Balance is a fundamental skill in the sport of surfing. It is what the sport is all about. Standing on and turning the surfboard are possible only if the surfer maintains their balance. Understanding a few key concepts of what makes good balance, can help the beginner surfer learn at a faster rate.

Centre of Gravity [C of G] and the effects of gravity

To understand how we maintain our balance while surfing, we must know the role of our body’s Centre of Gravity and the effect that gravity has on us as we surf. The C of G is the point at which all the weight of a body may be considered to be concentrated. In men, this point is in the centre of the body roughly behind the belly button whilst they are standing, higher in children, and slightly lower in women [ figure 1 ]. A knowledge of the exact location of the C of G in surfers is not important, but an understanding of the role played by it in their performance is.	Figure 1	The location of the body's Centre of Gravity [C of G]

The "line of gravity" passing through the C of G.

Figure 1a

When we surf we all experience a downward force that pulls us towards the centre of the earth. This force is gravity. This is the force that we struggle against to maintain our balance while surfing. Gravity acts vertically down through a surfer’s C of G and the more weight a surfer has, the more attraction he / she has to the earth. Think of this as a surfer having an imaginary “line of gravity” that passes through their C of G [ figure 1a ].

When we stand on the surfboard our feet connect us to the board. This connection is known as the surfer’s “base of support”. To stay balanced the surfer’s C of G must be over their “base of support” so that when gravity pushes vertically down on the surfer the surfer’s weight is pushed into the centre of the surfboard.

Balance Ingredients

There are a number of rules that help achieve good balance. These include:
 

	Keep your C of G over your “base of support” at all times [ between your feet ]. As soon as your C of G falls outside your “base of support” you begin to become unstable.
	Increase the size of your “base of support”. A stance with your feet shoulder width apart seems to be optimum. A narrow stance is unstable because the surfer’s C of G has less distance to be outside the line of the feet, making them easily off-balanced. A too wide stance [ greater than shoulder width apart ] even though very stable, can restrict the performance of surfing moves, and can look aesthetically ugly.
	The lower the C of G, the higher the stability. Crouching low, by bending at the knees and waist, will increase stability.

Common Balance Errors
 

	Surfers standing too straight. This places their C of G too high for good stability. When you jump to your feet, stay in a crouched stance [figure 2].	Figure 2
	Surfers standing with a narrow stance. Surfers should stand with their feet shoulder width apart [figure 3].	Figure 3
	Surfers standing with a stance like a skier. This gives the surfer a very small base of support and they are unable to keep their C of G over their feet as the surfboard accelerates, usually causing them to fall backwards. Stand side-on with both feet on the surfboard’s stringer, shoulder width apart [figure 4].	Figure 4
	Surfers standing with their back foot on the surfboard’s stringer while their front foot is placed on the rail. This causes half their weight to be applied to the rail, making it likely that the surfboard will flip in that direction. Stand side-on with both feet on the surfboard’s stringer, shoulder width apart [figure 5].	Figure 5