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Bodyboard Riding Techniques


The ARS - Air Roll Spin


A combination of 3 existing bodyboarding moves and invented by EPPO himself, the "AIR", the "ROLL", and then the "Spin". To complete an ARS your should be competent at doing all these 3 moves first.

  • As with all aerial moves, performing the ARS requires plenty of speed and projection, the first step is to have a strong bottom turn and aim towards the curling part of the wave
  • The next step is to launch off the lip into your roll projecting as high and as far in front of the wave as possible.
  • About halfway into your roll you should begin your spin, spinning your board and body inward towards the face of the wave as you project your roll up and out of the lip
  • It is best to try and complete the spin while in the air but if this is not possible you can always land it halfway around by keeping your weight centered on the board and turning your head and body into the wave.
  • The more you can harness the power of the wave to help you execute this maneuver, the smoother and more powerful your ARS will look and feel.
 


The AIR
-
Bodyboarding's most spectacular move


 

Eppo's trademark move. For any sort of aerial move speed is of the essence.

  • the bottom turn is the cornerstone of this move, keep your eyes on the oncoming section as timing is crucial too early and you will go off the back too late and you will not get any air.
  • as you hit the lip you should be slingshot up and out above the wave
  • at this point your board should be kept close to your body and you want to slightly extend your arms and start to point your board towards shore in a smooth flowing arc
  • now the hard part the landing you should keep your eyes focused on your landing spot if you have hit the lip right the impact of the lip should cushion your landing, as you start to descend, make sure you position your body above your board and brace your body to prepare for the impact, hold on tight and rid the move out of the wash
 


The Roll

 
  • set up the roll with a strong bottom hand turn, keeping maximum speed.
  • turn up the face of the wave, aiming for the curling part of the wave
  • When the lip of the wave starts to throw over, project yourself outwards with the arc of the lip by throwing your head back.
  • your body and board should spiral out and around with the lip in a smooth flowing motion
  • at this point you need to get your body re-centered on your board and prepare for landing
  • keep your eyes on a smooth landing spot at the bottom of the wave and brace yourself for a tough landing
  • With a death grip, hang on to your board as hard as you can while your in the whitewater.

    Quick Tips
  • While rolling, let the wave do most of the work.
  • Your timing must be perfect, make sure your angle of approach allows you down the line speed.
  • Once rolling with the lip, go for projection.
  • Land, then keep your momentum going.
 


Holding an edge

 

The most important thing to remember when holding your edge on a wave is your weight and positioning on the board. here we give an example of going left and holding and edge

  • Paddle hard into the wave and move your weight forward on the board your weight should be on the left side of your board, with your left arm holding the corner of the nose and you should be leaning the weight of your body into the wave.
  • Your body should be about ¾ of the way back on the left side of the board with your hip pushing into the corner of the tail of the board.
  • Your left leg should be trailing in the water creating an extension of your rail. Therefore giving you more holding ability in the wave.
 


The Backflip

 
  • Speed is the main ingredient in a good backflip
  • Start with a solid bottom turn and aim for a bowling section harness your speed and aim for the pitching lip
  • Hit the section at fairly vertical position timing is essential at this point to help you get out of the pitching lip
  • As you launch, go for maximum height and try to project out from the lip and into the flats pull your board close to your body and throw your head back using this momentum to kick your legs and the rest of your body over your head in a looping motion.
  • The hardest part is the landing as you are landing backwards you should land flat and centered on your board, finish the move in the whitewater by bringing the nose of your board all the way back around and continue in the direction in which you started.
 


Bottom Turning

 

The bottom turn is the key element to good bodyboarding it sets you up with plenty of speed and projection for the rest of the wave.

  • Paddle hard into the wave and when you feel the wave push you move your weigh to the tail of your board and drive your hip into the inside edge closest to the wave's face.
  • When trimming to the left, lean on the left side. When going right, drive your hip into the right corner of your board.
  • lean into your turn and think about where you want this line to take you. Using your arms to help steer the board, pull up on your outside edge with controlled power.
  • You should be careful not go too far into the flats before you make your turn because this will cause your board to bog and cause you to lose speed and balance.
 


Cutbacks

 

The cutback is one of the most fundamental maneuvers in bodyboarding. But if performed correctly, it can also be one of the most radical.

  • The first factor in a good cutback is speed. With speed from your bottom turn, focus on the spot where you want to begin your carve
  • you should make sure your stomach and hips are on the deck and that both legs are out of the water so you are gaining maximum speed
  • once you are out in front of the wave drift to to the top of the wave move forward slightly and turn your head back towards the wave to start your turn
  • Drive your hip into the inside back corner of your board. This will help keep you from losing your edge while turning on the wave's face.
  • As a means of keeping the cutback flowing keep your legs just touching the surface of the water to prevent bouncing out.
  • When the cutback is 90 per cent complete, begin to re-centre your weight and turn your head in the direction you now want to head.  
 


Spins

 
  • To start the spin, build up speed by doing a bottom turn.
  • Once you have enough momentum make a small turn up the face of the wave close to the pocket
  • Move your weight up to the centre of your board to release the inside rail.
  • Now lift your legs and turn your body to try to look at your fins this will assist in helping you spin
  • Always look in the direction you are turning and once you have gone full circle move your body back on your board and re-gather your trim position and ride on. The key to pulling off the spinner is having enough speed to begin with. The more speed you have the easier it is to spin.

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