Blog · By Gervas, surf coach at Nelayan Beach · 6 min read

How many surf lessons do you need to learn the basics?

One surf lesson is enough to try surfing and, with help from your instructor, often catch your first waves. To learn the basics properly, meaning you can paddle out, catch whitewater (the broken waves close to the beach) and stand up fairly reliably, most beginners need several sessions. Catching unbroken waves on your own and surfing safely without an instructor usually takes longer again.

The right number depends on what you want from your trip, and how much time you have. Here's what each stage looks like, so you can decide.

Is one surf lesson enough?

It's enough to find out if you like it. A lesson with me takes two hours. In that time you'll learn the safety basics, practise the pop-up on the sand and try it on real waves. The pop-up is the move from lying on the board to standing.

It isn't enough to surf on your own afterwards. After one lesson, most people still need help choosing waves, timing their paddling and staying out of other surfers' way. If you rent a board alone the next day, you'll probably spend a lot of time falling off in the wrong place.

What can you learn in your first lesson?

A first lesson usually covers:

• how to read the waves at a basic level
• how to paddle out with a big board, including the push-up to get through the whitewater
• how to lie on the board and paddle
• the pop-up
• catching whitewater with help from your instructor
• how to fall safely and keep your board under control

With help on timing and positioning, many people catch a wave in their very first lesson. Standing up takes some people a little longer, and that's normal. I explain the full session step by step in what happens during your first surf lesson.

What changes after two or three sessions?

This is where it starts to get fun. The pop-up is no longer brand new, so you stop thinking about every movement and start noticing the wave instead. You fall less and ride further.

Your paddling improves as well, and that matters more than most beginners expect. Good paddling means you catch waves with less help and don't get tired as quickly.

When you book several sessions, each lesson can focus on something different, depending on your progress and the conditions that day. We might spend one session on paddling, another on looking where you want to go and turning slightly, and another on understanding the line-up. The line-up is the area where surfers sit and wait for waves.

When can beginners start catching waves themselves?

Catching whitewater by yourself often comes within the first few sessions. Catching green waves (waves that haven't broken yet) is a bigger step. You need to paddle well, sit in the right spot and time your take-off, which is the moment you start riding the wave.

Even at this stage, your instructor may still help you into some waves. How fast you progress depends a lot on how much time you have and what you want. Some people want to work on technique. Others mostly want to catch as many waves as possible, and then a push into the wave is still part of the fun. I cover the details in from whitewater to green waves.

How quickly do people learn to surf?

It varies a lot from person to person. The start is hard, because everything is new at once: the board, the waves, the balance and the paddling.

The good news is that early progress comes quickly with regular practice. The first few sessions often bring the biggest jumps. After that, progress becomes more about details, like reading waves and positioning, and those take time in the water.

What affects your progress?

A few things make a clear difference:

• Comfort in the water. Relaxed people learn faster than nervous ones, and that improves with every session.
• Fitness. Paddling uses your shoulders and back. You don't need to be an athlete, but some fitness helps.
• How often you surf. Sessions close together build on each other. After a long break, you lose some progress.
• The conditions. Smaller, clean waves at a friendly tide make learning easier. Messy or crowded water slows you down.
• The right board. A big soft-top board makes the first steps much easier.
• Feedback. Someone watching you can spot mistakes you can't feel yet.

Tiredness matters too. When you're exhausted, you make mistakes, and in the water that can become dangerous. We can always end a session early. Just tell your instructor how you're feeling.

Lessons vs practising alone

Practising alone has value, but mostly once you know what you're practising. Without feedback, it's easy to repeat the same mistake a hundred times, like kneeling before you stand or standing too far back on the board.

Lessons also handle the part beginners can't do yet: picking the right time and conditions, and staying safe in a crowd. A good mix for many travellers is a few lessons first, then some practice sessions in between, then another lesson to fix any bad habits. My article on surf lessons vs board rental explains when renting on your own makes sense.

I teach private and semi-private lessons, so every session builds on the last one, because I know exactly where you left off. I coach intermediate surfers too, on positioning, timing, wave choice and turning. Travelling as a pair? Learn together in a semi-private lesson, or book a private lesson if you’d like to progress at your own speed.

How to choose the right number of lessons

Think about what you want to walk away with:

• Just want to try it: one lesson.
• Want to stand up confidently in the whitewater: a few sessions, ideally on different days.
• Want to start catching green waves: several sessions over a week or more, with practice in between.
• Want to surf safely on your own: plan on more sessions, and keep practising after your trip.

Try to spread lessons over your stay rather than squeezing them into one day. Your arms will thank you. Got a few days in Canggu? My 3-day beginner surf plan shows how that can look.

How many surf lessons do you need? Common questions

Can you learn to surf in one lesson?

You can learn the basics and often catch your first waves with help. Surfing on your own safely takes more time.

How long is one surf lesson?

Two hours. We can stop earlier if you get tired, because staying safe comes first.

Is it better to take lessons on consecutive days?

Back-to-back days help you remember what you learned, and rest days help your body recover. A mix often works best.

Do I need lessons if I've surfed before?

Maybe not for the basics. A coaching session can still help you sharpen your technique, fix habits and get more out of the local conditions.

Finding your number

In the end, you need enough lessons to feel safe and enjoy it, and that number is different for everyone. One session gives you a taste, and a few give you the basics. After that, it's time in the water, ideally with someone watching now and then.

Want more than a one-off try? Send me a WhatsApp on +62 813-3684-866 and we'll plan a few sessions that build on each other. More on my surf lessons in Canggu.