mamoru A. A.
5/5
I am an intermediate surfer, joined the trip and prior to the trip I got 1 month of training via App. I highly recommend to join the trip if you are looking for a great coach to improve your surf. Keith is a great person, open minded, experienced, hard working, professional and passionate surf coach. And the program worked way more than I expected! It surely opened up more possibilities for me to have fun sessions in the near future. Thanks Level up!! Now I joined a year training to keep myself fit and learn more in the next sessions and here are some more of my comments on the trip; 1. My strength and endurance was improved. I surfed regularly in the past 5 years, but the last 2 years was just occasional surf trips, so I felt my surf mindset and paddle strength were gone. Prior to the training trip, I did a month of training via Level up App, and I really put some efforts. During the trip which usually goes 2-3 sessions a day, each of them more than 2 hours(so probably 5-6 hours a day?), I was able to surf with much strength and energy. I also did morning and evening stretches pre and post sessions and took care of my body as recommended too. The sequence and combinations of Level up exercises are well designed! I was surprised myself that I was getting tired off course but didn't get burnt out after 5-6 days of intense training sessions. 2. Skill sets to do self analysis improved. Keith is very encouraging and has passion for coaching surfers who wants to learn. He explains clearly not just what was good, what went wrong and what could have made it better but also in a way that people can have the skill sets to analyze our own surf and do it on our own better. It was also great time to learn this kind of analytic mind set to be a part of enthusiastic people to see them surf and listen to Keith's feedback to them. There were coaching in the water, on the beach during the sessions, and video reviews at night or morning before sessions. These helped really well to prepare the following sessions. I was able to focus on some specific movements consciously and worked on them. I probably knew them as an "information" but Keith helped me to understand what it means, how to apply them into my surfing. Now, when I checked the video clips of my own surf from this trip and also from the past sessions, I realize I have more ideas what is going right and wrong, and what I could have done where and how on the waves. I feel this is a great improvement. Some of the ideas that I already had and was trying were more articulated and confirmed by the coaching so I can really have a focus. Not to forget. Keith sent all of us a follow up video analysys after the trip with his voice over. The advises how I can do longer turns on mellow waves, where to do top snap turns and how with video on screen once again helped me clarify my focus for the next steps. One thing I should probably emphasize is that this is a great "training" trip with a coach on fire NOT a surf trip with a nice surf guide. Surely enough Keith knows the area to decide which point would work but for "training" and he was also willing to hear people's request what people want to challenge, but not necessary just for the fun aspect! The training trip is to improve weak points, know about the next steps, try something, so not necessary to have fun immediately. Keith checks the level of everyone and set the line what to challenge, making sure everyone is working on their own challenges so nothing to worry about. But it will surely be challenging and fun!
