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Surf Levels

Surf Lessons for Beginners
Level 1

 Beginner surf lessons take place on the inside, the area closest to the beach, where the waves have already broken and formed white water.

This is the safest and most suitable environment for anyone who wants to learn how to surf in Peniche, Portugal.

Our instructors focus on developing confidence, balance and the basic skills needed for surfing.

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What you will learn

Introduction to surf equipment: surfboard, leash and wetsuit

Correct body position on the board

Surf safety rules and ocean awareness

Paddling technique and rhythm

Take-off technique: standing up on the board

Correct basic posture to maintain balance and control on the board

Practising turns in the white water: frontside and backside

Building confidence and psychological adaptation to the ocean

Progression to Intermediate Level – Level 2

To progress to intermediate-level lessons, students must be able to:

  • Perform a take-off consistently
  • Maintain balance on the board
  • Execute basic turns in the white water

Intermediate Surf Lessons
Level 2

Intermediate surf lessons take place on the outside, the area farther from the beach where surfers catch unbroken waves, also known as green waves — the clean face of the wave before it breaks.

At this stage, students begin to understand wave dynamics, positioning in the ocean and the techniques needed to surf real waves.

What you will learn

Safety rules on the outside

Understanding tides, currents, wind and wave formation

Priority rules in the lineup

Techniques for getting past the white water

Improving paddling technique in outside conditions

Correct positioning in the lineup

Sitting correctly and comfortably on the board

Building confidence when surfing in deeper water

Take-off on green waves

Paddling technique to catch unbroken waves

Performing a bottom turn towards the face of the wave

Frontside and backside turns on green waves

Surfing frontside and backside

First manoeuvres on the wave face. As students progress, they develop greater board control and begin to perform basic manoeuvres such as the cutback and lip manoeuvres, such as the floater

Progression to Level 3

 To progress to the advanced level, students must demonstrate:

  • Consistent take-off on unbroken waves
  • Correct execution of the bottom turn towards the face of the wave
  • Understanding of priority rules in surfing
  • Ability to perform basic turns on the wave face, such as the cutback, and lip manoeuvres, such as the floater. Mastering these manoeuvres is essential to progress to the next level
  • Confidence when surfing on the outside

Advanced Surf Lessons
Level 3

Advanced surf lessons often take place in bigger and more powerful waves, allowing surfers to improve their performance and manoeuvres..

These sessions are designed for surfers who want to refine their technique and improve their ability to read waves.

What you will learn

Identifying the fundamental manoeuvres of surfing

Reading waves in order to choose the best manoeuvre

Refining the bottom turn

Performing cutbacks, both frontside and backside

Building confidence when surfing bigger waves

Developing independent positioning in the lineup

Improving wave selection and positioning

Performing top turns

Performing floaters

Advanced sessions may include video analysis and correction through photography, allowing surfers to analyse their technique and improve their performance.

Surf Performance Training – Level 4

Click for more information.

Comparison of Surf Levels
Level 1 Beginners Level 2 Intermediate Level 3 Advanced
Lesson location Inside – close to the beach, in the white water Outside – farther from the beach, unbroken waves Outside with bigger and stronger waves
Type of waves Broken waves, white water Green waves, unbroken waves Bigger and more powerful green waves
Main objective Learn the fundamentals of surfing Learn to surf unbroken waves Refine technique and manoeuvres
Basic techniques Position on the board, paddling, take-off Paddling on the outside, take-off on green waves Technical refinement
Movements / manoeuvres Simple turns in the white water Bottom turn and frontside / backside surfing Advanced bottom turn, cutback, floater, top turn
Ocean knowledge Basic safety and equipment Tides, currents, wind and waves Wave reading
Positioning in the ocean Learning balance on the board Positioning in the lineup and sitting on the board Independent positioning in the lineup
Rules Basic safety rules Safety and priority rules Independent application of the rules
Psychological skills Adaptation to the ocean and surfing Adaptation to the outside environment Adaptation to bigger and more demanding waves
Criteria to progress Perform take-off and turns in the white water Take-off on green waves and bottom turn Mastery of manoeuvres and autonomy in surfing

Our surf lessons are based on a structured teaching methodology, developed over years of experience. The school is led by sports and physical education teachers who are also instructors and managers, ensuring a strong pedagogical and didactic foundation in our teaching approach.

Together with our highly experienced instructors and surfers, this methodology creates an effective and supportive learning environment for students of all levels.

With high-quality guidance and personalised support, students learn faster, more safely and with greater confidence, progressing step by step through the different levels of surfing.

Talk to us and we’ll help you choose the right lesson.