Hey everyone! Here are two recent backside waves of mine. looking for feedback on what I can improve. I keep struggling with my stance on my backside, trying to stay front-centered, but somehow I end up in a sideways position. Thanks as always Clayton Nienaber and Community! All feedback is super helpful as I keep working to improve my lines

Checking in after about a month or so. Last video I posted, the feedback I received was more front foot forward, arms up, less frozen.

I’m working on that but still feel a little stiff. Apologize for the grittiness (not a camera film this time, just a Surfline cam). I feel like my arms are more forward / coffee cup stance. I tried to extend the bottom turn to go deep and compress and then extend out of the bottom, but fell off the back on reentry.

What is the next steps to improve the botttom turn and transition to top turn or cutback?

Also, this is a 6’10” DHD Inteceptor. I’m starting to feel much more flow, but I can turn more nimbly on my 6’2” Pyzel Astro Pop. Which should I focus on surfing more to progress? I feel rail to rail more on the mid length and feel that creates good habits. The shortboard forces more precision, but I can “cheat” the turns and lose speed because I’m not actually on rail.

Thanks!

The SurfLab 5-Line Progression

From drag and effort to frequency and flow

Surfing progression isn’t about learning more moves.It’s about learning how to use the wave’s energy more efficiently by changing your line.

Each Line reduces drag, improves rail use, and increases how often you can tap into the wave.

Line 1 – Balance

The board is flat, so drag is high.

Surfers ride toward the beach

Energy dissipates quickly

Most effort goes into balance and survival

Speed must come from the surfer, not the wave

This stage builds posture and awareness, but very little wave energy is used.

Line 2 – Rail Control

Putting the board on rail changes everything.

Drag drops immediately

Lift becomes available

The surfer learns to control the rail

Speed appears, but it’s fragile and inconsistent

Line 2 isn’t about speed yet — it’s about learning how not to waste energy once it shows up.

Line 3 – Speed

This is where the handover happens.

The surfer wants speed

If they feel deceleration, they accelerate with their body

More movement = body-driven acceleration

Less movement = wave-driven speed

As surfers learn to:

Weight and unweight the rail

Go more top to bottom

Use more of the wave’s face

The wave starts accelerating them down the face.

Acceleration turns into sustained speed.

Line 3 teaches surfers the best way to generate speed — by letting the wave do the work.

Line 4 – Risk–Reward (Sequence)

Now the surfer has speed and must redirect it.

Surfing is mostly lateral

The surfer assesses speed, power, and space

They choose a turn: twist, lean, or pivot

Turns are usually done on the shoulder for safety

These turns are:

Explosive

Start–stop

Costly to speed and flow

Line 4 is about learning the sequence:What happens first, what comes next, and how turns link — even though energy is still being lost between them.

Line 5 – Creative Flow (Frequency)

Nothing new is added — waste is removed.

Surfing becomes more vertical

Turns happen where water is drawing up and throwing down

The surfer stays inside the wave’s orbital motion

Rail-to-rail movement has very little transition or straight line

Because speed isn’t lost:

Turns feed the next turn

Flow is continuous

The same sequence can be repeated again and again

Line 5 is about frequency — how often the surfer can tap into the wave’s energy without resetting.

The Core Truth

Line 4 learns the sequence, but wastes energy in start–stop bursts

Line 5 repeats the sequence, recycling energy through continuous rotation

Or simply:

Progression through the Lines is the journey from

effort → efficiency → frequency.

That’s why advanced surfing doesn’t look harder.It looks calmer, cleaner, and easier.

Because the surfer isn’t doing more —they’re just wasting less and tapping the wave again and again.

Here’s a video from a recent trip to El Salvador. The most obvious issue I see is that my back foot isn’t far enough back. I primarily surf in Florida and to create or harness speed I tend to get more forward on my board. Unfortunately this is a tendency that is very difficult to get away from when the waves are good. Any tips on fixing this issue are greatly appreciated as are any suggested videos within the OMBE program. I’ve only recently joined and only skimmed the surface of what’s available.

Aside from my back foot, what else should I focus on?

These waves are junk but I feel like it highlights what I'm doing wrong. I have a lot of counter rotation through my turn and I don't know why. I think the issue is I don't hold my bottom turn long enough but I don't know where the mistake happens - whether that be the bottom of the wave, when I climb the wave, etc. I think this leads to swinging my right arm back to counterbalance.

Has anyone ever tried wetsuit dressing aids such as Octacle or Slippy?

My new 5/4/3 winter wetsuit from Dakine is great, but although I can use the plastic bag trick to help get my lower arms and legs in, the thighs, torso and shoulders tend to bind and it's difficult to paddle.

I end up wasting energy fighting the resistance of the suit, no matter how I try to pull it about and get it to sit right.

I've tried messaging Dakine, but got no help there, I just don't want to use anything that could mess it up.

Any suggestions or advice would be welcome.

Anyone else suffering? 🤣

I'm 62 in March and been surfing about 5 years, on and off due to injuries.

6ft, 42 litre Lost Mayhem Puddle Jumper with Twin and Trailer MR fin set

Currently Line 2 on 2 to 3ft faces, angled take offs, cardboard slides, trimming, pumping with shallow top and bottom turns on frontside, occasional cutbacks. Very poor on backside.

Current injuries mean paddling out back is challenging so trying to take off in the pocket on the inside to avoid paddling too much

Right Romboid tear - 18 months physio

Left Rotator Cuff and left arm nerve pain - ongoing, possibly C4 and C5 issues

Right Meniscus tear - improving but weak. Wear compression stocking over knee when surfing

Head Finjuries - glued back together twice

Lower back pain - ongoing

Lower left back - QL pain too deep to massage out - no fix found yet

Sciatica symptoms in Right buttock and leg - possible cyst in Lumber Spine. Debilitating when at its worst but slowly improving - if I sit down less

I get some relief from walking, surfing (buoyancy when standing in waist to chest deep water) and lying flat on back - various Chtis Mills exercises

2026 AIMS - Line 3 turns, improving cutbacks frontside and trying to nail backside bottom turn. Courage to increase wave size/steepness without fear of more injuries 🙃

Hopefully an OMBE Surf Trip one day 🙏

I’m having trouble getting through my top turn. I feel this is kind of my common fall lately

This one I tried to lean and enage the rails and instantly felt the board is going up