Common Surfing Mistakes

Entrepreneur Bill Malloy has built his career in the fields of finance and technology. A founding general partner of Sway Ventures, a venture capital firm in San Francisco, California, Bill Malloy oversees investments in early- to mid-stage tech companies. In his free time, Mr. Malloy enjoys surfing. 

Making mistakes is a part of learning, but in surfing, basic problems need to be corrected quickly. Here are a few common surfing mistakes that beginners can avoid:

- Being a weak swimmer. When learning to surf, beginners will end up in the water more than a few times. With waves and currents, surfers who are not strong swimmers will struggle in the ocean. Before learning to surf, beginners must hone their swimming skills and learn how to swim in varying conditions.

- Looking down at the board. Balance is hugely important in surfing, yet many beginners ruin their balance by staring down at the surfboard. While paddling or riding a wave, beginners should focus on the horizon or what is in front of them. This improves balance and helps surfers stay aware of their surroundings.

- Keeping knees locked. While riding a wave, surfers must bend their knees to keep the body low. Beginners may think that standing tall is best for staying balanced, but this actually makes the board move more. Instead, surfers should keep their knees bent and use their hips and knees to adjust their balance when needed.

It is always a welcome relief for Bill and some of his founding teams that he invests in to try to escape after work in the San Francisco Bay area.