One of the biggest challenges every beginner surfer faces isn't standing up on the board—it's getting out to the waves in the first place.

In this episode of the Calibunga Surf Lessons Podcast, professional surf instructor Lucas Coleman explains how to paddle through breaking waves safely, efficiently, and with far less effort. Whether you're taking your very first surf lesson in Santa Monica, learning to surf in Malibu, or simply trying to improve your paddling technique anywhere in Southern California, these beginner surfing tips will help you conserve energy, avoid common mistakes, and build confidence in the water.

Lucas covers how experienced surfers read wave sets before paddling out, why timing is one of the most important surfing skills, when to walk your board into the water instead of paddling, how to position your surfboard when approaching an oncoming wave, and why staying relaxed and controlling your breathing can dramatically improve your surfing.

You'll also learn how to identify safer opportunities to paddle past the break, understand the impact zone, and recognize when ocean conditions are simply too large for beginner surfers.

If you've ever searched for how to paddle through waves while surfing, how to get past the break, beginner surfing tips, how to paddle out on a surfboard, or how to surf in Santa Monica, this episode answers those questions with practical advice from years of teaching thousands of first-time surfers.

Whether you're planning your first surf lesson in Los Angeles, taking a surf lesson in Santa Monica or Malibu, or simply looking to become a better surfer, this episode provides the foundational knowledge every beginner should have before paddling out.

Calibunga Surf Lessons provides private surf lessons, beginner surf lessons, family surf lessons, and surfing instruction in Santa Monica, Malibu, and throughout the greater Los Angeles area. New episodes of the Calibunga Surf Lessons Podcast explore surfing fundamentals, ocean safety, surf etiquette, wave reading, paddling techniques, surfboard selection, and everything beginners need to become confident surfers.

How to Paddle Through Breaking Waves | Beginner Surfing Tips from a Santa Monica Surf Instructor

Podcast Transcript

How to Paddle Through Breaking Waves | Calibunga Surf Lessons Podcast

Hello, hello, and welcome to the Calibunga Surf Lessons Podcast, your go-to resource for learning to surf in Santa Monica and the greater Los Angeles area.

I am your host, Lucas Coleman, and we teach out of Santa Monica Beach near Lifeguard Tower 26.

Whether you're a total beginner or trying to level up your skills, this podcast is here to help you become more confident in the water. It's here to teach you the basic etiquette and understanding you need so that when you paddle out for the first time, you're not flying completely blind... or I guess I should say surfing blind.

So let's get into it.

Today, we're covering one of the very first questions you'll probably ask yourself when you start surfing.

We cover a lot of beginner fundamentals on this show. The goal is to give you the tips you need to get started, and today we're going to start as early in the process as possible.

Today's question actually came from two of my regular students.

If you live in Santa Monica, Southern California, or even up around Santa Cruz, you know this has been an El Niño season. This week we got massive waves. They were powerful, closely spaced, and packed a tremendous amount of force.

It was an expert-level weekend for most south-facing breaks in Los Angeles, and it sparked a great question.

I have two students who surf with me almost every week. They've been making fantastic progress. But when these extra-heavy, punchy waves rolled in, they asked:

"What's the secret to paddling through the waves?"

More specifically:

"How do I paddle past the break?"

The break is the impact zone where the waves actually crash.

I thought that was a fantastic question for the podcast because when you rent or buy your first surfboard and head to the beach with your friends, one of the very first challenges you'll face is getting through the breaking waves.

Whether you're surfing with an instructor or trying it on your own, you're going to have to paddle through plenty of waves.

That's simply part of surfing.

You don't get to ride waves until you've paddled out to them.

You earn every wave by getting yourself out there first.

The interesting part—and the secret I'm going to unpack today—is that the goal isn't to fight the ocean.

So let's talk about how to paddle through the break for the first time.

There are several tricks that can make your day dramatically easier.

One thing you'll notice when you arrive at the beach is that experienced surfers often sit on the sand watching the ocean before they ever paddle out.

They're not meditating.

They're not trying to find enlightenment.

Sometimes they're stretching.

But what they're really doing is studying the waves.

They're watching the pattern.

Ocean waves aren't completely random.

Imagine you're a data analyst sitting on the beach making an Excel spreadsheet.

You might notice that every set has three waves.

Maybe they're fifteen seconds apart.

Maybe the third wave is consistently the biggest.

Then the ocean suddenly goes almost flat for a minute or two before another set arrives.

That next set will often follow the exact same pattern.

Three waves.

Roughly the same spacing.

The third wave is the largest.

That rhythm usually repeats until the tide or conditions change.

Yes, wind and weather can make things unpredictable.

But on a clean beginner day, you should absolutely spend a few minutes recognizing that pattern before entering the water.

Why?

Because it gives you a window of opportunity.

If you know seventeen waves are coming before the ocean goes calm, don't paddle out on wave number one.

Wait.

Watch.

Count.

When wave sixteen breaks... then seventeen... and the ocean goes temporarily flat, that's your chance.

Instead of fighting wave after wave, you can paddle out much more efficiently with far less effort.

Timing is everything.

It also works the other direction.

If you know there are seventeen waves in the set, maybe you don't try catching the very first one back toward shore.

If you fall, you'll likely get hit by sixteen more.

Waiting until the final wave of the set can often make your ride much easier.

So watch the ocean.

Study the pattern.

Figure out what the sets are doing that day.

It's one of the smartest habits you can develop as a surfer.

You can even ask someone who's walking back to their car after surfing.

If they look experienced, it's completely normal to ask:

"How many waves are in each set today?"

Experienced surfers usually already know because after years in the water, recognizing wave patterns becomes second nature.

Eventually, you'll stop consciously counting because your brain starts noticing the rhythm automatically.

So before you paddle out, spend a few minutes watching the ocean.

It'll set you up for success.

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