The Surf Continuum: Recent Episodes
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In this episode of KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Evan are taking a look at a wave where both Coach Chris and a student are taking off. Check it out below on the membership site.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Crooked Surf
SurfEars
Freaks of Nature
The post Press Up Analysis first appeared on The Surf Continuum.
In this episode of KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Evan are joined by their four students who came on the 2025 La Misión surf trip. This recording was completed after three days of focused sitting turn practice and drilling.
Time Stamps:
- (01:58) – Introductions and shoutouts
- (02:42) – Episode Topic – “Sitting Turns”
- (04:02) – Stephen’s thoughts
- (06:10) – Acknowledging Stephen’s reference to The Surf Continuum
- (06:36) – Andy’s thoughts
- (08:25) – Coach Ev
- (09:03) – Billy’s thoughts – The board responds to “Oh shit”
- (11:43) – Coach Chris: Purpose & Composure
- (13:10) – Billy on missing waves
- (14:07) – Kristin’s thoughts – Being a dynamic surfer
- (15:15) – Including the steps before and after a sitting turn in your practice
- (16:00) – Sitting turns used in other scenarios
- (16:50) – Harnessing the power of your board
- (18:00) – Mental focus on good technique
- (18:21) – Sitting Turn mistakes
- (24:45) – Timing the tail release of a sitting turn
- (26:40) – Tapping a deeper power in the wave
- (28:54) – The scenarios when you use the sitting turn
- (31:45) – Catching waves without paddling
- (36:23) – Using the correct hand
- (42:10) – The relationship between paddling position and sitting turn position
- (46:40) – Corking
- (49:56) – A way to practice corking
KookCast is brought to you by Coach Chris and Coach Evan of The Surf Continuum. Find unedited pre and unreleased episodes on through their membership website: thesurfcontinuum.com
Sponsored by:
www.crookedsurf.com
www.surfears.com
www.freaksofnature.com
The post Sitting Turns: A Discussion with Four Students first appeared on The Surf Continuum.
250 episodes later and we’re still here! In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Ev sit down to reflect on their recent trip to La Misión with four of their students, share with you some of the highlights, and remind ourselves what this trip is all about.
The post La Misión 2025 Trip Recap first appeared on The Surf Continuum.
In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are discussing one of the more common impairments surfers face…blindness!
Time Stamps:
- (03:14) – Observing before you hit the water
- (04:12) – How far away are the walls of your vision?
- (05:28) – Physical requirements
- (09:07) – Are you obsessed with your nose ?
- (11:15) – What you say with your eye-line
- (12:48) – See better while you set up waves
- (19:12) – Why you keep getting pitched
- (21:08) – How to overcome getting pitched
- (22:40) – Simplify the take-off
- (26:33) – Looking without seeing
- (28:57) – Look for details
KookCast is brought to you by Coach Chris and Coach Evan of The Surf Continuum. Find unedited pre and unreleased episodes on through their membership website: thesurfcontinuum.com
Sponsored by:
www.crookedsurf.com
www.surfears.com
www.freaksofnature.com
The post Are You Surfing Blind? first appeared on The Surf Continuum.
It was February 2016. El Niño was in full effect, and the incoming swell was massive.
We were all in La Misión, Baja together on our annual friends surf trip and thanks to Coach Evan and Tia Gloria, we managed to lock down a “captain” and his boat with plans to head to a nearby point break infamous for the rarity in which it broke, and for the raw power and size when it did.
At minute 04:45 of this episode I mention a video edit released by Surfer Magazine about this particular swell. Here it is, and the Mexico section of the day our whole story takes place begins at 18 mins, which is automatically set to begin at when you click play.
Surrounded by hundreds of feet of sheer vertical cliff and a single sketchy road that was shuttered to the public, made a boat ride through the pumping Pacific Ocean as the only option for getting in.
But with the challenge of getting there (which became even more challenging than we anticipated once we got on the open ocean) also provided the reward of relatively uncrowded surf, especially considering how world class the surf was going to be.
Tune into Coach Ev, myself, Corey Senese, Cole Olson, Gavin Krug, and Chance Whalen get back together to tell the story of how we beat all the odds and managed to log the session of a lifetime.
Bonus: Listen to the introduction of this for instructions on a chance to win a 3-piece product assortment from our newest sponsor, Freaks of Nature.
The post Six Surfers Who Brought Their Blades to a Gun Fight first appeared on The Surf Continuum.
In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Evan are joined by a few members of the Crooked Surf Team to talk about some of the tricks they have up their wetsuit sleeve for keeping warm in the coldest of sessions.
Timestamps:
- (04:48) – Guest introductions
- (28:27) – Ken’s wetsuit history
- (33:00) – How Cate shoots with gloves on
- (36:21) – Tricks and tips for staying warm
KookCast is brought to you by Coach Chris and Coach Evan of The Surf Continuum. Find unedited pre and unreleased episodes on their membership website: thesurfcontinuum.com
Sponsored by:
www.crookedsurf.com
https://surfears.com
https://freaksofnature.com
The post How to Keep Warmer Longer with The Crooked Crew first appeared on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are chatting about respect and how to earn it from other surfers, especially the old heads and long time locals.
Timestamps:
- (02:33) – How you show up to the beach
- (05:29) – How you get in and out of the water
- (07:42) – Check your pace
- (10:12) – How you show up to the line-up
- (11:38) – Surfing inside and wide
- (13:41) – Smile !
- (16:30) – Coach Ev’s story about following the rules
- (18:37) – Coach Chris’ story about a friend who did not follow the rules
KookCast is brought to you by Coach Chris and Coach Evan of The Surf Continuum. Find unedited pre and unreleased episodes on their membership website: thesurfcontinuum.com/signup/
Sponsored by:
www.crookedsurf.com
The post Earning Respect from Surfers first appeared on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Catherina Duval de Navarre jumps on a Zoom call with Coach Chris to share screens and talk us through a clip she shared of herself getting absolutely burned during a session of a lifetime.
If you’re a member, be sure to login and watch it over there so you can see the clips we’re discussing.
Time Stamps:
- (03:10) – How Cat started surfing
- (08:05) – The Crime
- (21:30) – What could Cat have done?
- (27:26) – Cat’s Kooky story
- (32:26) – Cat’s wetsuit brand
KookCast is brought to you by Coach Chris and Coach Evan of The Surf Continuum. Find unedited pre and unreleased episodes on through their membership website: thesurfcontinuum.com
Sponsored by:
www.crookedsurf.com
The post Caught on Film! A Wicked Burn with Catharina Duval de Navarre appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
In this episode of KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are talking about their approach to surfing, specifically speaking on the dynamic of how they move through the line-up.
Time Stamps:
- (03:39) – The Surf Continuum and surfing in circles
- (05:54) – Connection to your equipment
- (06:35) – Staying on the move and in circular patterns
- (07:53) – Circles, to spirals, to rhythm with the ocean.
- (09:01) – Circumferences of circles
- (09:56) – Seeing this principle in the micro and macro
- (10:53) – Circular vs Linear surfing
- (15:09) – Why surfing leashless helps you surf circles
KookCast is brought to you by Coach Chris and Coach Evan of The Surf Continuum. Find unedited pre and unreleased episodes on through their membership website: thesurfcontinuum.com/signup
Sponsored by:
www.crookedsurf.com
The post Surfing in Circles appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Sid Abruzzi joins Coach Chris to discuss his new documentary with the Kinnane Brothers, Water Brother: The Sid Abruzzi Story. The world premier is July 26th at the Angelika Theater in NYC. Details for other premier locations below. Premier or not, make sure you watch this film. It was epic.
Asbury Park, NJ – August 8
House of Independents
Narragansett, RI – August 9
Narragansett Casino
New Smyrna, FL – August 17
FLA Surf Film Fest
Nantucket, MA – August 21
Dreamland Theater
The post Water Brother: The Sid Abruzzi Story appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev got Adam Davenport back on the phone after he was dropped halfway through the first call with Kris Carlow in part one of this now two part series.
Time Stamps:
- (01:41) – Adam’s family and beach life growing up
- (03:47) – How Adam came to be a shaper
- (06:47) – The basic foundation of a good longboard for novices
- (08:41) – Mastering the importance of mastering the basics
- (15:11) – Innovation vs. Tried and True
- (18:31) – Elements of traditional design
- (23:01) – Coach Chris’ Hobie story
- (24:51) – Hobie Cat background from Adam
- (26:43) – Coach Ev shows an old Hobie to Adam
- (29:38) – Adam’s kooky story
- (32:43) – Ordering a Hobie surfboard
KookCast is brought to you by Coach Chris and Coach Evan of The Surf Continuum. Find unedited pre and unreleased episodes on through their membership website: thesurfcontinuum.com
Sponsored by:
www.crookedsurf.com
The post Celebrating Hobie’s 70th Anniversary – Part 2 appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Evan are joined by Kris Carlow and Adam Davenport of Hobie Surfboards to celebrate the brands 70th anniversary. We’re first introduced to them through their surfing background before Kris, the brand manager at Hobie, takes us through the life of Hobie Alter and how the Hobie brand came to be.
Next week in part 2, Adam describes his job of lead shaper and how we has a passion for preserving Hobie’s standards and many of the traditional elements of surfboard building.
Time Stamps:
- (02:23) – Kris Carlow’s Surf Background
- (09:45) – Adam Davenport’s Background
- (13:18) – Hobie Alter and the Hobie Brand history
KookCast is brought to you by Coach Chris and Coach Evan of The Surf Continuum. Find unedited pre and unreleased episodes on through their membership website: thesurfcontinuum.com
Sponsored by:
www.crookedsurf.com
The post Celebrating Hobie’s 70th Anniversary – Part 1 appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Emma Bukowski, creator of Nose Rider Surf Club, joins Coach Chris to talk not only about her surfing journey, but the effort it took to reach the starting line of that journey.
Coming from Wisconsin, it might not have seemed like surfing was in the cards for Emma. Tune in to hear how Emma played her hand and now gets to live her dream. The discussion eventually turns a little more serious as we hear Emma’s perspective on being a woman surfer and shares her worst experience while surfing.
Stick around to hear the one thing that gave her surf confidence a huge boost and how a homemade bathing suit that stayed in place during wipeouts was the start of her brand, Nose Rider Surf Club.
Time Stamps:
- (02:13) – Emma’s surfing background
- (10:30) – Being a woman in surfing
- (14:06) – Her worst experience ever as a woman in the water
- (34:45) – Emma’s confidence boosting challenge
- (38:04) – Noserider Surf Club
- (43:13) – Emma’s Kooky Story
KookCast is brought to you by Coach Chris and Coach Evan of The Surf Continuum. Find unedited pre and unreleased episodes on through their membership website: thesurfcontinuum.com
Sponsored by:
www.crookedsurf.com
The post Emma Bukowski of Nose Rider Surf Club appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This episode is a recap of the annual surf trips Coach Chris and Coach Ev organize to La Misión in Baja. It begins with an introduction from Coach Chris, moves into a discussion between him and Coach Ev debriefing on important takeaways and key lessons, and finishes with some clips drawn from the raw recordings of both group one and group two at our final dinner of the week.
Time Stamps:
- (00:00) – Coach Chris’ Introduction
- (02:15) – Coach Chris and Coach Ev debrief
- (39:57) – Audio clips from group one’s last dinner
- (43:06) – Audio clips from group two’s last dinner
KookCast is brought to you by Coach Chris and Coach Evan of The Surf Continuum. Find unedited pre and unreleased episodes on through their membership website: thesurfcontinuum.com
Sponsored by:
www.crookedsurf.com
The post 2024 La Misión Surf Trip Recap appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Erin LaVallee joins Coach Chris to share her story on fulfilling a lifelong dream to surf, the mistakes and successes on the journey, and of course her kooky story.
- (01:58) – Intro to Erin
- (08:25) – First Surfboard
- (09:56) – First Boogie Session & Revelation
- (16:08) – Background as a tattoo artist
- (18:08) – Being a woman surfer, courage, and perseverance
- (27:55) – Surf tripping to the East Coast
- (30:57) – Erin’s Kooky Story
The post SHARK! with Erin LaVallee appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Alek Rockrise joins Coach Chris to talk surf education, sharing your surf knowledge, and the personal battles that come with it. Thank you to our sponsor Crooked Wetsuits for helping us stay warm in the water.
Episode timestamps:
- (02:01) – Alek’s surfing background
- (07:15) – The grom mentality
- (08:49) – Teaching “how to read waves”
- (13:06) – Surf etiquette
- (16:08) – How we learned to surf
- (18:58) – Paddling technique
- (24:15) – Catching waves
- (27:25) – Why do surfers hate instructors/student surfers?
- (37:45) – The importance of surf history
- (41:02) – Surfboard talk
- (57:00) – The California Surf Academy
- (59:20) – Alek’s kooky story
- (1:03:54) – Alek asks a personal question
Episode links:
The California Surf Academy – Website
Alek’s personal instagram – @arockrise
The California Surf Academy instagram – @thecaliforniasurfacademy
The post Alek Rockrise from The California Surf Academy appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Evan are sitting down to discuss 7 pillars upon which they’ve built their brand of surf education on. Head over to the membership site and check out the video version of this episode to see pillar #8, which they forgot to include in this recording.
- (02:04) – What makes surfing special
- (03:31) – #1. No touching, stabilizing, or pushing students
- (08:39) – #2. Fundamentals are the foundation
- (10:27) – #3. Good surfing is simple
- (12:03) – #4. Create Space
- (17:53) – #5. Unconditional surfing
- (20:17) – #6. Slow is fast (link to deeper discussion about this topic)
- (23:43) – #7 – The joy is in the journey
- (26:46) – Members Bonus #8
Please consider becoming a supporting member to watch the following episode...
The post 7 Pillars of The Surf Continuum appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Coach Chris and Coach Ev are taking you back to the boogie board! One of the most overlooked crafts in helping beginner surfers progress is the boogie board, and in this episode we’re telling you a few reasons why.
- 1:28 Come to La Misión with us
- 1:49 Why Coach Chris gets self conscious about the boogie episodes
- 3:15 Why the “grom mentality” is so important
- 5:16 The Values of the Boogie: Timing: Getting Through Waves
- 11:12 The Values of the Boogie: Catching Waves
- 14:08 The Values of the Boogie: Setting Your Rail
- 19:02 The Values of the Boogie: Paddling
- 20:16 The Values of the Boogie: Release, Corking & Sitting Up
- 24:54 The Values of the Boogie: Getting Your Feet off the Bottom
- 27:29 The Values of the Boogie: Getting Your First Tube
- 28:52 The hardest aspect of this episode The post Blame it on the Boogie Board appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
FINALLY! Rob Case has entered the chat. With KookCast over 200 episodes in, it’s safe to say this episode is late.
Rob is a paddle technique coach and one of our personal favorite surfers to talk shop with. Check out his website, subscribed to his newsletter, and see the timestamps below to find key moments in our chat together.
https://www.surfingpaddling.com/
- (01:08) – How I discovered Rob
- (06:21) – Moving the needle: New board vs Fundamentals
- (08:23) – The importance of technique
- (14:17) – Corking technique
- (22:00) – Finding the sweet spot = control
- (30:31) – Personal feelings towards copy cats
- (40:10) – At home workouts & training for paddling
- (49:37) – How to learn more with Rob
- (53:26) – Optimizing your surf energy
- (1:02:04) – Rob’s kooky story
The post Paddling Somewhere? Follow the North Star with Rob Case appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, we’re happy to have Matt Warshaw back on the show. The premier historian and archivist of surfing, the value of this man’s work isn’t lost on us, and it shouldn’t be lost on you either!
Subscribe to the Encyclopedia of Surfing and consider making a donation to make help make sure Matt continues his good work.
Here’s a link to The New Yorker article we discuss at the beginning of the episode:
“Can’t Tell an A-frame from a Poo Stance? Try the Encyclopedia of Surfing”
The post Catching Up with Matt Warshaw appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
It’s in the title! Take care of that thing and don’t be a wetsuit kook!!
Booking spots on our La Misión surf trip 2024. E-mail us: info@thesurfcontinuum.com to learn more.
The post Wetsuit Care & Kookery appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Coach Chris sits down with Matt George to discuss his book In Deep, a highly recommended read, which is a compilation of his life’s work as a surf writer and journalist. The book covers some serious ground in the surf world, but it’s only on KookCast you’ll get to hear some of the insights you won’t find anywhere else.
Watch our video call with extra content on TSC membership site: https://thesurfcontinuum.com/podcast-videos/interview-with-matt-george/
Buy the book: https://www.diangelopublications.com/shop/p/in-deep
The post In Deep with Matt George appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are discussing a surfer characteristic you should develop, but exercise wisdom with how you wield it.
The post Becoming a More Assertive Surfer appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are discussing 10 surfer instincts that separate the experienced surfers from the rest of the pack.
The post 10 Surfer Instincts You Must Cultivate appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Evan are discussing the difference between surfers who paddle hard to catch waves and surfers who slide effortlessly into wave after wave.
The post Do You Catch Waves or Do They Catch You appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are discussing three of the most important aspects to catching waves. Position, position, position.
The post Position, Position, Position appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are exploring a topic intern Sophie brought to the table.
The post How to Improve Your Surfing…Other Than Surfing appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Following up on last week’s episode, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are back with the second half of their list on the unwritten rules of surfing. Tune in and listen up.
The post The Unwritten Rules of Surfing: Part 2 appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Surfing is unique in the way that a lot of the educational process and lessons learned are unwritten. You figure it out as you go, make mistakes you don’t know are mistakes only to be corrected by an elder. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are listing off a bunch of those unspoken and unwritten rules in surfing.
The post The Unwritten Rules of Surfing: Part 1 appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, intern Sophie is on the line with this week’s episode que’d up for Coach Chris and Coach Ev regarding the recent headlines from Byron Bay, “leash-less surfing is illegal”. Let’s talk more about that.
The post No Leg Rope, No Surf appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are hitting you with a list of three kooky things you can stop doing today.
The post Three Kooky Things You Can Stop Doing Now appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Fernando Navarro owner of El Chante Surf House joins Coach Chris on a washed up log on Playa Hermosa to talk about his story building his vision for El Chante Surf House, how he learned to surf, and of course his kooky story among other things. Close your eyes and be there on the beach, in the shade of the palm trees with us.
El Chante Surf House website
El Chante Surf House instagram
The post Vamos a El Chante with Fernando Navarro appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Even non-surfers have heard these wise words: “don’t turn your back to the ocean”, but in this week’s episode Coach Chris and Coach Evan are putting their own spin on that advice and it has to do with catching waves. Tune in to hear how you can catch more waves with proficiency by not turning your back to the sea.
The post Catch Waves Better: Don’t Turn Your Back to the Ocean appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris, Coach Ev, and a group of students who joined them on this years La Misión surf trip are recording and remembering another massively successful surf trip to Baja, California.
The post La Misión Surf Trip Recap 2023 appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev offer some words of advice and encouragement to a young surfer who is getting hassled by some of the local groms. This might be one of those things everyone is going to deal with at least once in their life, and you can either let it beat you down, or make you a stronger person.
The post How to deal with Snobby Groms appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are talking about some of the common ways beginner surfers delude themselves and aim to help those lost souls find their way back to a realistic path to better surfing.
The post The Delusional Surfer’s Guide to Reality appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Happy 2023. In this episode Coach Chris and Coach Ev are talking about the number one way (that’s probably also the most overlooked way) to improve yourself as a surfer. Yeew !
The post New Year, New Yeeew! appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are diving a little deeper into a concept that came up in the last episode in regards to having good style.
Check out our latest project and click here to learn more!
The post The Art of Missing Waves appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Style is a common topic in surf conversation. We all want to have good style. This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are talking about some of the lesser considered ways of exhibiting good style.
The post Do You Have Good Style? appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This episode is a brief recap of a member question we answered in-depth. You can find the full video on the membership site.
The post Regaining Confidence After Injuries appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Controlling your wipeout? Isn’t that an oxymoron? How can you control a wipeout, if wiping out is losing control? In this episode we’re discussing a recent member video we created on this very topic, where Coach Ev grabs his board in the middle of a wipeout and salvages what’s left. Check it out !
The post Controlling Wipeouts? YES! How To Wipeout Less appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are discussing their take on what makes a good beginner board. No, they aren’t giving specific dimensions or favorite brands. Rather, they’re drawing on their years of experience teaching to give you some food for thought on picking the right beginner board. New on the membership ... Read more
The post What’s a Good Beginner Board? appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Coach Chris and Coach Ev just finished evaluating a few waves, specifically the finishes, of themselves and their students for a new video on the membership site which was inspired by a question from one of the members. This episode is the continued inspiration of the topic on controlling the end of your ride with ... Read more
The post The Keys to Unlocking a Righteous Finish appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This episode was inspired by an analysis we recorded of ourselves while watching our friend John setup and ride a wave. Anyone can see a preview of the video by signing up for a free membership, premium members can watch the entire 20 mins video by clicking here or on the image below:
The post 3 Ways To Be a Better Surfer appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
It’s been said a family that surfs together, stays together. If you don’t believe it, please tune into the the Menen’s to prove it. If a board to the head can’t break them apart, nothing will. In this episode of KookCast, Chase and Jenna are sharing a story about one of their first surf dates. ... Read more
The post Scrub It Kook! with Chase, Jenna, & Nalu Menen appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Not that any episodes of KookCast could be considered “formal”, this is one of those especially informal episodes where the coaches are just rapping about a recent swell event. In this case, it’s Hurricane Fiona.
The post Hurricane Fiona appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
A guest so close yet so far, Brother Chase has long known he’s been requested to make his voice heard on KookCast. The day has finally come and in this episode 204, he tells the story of how he lost his board far from home at a heavy beach break and called upon his brother, ... Read more
The post Twozy Doozy with Brother Chase Menen appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on Kookcast, the big grom Phil is telling his kooky story about how making an assumption about another surfer got him into a bit of hot water, or perhaps we should call it rocky water. Tune in and hear Phil tell his story about how he learned the hard and hilarious way not ... Read more
The post Turns Out The Kook Was Me! with Phil Martone appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast we have three reasons why you should NOT catch a wave. What the hell kind of surf podcast gives you three reasons not to catch a wave? Tune in and find out.
The post Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
A few of our favorite qualities of a soul surfer.
The post What Makes a Soul Surfer appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Evan are discussing your head and whether it should be up or down while you’re catching a wave, and the reasons they feel the way they do.
The post Catching Waves: Head Up or Down appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are sitting down with good friend Jojo to talk about growth, teaching, and learning through play.
The post Learning Through Play with Johanly “Jojo” Sepulveda appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Evan are discussing the pop-up and a perhaps surprising way you can improve it. There’s 5 more minutes of listening for this episode on the membership site.
The post How To Improve Your Pop-Up appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Almost every episode of KookCast for the past 4 years has been focused on surf topics, whether Coach Chris and Coach Ev discuss one together, or with a visiting guest…this week the boys are releasing a personal episode that shares with you some of the recent developments that have taken place in their lives. Skip ... Read more
The post Keeping it Real appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
This week on KookCast, Coach Ev is sharing with us a story about a wave he just caught the other day out front at La Misión that he’s claiming is a top 5, best wave he ever caught in his entire life. Let’s hear it.
The post Coach Ev Making Big Claims appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Cait Lawson is the kind of lady surfer you want to be following as you make your way on your surfing journey. A committed and lifelong surfer, she can’t help but drop all kinds of valuable knowledge for us to pick up on as we listen along. Enjoy this week’s episode, and check out her ... Read more
The post Sunburnt & Salty with Cait Lawson appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
No matter how you ride waves, the pocket is what we’re all chasing. Whether you’re on a surfboard, boogie board, or no board at all, the essence of surfing is the lift and drive you get from staying in the pocket your entire ride. That’s why this week on the show, Coach Chris and Coach ... Read more
The post How To Stay in the Pocket appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
Well there’s a first for everything, and this week Coach Chris and Coach Ev hosted their first five way call between themselves and the dudes over at Crooked wetsuits. Catch up with one of the newest wetsuit brands to the North East coast and after these guys win your hearts over, go check out the ... Read more
The post Getting Kooky with Crooked Wetsuits appeared first on The Surf Continuum.
It’s nearly a decade since Coach Chris and Coach Ev met each other surfing out in Montauk, NY. It was no ordinary session either. This was a day-of-days type of swell and guess who was there to meet it ? That’s right, your two coaches. And that’s when they met each other too. Click the ... Read more
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This week on KookCast, the boys are talking about the differences between The Surf Continuum and all the other surf schools out there and why they cringe to call their work “surf lessons”. Premium members of thesurfcontinuum.com can watch the un-edited video version of the same episode by clicking the image below.
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Guess the title pretty much covers it! Members can click the image below to login and watch the video version of this episode. Be sure to watch the last 20 mins or so for the board shed tour with Bird.
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This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are taking a few minutes to recap their Spring surf trip to Northern Baja with a group of students. As much as KookCast is a place for listeners to consider ways to improve their surfing, your coaches think of it as a place to reflect on ... Read more
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Perhaps you’ve found this page because you’re familiar with our podcast, “KookCast”. Maybe you’re a new surfer and the word was mentioned, even–directed at you? It wouldn’t surprise us if you found this page because you’ve been secretly wondering, “am I a kook?”. A “kook” is a descriptive word with a wide spectrum of contexts ... Read more
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Most people hate it. Onshore wind is often considered synonymous with poor conditions. But this week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Evan have 3 points to make about why you should be shifting your mindset from “this sucks” to “this is great! when the onshore wind blows.
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This week on KookCast, Coach Chris and Coach Evan are exploring a very small moment in surfing. The moment we’re all working on doing more times and executing better. That moment is your take-off into a wave. Tune in and join us as we explore the way we should be working on controlling it so ... Read more
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We talk a lot about “surfing fundamentals” in all of our episodes, and while you could probably piece it all together and figure out what they are on your own, we’re gonna save you the trouble and do a general overview of each one of The Surf Continuum’s surfing fundamentals. Without these pillars, you’re just ... Read more
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It’s not to say that we don’t encourage and applaud our students when it’s called for, but the value we strive to bring goes much deeper than praises or a pat on the back. In this episode Coach Chris and Coach Ev discussing that distinguishment. Sign up to become a supporting member!
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This week on KookCast, Coach Chris is talking to Coach Evan about a phrase that came to mind while trying to explain to a student what element was missing from their practice. Hint: it wasn’t a skill, or a physical action. At the conclusion, you’ll have a new question to ask yourself about your approach ... Read more
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In this episode of KookCast, top student Scott Napier stayed up late to record an episode with Coach Chris and Coach Evan. We continued a discussion we were having the whole trip around the theme of staying in rhythm. Scott identified three of the major things that hinder the rhythm of a surf session and we spend a little time talking about those things, what you can do to change them, and what parts you can’t change and therefore need to simply accept as part of the surfing journey.
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This week, Coach Chris and Coach Ev are reflecting on their recent student surf trip to La Misión. We all had such an epic time and because we had to turn away so many people after the trip filled up, we’re going again from April 5th – April 12th, 2022 ! Make sure you’re onourmailing list to get all the info later this week (the week of the 21st in February).
Join our mailing list to stay updated!
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There’s nothing better than a genuine, outspoken, and honest guest for a podcast, and that’s exactly what Holly Beck brings to this episode. She has no problem with real talk and what you get from that is a plain look at her life and thoughts with lots of insights that will help you think of yourself and your growth in a new light.
Learn more about Holly with the following links:
Surf with Amigas
Surf with Holly Beck
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A first ever type of episode, this week Coach Chris has a family member on the show–his younger brother James. Together they remember stories from their childhood on the beach all the way through the more recent years while also catching up with what James is doing in his life now.
Check out his website: Atelier Notre Terre
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How good a surfer may be is almost always judged based on how they ride waves. Well Coach Chris and Coach Evan are here to fill you in on a couple of the true qualities of a good surfer, and chances are if you posses all 6 you probably ride waves pretty well too!
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We’re all about helping you be a little less kooky, and that’s why for the last episode of 2021 we bringing you our “automatic kook” list. These are the things that make you a kook. No, it’s not a temporary mistake that recover from in a minute. It’s a title you’ll wear until you change your ways ! Tune in this week to learn about a few things you should absolutely, positively not be doing in your daily surfing life.
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The lovely Emi Koch joins Coach Chris on KookCast this week to talk about her non-profit organization Beyond the Surface, traveling around the world, and of course surfing!
You may be completely inspired and in admiration of Emi’s work (not surprised). There’s always a way to get involved and/or help. Please use the following links accordingly!
Beyond the Surface International
Coast 2 Coast Movement
Donate
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The man behind the Encyclopedia of Surfing (https://eos.surf) joins Coach Chris for his second episode ever on KookCast to discuss the unique relationship surfers have with their surfboards compared to other athletes and their equipment, machine made surfboards, machine made waves, favorite surfers…the list goes on.
Make sure you are a subscriber to the website of the Encyclopedia of Surfing, and consider donating to help Matt continue his important work of protecting, preserving, and presenting surf history and culture.
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Ahh, offshore wind. It does beautiful things for waves. But in this case we’re talking about RIPPING offshore wind and the three ways it makes catching waves much harder.
Bet you easily know the first way, but what about the other two consequences of a ripping offshore wind?
1. Paddling Against the Wind The obvious one. Just the simple fact that you’re trying to paddle in the opposite direction the wind is blowing means it’s going to take more work to get the job done and catch the wave.
The wind will be getting under the nose of your board as you’re taking-off on a wave making matters harder. And if you tend to position yourself too far back on your board in general, you’re going to find it exponentially more challenging to catch waves with that positioning in strong offshores.
The wind is blowing the water in your face and so many times you’ll be blind while you paddle. Once you can finally see again you’ll probably just be tipping over the ledge and getting your first look at the drop as you’re making it.
2. Wave Against the Wind If the wind is holding you back, why would it be any different for the waves?
Strong offshores hold the wave back and lift them ever higher than any other wind condition. They get taller, and thinner, and take longer to break.
That means your timing needs to change. A wave that looks like its about to break may still be moments away from breaking if the wind it holding back the lip. You’ll realize once it’s too late that you should have started paddling sooner.
It’s important in strong offshore winds to start paddling for waves early especially if you’ve already been affected by point three.
3. You Get Blown Out to Sea You may not realize it because the crowd is getting blown out to sea with you, but the fact of the matter is while you’re sitting there waiting for waves in strong offshore wind–you’re getting pushed out to sea.
That means pushed out of position.
If you’re not actively monitoring your position while you wait for waves in a honking offshore wind, you can bet you’re going to be fighting to get inside fast when you see a set rolling in and it’s far from breaking.
Don’t forget, you’ll be fighting against the wind from too far outside to catch a wave that’s going to develop for longer. The odds are stacking.
It takes a diligent surfer to not only patiently wait for sets, but also actively hold their position in the line-up. A good surfer will always be mindful of their position, both in and out to sea, and up and down the beach.
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This week’s release was supposed to be another typical episode with your favorite surf coaches, Coach Chris and Coach Ev, but Coach Chris got so carried away talking about his recent trip to The Boom in Nicaragua that there was no time left to record their planned episode…So call it a bonus and release it anyway !
Pictures below taken by Drew Maloney. Video courtesy of Jonathan Saul Mondragon Erazo
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A deep and honest look into the heart and soul of Shay O’Brien, pioneer and discoverer of The Boom and the founder of Chancletas in Northern Nicaragua.
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You might be here because you’re a loyal listener of our podcast, KookCast: Surf Education. Your surf etiquette is hopefully on point, and this is simply the next episode in the queue.
There’s also the possibility you’re on this page because you got a yellow card from another surfer. This will be a good place to brush up on three important aspects of good surf etiquette. Here’s 3 things not to do.
1. Paddling Over the Shoulder (instead of the white water) Committed by surfers of all levels when found in the precarious position of being in or near the path of an up-and-riding surfer.
Here’s how it goes:
The Penalty: You’re paddling out to the line-up, either for the first time of the session or after your last wave.
Another wave is now breaking and there’s a surfer paddling to catch it or already riding it.
You’re in such a position that if you just angle towards the shoulder of the wave, you’ll narrowly avoid the impact of the lip crashing, or the turbulent white water created after it makes impact with the trough of the wave.
Seems like a no brainer. Change direction slightly and paddle over the shoulder. But in many cases this is the wrong tack if a surfer is on that wave.
The Reason: Because the dynamic nature of a waves movement breaks in directions both down the line and towards the beach (or “down the reef” at some spots); it can be challenging for beginners to predict the pace at which a wave is approaching them vs. how fast sections are breaking down the line.
On top of trying to calculate the waves movement, you cannot be certain of how the surfer will ride that wave. Do they want to drop to the bottom and come up to hit the lip? Stay on a high line to race a few sections and then lean into a round house cut-back?
What Can Happen When You Paddle Towards the Shoulder of a Wave Being Ridden? Best Case Scenario: You get in the way of a good surfer that can turn when they realize a paddler is in their path. He or she won’t be very pleased with you however, and you might find yourself being announced to the line-up as a surfer hailing from kookdom.
Worst Case Scenario: You put yourself in the path of a surfer who isn’t as capable and they spear you.
You kooked it and you risked your life.
Proper Etiquette: When there’s a wave and a surfer coming at you, more often than not the correct move to make is to paddle towards the white water. And not just a little bit behind the surfer… Go way back.
Why? Because if there is one safe assumption you can make about where a surfer does not want to go, it’s deep in the white water far behind the pocket of the wave. That’s why as a paddler you should go there in order to stay completely out of the way.
Exceptions: It is possible, say for example at a point break where the waves are so predictable and follow the same bathymetric path, to paddle so extremely far out on the shoulder that you are well out of the way.
Keep in mind, paddling over the shoulder an acceptable distance away from the surfer means you should be paddling over a part of the wave that a surfer couldn’t possibly ride. The part of the wave you’re paddling over is so undeveloped that the surfer will never get that far down the line without losing the wave first. In this case, it is acceptable to paddle over the shoulder of the wave.
2. Bailing Your Board to Get Through White Water It feels like this should be obvious, but observation of many line-ups leads one to conclude that it is not.
Ditching your board before a wave overwhelms you is an irresponsible thing for a surfer to do. Checking for people behind you before you bail doesn’t make you much better.
The Penalty: If you as the paddler making your way outside to the line-up opt to paddle towards the broken part of the wave at the sight of a surfer riding it–well done.
Now that you find yourself well out of the riding surfers way and in front of a mass of oncoming turbulent white water, some feel compelled to abandon their surfboard and dive underwater to avoid getting rag dolled by the wave.
Their logic is the less floating mass connected to you means less of a beating will befall you. But it’s negligent and a mistake that can cause a number of negative consequences.
The Reason(s): First of all, when you ditch your surfboard and dive under a wave, keep in mind the radius of your kill zone. You must factor the length of your leash plus the length of your board.
Consider the situation of a long boarder bailing their surfboard. A 9′ board, plus a 9′ leash equals 18 feet total. That doesn’t take into account the distance you may be dragged backwards under water.
Better not make the excuse, “I checked behind me before I bailed”. This is far from responsible surfing. It shouldn’t matter who’s around you or not. Fight to keep control.
Second of all, anytime you ditch your surfboard you’re putting your leash to the test. At some point during a leash’s lifetime enduring this style of constant abuse will break. What’s more is that Murphy’s law states it will break precisely in the most dire of situations, when the waves are biggest and strongest and you’re the least comfortable in the ocean without your board, or when there’s a pack of surfers positioned inside of you.
Maybe you calculated them to be far outside of your kill zone before you bailed and you assumed you had plenty of space to safely bail your board. Instead, your leash snapped and your board is on the loose and bouncing towards them in the white water.
Proper Etiquette: Select from any number of inside skills, strategies, and techniques to punch through white water without losing control of your board. Some of these solutions include:
- The Press Up
- The Turtle Roll
- Buoyancy Popping
- Duck Diving
Which skill or technique you use depends on the board you are riding, and the volume and power of white water you have to punch through.
When all is said and done, if you feel that no skill or technique will work for you then you’ve discovered your limits. If you can’t get through broken waves and maintain board control, you shouldn’t be out in that session. Wait for the waves to get smaller.
Exceptions: None for us regular surfers.
Only the most elite of surfers riding huge waves bail their surfboards when caught inside. Every surfer that is partaking in that kind of a big wave session is an expert or professional that understands the possibility of a set catching the pack off-guard which necessitates the response of everyone bailing their board to dive under the wave.
3. Dropping In on Another Surfer Perhaps this is the rule most surfers are aware of, and yet it still happens with incredible frequency.
The Penalty: You’ve finally made it out the back and you’ve done it responsibly. You stayed out of the way of the surfers riding waves, you held onto your board through all the white water you encountered and now a gem of a wave is coming right for you.
You turn to start stroking for the wave. You’re digging and digging, and finally jumping to your feet only to hear the blast of a surfer that’s taking off deeper than you. You’ve committed the last of the three most cringe worthy penalties a surfer can commit.
You dropped in on another surfer.
The Reason: Maybe you didn’t look.
Maybe you did…but you thought they were far enough away. Maybe you assumed without confirming they were going the opposite direction. Maybe you assumed they weren’t going to make the section. Doesn’t matter.
As more and more people start surfing each year and line-ups around the world become more crowded, this dangerous penalty must be avoided at all costs even if it means missing waves that you realize in hindsight could have been yours, but you passed up because you weren’t certain in the moment.
Do not drop in on other surfers.
Proper Etiquette: Use your surf senses. Look, and then look again. Treat dropping into a wave like crossing the street. Keep looking both ways. And if you see another surfer, speak up!
“Hey dude are you going on this wave?”
“Which way are you going?”
And if you’re still not sure or you get no answer, don’t go. There will be another wave.
Exceptions: Party wave. Ever been? You must be invited, and you must be good enough to share a wave with a fellow surfer.
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