Basis Surf Podcast

On Style, Twins, and Asym Surfboards with Victor Bernardo

Victor Bernardo (@victorbernard0) is one of the most talented free surfers in the world with a silky but explosive style and in this podcast we dive deep into how he developed his style and technique,  the boards he rides from @albumsurf, and his journey through surfing. 
 
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Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Early Surfing Years
03:40 Growing Up in Brazil and Surfing Near Sao Paulo
08:00 Surfing Culture in Brazil
12:13 Getting Into Competing
16:10 Natural Talent and Hard Work
17:27 Working with Coaches
21:18 Impact of Coaching on Surfing Style
24:59 Influences on Surfing Style
28:15 Transition from Competing to Free Surfing
30:42 Collaboration with Album Surf
34:03 Experience with Asymmetrical Boards
39:49 Riding Twins and Adjusting to Different Boards
42:05 Transition to Living in the US
45:06 Living the Dream
48:30 Support from Sponsors
50:44 The VB Secret Menu
56:31 Competing with Alternative Boards
57:43 Advice for Everyday Surfers
59:19 Shout Outs
 
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Unlocking Twinnies and Longboards with Anthony Spencer

In this episode, Anthony Spencer (@anthonyspenncer), a twin fin and longboard aficionado with silky style from Western Australia, discusses his approach to surfing, his experience riding different surfboard types and how they each influence his style, starting with shortboards and transitioning to longboards and then to twin fins. He also talks about the importance of matching boards to the surf conditions and the value of having a fitness routine to help prevent injuries instead of dealing with them after the fact. He also shares his insights on style, emphasizing the importance of slowing things down and proper weight distribution in turns. He also talks about how surfing boards by @thomassurfboards helped take his surfing to the next level.
 
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Variety of Surf Craft
02:18 Getting Into Surfing and Transitioning to Longboarding
04:14 Transitioning from Shortboarding to Longboarding
06:34 Riding a Twinnie and Turning Techniques
08:33 Turning a Longboard vs. Turning a Twinnie 
10:26 Riding a Mid-Length Board
12:47 Tips for Turning a Log and a Twin Fin
17:51 Developing Style and Slowing Down
23:13 Approach to Surfing a Twinnie vs. a Shortboard
25:38 Training and Injury Prevention
30:36 Working with Shaper Thomas Bexon
41:12 Upcoming Film Projects
 
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How to Noseride and Turn Longboards with Kassia Meador

Kassia Meador (@kassiasurf) shares her experiences and insights on longboarding. She starts out with her roots from surfing with her dad in C-Street and Malibu, to contests in Costa Rica and Australia and to eventually getting sponsored by Roxy. She shares her insights on noseriding and turning logs, emphasizing the importance of slowing down and moving with precision. She discusses her own take on style and her focus on refining skills by trying out as many boards as she can and talks about her unique surf retreats in Nicaragua with @riseupsurfretreats.


Check out her online course titled “Definitive Guide to Longboarding” at @theinertia.


If you’d like to try out high-vibe, low impact surf gear from kassiasurf.com, use our 20% off coupon code: SURFBASIS
 
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Surfing Community
06:05 Memorable Surfing Experience
11:37 Getting Into Surfing
16:09 Career Takeoff
20:40 Approach to Surfing and Style
26:55 Tips for Beginner Longboarders
32:22 Noseriding as a Goofy-Foot
38:39 Focus on Surfing and Developing New Boards
49:38 Surf Retreats in Nicaragua
50:32 Activities on Surf Retreats
53:21 The Perfect Wave
 
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Finding Your Magic Surf Board with Surf n Show

In this episode we have Noel Salas, surfboard reviewer and host of Surf ‘n Show (@surf_n_show). Known for his comprehensive surfboard reviews, Noel’s insights have become a trusted resource for surfers looking to invest in new gear. He discusses the process of dialing in surfboards, how to find the right volume, the importance of speed and rails in surfing, the progression of surfboard design, his favorite boards, transitioning between boards, the experience of surfing in a wave pool, and his top tips for how to improve as a surfer.
 
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Chapters:
00:00 The Importance of Speed and Rails in Surfing
01:35 Noel Salas’ Background
08:33 How Surf n Show Started
21:23 Progression in Surfboard Design
26:44 Favorite Boards and Dialing in Dimensions
35:27 Transitioning Between Boards
39:05 Wave Pool Surfing
39:10 Tips for Improving Surfing
 
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Key to Barrels and Surf Longevity with Sam Hammer and Dave Santa Maria

In this conversation, Sam Hammer (@hammered_sam) and David Santa Maria (@davidjames80) of @surfhealthpro discuss various aspects of surfing, including getting barreled and maintaining fitness for longevity in the sport. They emphasize the importance of choosing the right board, picking the right waves, taking off behind the peak, developing paddle fitness, and improving hip mobility and proper technique for pop-ups. They also discuss the value of patience in surfing, the process of overcoming fear and becoming comfortable in bigger waves and the influence of social media on surfing expectations. They also share some tips on health, PT, and rehab for beginner to intermediate surfers and talk about the importance of accountability in sticking to a plan.
 
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Surfing in New Jersey
03:09 Discovering the Potential of Waves in New Jersey
11:31 Importance of Taking Off Behind the Peak
19:08 Board Choice for Getting Barreled
24:14 The Importance of Paddle Fitness
29:59 Maintaining Hip Mobility for Surfing
38:50 Technique and Training for the Pop-Up
42:37 Overcoming Fear and Getting Comfortable in Bigger Waves
46:31 The Importance of Picking the Right Waves
47:54 The Influence of Social Media on Surfing Expectations
48:52 The Value of Patience in Surfing
50:16 Maintaining Perspective and Enjoying the Ocean
51:16 Tips for Health, PT, and Rehab
52:40 The Importance of Accountability in Sticking to a Plan
53:10 Success Stories in Surfing Rehabilitation
55:08 Tips for Beginner to Intermediate Surfers
56:40 How to Reach Out for More Information
 
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Surfing Jaws with Coconut Willie

Big wave pro surfer, @coconut_willie , shares his journey into surfing and his experiences at Jaws. The conversation covers key skills for surfing bigger waves, equipment preferences, and tips for backside barrel riding. He also shares stories about being a coconut distributor in Hawaii and compares climbing a tree to surfing a massive wave. He opens up about his most memorable wave ever and the thrills of big wave surfing.
 
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Coconut Willie's Background
03:04 Crazy Coconut Stories
05:48 Journey into Big Wave Surfing
09:53 Progression in Surfing
12:41 First Experiences at Jaws
17:26 Key Skills for Surfing Bigger Waves
19:45 Equipment Preferences
20:15 Tips for Backside Barrel Riding
21:39 Most Memorable Wave
22:59 Conclusion
 
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Twin fins and Midlengths with Ryan Lovelace

In this episode, @ryanlovelace , a super innovative surfboard maker and creator, joins us. He shapes everything from crazy alternative boards to high-performance craft. He shares his experience on riding the V-Bowls, insights on midlengths, surfboard feelings, his fin setups, board testing, twin fin design, and his unique perspective. We’ll dive into all that and more, including the ins and outs of tuning your craft and picking the right board. Riding one of Ryan’s boards has been a mind-expanding experience for many, including me.
 
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and the Evolution of Midlength Boards
03:00 The Inspiration and Background of Shaping Midlength Boards
06:00 Defining the Purpose and Characteristics of Midlength Boards
09:00 The Versatility and Applicability of Midlength Boards
12:00 The Design Process and Evolution of the V-Bowls
18:00 V-Bowls to Thick Lizzy to FM
26:00 The Importance of Fin Setups in Shaping Boards
32:00 Shaping for High-Performance Surfers and the Surfer-Shaper Relationship
39:00 Shaping Boards for William Aliotti and the Unique Twinfin Design
47:43 Designing Boards for Speed and Control
49:07 Designing Boards for Different Surfers
51:03 Shaping Boards Based on Feedback and Experience
52:29 The Perspective of an Average Surfer
55:12 Mistakes in Board Selection
58:02 Closing Remarks and Shoutouts
 
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Analyzing CRAZY POV footage with Dylan Lightfoot

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to catch a perfect wave at J Bay or get barreled in the Mentawais and see it exactly from the perspective of the surfer and know all the things that were going through @dylanlightfoot’s mind from a technique perspective than you need to check out this podcast. We break down several of his waves in detail that he caught using a special camera rig developed with @chrisrogers using @gopro cameras. Our conversation ranged from assessing the right maneuver, bottom turn technique, backfoot positioning for turns vs barrels, where to place your turn on the wave, managing speed, board selection for points vs small beachbreaks, what an advances surfer focuses on, gamechangers on your backhand, and all the fine points of barrel riding technique.
 
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Excitement for J Bay
02:00 The Perfect Wave at J Bay
03:10 Analyzing GoPro Footage
04:22 Techniques for Bottom Turns
05:22 Weight Distribution and Foot Placement
06:44 Decision-Making Process for Maneuvers
08:28 Snap and Timing
09:54 Enjoying the Flow and Connection with the Wave
11:02 Backhand Surfing and Adjustments
13:05 Managing Speed and Positioning on the Wave
14:09 Snap and Timing
15:24 Self-Critique and Improvement
17:44 Choosing the Right Board for J Bay
20:34 Focus on Flow and Execution
24:38 Transition from Perfect Waves to Small Beach Breaks
28:54 Adapting to Small Beach Breaks
31:54 Improving Backside Surfing
36:37 Competing at J Bay and Surfing Against Heroes
38:54 Dealing with Nervousness and Pressure
43:48 Surfing a Bomb Barrel
46:37 Reading the Wave and Adjusting Speed
50:57 Navigating the Chandelier Section
53:16 Commitment in Barrel Riding
54:15 Scoring a Left Barrel
56:12 Technique for Backhand Barrel Riding
57:41 Managing Speed on the Backhand
58:38 Advantages of Backhand Barrel Riding
59:09 The Appeal of Mentawai Islands
59:37 Closing Remarks
 
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Improve your Style and Technique with Magnum Martinez

In this episode, we have @magnummartinez, an Olympic coach, a world champion in the master’s category, and a former pro. We discussed his approach to surfing, what’s the fastest way to improve, how to make adjustments in your technique, the interplay between style and technique, frontside top turns, common mistakes men and women make, and the importance of compression for turns. Definitely make sure to tune into this one!
 
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:42 Getting into Surfing
04:37 Surfing in Venezuela
06:28 Challenges of Surfing in Venezuela
08:21 Improving as a Surfer
10:17 The Importance of Surfing in Subpar Conditions
11:17 Becoming a Better Surfer through Hard Work
13:41 Moving to California and Polishing Surfing Skills
15:30 The Relationship Between Technique and Style
20:38 Fixing Stance and Technique
27:54 Adjusting Stance and Technique in the Water
33:09 The Debate on Style in Surfing
37:49 Emphasis on Technique at Different Skill Levels
44:44 Common Technique Mistakes
50:28 Making Adjustments in Technique
51:51 Improving Technique: Arm Position and Body Compression
55:13 Repetition and Habit Formation
56:21 Contacting the Coach
57:17 Online Coaching and Training Camps
58:41 Supporting the Podcast
 
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How Matt Meola did the world’s best airs

@MattMeola is one of the world’s top aerial surfers and in this episode he shares tons of wisdom all about airs. He talks about how he got good at surfing, how his skating translated to surfing, surfing in Pipemasters and stories about some of the craziest airs he ever did. He also talks about the importance of wave reading and speed management and shares the most important thing to focus on for airs. He talks about the biggest game changers for progression, what it’s like pushing the limits, and how to accelerate your own progression. He also has an online course on the Inertia on how to do airs for those of you that want to develop your air game.
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:15 Getting Into Surfing
04:26 Surfing for Fun
06:52 Landing the First Air
08:04 Skateboarding and Surfing
13:03 Doing Airs at Pipe
14:42 Transition to Elite Surfer
17:16 Creative Aerial Surfing
19:51 Commitment and Speed in Aerials
22:32 Walkthrough of Air #1
28:33 Walkthrough of Air #2
34:42 The Best Feeling in Surfing
40:49 Training for Difficult Maneuvers
45:10 The Importance of Filming and Comparing
48:10 Closing Remarks
 
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