Mastering the Waves

There’s no strict age, but generally, a grom is anywhere from a little grommet just standing up to a teenager. Once they start driving themselves to the beach, getting their own boards, and maybe even getting a few sponsorships, they’re often called “young guns” or just young surfers. The grom phase is all about that wide-eyed, obsessive learning period where every session is an adventure and every wave, no matter how small, is totally epic.

Use the time! Work on your fitness: swim, yoga, and paddle training. Fix your dings, clean your gear, and organize your quiver. Study surf forecasts to understand patterns better. Watch classic films for inspiration. Connect with your crew—plan the next mission. Flat spells make you appreciate the next swell even more, and that anticipation is part of the whole beautiful cycle.

Focus on your compression and extension. Really sink low as you approach the bottom, coiling your body. Then, explode upwards and into the turn, driving off that back leg. It’s not just a lean; it’s a full-body push. Engage your core and shoulders, following your head and eyes. Practice on smaller, forgiving days to build the muscle memory. Stronger legs and core from land training help massively, too. Power comes from the push.

Bigger, thicker boards (like longboards or funboards) are more forgiving and give you more time. You can almost walk to your feet. On a shortboard, the pop-up needs to be faster and more precise because the board is less stable. Your foot placement has to be spot-on. If you’re learning, a higher-volume board is your best friend—it makes the pop-up easier and builds confidence. As you downsize, you’ll need to refine that motion to be quicker and more compact.