How Long Does It Take to Learn to Surf?

How Long Does It Take to Learn to Surf in Santa Monica?

Hello, Bonsure Aloha, and welcome back to the Calabunga Surf Lessons Podcast. I'm Lucas Coleman. I'm a professional surf instructor and owner of Calibunga Surf Lessons here at Santa Monica Beach in Los Angeles. I've spent more than 10 years teaching surf lessons to beginners and helping people learn surfing safety along this particular coastline, starting out in San Diego as a nine year old, taking some surf lessons and going to surf camp with the San Diego YMCA. I remember the big white school buses would come by every morning, every summer. My parents would go to work. I would grab my hand-me-down — even for that time, ancient, old, sun-bleached, rusty surfboard, which was way too small for me even then — jump on that bus and I would just surf all day long with the really cool, incredibly caring, incredibly careful instructors with the YMCA. And that is where history was made.

Now I'm here running Calibunga Surf Lessons in Santa Monica. I've got my own surf school. We're not a camp — we do private instruction for groups and individuals looking to really learn the ins and outs and progress as surfers. And today, we're going to be talking about one of the most common questions people ask me when they're researching surf lessons in Los Angeles or they show up to take a lesson with me.

Today's listener question is coming to us from Amanda, who is from Phoenix, Arizona. Forgive me — I taught this morning and my voice is a little hoarse from screaming over the medium to somewhat large waves. I've been cheering people on all morning, so bear with me if I sound a little raspy.

Amanda writes: "How long does it actually take to learn to surf? If I take a surf lesson in Santa Monica, will I be able to stand up on the board first try?"

First try? I've maybe seen that two or three times in my entire decade-long career as a professional permitted surf coach in Santa Monica. Your first try? Probably not. But hey, hidden talents abound.

What Are the Fundamentals Taught in a Beginner Surf Lesson at Santa Monica Beach?

Will you be able to stand up on the board your first day? Okay, this is one of my favorite questions because it gets to the heart of what learning surfing really looks like.

The first thing you need to understand is that surfing happens in stages. When somebody takes their first surf lesson at Santa Monica Beach, the goal isn't to become an expert surfer immediately. The goal is to understand the fundamentals. Those fundamentals include paddling technique, board positioning, wave timing, wave shape, and the pop-up.

As a professional surf instructor, I'm aware the term "pop-up" — in America and Canada everybody knows what it means. But for some of my tourist and visiting clients, it's not always familiar. Pop-up means stand-up. It's a surf slang word for the motion of getting to your feet on a wave. For today's purposes, when I say pop-up, just think: stand up.

What Is the Pop-Up and Why Do You Practice It on the Sand First?

Most beginners practice the pop-up on the sand before we even get in the water. Before we get in the ocean, I lay the board down on the sand. I talk to you about board shape. I have you look at the water, we try and understand the basics of what the waves are doing that day — because weather changes and waves change.

Practicing the pop-up on the sand allows beginners to build muscle memory before trying it on an actual wave. If the pop-up method is not intuitive, everything you do on sand to keep yourself stable is not going to apply when you're balancing on a piece of foam on a moving wave.

We use centrifugal force to stay up on a wave. Think of it like a bicycle — when you're learning to ride a bike, if you try and sit on it when you're not in motion, you're just going to fall from side to side. As soon as you're in motion, that centrifugal force is what keeps you upright, to the point where you can almost go no hands. The faster you go, the easier it is to stay upright. Similar principles apply when you're surfing a wave.

In order to get to your feet on the board, there is a very specific technique. It's going to create less strain on your body and allow the wave to do all the heavy lifting. Where you might think you need to use a ton of strength and force to fight your way to your feet — you actually want to do the opposite. Surfing is about relaxing and letting the tension go. Almost all unnecessary tension in surfing is bad. You have a big powerful wave helping you get to your feet. You don't want to fight the wave. You want to flow with it.

What Happens During Your First Surf Lesson Near the Santa Monica Pier?

Once we learn the technique on the sand — how to get from a laying down position to standing up and get your feet in the right spot in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of energy — then we get in the water.

As a professional surfing instructor near the Santa Monica Pier, I don't bring out a board for beginner lessons. If you're a total beginner, you're going to be on the board and I'm going to be at your side the entire time, holding onto it, helping you remain stable and helping guide you into the waves. It is an incredibly hands-on approach that gives you that extra advantage.

Once we get in the water together — you're on the board and I'm swimming along beside you holding on — that's when we're going to start catching whitewater waves. When a wave breaks and crashes and becomes all white and crunchy, that's called whitewater. It's a wave that's already broken and is rolling toward the beach. Perfect for beginners because it provides forward momentum without requiring advanced positioning.

Can You Stand Up on a Surfboard Your First Day Taking Surf Lessons in Los Angeles?

Many students taking surf lessons in Santa Monica are able to stand up on their first wave during their first lesson when working with a coach in the whitewater. That doesn't mean they've mastered surfing, but it means they've experienced the core movement of catching a wave and riding it toward the shore.

The ultimate goal of surfing is to catch the wave before it breaks — when it's still building and smooth and glassy. That's eventually what you'll learn to pop up on, then turn, and ultimately surf away from the crashing whitewater as it peels to the side. We call that smooth part of the wave the glass, or the face of the wave.

What Does Surf Progression Look Like After Your First Lesson?

Progression usually happens over several sessions. But getting to your feet on the board in the whitewater during your first session is actually achievable.

A lot of people think that's all there is to surfing. But as soon as you get that first ride, your understanding of the sport just explodes — you start to think: I can get lower, I can position my feet differently, I can catch the wave sooner, I can look down the coast and start to turn and maneuver the surfboard. Getting to your feet and riding a wave is surfing, but it's the absolute appetizer. There is so much further you can go.

I've had a lot of clients who say it's on their bucket list — they just want to catch one wave and be done. Then they ride that wave and they go, "I'm in love. I want more." The boards get smaller, the waves get bigger, the turns get more severe, the positioning gets more technical. This is why people surf for 40 years and never get bored. It is a really deep sport.

There's longboarding, shortboarding, hybrid boards, reef waves, sea-framed waves, barreling, storms that throw a wild card into everything. The world of surfing is enormous — and you can't really see it until you experience it for the first time.

How Long Does a Beginner Surf Lesson Take at Calibunga Surf Lessons in Santa Monica?

I offer 90-minute sessions with the option of adding an additional 30 minutes. Anything more than that, I find beginners get really tired — because my lessons tend to be very intense. Some people call and say they want to take it slow, maybe they're a little older or just want a chill experience. Great. I'm going to meet you where you are and push you just enough that it's still fun. I want the joy to be the core motivator throughout our time in the water.

Usually people get to their feet and feel like they've really surfed after about an hour — that includes the land lesson and then about 20 minutes of solid wave-riding repetition. Sometimes it takes a little longer. Sometimes people do it way quicker.

Does Calibunga Surf Lessons Teach People of All Fitness Levels and Abilities?

Some people reach out and say they're very out of shape and don't expect much. It still works. We put them on an appropriately sized board and it's achievable — it may just take a couple of extra sessions.

At Calibunga Surf Lessons specifically, we have also coached a lot of people with disabilities and differently-abled surfers. Depending on the individual, it may take a little longer to get to their feet. But our job as permitted professional surfing instructors in Santa Monica is to meet you at the level you're at and get you there.

What Makes Calibunga Surf Lessons Different From Other Surf Schools in Los Angeles?

My coaching approach is very personal. There are a lot of schools in the county that are more touristy — the instructors don't really talk to you, they're just moving a tourist line, shoving you into tiny waves on huge boards. It's fun, but you're not really learning how to surf. You're not learning technically what's working and why it's working for you.

My philosophy — and I think every instructor who truly cares shares this — is to meet the person, talk to the person, and figure out what their goals are. Whether you're visiting Santa Monica for the weekend and just want a fun experience and a photo for Instagram, or you're a local who wants to seriously learn — I adjust to that. Both are welcome. Both are great sessions.

Should You Take a Surf Lesson in Santa Monica If You're Visiting from Out of State?

Absolutely. I have clients visiting from Michigan, Tennessee, Ohio, Arizona — all over. Some just want something fun to do, catch a wave, and get the experience. Those are really fun sessions. But I've also seen families come in planning to do Disneyland the next day and — after their surf lesson — decide to skip Disneyland and book another day of surfing instead. It happens more than you'd think. And honestly, it's a lot cheaper than Disneyland these days.

How Do You Book a Surf Lesson with Calibunga Surf Lessons at Santa Monica Beach?

Amanda, I hope this answers your question. There's no way to know exactly how quickly you'll learn to surf until you get your instructor, get on that beach, and go for it.

If any of you listeners have questions about learning surfing in Los Angeles, beginner surf lessons at Santa Monica Beach, or surfing near the Santa Monica Pier, send them in and we may answer them in a future episode.

You can book a surf lesson with me, Lucas Coleman, at Calibunga Surf Lessons by emailing us at info@calibungasurflessons.com, visiting our automated booking system at www.calibungasurflessons.com, or finding us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and all socials. You can also give us a call or shoot us a text.

Thank you very much for listening today — and we will see you next time on the Calibunga Surf Lessons Podcast. Surf's up soon.