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How To Remain Calm While Surfing (Even When Everything Goes Wrong)

Originally posted on SURFER | By Jason Lock | Last updated Nov 1, 2025 9:00 AM ET

How you deal with and manage your fear while surfing can be the difference between victory at sea and crippling anxiety. It can take a lot of faith to huck over the lip of a wave double the size you're used to surfing. Even if you're used to heavier waves, you can still find yourself in a situation where everything seems to be going wrong.

When Australian big wave surfer Ross Clarke-Jones took a heavy wipeout at Nazaré a few years back, it took days for the gravity of what had happened to sink in. Ross was washed into the joint's death zone, an outcropping of rocks off the tip of the iconic headland. In this zone, surfers risk getting ping-ponged between towering rocks, with no chance of a ski being able to enter. The only way out is to go through the rocks and climb up a steep cliff. Yet, when Ross emerged, he was all smiles. He later reported that remaining calm might have been the difference between life and death.

That's not to say panic won't happen—but as big wave surfing's most calculated surfer Greg Long attests: “It's how you harness that fear which can make a difference.”

This mantra can be applied to any point in your surfing journey: whether you're pushing your limits as a beginner, stepping into more powerful waves or taking a trip abroad to surf unfamiliar spots. Remaining calm will always serve you well—and with that in mind, here are a few tips to keep your head level during any surf scenario.

Understand the Source

Fear comes in many forms, but figuring out its exact source can be very helpful in terms of learning to control it. Fear may have multiple sources: it may be fear of drowning or being held underwater; fear of being hit by your own board or by someone else's; fear of large waves, jagged rocks or sharks; or fear of an unknown environment, like a new surf zone.

The trick is identifying the specific fear, naming it and then addressing it directly. Let's take fear of being held underwater as an example: You can practice breath-holding exercises on land, or even at your desk at work. If you're worried about surfing bigger, more powerful waves, watch people surf the waves you want to surf and then build up to them gradually. If you're worried about your leash snapping and being left to swim into shore, practice your swimming skills in pools or in the ocean to build your endurance.

The point is, you have to name your fear in order to do something about it. Once you've addressed the issue head-on, you can enter the ocean more confidently.

Build Your Confidence

Building your ocean confidence can help reduce anxiety and make you feel comfortable while surfing.

Let's say you're not the strongest of swimmers. Spend down days setting targets for open-water swimming. This will build your endurance and give you the comfort of knowing that no matter what happens, you will be able to swim to shore and self-rescue. Swim out in flat conditions, tread water for a few minutes at a time and let a set wash over you. Do this enough times and you'll soon build that ocean confidence.

Know Your Limits (and When To Push Them)

If your gut is telling you, "it's looking wild out there, it's probably not for me," listen to that internal voice and know your limits. There will come a time when you've built your surf confidence and can feel more relaxed in the water; at that point you will feel ready to push your internal boundaries. This is different than paddling out in conditions you are not ready for.

If you're just starting your surfing journey, stick to lifeguarded beaches. Surf with your pals, and think of safety precautions as allowing you to focus on having fun rather than ending up in a worst-case scenario.

Take note of who is out there, too. A busy, crowded line-up might push you beyond what you're ready for. Find the less crowded spots, even on those rubbish days, just to keep the stress levels down.

Gather Information and Visualize

Some of the anxiety around surfing can come from not knowing what's about to happen—and this can negatively affect your mental state before paddling out. One way to lessen this particular anxiety is to gather information.

Before paddling out, watch the waves for a solid 10 minutes. Note any channels, rip currents, where the surf's breaking, how busy it is, where to sit and where to take off.

Visualization is also important. Imagine the feeling of making it, as opposed to the feeling of wiping out.

Control Your Breath

You can learn to control your anxiety with your breath. Taking deep, controlled breaths activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which can help suppress the stress response and make you feel more relaxed.

Try this breath exercise: Inhale for four seconds and hold for four; exhale for four seconds and hold for four. Repeat this in the water, before you surf or just to keep the nerves at bay.

Learn the Art of Wiping Out

The thought of wiping out or copping a lip to the head can cause a lot of anxiety for anyone. The fact of the matter is, however, is that wipeouts are inevitable. The question isn't whether or not you will wipe out; the question is how you respond. Learning how to properly wipe out can drastically reduce your anxiety. Here are some tips:

Fall flat, away from your board.
When underwater, don't fight it. Go limp and let it rag-doll you a bit. There's nothing you can do except hold your breath and wait it out. Remain calm in the knowledge that the mountain of water will pass.
If you've been pushed so far down it becomes black, don't panic. Find your leash, orient yourself and swim the way it's facing. Odds are, it'll be attached to your board.
If your leash has snapped, again, don't panic. You'll be able to orient yourself and feel the motion of being pulled in one direction: upward. Go with it.

Embrace It All

Don't worry about how you look or what you're doing—everything will come in time. Enjoy the learning curve and embrace those moments of fear. Name the anxieties and address them directly to build a solid mental and physical foundation. The end result will be more than worth it.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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