🏄‍♀️ Do you really need surf coaching? 🤔

👋 Happy First Friday of June! Last week, we asked: Why do experienced surfers hate beginners? This week, we’ve updated the story with your feedback—check out the FOMO section at the bottom of The Wipeout Weekly. Progress! 🤙

🏄‍♀️ Let’s surf:

• Surfing with no lessons, no coach 🤷‍♀️🏄‍♀️

• Nosara for some pura vida 🌴🫧

• We like pockets—who doesn’t 👗🙌

• The importance of the right surf buddy 🤝

• Why is getting out the back so bloody hard 😭

^SURFODRAMA

😱 Can you progress in surfing without lessons or a coach?

Some surfers have never taken a single lesson. Others won’t paddle out without a coach by their side.

It’s time we unpack the everlasting question: Are surf lessons and coaching worth it?

Short answer? Yes—but with nuance. Not all lessons are created equal, and coaching looks different depending on where you are in your surf journey.

1️⃣ That first lesson matters
Going for the first time with a friend who surfs is as a good way of getting into surfing as any. But here’s why a surf coach may be a better option than a mate. Whether it’s your first lesson ever or exploring a new surf spot.

• Ocean safety is non-negotiable. You’ll learn how to paddle out without ending up in a rip, how to bail without injuring someone (or yourself), and hopefully how not to become that kook in the lineup.

• You’ll catch actual waves. Instructors often push you into waves, which helps build confidence and gives you that addictive “I stood up!” moment faster.

• It can save your surf trip. Imagine renting boards, flailing for hours, catching nothing, and feeling discouraged. You will never want to surf again. Or—you could catch a few waves in your very first session. That instructor is going to pay for itself in stoke.

• There’s more. Good instructors know the best sandbars, safest tides, and least crowded peaks. They can help with encouragement and pacing. They want you to succeed.

2️⃣ Do you need more than one lesson?
Once you’ve moved past the foam and can paddle into whitewater waves on your own—this is the point where many people plateau. Cue: coaching. Here’s why it’s worth considering.

• You don’t know what you don’t know. Bad habits are hard to break if you don’t even realize you have them. It’s useful to have someone point them out—and show you how to fix them.

• It accelerates your learning. One person shared they went from whitewater to riding 4-foot reef breaks within a year of consistent lessons.

• You get real-time corrections. Like with music, yoga, or martial arts, having someone say “Do this instead” can save you weeks of frustration.

• If you’re trying a new surf break, a local coach can hold your hand—and protect you from the angry locals. Kidding. But not kidding.

“A single lesson is probably not equivalent to three months of going out on your own… but coaching is a time-saver if you’re serious.”

⚠️ But wait—not all lessons are worth it
This one is for complete newbies. Just a few “dangers” to stay away from

• Large group classes with minimal attention. Instead: look for small class sizes or private options.

• Instructors more focused on tourists “standing up once for the photo” than actually learning to surf. Make sure: you ask if they teach reading waves, not just pop-ups.

• And those overpriced luxury surf camps that deliver less than they promise—you know the ones. Always read reviews! Look for the ones that mention progress—not just fun.

“You’ll want a school that teaches you how to surf—not just how to stand up.”

🏄 Hold on—Didn’t pros learn on their own?
Some of the best surfers out there were self-taught—but many also had early mentors, friends, or occasional coaching to guide them through sticking points.

The truth is: you can teach yourself. But you’ll progress faster—and safer—with help. The real secret? Consistency matters more than anything else. But a few well-timed lessons can save you from months—or years—of bad habits.

^{SURF SPOT SPOTLIGHT}

Pura vida on a foamie: Nosara for beginners

Nosara is one of Costa Rica’s most beloved surf towns along the Nicoya Peninsula and known for its relaxed pace, lush jungle, and consistent waves. It’s home to Playa Guiones, a famously beginner-friendly beach break with a massive surfable zone and rides that go on forever (or at least long enough to practice your pop-up three times in one go).

🌊 The surf
Playa Guiones delivers long, spilling waves over soft sand—ideal for first-timers and returning beginners. The break works on all tides and can hold a surprising variety of wave sizes without getting scary. There’s whitewater for newbies, green waves for progressing surfers, and plenty of space to spread out. The vibe in the water is mellow, especially in the southern section of the beach.

🚿 Water quality
Generally clean, especially compared to other popular Central American spots. Heavy rains in the wet season (May–Oct) can cause temporary runoff issues, but Guiones has no nearby river mouths, which helps.

👙 Wardrobe
Warm water year-round. Think bikinis, boardies, and rash guards. No wetsuit needed—just reef-safe sunscreen and maybe a hat or surf leggings if you're sun-sensitive.

☀️ Best time for beginners to go
Dry season (Nov–April) is your best bet: smaller, more manageable surf, better visibility, and less daily rain. Late Nov to early March is prime time for clean, beginner-friendly waves with offshore winds most mornings.

⚠️ Hazards
Almost none! No reef, no rocks, no rip-heavy shorebreak. Just mind your board (and others’) on crowded days. Jellyfish and stingrays show up occasionally but rarely pose issues.

🏄 Rentals + lessons
Surf shops and schools are everywhere. You can rent a board for ~$10/day or take a lesson from one of the many highly-rated instructors in town. Group and private lessons are available, and many surf hotels include boards and coaching in their stay packages.

🍉 When you’re not surfing

• Explore Nosara’s jungle trails by e-bike or ATV

• Take a yoga class or breathwork session—Nosara is also a wellness hub

• Catch sunset from La Luna, cocktail in hand, they are both spectacular

🧳 Solo friendly?
Very. Nosara attracts solo travelers, yogis, and surf-curious nomads. Hostels, surf camps, and drop-in classes make it easy to connect with others. The vibe is more eco-chic than party-central, but it’s super beginner-welcoming.

^{THE WIPEOUT WEEKLY PODCAST}

🎧 🏄🏻‍♀️ On the magic of having the right surf buddy—with Tina Heaney

Having this much fun on a podcast should probably be illegal. We caught up with Tina Heaney, a Maine-based surfer and the surf buddy we all want.

In this episode, she shares how a Facebook group connection turned into a life-changing surf friendship.

We talk about the power of sharing the stoke, learning to surf later in life, what it’s like surfing through Maine’s icy winters, the emotional rollercoaster of progression (and plateaus), and why longboarding wins her heart every time.

🎙️ Listen on your fav pod platform (episode 64 - yep, it’s a daily podcast!) or here.

^{WORD OF THE WEEK}

🌊 The pocket

“The pocket” is one of those phrases in surfing that gets tossed around a lot, but it’s not always explained clearly.

In surfing, “the pocket” is the part of the wave closest to where it’s breaking—right near the steep, curling section that’s pushing forward with the most energy. It's basically the wave’s engine room. Stay close to it, and the wave does the work for you. Drift too far ahead or too far behind, and you’re either outrunning the wave or left in the whitewash.

🧍 Why beginners miss the pocket
We beginner surfers often ride too far in front of the wave because we’re just so damn excited to stand up and stay up (which is understandable!). But that also means we’re usually missing the best part of the wave—the fun, fast part of it.

How do you know you’re in the pocket? You will feel the wave lifting and pushing right behind you.

It’s even easier to know when you’re NOT in the pocket—your board feels sluggish and the wave is peeling waaaay behind you.

🧭 How to stay in the pocket

• Look back over your shoulder while riding—get used to checking where the wave is breaking

• Angle your takeoff slightly toward the open face instead of straight to the beach

• You can also watch videos of longboarders—they’re often pros at hanging near the pocket for style and control

^{WEEKLY POPUP}

😱 Why is getting out the back so bloody hard?

Twenty-five minutes trying to reach the lineup. And I’m still nowhere near it. I can see it, it’s within my reach. I paddle like a maniac trying to get through breaking waves, but every time a wave breaks over me, it turns me around and pushes me back toward the beach. This is stupid, I’m done. I’ll just stay in the whitewash.

Sounds familiar? It’s a matter of fact for so many beginners who are trying their hand at getting to the green room at a beach break. In reality, getting past the break is about 78% of the battle. It’s an assault course: foam slaps you around, pulls the board from your hands, saltwater up your nose. No wonder you’re close to giving up—who wouldn’t be?

📅 What the whitewash is and why it gets old
You already know what the whitewash is. It’s the zone where the waves break, closer to the shore, and if it has enough power, you can get some beginner-friendly rides. It gets boring pretty quickly.

You want to join the club—catching green waves is now the goal. To do this, you need to reach the lineup, where unbroken waves form and real surfing begins.

🏃️ The challenge of getting through the break
So now, you need to paddle through whitewater and breaking waves. Fun! No, it’s not. It’s exhausting. We thought paddling stamina was needed for catching waves, but it’s necessary for paddling through them.

And while foamies are great for learning, getting them through the waves is a Sisyphean task (you know, the one pushing the boulder up the mountain just for it to roll back down).

You get your timing or angle wrong and you will get hit. The volume of the board that we loved so much for our pop-ups? Hmm... no longer your friend.

⚖️ The fix (or what helps)
OK, so we’ve established that the world is conspiring against you reaching the lineup. How to fix it?

The easiest solution would be to find a break where the waves are barely breaking, like Waikiki, Hawai’i, or where there’s a channel—that deep, calm area of water that forms naturally between sandbanks or reefs. This is where waves don’t break and offer a safe passage through the lineup. We wish.

For now, we must face the long dark of Moria. Sorry—getting through the goddamn waves.

⏱️ Practical tips for paddling out
First, wait for a lull, where you can see the waves stop breaking for a moment, and paddle as fast as you can to the lineup. No lull in sight and you’re just dying to get some green ones? Apply the turtle rolling technique we talked about before—flip your longboard upside down and hold on underneath while a wave passes over you. If the waves are small, you can use the push-up technique and let the breaking water pass between your body and the board.

🧐 A final word on managing expectations
It can feel disheartening, seeing experienced surfers getting to the lineup in a fraction of the time, but keep in mind—they’re usually on shorter boards, they can duck dive, and they usually have plenty more paddling power. They’ve been doing this for a while.

For us beginners, we need to just focus on not giving in to the fear of getting knocked back over and over again. You too belong in the lineup. It’s just going to take a long, sweet moment getting there.

No luck today? Pick a smaller day. Because once you’ve reached the lineup, it feels like heaven.

^{THE WIPEOUT WEEKLY FOMO}

⬆️ Aaaaaaand that was the last wave of the week!
If a friend forwarded this and you liked it, hit subscribe & join us! We will see you all next week! 🌊

^HOUSEKEEPING

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