How to Do a Frontside Air Reverse

The Frontside Air Reverse has become the bread and butter of the current wave of progressive surfers. It takes the standard reverse and throws in a massive degree of difficulty.

As with many of modern surfing maneuvers, the reverse depends on ample speed gained from pumping high on the wave face. Therefore, once you drop into a wave, glide to the upper half of the wave and gain velocity with short half pumps at the wave’s most vertical section.

Next, eye your target ramp. Taj Burrow has said that at this point, shuffle your front foot up a bit to widen your stance just prior to lifting off. Generally, an almost breaking lip affords the most vertical launch. Lifting your board from the center of the wave face, project your board at a 45-degree angle off the lip.

Your instinct will tell you to angle back down immediately, but let the board continue of the track and keep your eyes and head directed towards the nose of your board until you feel your fins release. The key here is to stay crouched and centered over the stringer of your board.

Once your board is free from the wave, turn your head and shoulders in the direction of the spin (back towards the curl). If you can ollie a skateboard, the same logic applies here. Be sure your back foot stays planted and in control over the deck of the board.

As long as you stay crouched over the deck and stringer and your head and shoulders are twisting, the laws of nature will do the rest.

As your board spins and falls, your body weight should place you somewhere on or in front of the whitewater.

You will land backward and it is still key to remain centered over the deck with a firm, crouching stance. Allow the fluid dynamics of your board and the momentum of the moving water to bring you back around.

You will find yourself landing haphazardly with varying foot placement as you learn. The only way to master the frontside air reverse is to repeat and repeat ad nauseum. So be sure that you are willing to screw up plenty of waves until you get it right.

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