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Surf Lessons

Private Surf Lessons! For just you, or you and your small group.
All Surf Lessons are ~2 Hours!

If you know you need guidance,  jump down to some of our concepts we go over during lessons.
When considering taking a surf lesson, here are some descriptions of what level may describes you/y'all. (coaching is subjective! so don't worry if these aren't you or your squad to a tee)

Completely Green

You've either never surfed, or maybe took a surf lesson once before. Something along those lines. You want to experience the thrill (the stoke) of surfing with BASS.

Beginner Surfer

You've done this before, but are certainly no expert. Sometimes you get up, sometimes no. You might even have trouble reading waves, or paddling past the break.

Click here for a loose step-by-step guide for taking a surf lesson when one of these two above describe you or your squad

Begin-termediate

You can more or less consistently paddle around line up and catch waves. Right now, most of your rides are straight, toward the bottom, or toward a wipeout. Turns need work. You may also need help navigating crowded lineups.

Intermediate Surfer

You do a good job positioning well, chasing peaks, and turning. You're having trouble making steeper drops, want to learn how to carve, heat strategy, more advanced stuff. 

Badass Surf School takes pride in being able to teach surf lessons to all types of people, including + not limited to:

• Current surfers who want to improve
​

We are the only Los Angeles surf school outside of Malibu that coaches a real surf team. Yep, we teach surfing at the competitive level. That includes Santa Monica, Venice, Manhattan, and all of the South Bay!

This means that regardless of what level you're at, our surf lessons will help you surf better than before.

• Children between ages 4-17 (even differently abled)

This age group is typically introduced to the water by learning to swim at the pool. Like learning a new language, surf lessons will get our youth most efficiently comfortable in the ocean at this age. We even teach those with unique needs!

• Kids or adults who have NEVER surfed. Families included!

This one may seem obvious, but many are surprised when they, upon booking, hoping they can get up their first time. EVERY PERSON surfs waves their first lesson with the Badass Surf crew.

• People from any culture or background

Our surf lessons are for all types of people, regardless of physical or cognitive ability

If you put 30 surfers in a room that same number of years ago, without surf lessons, they'd likely fit the mold of the classic "surfer" stereotype. Nowadays, because surfing has become so mainstream, those 30 surfers will be a wildly diverse group. We strive with our surf lessons to push that diversity beyond its limits. 

Surf lessons are for all people. These days, surfing a sport that truly brings us together, because if you can do it, you're a big part.

Book a surf lesson now!

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BASS Concepts:

Here are many of the things you'll go over with us during your surf lessons. We've divided these here into where they'll generally fall to you during your lesson. Depending on your subjective experience, natural abilities, or your instructor's individual teaching style, you may go over concepts outside your theoretical level from this list.

For Beginners

Proper Paddling

The techniques demonstrated and practiced on the sand will now be applied in the water.

Positioning 101

Surfing is a game of positioning: where to be and when to be there. This information will help you change the way you view surfing forever.

Muscle Memory

Drills on the sand and for homework! These will get your pop-up, foot placement, and maneuverability right before we go out to catch waves.

Etiquette

Respect is huge out in the water when learning to surf.

Safety

From teaching you to properly dismount your board to going over (and under) waves. All the important safety measures are communicated to you clearly!

The “Turtle”

The most effective way to get through a big wave on a longboard.

Catching a Wave (All By Yourself)

The ultimate goal for any greener surfer.

Intermediate Levels

Reading the Ocean

Being able to pick out set waves, finding rip current-conveyor belts, understanding swell science.

Surfing on the Outside

Some beginner surf lessons start in the white water reform close to shore. An intermediate surfer will be able to surf on the “outside” or main surf break further out to sea.

Foot Placement + Movement

Crucial for being able to maintain speed, or to direct the board more perfectly.

The Cross Step

Putting a little style into substance because being able to walk up and down the board. It's more like a dance than your typical ride down the line.

The Bottom Turn

One of the most crucial maneuvers in surfing. We begin to learn how to set this up, and even draw it out longer for more style.

Advanced Paddling

Maximizing paddle efficiency. Moving faster with a fraction of the effort!

Trimming

Being able to generate your own speed, make sections, and lengthen rides.

Advanced Surfing

Riding Peak Set Waves

Being able to ride bigger waves on the outside.

Making Critical Drops

Rounding and following through turns in faster, pitchier surf.

Staying in the Pocket

What to do when you find yourself ahead of or behind the lip.

Developing Style

Advanced foot placement on the board goes a long way in being able to manipulate a surfboard to ride with style.

Competition Strategy

Surfers who wish to take their skills to a contest format will learn wave riding strategy. BASS is the only LA surf school to coach a surf team!

Lineup Positioning

The crowds can get heavy on certain days and we want to show you techniques to catch more waves than other people out in the water.

Tricks (never say never)

Floaters, cheater-5's, hang-10's, finless surfing, log 360's, roundhouse cutbacks, closeout re-entries, aerials, supermans, switch stance, and more. (Don't think you can't do some of these!)

Our Beginner Surf Lesson, In Depth

This is a general guide on what will happen during your two-hour beginner surf lesson. Each lesson is subjective; the things you read here may be a bit different based on your instructor’s own style in order to get the very best out of you, the surfer!
 
Approximately 30 minutes is spent on the sand during a two-hour badass surf lesson. The time on the sand is crucial for learning wave basics, how to paddle out, and to develop a proper pop-up. A one-hour lesson will cut that time down to 15 minutes or less.
 
Our two-hour lesson is best for anyone that either hasn’t surfed before, or has only surfed a couple of times. If you have any doubt about your ability, book one and let us work our magic!
 
The two-hour lesson also works best for a more seasoned surfer that either might only need a few pointers, or for surfer that is having trouble with something specific, such as with their turns or wave selection. 
 
And the best part: just about everybody gets up and surfs their first lesson.
 
The Beach Demo 
 
This is (approximately) the first 30 minutes of your lesson. Here are the things we go over during this portion. 
 
1.     The Conditions + Warm-Up
 
You will be guided through how the conditions currently are for your lesson that day and time. Your instructor will summarize the good and the bad, and the plan for where you’ll be in the lineup and what kinds of waves you’ll be catching. We also begin to warm up and stretch during this portion if you haven’t yet.
 
2.     How to Read a Wave
 
Your instructor will point out and demonstrate how to not only choose the right wave to surf, but where and when to be in the right place for the waves that day. There are many aspects to finding the right wave, which can be found and read about RIGHT HERE. Surfing is a game of positioning; knowing where to be, and getting there consistently, is the hardest part. 
 
Within the first minutes of your lesson, you’ll have an idea about what to look for in the water when surfing on your own.
 
3.     The Paddle-Out
 
Each surfer starts their session by paddling out, starting from the shore line where the ocean meets the sand, into the “lineup” where most surfers sit out. Your instructor will guide you on how to get out there by teaching our five-step process we’ve mastered over our ten years of teaching surf lessons. 
 
Our five-step process works in chronological order, from standing on the beach to paddling out into the lineup. These steps teach you proper positioning your surfboard, how to distribute your body weight, proper paddling, and the push-up technique. It sounds like a lot, but we promise we make it easy!
 
4.     The Pop-Up
 
This is why we’re all here: getting up! This is when your instructor will teach you how to stand up on your surfboard. But don’t forget, it’s not about getting up, it’s about staying up and actually riding a wave. Your instructor will dive into the pop-up with a detailed demonstration, providing you with any adjustments via coaching. 
 
We provide more on how to fix or fine-tune your pop-up HERE, but if you’ve never done it before, come let one of our instructors show you how it’s done.
 
5.     Additional Safety
 
They don’t call surfing an extreme sport for nothing! Once you’ve mastered your pop-up on the sand, your instructor will touch on a few extra things to make sure you’re keeping your focus right and your body safe while you’re in the water catching and riding waves.
 
Surfing
 
After the beach demo, it’s time to get in the water! You’ll spend the remaining 90 minutes catching waves with your instructor. Your instructor usually won’t have a board, but if you can really hone your skills, there’s a chance your instructor can grab a board and guide you toward catching bigger, faster, and more badass waves. The best kinds of surfers are ones that are fearless, know their limits, and have the most fun. If you’re ready, book your surf lesson and show us whatcha got!

All our instructors are certified and trained to add our philosophies to their own style of teaching surf lessons. The BASS goal is for surf lessons to welcome and guide you into the surf community.

Book a surf lesson and see what we're all about!​​

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