keep. Fundamentals first, always.
The uncomfortable truth
Beginner mistakes are loud. You fall, you know exactly why. Intermediate flaws are quiet. And that's exactly why this stage traps people for years.
02 Start here
Priority 1: the bottom turn and wave-face positioning
If you only fix one thing, fix this. The bottom turn is the foundation everything else sits on. Nail it and your speed, your positioning, every turn after it gets easier. Botch it and you're fighting an uphill battle on every manoeuvre that follows. A solid bottom turn means compressing properly as you come off the bottom, leading with head and shoulders rather than hips, then driving through the back foot to redirect up the face with control. Not just turning and hoping for the best.
Where you sit on the wave matters just as much
A lot of intermediate frustration has nothing to do with turning and everything to do with position. Too far behind the pocket and you can't generate speed. Too far ahead and you're outrunning the power source before you've even stood up. Watch where the wave is actually breaking before you paddle for it.
03 Then this
Priority 2 and 3: speed, timing and your weak side
Priority 2: speed and timing
Once the bottom turn holds up, the next lever is generating speed instead of leaking it on every turn. That comes from pumping properly. Compress and extend through the legs in time with the wave instead of just turning the board and adding nothing of your own. It also comes from timing your takeoff to the steepest part of the wave, not a weak shoulder section.
Priority 3: frontside and backside awareness
Most intermediate surfers favour one side hard. Frontside, facing the wave, comes easier because it's upper-body rotation you can see happening. Backside asks more of your hips and core, harder to feel, easier to neglect. Put in deliberate time on your weak side even when it feels clumsy as hell. The gap only widens the longer you dodge it.
04 The multiplier
Priority 4: paddling fitness
Nobody gets fired up about paddle fitness. But it quietly decides how many good waves you get a crack at in a session. Better endurance means catching waves earlier, with less in the tank spent just getting there, which leaves more for the bottom turn, the positioning, the speed work you actually want to practise. It's the multiplier sitting under the other three priorities.
Every technical skill on this list only gets practised on the waves you actually catch. Sharpen your paddling and you catch more of them per session, which means more reps at everything else in the same time in the water. Nothing else on this list compounds quite like that.
| Priority | Fix | Why it's ranked here |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bottom turn | Compress, lead with shoulders, drive the back foot | Foundation for everything else start here |
| 2. Speed & timing | Pump through the legs, take off in the pocket | Builds directly on a solid bottom turn |
| 3. Weak side | Deliberate reps backside or frontside | Hardest to self-diagnose, easiest to avoid |
| 4. Paddle fitness | More sessions, more volume | Multiplies your reps at 1–3 |
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See the Bali surf campBottom turns, weak-side reps, and the water time that actually makes them stick.
05 Spot yourself
Which one are you? Four intermediate patterns
Not an insult. Most intermediate surfers will spot themselves in at least one of these.
The straight-liner
Catches the wave with confidence, then rides straight to shore instead of turning. Fix: no wave ends without at least one deliberate turn. Make it a rule, no exceptions.
The hesitator
Commits late to takeoffs and turns, and it costs speed and confidence both. Fix: practise committing early on smaller waves, then carry that timing into the bigger ones.
The stiff surfer
Rides with a rigid upper body, which caps how much power the hips and legs can generate. Fix: loosen the arms and shoulders on purpose. Let the lower body do the work.
The wave hog
Scraps for scraps at the back of the pack. Usually a positioning problem, not a paddling one. Fix: watch the lineup before paddling out and learn where it actually peaks, then paddle for that spot.
06 The honest bit
Why intermediate is where people get stuck longest
Beginner mistakes are loud. You fall off, you know exactly what went wrong. Intermediate flaws are quieter. A bottom turn that technically works but isn't deep enough. A stance that holds up on small waves but folds on bigger ones. A habit of favouring your strong side without ever clocking it. Genuinely hard to self-diagnose. That's why so many self-taught surfers plateau here, sometimes for years.
A coach watching closely, or a session's worth of video back, closes that gap fast. Not because you haven't been trying. You just can't see your own blind spots from inside your own surfing.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the single most important skill for an intermediate surfer to work on?
The bottom turn. It's the foundation for speed, positioning and every manoeuvre that follows. Nail it and everything after it gets easier.
How do I know if I'm actually intermediate?
You're catching most of the waves you go for, riding the open face rather than straight to shore, turning both directions on purpose, and comfortable a little beyond head-high.
Why do I favour one side, frontside or backside?
Frontside uses visible upper-body rotation that feels natural early on. Backside demands more from the hips and core, easy to under-practise without ever noticing.
How long does it take to go from intermediate to advanced?
Roughly six to twelve months of regular practice, a few sessions a week, for most people. Faster with structured coaching that catches the habits you can't see yourself.
Do I need a smaller board as an intermediate surfer?
Often, yes, gradually. Size down a few inches as your paddling and pop-up get reliable, but only once you're consistently catching waves with ease. Not before.