How to Bottom Turn
Learning how to bottom turn will lay the foundation for practically every other maneuver in surfing. Mastering this essential surfing skill is absolutely vital, and we've got a few tips to help you along the way.
What is a Bottom Turn?
The bottom turn is your set-up turn for other maneuvers on the wave face. It is the primary turn executed before other, more aggressive turns, like a cutback, snap, or aerial, and allows the surfer to transition the vertical energy of dropping in the wave into horizontal energy on the face.
A surfer will execute a bottom turn on the trough (bottom) of the wave, hence the name, digging their rails into the water to propel themselves towards the next section of the power source of the wave.
There are two styles of bottom turns- forehand and backhand. A forehand bottom turn is done when riding frontside with your chest facing the wave, and a backhand bottom turn when riding backside with your back facing the wave, but the general idea for both remains the same.
A bottom turn might be used to position yourself for a barrel, execute another progressive maneuver on the lip, or gain speed and outrun the whitewash. Regardless, a good bottom turn will do nothing but enhance every aspect of your surfing and should remain your primary focus when transitioning from beginner to intermediate surfer.
How to Execute a Bottom Turn
Before learning how to bottom turn, you want to set reasonable expectations. Advanced surfers can drop into steep, fast sections and perform a committed bottom turn that propels them tightly from the bottom pocket of the wave then vertically to the lip. This style of bottom turn is ideal for aggressive maneuvers on the face, like a fins-free snap, but isn't the style you're going to execute when learning how to bottom turn.
Instead, you're going to want to aim for a more relaxed, diagonal bottom turn on a softer, less powerful section of the wave. Instead of going for 12 O'clock, shoot for 9 O'clock. This is the perfect angle for learning your first maneuvers, specifically cutbacks and carves, that follow a bottom turn.
- Drop-In
To execute a perfect bottom turn, start by dropping into the wave to generate the necessary vertical momentum for a smooth horizontal transition. Speed is your ally here, so aim to drop in as close to the peak as possible, rather than too far off on the shoulder. Keep your knees bent and eye the section in front of you to plan out your bottom turn, and drop in with a slight angle towards the direction you plan to ride. During the drop-in, keeping more weight on the front foot during this beginning stage of the bottom turn will further increase your speed. Additionally, selecting the right fin setup from the best fin brands can significantly influence your performance in this critical maneuver. So, make sure your fins are finely tuned to maximize your bottom turn efficiency.
- Compress your body
As you drop towards the wave's trough and begin initiating the bottom turn, you want to compress your body low by bending your knees and lower body. Keep your feet centered on the stringer as you do so, and equalize your weight between both feet.
- Transition your Weight
Learning how to bottom turn is all about your weight. Once your body is low, you'll want to begin transitioning your weight towards the inside rail, which is the side of your surfboard closest to the face, once you reach the trough. This will 'tilt' the outside rail of the surfboard out of the water and will initiate your directional change. If going frontside, you will lean slightly towards the toes, and towards the heels if going backside. This weight transition will force the waves upward energy underneath the board and create the speed necessary to continue the bottom turn into other maneuvers.
Use your shoulder to lead your weight and body in this direction.
- Drag your Hand
Once you transition your weight, you'll feel the board begin to follow the upwards momentum of the wave. Many surfers like to place a hand in the wave face to promote balance and create a pivot point to further transition towards the upper portion of the wave. On a frontside bottom turn, you will drag your back arm. On a backside bottom turn, you will drag your front arm.
- The Back Leg
As your surfboard begins to turn towards and face the upper portion of the wave, you can now place more weight on the back leg. This will help you to steer the surfboard in this desired direction.
- Twist the Hips and Chest
As you point your front shoulder towards the upper wave face and place weight on the back foot, you want to twist your hips and your chest in this same direction.
- Decompress
At this point, you're reaching the end stage of the bottom turn. As you begin to transition upwards, you want to decompress your body by lifting your legs and opening up your chest to center yourself back over the surfboard. As you decompress, lead with your front shoulder and head and follow with your back shoulder, turning your back shoulder towards the direction of your next turn. If you've made it this far, then congrats, you've learned how to bottom turn. Yeww!
- Execute the Maneuver
Once you come out of the bottom turn and reach the upper/top portion of the wave, it's time to take this speed and energy gained and transition it into the turn you plan to execute. This will look like a diagonal bottom turn on a softer shoulder followed by a cutback or a mellow carve. This will look like a sharp and fast bottom turned on a steep section, followed by a more intense, vertical off-the-lip trick.
How to Bottom Turn: What Not to Do
Just as there are things you want to do when learning how to bottom turn, there are also things that are necessary to avoid- common mistakes that many surfers make but that are easy to avoid when remaining cognizant of the disadvantages.
- Misreading the wave: There won't be as much power towards the trough if you drop into a weaker wave or further out on the shoulder. Misreading the wave in this situation would mean attempting to execute a steep and vertical bottom turn on a softer shoulder. The wave won't have the power needed to keep your speed throughout the turn. Vice versa, a bottom turn that is too diagonal on a powerful, steep section of the wave will have you caught behind the whitewash.
- Leaning too far over the inside rail: You need to lean over the inside rail to transition your weight and the board, but leaning too far will dig this rail into the water, and you'll find yourself falling forward or back. The more powerful the wave, the more you can lean, and it really just takes practice and time to learn the appropriate levels of how far you can lean over the rails, depending on the conditions at hand. Just remember, without speed, your board won't keep up with your body. This also happens when too much weight is on your front foot, so make sure you transition your weight to the back foot after you drop in.
- Bottom turning too high on the face: A good bottom turn doesn't happen on the upper portion of the wave. You must bring yourself towards the trough of the wave to perform a bottom turn.
- Bottom turning too far down the face: On the other hand, you can't let yourself surf too far out on the flats, or else you'll lose speed and momentum. You want to initiate your turn right where the water begins transitioning upwards. Think of it as the bottom of the halfpipe.
Practice Makes Perfect
Even pros continue to improve their bottom turns every day. A bottom turn takes serious practice, and the best way to learn how to bottom turn is to take these tips with you and try again and again. Our best advice is not to surf waves out of your comfort zone and go for less aggressive and diagonal bottom turns before attempting to go vertical.
As you strive to perfect your bottom turns, don't overlook the significance of surf accessories like the trusty surf leash, which ensures your board remains within reach after those crucial turns. Additionally, surf wax plays a vital role in providing the traction you need, while a front surfboard traction pad enhances control and maneuverability, allowing you to distribute your weight effectively. These accessories are like loyal companions on your surfing journey, contributing to the refinement of your bottom turns.
Finally, start watching what other surfers do, both live and in videos, ask for advice when needed, and always feel free to reach out to your friends at Boardcave if you need more advice.
