Some basic moves

Bottom Turn

A Bottom Turn is to make a turn once you reach the bottom of a wave after taking off without losing any speed.

Too often, this basic maneuver is forgotten or not well executed , but a good bottom turn is the key for all others maneuvers , in other words you can't try to do 360's if you can't do properly a bottom turn.

A bottom turn is done by putting your weight on the left side of your bodyboard , digging the rail with your left elbow, lifting the other rail with your right hand , lifting off the water your inside leg and look towards your destination.

Once you feel that the turn has started and that you are now well positioned in the curl of the wave , leaving behind you the white foam , center your body back in the middle of the bodyboard, release the pressure on both your hip and your elbow, and slide forward your body slightly to get speed.

Now you are ready to execute the first basic trick !

Cut Back

A cut back is a turn back to the curl of the wave either to regulate your speed ( if you were too fast and close to get out of the wave ) or to get re positioned waiting for a section with a throwing lip.

A Cut Back is one of the most fundamental move in bodyboarding

1. Choose a wave with a nice shoulder but without a lip nor a barrel
   
2. Start by doing a turn on your left to just under the top of the wave
   
3. Once you reach the spot where you want to start your Cut Back, shift your weight on the outside rail , apply pressure with your right hand in the middle of your right rail (pivot) , lift up the left corner of the nose with your left hand and initiate a strong turn on your right so you can actually ride the wave towards the tube (it's like you are now riding a right hander)
   
4. Look at the inside of the wave and do not get tempted to watch at the spray you are doing , visualize the spot where you want to stop your turn and get back to the right position.
   
5. Once you reach that spot, simply do a turn on your left to get back in the curl of the wave and shift your weight back to the normal position.

This last turn can be done before the white foam in front of you or can be done hitting this white foam (Re entry).

For advanced riders, this Re entry turn at the end of a Cut Back can be even coupled with a 360 reverse !!!

360 Turn

360 Turn

is a full rotation (360 degrees).

This maneuver can be done on the flat section of a wave, in the white foam, off the lip or even in the air (air 360) You can do a 360 while prone riding (see picture) or drop knee riding. The technique is the exactly the same wherever you intend to try a 360.

You have taken off on a nice wave, made a good bottom turn and you are right in the curl of the wave ; here are the steps to do a 360 :

1. Start by doing a slight turn on your left ( facing the wave ) , this will initiate the 360.
   
2. Slide forward on your bodyboard so your face will be roughly at the level of your bodyboard's nose, the idea is to have your body well centered on your bodyboard so neither the tail nor the nose will dive off
   
3. Lift up your legs ( you may even cross them ), arch your back and throw your head on the left ; keep looking in the direction where you want to spin , your shoulder will follow the move
   
4. Once the 360 is completed , re engage your rail ( same technique as the Bottom Turn ) to gain speed for the next move and put back your feet in the water. Your first 360 is done !