Kook: The Beginner's Blunder

Because volume is your friend when you’re starting out. A bigger, thicker board—like a funshape or a longboard—is more stable, paddles faster, and catches waves way easier. It forgives your mistakes in balance and timing. Trying to learn on a short, low-volume potato chip is the ultimate blunder; you’ll spend all your time paddling and no time riding. Get a proper foam-top to build your confidence and skills. You can always downsize later when your wave-reading and pop-up are automatic.

Before you even think about standing, master the pop-up on the sand. Then, in the whitewater, focus on catching broken waves while lying on your board—this is called “prone riding.“ It’s all about getting comfortable with the ocean’s motion, learning how to position your body on the log, and feeling the wave push you. This foundational step builds paddle strength, balance, and wave sense without the pressure of dropping in. Skipping this is a classic kook move that leads to endless pearling and frustration.

Practice on land, every day. Muscle memory is key. Lie on your stomach, hands by your ribs, and in one smooth motion, push up and spring your feet under you. Avoid the “kook crawl” where you bring a knee up first. The motion should be a quick, fluid “pop,“ not a slow climb. On the water, look where you want to go (down the line, not at your feet) as you come up. A clean, fast pop-up sets you up for everything that follows on the wave face.

Dropping in on someone is the cardinal sin. The surfer closest to the peak—where the wave first breaks—has the right of way. If you take off in front of or “burn” them, you’re ruining their ride and creating a dangerous situation. Other kook classics include ditching your board (always hold onto it!) and paddling straight back out through the lineup. Always paddle around the breaking waves to avoid getting in the way of riders. Respect in the water is everything.