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🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan Cindy Lai (@Cindylaifitness) is a New York-based fitness coach with over 20 years of experience helping people work through chronic pain. She's also a surfer who makes regular surf trips to El Salvador. In this episode, we get into why pain rarely starts where you actually feel it, and how something as small as an old ankle injury can end up affecting your body years later. Cindy also breaks down the posture issues she sees constantly in people who sit at a desk all day, and the simple practices that can help alleviate issues. She gets honest about being skeptical the first time she heard about the Basis Paddle Trainer, and what actually changed her mind thereafter. She talks through what happened after paddle training and how she felt when she finally got in the water in El Salvador. Her body felt different, her confidence increased, and her surfing changed for the better.  Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 1:57 Cindy Lai's Background: 20+ Years as a Pain & Movement Coach 2:16 Cindy's Approach: Movement Quality First 3:27 How Uneven Hips Create a Ripple Effect 5:51 The Kinetic Chain: Feet, Knees & Hips 6:49 Why Surfing Wrecks Your Body Symmetry 9:32 Desk Posture & the Hunched-Forward Trap 13:11 Spine Mobility Drills: Cat-Cow & Rotation 16:07 Patience, Prevention & Small Daily Fixes 19:31 Diagnosing Van's Hips, Feet & Ankles 22:17 "Just Get Strong" Squats, RDLs & Mind-Muscle Connection 26:55 Training in All Planes: The 90/90 Hip Drill 29:40 Feet-Up Theory & More Hip-Strengthening Moves 33:12 Cindy's Surf Journey: Rockaway to El Salvador 39:02 Skeptical No More: Learning Proper Paddle Technique 45:29 Feeling Lighter in the Water & Final Advice Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan In this episode, I sit down with Gold Coast free surfer and content creator Blake Neka to talk style, boards, and the mental side of trading competition for free surfing. Blake breaks down how switching from a standard thruster to asymmetrical boards and quads completely changed the way he rides, why he'd rather surf chopped-up, onshore junk than a perfect point, and how obsessively studying surfers like Julian Wilson, right down to individual hand placement, helped him develop his own style. We also get into just how physically demanding his home break really is: with crowds packed shoulder to shoulder, and how he surfs best when he’s most relaxed and tired, around 2 hours into his sessions.  Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 01:27 Welcome to Blake Neka & board shorts talk 02:52 Growing up surfing between Bali and the Tweed 03:54 What it's like having a pro surfer dad 04:43 Fixing a "crabby" style: Julian Wilson and Matt Banting 07:46 Skating, rugby league, and surfing like a skater 09:17 How asyms and quads changed his style 10:58 Why he loves crappy onshore waves over perfect ones 12:05 Surviving the Snapper crowds and localism 16:40 Leg burners and sweep on long point waves 18:36 Competing through the Pro Juniors and QS 23:11 Pickle forks, the shark tooth, and custom asyms 27:46 Lessons from competing and surfing best when tired 35:06 Fitness and training in the gym 37:42 Rapid fire: favorite surfers, fins, board sizing, and training tiers 44:03 Upcoming film and what's next Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan Adam Tory of Hurricane Surf Company (@hurricanesurfcompany) presents a unique perspective shaped by two very different coastlines. He learned to surf in Tofino before relocating to the inconsistent waters of Nova Scotia, and now coaches surfers of every level while competing for the Canadian national longboard team. We get into why river and lake surfers often out-surf people who live right on the coast, how Adam breaks down a backside cutback on a longboard step by step, why he's built his whole approach around surfing bad waves instead of only waiting for good ones, and how the Basis Paddle Trainer helped him stay conditioned through a foot injury heading into a tough contest season. We also talk about what separates top international longboarders from everyone else, how climbing and skateboarding carry over into surfing, and go through a rapid fire round where Adam builds his ideal surfer. Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 1:16 Adam Tory of Hurricane Surf Co. 2:11 Nova Scotia's Wild Seasonal Swings 3:47 From London Skateboarder to Tofino Surfer 6:06 What Makes Tofino's Beach Breaks So Consistent 9:12 Building Skills on Tofino's Closeout Beach Breaks 12:03 Moving to Nova Scotia: Quantity vs. Quality 14:58 Competing for Team Canada & the Nationals Barrier 16:03 Contest Nerves and a Lesson from a Lake Surfer 19:58 "Crappy Waves Make Good Surfers" 25:44 Reading Waves & the Hunter Mindset 31:03 Paddle Power: The Overlooked Fundamental 36:49 Pan Am Games & Lessons from Elite Surfers 45:53 The River & Lake Surfer Cheat Code 51:58 Longboard Footwork & the Backside Cutback 1:00:50 Cross-Training Secrets, Rapid Fire & Wrap-Up Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan  Gary McNeill is a lifelong surfboard shaper, who focuses on hybrid construction, environmental sustainability, and hand-shaped designs. He has been shaping surfboards for Dave Rastovich for years and in this conversation he breaks down exactly what goes into building boards for one of the most respected surfers in the world. Gary gets into flax construction and why it holds up so much longer than a standard board without adding excess weight. He also talks about what it actually takes to shape for a surfer as dialed in on volume as Rastovich. He describes the channel design behind his twin fins and why it changes how the board holds through a turn. We discuss why most surfboard companies have no interest in building something that lasts, and we also take a rare look into the thinking behind boards that have shown up in some of surfing's most iconic footage. Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 3:02 From Thruster Competitor to Shaper 5:01 Teaming Up with Dave Rastovich 7:03 The "Castles in the Sky" Board Story 9:19 The Taurus Channel Explained 13:25 RTT & Pip: Sizing the Twin Fin Fish for Any Wave 24:42 Developing the Flax Construction 27:43 Why Flax Outperforms Other Materials 30:50 Mass Adoption & Designed Obsolescence 33:43 Dane Reynolds and the Acid Surfboard Test 35:27 Advice for Riding Alternative Boards 38:48 New Shapes & What's Next with Dave 45:24 Quickfire Round: Perfect Surfer & Fin Preferences 49:07 Tier Lists: Board Sizing, Cross-Training & Sign Off Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan Matt Grainger (@surfers-compass) is a former pro-surfer-turned-coach who has worked with world champions and CT event winners. In this episode he walks us through Nathan Hedge's comeback story, including the training and mindset work behind his run to the semis at Teahupo'o, and how paddle training was fundamental preparation - something that most everyday surfers forget. We also get technical about frontside carves in terms of weight distribution and rail engagement, taking examples from John John Florence. Matt also explains why style comes down to keeping your personality in the water instead of copying anyone else's approach, and how slowing down and completing waves builds the muscle memory needed for progression in maneuvers. He also gets into board selection, land training, and the mental side of competing, pulling from decades of coaching everyone from grommets, intermediates, to pro surfers at the highest level. Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 01:07 Welcome & Meet Matt Grainger 02:32 Coaching Nathan Hedge's Comeback 04:53 Hedge’s Winning Trials & Facing Kelly Slater 06:51 Teahupo'o 2014: Facing Adriano de Souza 10:06 The Perfect Barrel & Board Rescue Drama 15:18 Reading Athletes: Mindset vs. Technique 16:46 Margaret River Prep & Wave Selection 21:01 Foot Pressure & Rail Engagement Explained 26:32 How John John Florence Redefined Surfing 33:49 Style, Personality & "Surfing Is Dancing" 40:12 Teaching Progression: Why Less Is More 47:12 Prepping for Teahupo’o & the Power of Paddling 59:47 Rapid Fire: Favorite Surfers, Fins & Boards 1:13:46 Land Training Tiers & Where to Find Matt Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan Robbie Rickard is an Australian free surfer known for his style and incredible power surfing. We start with his early years of competitive surfing, what it was like going up against names like Soli Bailey and Mikey Wright. He breaks down what he looks for in carves, and explains why timing often matters more than raw strength when it comes to powerful turns. We also spoke about the benefits of surfing longer boards, and how it helped him smooth out his own surfing. We discuss his relationship with SYSTM Surfboards, and the process behind creating his own model, the 6’5” Rob. Lastly, we discuss the shaping machines that he and his dad built for some of the biggest brands in the surfing industry (@surf.shaper).   Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 02:07 Growing Up in Fingal Head 03:23 First Heat Against Soli Bailey 08:41 Mentors: Jay Phillips & Poncho Sullivan 09:15 Riding a 6'3" for 3 Months Straight 13:02 Grinding Through the QS 17:25 Meeting Chippa Wilson at Caba 18:33 The Secret to a Good Carve 23:26 Experimenting with Panda Surfboards 27:57 Designing the 6'5" Rob Model with Kobe 33:12 Sizing Longer Boards & Tail Shapes 40:17 Building Machines with Surf Shaper 49:23 Rapid Fire: Favorite Surfer & Fin Setups 51:22 Tier List: Magic Boards & Training Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan Hayden Cox (@haydenshapes) is an Australian surfboard shaper, founder of Haydenshapes Surfboards, and the man behind the winning board in the most recent Stab in the Dark. Hayden walks us through exactly what he built for the contest, and what separated his board from other shapers when it came down to the final surf. We also dive deep into the design theory behind his rocker line for the DarkNoiz model, unpack his development of FutureFlex construction technology, and breakdown the shape and story behind the Psychedelic Germ. We close this episode with a rapid-fire round where Hayden builds his favourite surfer, ranks fin setups, rates the best ways to improve your surfing outside of the water, and tiers every method of sizing a board, including a very honest take on the under-arm test. Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 02:15 Introduction to Hayden Cox 02:24 Short Notice Before Stab in the Dark 04:12 From Taj's Board to Ethan's DarkNoize 06:09 Rocker Line & FutureFlex Feel 10:45 What Sets Hayden's Boards Apart 13:35 Center Line vs Rail Line Rocker 17:35 Subtle Millimeters & the F1 Analogy 20:00 Watching Ethan's Winning Waves 24:50 Construction: The Featherlight Poly Build 27:13 The Call That Changed Everything 32:40 Origins of FutureFlex Technology 46:11 Building the Perfect 3-Board Quiver & the Psychedelic Germ 54:28 Rapid Fire: Favorite Surfer & Fin Setups 57:54 Tier List: Magic Boards & Training Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan  In Part 2 of this series, Van Vu breaks down why some surfers seem to level up so much faster than others. He digs into the compounding relationship between paddle power and wave-reading ability, showing how catching more waves builds a mental "memory bank" that changes what you perceive as a makeable wave. Using a side-by-side comparison of two surfers with different conversion ratios, he reveals how that gap widens dramatically over just a few weeks, and explains the key shift in strategy every surfer needs to make as they progress. If you've ever watched a more advanced surfer effortlessly find speed and power on waves you'd have let pass by, this video explains exactly why, and what to focus on to close that gap yourself. Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 0:00 Recap & Building on Part One 0:39 Why Pros Look Like They're Playing a Different Sport 1:24 The Limited Opportunity Problem in Surfing (vs. Basketball) 2:03 How the Skill Gap Compounds Over Time 2:39 Building Your Wave-Reading Memory Bank 3:21 Surfer A: Taking Waves & Expanding Opportunity 3:56 Surfer B: Tentative Choices, Slower Growth 4:45 The Compounding Results After Weeks of Training 5:37 Beginners: Why You Should Prioritize Wave Count 6:17 Advanced Surfers: Shifting From Quantity to Quality Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan  Central Coast shaper Shea Somma (@sheasomma) is known for surfboards that make the most out of whatever the ocean throws at you. In this episode, we get into the DNA behind his designs like the Mini Super, a Mini Simmons inspired groveler built around an optimal length-to-width ratio that he reverse-engineered into a unique user-friendly board. He also breaks down how he won Best in Show at the 2023 Boardroom with his Bonzer-based Panza shape. We also talk about the most common mistakes surfers make when buying boards, and why the current obsession with surfboard volume might be one of the most misleading trends in the industry right now. Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:13 Shea's Central Coast Waves & Shaping Origins 04:13 Sharks, Colors, and Surfboard Superstitions 05:59 The Mini Super: A Mini Simmons Evolution 12:26 Fins, Concaves, and Hydrodynamics Explained 16:35 How the Simmons Design Spread Across Surfing 19:21 Winning Best in Show with a Bonzer 25:04 Building the Panza: Groveler to Step-Up 30:10 Twin vs. Twinzer: What It Actually Feels Like 36:19 Ocean Beach Guns: The OBG and the Judah 40:02 Biggest Mistakes Surfers Make Buying Boards 44:21 The Truth About Volume 47:04 Good and Bad Trends in Surfboard Design 48:59 Shea's Current Quiver, Board by Board 54:38 Upcoming Film Project and France Art Show Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan  Ever wonder why some surfers seem to improve twice as fast as everyone else, even with the same amount of time in the water? In this video, Basis Surf founder Van Vu breaks down the "surf progression funnel" — the step-by-step system that determines how many real reps you actually get on a wave, from spotting it to completing a turn. Using a simple side-by-side comparison, Van reveals how one overlooked, land-trainable skill can snowball into a dramatically higher wave count per session, per day, and per weekend, explaining why elite surfers like Laird Hamilton and Billy Kemper quietly train this exact thing behind the scenes.  Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 00:00 How to 10X your surf progression 00:45 Elite pros secretly train their paddling 01:30 The surf progression funnel explained 02:13 Ocean knowledge & reading waves 02:50 Paddling: the highest-leverage skill 03:32 Why paddling is trainable on land 04:11 Pop-up: train it before you need it 04:49 Speed, line, and the turn 05:33 Surfer A vs. Surfer B: the numbers behind 10X 07:54 The Shohei Ohtani lesson: master the fundamentals Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan  Moose Huerta is a longboarder from the Northeast who took a 4-month break from surfing before heading to the Mentawais. He still managed to surf 3-7 hours a day for 10 days straight all thanks to a month of paddle training beforehand. In this episode, we get into surf trip preparations, what keeps him out of the water in winter, what made him skeptical about the Basis Paddle Trainer at first, and what changed his mind. We also talk about how his longtime surf travel partner quietly got a paddle trainer without being asked, and why Moose believes that identifying the surfer you want to be in 10 years is key.  Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 2:01 Meet Moose Huerta — Northeast longboarder 2:11 Growing up surfing in Pensacola and Jacksonville, Florida 3:21 Competitive surfing through the ESA and living 100 yards from the break 4:25 Flagler College, the surf team, and surfing on a budget 5:18 Traveling the contest circuit and life as a semi-pro surfer 7:36 Moving to California, Nixon Watches, and the film Sprout 8:46 Discovering the Northeast and landing in New York City 11:04 Traditional vs. high-performance longboarding and the Sprout era 13:09 CJ Nelson, gliders, and evolving surf style with age 14:17 Plateaus, equipment access, and lessons from competing young 17:53 Gliders, pigs, and the 6'8" egg — finding the right board 21:52 Why Moose got the paddle trainer before the Mentawais trip 27:55 First impressions of the trainer — skeptic to believer 38:29 The Mentawais trip — 10 days of 3–7 hours of surfing a day 46:27 Advice for surfers on aging gracefully and keeping the stoke Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan  Alex Novoa of Surfing Your Fears has been surfing for 38 years and coaching for nearly two decades. Our conversation goes deep on what actually holds surfers back from becoming independent in the water. Alex breaks down why fear never fully disappears but can be worked through, how smart positioning beats hard paddling every time, why your pop-up habit will either cost or save you hundreds of waves, and why paddle fitness is less about catching waves and more about surviving the ones that hold you down. Beyond the technical side, Alex also shares a perspective that's hard to find; someone who has nearly drowned twice, rebuilt his confidence, and used that experience to shape how he coaches others through the same thing.  Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 2:33 Alex's Background & 38 Years of Surfing in El Salvador 3:48 Still Surfing 8 Hours a Day at 50 - The Secret to Longevity 5:22 The Reverse Liters Strategy: Staying in Shape as You Age 6:36 Surfboard Evolution: From Boogie Boards to Shortboards to Longboards 9:28 Does Board Sequencing Matter for Learning? 11:34 Embracing Being a "Kook" - Why Starting Over is Valuable 12:59 How Trying New Boards Keeps the Love for Surfing Alive 16:36 Why the Program Is Called "Surfing Your Fears" 20:21 How Alex Defines a Beginner Surfer 26:39 Overcoming Fear: Internalizing What You're Actually Afraid Of 31:21 Wave Positioning Tips for Independent Surfers 36:02 Reading the Ocean: Sets, Intervals, and Wave Size 39:42 Time in the Water Is Everything - Why Fitness Matters 47:10 Alex's Near-Drowning Experience & How It Shapes His Coaching 57:34 Pop-Up Technique: Why Getting It Right from Day One Is Critical Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan Stab in the Dark X winner and the shaper behind Kelly Slater's boards, Dan Mann joins the Basis Surf podcast. We get into whether Kelly actually knew which board was his during the event, what Dane Reynolds and Zeke Lau noticed when he was riding it, and why Dan sees the whole thing as bittersweet despite coming out on top. From there we dig into the design differences between the DRK and FRK, what changed and why, and how those decisions translate for everyday surfers, not just Kelly. Dan also breaks down his approach to fins and why keeping one constant across every board you ride matters. We also discuss Dan’s different models and I share why the Dominator Pro has genuinely changed my surfing. Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 0:01:46 Welcome & Stab in the Dark X Introduction  0:02:10 Was Winning Bittersweet? Dan's Honest Take  0:03:44 Stab as Entertainment vs. Competition 0:05:43 Did the Show Manufacture the Drama?  0:07:18 Watching Kelly Surf Other Shapers' Boards  0:08:25 Kelly's Competitive Mind & the "What If" Factor  0:10:20 The FRK's Origin Story & Kelly's Loyalty Since 2017  0:12:15 Did Kelly Know Which Board Was His?  0:12:47 DRK vs FRK: What Actually Changed  0:22:41 Breaking Down the Full FRK Lineup  0:26:16 What Makes Dan Mann Boards Distinct  0:38:01 Fins & How to Tune the DRK  0:44:45 DRK vs Dominator Pro: Which Board is for You?  0:55:48 The Dominator Pro's Impact on Everyday Surfing  0:59:03 What's Next: Spun Honey Groveler & Materials Innovation Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan  Adam Sime is a 51-year-old nurse, father of three, and lifelong surfer who drives 12+ hours to chase swells across the UK and beyond. In this episode, he opens up about what it actually feels like to blow a hard-earned surf trip because your body gives out after an hour, and what he did about it. We get into the moment that broke him at a firing point break in the Hebrides, his honest skepticism when he first came across the Basis Paddle Trainer, and how his results went from done-after-4-waves to back-to-back-4-hour-sessions in solid Southwest Cornwall swell. He also breaks down how relearning his paddle technique from scratch changed everything, and how getting fit enough to drop board volume opened up a completely different level of surfing for him.  Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 02:34 Welcome & Introduction to Adam Sime 02:48 Adam's Life: Family, Work, and Surfing in Seaford 04:30 Chasing Waves Across Europe with a Motorhome 06:10 Growing Up Surfing in Western Australia 08:22 Charging Big Waves in Morocco 09:26 Why Adam Started Thinking About Paddle Training 11:29 The Wake-Up Call: Getting Fit After a Wipeout 12:40 The Hebrides Trip That Broke Him 13:14 Discovering the Basis Paddle Trainer 15:00 Early Struggles with the Trainer 17:10 Was He Skeptical at First? 19:23 The Results: Four-Hour Sessions in Cornwall 23:07 Quadrupling Wave Count in the Pool 28:12 How Technique Changed His Paddling 32:14 Going Down in Board Volume and Surfing Better Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook

🔥Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://go.surfbasis.com/pb_freetrainingplan Lucas Hildreth (@lucashildreth5692) is a second-year E.R. resident and aspiring big wave surfer from New York who has somehow managed to surf Mavericks, Iceland, Chile, and Portugal in between brutal stretches of 80-hour work weeks. In this episode, we get into how he stays strategic with his limited time off, how he approaches improving his surfing technically; from dialing in his cutback to breaking down the mechanics of a proper snap, and what it actually takes to prepare for big surf when you don’t live by the ocean. Beyond the technical stuff, we also talk about crowd navigation, adventure surfing in cold and remote locations, and the mindset that drives someone to chase serious waves while wearing scrubs five days a week.  Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 0:02:06 Introducing Lucas: ER Resident & Big Wave Surfer 0:02:52 ER Doctors and Extreme Sports 0:03:31 Growing Up Surfing in New York 0:05:34 Getting Serious: Driving to Montauk 0:07:36 Choosing College Away from the Coast 0:09:29 Learning Without Coaching: Uncle's One Rule 0:11:25 Watching Surf Clips to Improve 0:14:07 How Filming Himself Transformed His Surfing 0:18:33 Going Vertical: The Hardest Skill in Surfing 0:25:06 Life as an ER Resident: The Real Schedule 0:27:18 Surfing the World Between Shifts 0:33:14 Paddle Training: What Actually Works 0:41:32 Navigating Crowds in Santa Cruz 0:50:40 Adventure Surfing: Iceland, Chile & Beyond 0:59:49 Rapid Fire: Advice, Intentions & Deserted Island Board Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more! Join our community of over 140k followers across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: Basis Instagram  Basis Tiktok Basis Facebook