Learn How To Duck Dive
70 commentsDuck diving is an essential part of being a competent surfer. Duck diving is the way that a surfer dives under an oncoming wave as he or she paddles out to the lineup. Ducking under the wave ensures that all the progress made by paddling out is not lost by being washed backwards by the wave. The bigger the waves or the more frequent the waves are, the more important it becomes to be skilled at duck diving. This is something you are really going to have to get wired in your brain if you want to surf in crowds.
( Note: You cannot duck dive a longboard. You'll need the turtle roll technique)
Daddy, why do they call it a duck dive?
The Art of Duck Diving
Believe it; duckdiving is an art, one that takes an awful lot of practice. For this lesson, it's a good idea that you practice on a day when only small waves are prevalent and build up to larger waves as you develop your hidden duck diving talent. The great thing about practicing duck diving is that you can do it in any surf conditions, even if it is totally flat. The thing to aim for is to get both you and your surfboard as far beneath the oncoming waves as possible, to recover quickly when you have passed under the wave, and then to return to paddling out.
The movie "Step into Liquid" by Dana Brown has an great example of a duck dive with an underwater view if you need a video example.
Paddling Out Through the Waves
OK, so you have started paddling out, and a wave that you need to duck dive is approaching. Time for a quick quiz: Do you (a) panic and head back to the beach, (b) put your snorkel and mask on and prepare to head for the bottom, or (c) go with the instructions that follow this ridiculous quiz?
If you answered "c", you would be correct, although depending on how big the wave was, "a" could be a possibility. The first thing you need to do to perform the duck dive maneuver is make sure you are really paddling into the wave; the more forward momentum you have the better. Ok, now on to the actual duck dive...
- Place both hands on the rails out in front of you and push downwards, sinking the nose of your board under the water.
- Keep your arms straight and lean forward to help get more of the board under the water.
- Make sure you take a deep breath just before the wave breaks over you, submerging most of your board.
- Lay out flat on your board as the wave starts to go over you, creating as little resistance as possible your knee or back foot (for extra deep dives) should be putting pressure on the back of the surfboard, leveling it out under the water. (See the photo below for an underwater view.)
- Angle your board back up to the surface as the wave passes over. If you've duck dived correctly, you should be in a position to immediately start paddling again. The quicker you can resume paddling out, the quicker that you'll return to the lineup and the less energy you'll expend.
Note the back foot used to stabilize
and submerge the board
So that's basically it, but it takes a lot of practice to get right. You will feel the difference between a good and a bad duck dive. If you get it right, you'll pass smoothly through the wave; get it wrong any you'll be pulled back towards the beach, lose your board, and have to do it all over again.
As with surfing in general, it's not good form to let go of your board when faced with breaking waves; it may injure other water users. Also remember that you have to keep clear of surfers who are riding in on waves. It's your responsibility to keep out of the way, even if it means paddling into a wall of whitewater.
animated duckdive
If the crash test dummy above can duck dive then so can you. It might take some practice, but it's the best way to get back out to the lineup. Learning to duck dive is a priority.
(He's consistent - I'll give him that.)
Righto, it's on with the lessons. Next up is how to stand on a surfboard. (It's a must for all surfer wannabies.)
Thx for the advice. Really helpful
Really handy advice!
All too often I force myself and my board over the waves. An effort that sometimes gets me nowhere as the wave cancels all my paddling effort.
ive been surfing since i was 6 and still didnt know how to duckdive, thanks!
ive been surfing since 5 and this will go realy good with past advice
Awesome. Thanks! I am still learning how to surf and the big waves freak me out! This will help me get passed them!
this helped a lot i started body boarding not long ago and got passed smoothly but i did it wrong once and that took the confidence away from me but this will help i will practice in a swimming pool.
cool
wow! great advice this will really help me for sure!!!
Thanks!
Tank you, brah!
sweet
What length is considered a long board
Thanks so much for the awesome advice! :)
Wow...great advice...I will try this next time so I won't be so tired paddling out and getting washed back in.
Yeah thanks. I recently starting surfing again after a number of years of dormancy. This helps out quite a bit because I have a really short-board and ocean beach sf has been beating me up..This is a ton of help.
I am 62 and have only recently started surfing. Does anybody think this is too old?
Ive been surfing a long time & for the past 2 weeks been surfing hurricane swell here in Fl. I have never learned to duck dive, but im going to start practicing. When im faced with a giant wave after it's already broken, I "bail", which means I time it, get a good breath, & go to the bottom. The problem with this is u have to collect your board by pulling on the leash before u can resume paddling out. There is so much beach around that we dont surf in crowds, but duck diving would be much more efficent.
Thanks for the advice. That is an awesome picture with the two surfers at different stages of the dive, the slope of the wave above and the good form depicted. Novices as myself appreciate the safety advice and etiquette lessons taught here and elsewhere.
Scooby, it's never too late to start to learn anything. Good on ya!
ok kindove confused and kindove not so i am getting that duckdiving is a little dificult but how can you tell if you need to do it?
good rule of thumb is that if you don't think you'll be able to make it over the set, just dive. If it looks peaky especially.
im new at surfing and i am 12 yrs old. i know im starting a little late but can someone reccomend any specific board for me? ( i do not want a long board for sure and i know short boards are for experts/ people with experience).
~Anonymous~
hey thanks for the advice dude, really helpful. i am 12 years old and started surfing when i was 11 so like anonymous i was wondering what board i should have, iam 5ft 5in btw thanks to anyone that can help me XD
Why would you guys think that your 12 and your too old to surf? I'm 21 and am only starting out. Does that make me way too old?
Think you are too old to start surfing?
I got a new board I'm 11 5-7. (I'm tall). And I'm learning how to duck dive. Thanks helpful
been surfing for 40 years & still can't duck dive properly. thanks for the tips.
good advice! ive been practiciing the duck dive for over a year and still learning. its essential though. i cant even sum up how frustrating it is to paddle and get pulled back, paddle and get pulled back......etc. one day ill be duck diving the big boys, chaaa.
But what happens when the wave lands on his head? will he still make it?
i like the video diagram
Thank you very much. helpfull information for future sessions!
I'm currently 5 years old and i started to surf when i was 2. Am i too old?
The kids of today!
thanks bro
I'm 15 and just got my first surf board, im pretty terrible but i love it!
Your website is so helpful, thankyou!
I'm 11 and a girl and this helps so much, now I can get out there with the big waves!!! Thanks
everytime i try to duckdive i always struggle on getting the board under the wave so i awkwardly go underwater at the top of the wave. I think i may be a little weak. :/
I have to hold my nose. Period. How can I duck dive like that?
I'm about to go out surfing, i'll try this, hopefully it will work. luv the animation
Thanks for the help I just started to surf on my board.i can get up on my board and surf.but When a waves comes I get caught in it so I have trying to duck dive:)
is a 6'0 too long to duck dive for me- im 5'0 tall 13 years old and about 90 lbs?
You mad bro?
Great info! I started surfing at 30 but never learned to duck dive. Tried a couple of times, now I have the incentive to commit to it.
Ugh i need to get fatter lol.
RE: im 62 and i just started surfing am i too old? : no bro just start on the little waves and if u can handle bigger waves go for it!
Work for as a coach at a surf school in Durban South Africa, and recommend my beginner students to look at this web page. Shot thanks
@bronwyn: That's great to hear. Perhaps we can get your surf school listed on our surfing in south africapages. Drop me your details.
I taught myself how to duck dive this summer. I would say if you are struggling to push the board under the water before the wave arrives your board is too big to duck dive. Consider the turtle roll instead. Also the animation is terrible from my standpoint, I would recommend lifting your leg right as wave is about to go over you leaving a slight knee into the board with the other leg as well. The leg you lift is very important because it will keep you straight like feathers on an arrow. Also paddle speed for the approach is very important. Goodluck. Commit to getting duck diving down. It is essential to getting behind the break.
It is also important to note. Take time to think about your method. If you do not have a plan of attack how will you know what you did differently when you are successful. Go though the steps in your mind one at a time. You can even practice in your head on shore. Imagine a large waves coming in so you get a sense of urgency and go though the motions in your head.
im 12 and recently started surfing and bodyboarding. This was very helpful, but does anyone know if you can do the duck dive with a slick lizard or a bodyboard??? please help!!!! Thanx!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wanted to be like bethany hamilton but when u think of it ,she had alot of pain and the loss of her arm
hi im 10 and i love surfing,i want to be like kelly slater,brett simpson,joel parkinson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How do you duck dive a 9ft longboard. Please help thanks.
Hi Thomas,
You'll need to learn how to do a turtle roll - see the link at the end of the first paragraph at the top.
this was quite helpful i stood up for the first time today but the waves where really small the usual for us floridians. my dad has been teaching me but i can't get that duck diving down this for sure helped
On soul surfer, they showed Beth and her friend opening their eyes under water. So Hollywood!
Awesome was surfing since was 6 and now am like 13 and its great advice
Hello, I,m 12 and I'm 38 kg and roughly 5'7 and I have a 5"5 short-board I can sink the board well but I'm struggling with the whole pushing down with my leg I tend to slip off. @surf patrol. Please give me advice.
It takes a great deal of practice to master duckdiving. If you keep slipping off make sure of two things.
1 - you've got plenty of wax on your board
2 - that you plant your foot in the centre of the board to give you maximum stability.
There's tonnes of helpful topics on the forum about duckdiving, and loads of solutions to problems other surfers have had with duckdiving. Head over and join the community.
are soft boards good for duck diving
Soft boards are terrible for duckdiving. The reason soft boards are good for people who are totally new to surfing is that they are very buoyant. As a result they are impossible to sink.
The smaller the volume of the board, the easier it will be to duckdive.
The Turtle Roll is the way to get out with a softboard.
Can you duck dive a 6'0 board?
is anyone from SA
winters suck ay
i get brainfreeze but atleast its offshore south
its not bad surf here if ya know the secret spots
Can you practice in a pool?
Thanks for the advice i am hoping this will work as i get tired so easily as all the waves just push me back to sure thanks so much.
Thx for all the support dudes!
good advice, BRAH!
It helped me ALOT! Shot bru
really helpful
So, “Lay out flat on your board as the wave starts to go over you, creating as little resistance as possible your knee or back foot (for extra deep dives) should be putting pressure on the back of the surfboard, leveling it out under the water. (See the photo below for an underwater view.)” means that you look like the photo which is not laying on the board or immediately after your board emerges you lay flat on it? I would assume the latter
thank you so much for the help, gona catch some sick ones!