Everyone wants the perfect surf day where you can effortlessly paddle out through the waves but the truth is, the better the swell, the harder it is to paddle through oncoming waves to get to the perfect spot.
So how is it that some surfers can effortlessly break through those endless oncoming waves while others get trapped in the soup? There are two things that will help you overcome this challenge, and it's actually less work than you might think.
Posture
The most important thing is to have the correct posture. While intense waves might make you want to tense up and fight harder, the best thing to do is relax and make your body as narrow as you possibly can. Narrow but also relaxed. Every ounce of tension is going to give the waves something to hold onto and force you back. Having your legs splayed out, making your body into the shape of an anchor is also going to drag you back toward the shore. So put your feet together so your toes can touch, connect your chest to the surfboard, lower your chin toward the board so you are not arching your back, and paddle.
In addition to being narrow, you want to point your nose directly at the wave. Think about the point of the nose of your surfboard torpedoing through the wave, piercing it like an arrow.
TEMPO
At a close second comes tempo. When a wave hits, and you know that more waves are close behind it adds a great deal of stress to the situation. This causes us to paddle harder and faster. The fact of the matter is, the faster you paddle, the less efficient your paddling will become causing you to travel at a slower pace while using up more energy.
Imagine you are in a kayak. Long, smooth strokes are what allow you to tread water faster with more efficiency. If you paddle crazy fast like a maniac, all you will accomplish is rocking the boat. Much the same while laying on a surfboard.
Thus, instead of panicking and wasting energy by trying to match the chaos of the wave, take control and set your own pace. How do we do this? With music. Hear me out.
Before you start your session, listen to the catchiest song you can possibly imagine. Good or bad. It could be a breakfast cereal jingle for all I care. But pick a song that has a solid, consistent beat and try to get it stuck in your head. Now when you paddle past the break, paddle to the rhythm (speed/tempo) or the song. This will keep your paddling consistent, smooth, and in control which in turn will allow you to paddle longer and more efficiently through those killer waves.