Basis Surf Podcast

Basis Surf

Interviews with pros, coaches, and shapers to help the everyday surfer get better at the thing they love. @Gosurfbasis on IG, TikTok, FB, and YT Train your paddling anytime, anywhere, with the Basis paddle trainer. www.surfbasis.com

  1. 13h ago

    What Most Surfers Get Wrong About Surfboard Design w/ Shea Somma

    🔥 Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://surfbasis.com/pages/trainingplan 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

    What Most Surfers Get Wrong About Surfboard Design w/ Shea Somma
  2. 6d ago

    How to progress SO Fast in Surfing it feels like Cheating

    🔥 Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://surfbasis.com/pages/trainingplan 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

    How to progress SO Fast in Surfing it feels like Cheating
  3. Jun 29

    How a 4-Month Surf Break Led to 7-Hour Sessions in the Mentawais w/ Moose Huerta

    🔥 Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://surfbasis.com/pages/trainingplan 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

    How a 4-Month Surf Break Led to 7-Hour Sessions in the Mentawais w/ Moose Huerta
  4. Jun 15

    From Nearly Drowning to Helping Surfers Overcome Their Fears w/ Alex Novoa of Surfing Your Fears

    🔥 Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://surfbasis.com/pages/trainingplan 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

    From Nearly Drowning to Helping Surfers Overcome Their Fears w/ Alex Novoa of Surfing Your Fears
  5. Jun 8

    Dan Mann Tells All on Kelly Slater, Stab in the Dark, and the DRK Surfboard

    🔥 Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://surfbasis.com/pages/trainingplan 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

    Dan Mann Tells All on Kelly Slater, Stab in the Dark, and the DRK Surfboard
  6. May 25

    How A Skeptical Lifelong Surfer 4x’d his Wavecount w/ Adam Sime

    🔥 Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://surfbasis.com/pages/trainingplan 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

    How A Skeptical Lifelong Surfer 4x’d his Wavecount w/ Adam Sime
  7. May 18

    How to Improve at Surfing Working 80 Hours a Week w/ Lucas Hildreth

    🔥 Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds.https://surfbasis.com/pages/trainingplan 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

    How to Improve at Surfing Working 80 Hours a Week w/ Lucas Hildreth
  8. May 4

    The Key to Turning Midlengths w/ Taylor Jensen

    🔥 Get your FREE personalized 2-4X wavecount training plan in under 30 seconds. https://surfbasis.com/pages/trainingplan Taylor Jensen (@taylorjensentj) is a four-time World Longboard Champion who is equally comfortable noseriding as he is throwing down powerful carves. He also collaborates with Firewire Surfboards, making longboards, and more recently, alternative twinzer models. In this episode, we get into what makes a good turn on a longer board, why elite athletes never stop training fundamentals, and how land training can benefit your surfing in ways that surfing alone cannot. We discuss paddling, which Taylor considers one of the most important pillars of surfing, and why neglecting it can stifle your progression. He also gives a detailed breakdown of the twinzer model, why it sits in its own category between a twin and a quad, and what makes it such a fun setup coming off a longboard.  Sign up for our free surfboard guide for sizing down volume, video library and newsletter Chapters 01:23 Welcome & Intro to Taylor Jensen  02:05 The Secret to Throwing Buckets (Dad Bod & Big Feet)  02:49 Longboard Philosophy & Rail Surfing  04:28 Traditional vs. High Performance Longboarding  06:34 What Makes High Performance Longboarding Look Great  08:39 How to Carve on Longer Boards: Patience, Placement & Rails  11:03 Reading Waves on Mid-Lengths & Longboards  13:31 The Internal Battle: Switching Between Traditional & HP Longboarding  15:58 Training for World Titles: Physical & Mental Game  17:38 Drilling Fundamentals on Dry Land (Cross-Stepping & Footwork)  22:58 Why Paddle Power is Non-Negotiable  28:06 How Longboarding Changes the Way You Read Waves  32:42 The Twinzer Explained  37:27 Board Design Deep Dive: TJ Pro Mid vs. Twinzer Mid-Length  41:44 Closing Advice: Diversify Your Equipment & Surf with Intention 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

    The Key to Turning Midlengths w/ Taylor Jensen
4.7
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

Interviews with pros, coaches, and shapers to help the everyday surfer get better at the thing they love. @Gosurfbasis on IG, TikTok, FB, and YT Train your paddling anytime, anywhere, with the Basis paddle trainer. www.surfbasis.com

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