48 Coaching Concept #3 - Reading Waves w Clayton Nienaber

Are you misreading waves and blowing sections—either too early, too late, or just completely off?

Most surfers fixate on the lip to decide their next move, but Clayton Nienaber reveals that the true key to flow, power, and top-to-bottom surfing is actually found in reading the bottom of the wave. This short episode gives you one concept to transform your next session.

• Learn how to anticipate the wave's behavior seconds before it unfolds.

• Discover the exact part of the wave that tells you when and how to move.

• Tap into better flow and calm by shifting where—and how—you focus.

Play this episode now to change where you look, and instantly level up your wave-reading instincts.

Key Points

• The episode focuses on the concept of reading waves, specifically emphasizing the importance of observing the bottom of the wave to anticipate its behavior.

• Clayton highlights the common mistake of surfers looking at the top half of the wave and misreading it, leading to poor outcomes.

• Looking at the bottom of the wave allows surfers to anticipate the wave's future behavior and make better decisions, such as avoiding falls.

• Clayton explains that the bottom of the wave provides crucial information about the wave's speed and power, which can be used to predict the top half's behavior.

• Surfing down to the bottom of the wave allows surfers to tap into the wave's maximum speed and power, enhancing their performance.

• Reading the bottom of the wave helps surfers predict and react to the wave's behavior, leading to a more relaxed and efficient surfing style.

• Anticipating the wave's behavior by reading the bottom allows surfers to react more quickly and with better coordination.

• Curran's surfing style exemplifies the benefits of reading the bottom of the wave, allowing him to react in the moment and appear timeless.

https://ombe.co/12-week-program-asp-sm/

For the passionate surfer—whether you're a weekend warrior, a surf dad, or an older surfer—this podcast is all about better surfing and deeper stoke. With expert surf coaching, surf training, and surfing tips, we'll help you catch more waves, refine your paddling technique, and perfect your pop up on a surfboard. From surf workouts to handling wipeouts, chasing bigger waves, and mastering surf technique, we're here to make sure you not only improve but truly enjoy surfing more—so you can get more out of every session and become a wiser surfer. Go from Beginner or intermediate Surfer to advanced.