What is my surfing level? 🏄🏻‍♀️

How many times have you asked yourself: what is my surf level? Beginner? Intermediate? Advanced?

It sounds like a simple question, but after more than a decade teaching surfing in Cascais, we know it rarely has a simple answer :)

You can have good technique but struggle with positioning. You can be very comfortable in the ocean but still have a lot to improve technically. You can feel completely independent at one surf spot and suddenly need much more guidance somewhere else.

And then there are the waves. Surfing 1.5m waves in one place can be a completely different experience from surfing 1.5m waves somewhere else.

Here in Cascais we surf the North Atlantic. Carcavelos, Guincho and the surrounding coastline can have powerful waves, strong currents, wind, changing sandbanks and challenging paddle outs. Your confidence and independence here might be very different from what you experience in Bali, Sri Lanka or another surf destination. And that is completely normal.

Your surf level is not about the biggest wave you have ever surfed. It is about how consistently and independently you can surf in the conditions in front of you.

At Surf Cascais, we use 5 surf levels: Beginner → Beginner+ → Intermediate → Independent → Advanced.

But we don't want these levels to become labels. They help us understand where you are so we can adapt the group, instructor, surfboard, spot, conditions and objectives of each session as much as possible. You might also be somewhere between two levels. Most surfers probably are :)

LEVEL 1 - BEGINNER

A Beginner normally has 0, 1 or 2 previous surf lessons and is still learning the foundations of surfing.

At this stage, we work on:

• Surf safety and basic surf etiquette;

• Regular or Goofy stance;

• Correct positioning on the surfboard;

• Paddling;

• Take off technique;

• Timing;

• Balance and stance;

• Controlling the surfboard;

• Learning how to ride the whitewater.

Most surfing happens in the whitewater, with close assistance from the instructor. And we mean close :)

When you are learning to surf, there is already a lot happening. The ocean is moving, people are around you, waves are coming and you are trying to remember what your arms, feet and body are supposed to be doing. We don't need to add more noise.

Our instructors help you choose the right whitewater, position yourself correctly, understand the timing and catch the wave. We want you to be able to concentrate on one simple thing at a time.

We like giving our Beginners plenty of attention. Those first waves are about learning technique, but also about building confidence. If something isn't working, we don't want you repeating the same mistake again and again while the instructor watches from a distance. Sometimes we'll get even closer, follow you through the wave and help you understand exactly what is happening.

Beginners normally use large and stable softtop surfboards. The objective at this stage isn't independence yet. First we create the environment where you can learn. Independence comes gradually.

Where do you surf with us?

Surf Cascais Lessons.

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LEVEL 2 - BEGINNER+

A Beginner+ has normally had around a week of surf lessons or similar experience. You might also have surfed more in the past but haven't been in the water regularly for quite some time.

You already understand the basics. Your take off is becoming more consistent, you have better control of the surfboard and you are starting to need less help. Most of your surfing may still happen in the whitewater, and that is absolutely fine. The difference is that we can gradually start giving you more responsibility.

At this stage, we work on:

• Choosing suitable whitewater waves;

• Catching whitewater more independently;

• Making the take off more consistent;

• Improving stance and surfboard control;

• Paddling more efficiently;

• Understanding timing and positioning;

• Turning left and right;

• Understanding where waves break;

• Basic ocean awareness and surf etiquette;

• First experiences catching small green waves when conditions allow.

When the waves are small and friendly, this is often the stage where we can start taking you further outside and introducing small green waves, initially with plenty of guidance.

You will normally still use a softtop, although we can gradually reduce the size of the board as your technique, paddling and confidence improve.

The important difference from Level 1 isn't that you suddenly need to surf green waves. You are beginning to make some of the decisions that we were previously making for you.

Where do you surf with us?

Surf Cascais Lessons.

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LEVEL 3 - INTERMEDIATE

This is where green wave surfing becomes a consistent part of your sessions. An Intermediate surfer can paddle into and surf green waves regularly, go left and right and is developing significantly more independence in the lineup.

But there is still a big difference between surfing green waves and being completely independent. You still benefit from having an instructor in the water, particularly with positioning, wave selection and understanding what the ocean is doing.

At this level, we work on:

• Paddle outs and reaching the lineup;

• Catching green waves consistently;

• Positioning in the lineup;

• Wave selection;

• Surf etiquette and priorities;

• Reading peaks and understanding where waves will break;

• Currents and channels;

• Understanding tides, wind and swell;

• Going left and right consistently;

• Generating speed;

• Passing sections;

• First defined turns;

• Making increasingly better decisions independently.

Depending on your surfing and the conditions, you might use a smaller softtop or start progressing onto a hardboard.

This is also where people sometimes become too focused on wave size. Bigger isn't necessarily better for learning. A 30cm clean day at Carcavelos can be an excellent Intermediate session because you can catch lots of waves, repeat movements and focus on small but important technical details. That can be far more useful than spending two hours somewhere bigger fighting currents and having what is essentially a swimming lesson :)

Where do you surf with us? Surf Cascais Lessons & our Intermediate Intense Courses

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LEVEL 4 - INDEPENDENT

This is an important milestone, and we have a very simple question that helps us identify it:

Can you go surfing without us?

An Independent surfer doesn't need a Surf Cascais instructor to make the session work. You can take your own equipment, drive to the beach, assess the conditions, paddle out, position yourself in the lineup, choose and catch your own waves and manage your session independently.

That doesn't mean you don't need coaching anymore. It means the type of coaching you need has changed.

At this level, we work on:

• Better positioning in the lineup;

• Better wave selection;

• Reading different surf spots;

• Understanding and adapting to changing conditions;

• Generating and controlling speed;

• Improving turns;

• Choosing better lines;

• Using different sections of the wave;

• Better decision making;

• Surfing a wider variety of waves and conditions;

• Technical feedback and video coaching when appropriate.

To join our Independent sessions, you should have your own surfboard and wetsuit, your own transport and genuine independence in the water.

Where do you surf with us?

The Independents by Surf Cascais.

The Independents have their own WhatsApp group, managed by our Head Coach Zé. We organise around 2 to 3 coaching sessions per week, choosing times and surf spots according to the forecast, conditions, availability of the group and what we want to work on. During the week, we'll try to stay around Cascais whenever possible. At weekends, we have more freedom to explore other spots when it makes sense.

The objective isn't to promise perfect waves every session. It is to find the most useful conditions we can for your progression.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8lyuyVFppg&list=PLba_n9UfKge4BmoKB2uKtpE96GF7saEeq&index=13

LEVEL 5 - ADVANCED

An Advanced surfer is completely independent and has significant experience surfing different waves, spots and conditions. You understand the ocean well, have good control of your equipment and can surf confidently without depending on a coach.

At this level, we work on:

• Improving speed and flow;

• Bottom turns and top turns;

• Cutbacks and more advanced turns;

• Linking turns together;

• Choosing better lines;

• Using more critical sections of the wave;

• Improving style and efficiency;

• Video analysis and detailed technical feedback;

• Surfing more demanding conditions;

• Fine tuning technique and performance.

Advanced doesn't mean there is nothing left to learn. Surfing is quite good at making sure that never happens :)

Where do you surf with us?

The Independents by Surf Cascais.

Sessions follow the same flexible approach, allowing us to choose conditions, spots and coaching objectives that make sense for the surfers involved..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY9P7r4ccto&list=PLba_n9UfKge4BmoKB2uKtpE96GF7saEeq&index=11

SO... WHAT LEVEL AM I REALLY?

Surf levels are never completely black and white. Wave power, currents, wind, tide, type of break and familiarity with the spot can completely change the difficulty of a session. You might be Independent in small Carcavelos and need more guidance at Guincho on a bigger day. Surfing is contextual.

That's why we look at skill, independence and conditions, and care much more about what you can do consistently than the biggest or best wave you have ever surfed.

There is also another way we like to think about progression: as you improve, the decisions gradually move from us to you.

Level 1 · Beginner: We remove decisions so you can concentrate on learning.

Level 2 · Beginner+: We gradually start giving some of those decisions back to you.

Level 3 · Intermediate: We help you learn how to make increasingly better decisions.

Level 4 · Independent: You can make those decisions yourself.

Level 5 · Advanced: We help you refine the quality of those decisions and the quality of your surfing.

HOW CAN SURF CASCAIS HELP ME?

Once you know where you are, the next question is pretty simple: what is the right Surf Cascais experience for me?

Your level	I live in Cascais / nearby	I’m visiting Cascais
Level 1 · Beginner	Surf Lessons	Surf Camp
Level 2 · Beginner+	Surf Lessons	Surf Camp
Level 3 · Intermediate	Surf Lessons	Surf Camp + Intermediate Intense Course
Level 4 · Independent	The Independents + Surf Atlas	Custom Pack + Surf Guiding + Independent Intense Course + Surf Atlas
Level 5 · Advanced	The Independents + Surf Atlas	Custom Pack + Surf Guiding + Surf Atlas

Different levels need different things from us. Sometimes that means more support. Sometimes better coaching. Sometimes more flexibility. And sometimes it means packing the boards and going somewhere completely new :)

The goal isn't the level itself. It is understanding where you are today and finding the right environment for where you want your surfing to go next.

If you're still not sure where you fit, just talk to us. That's part of our job too :)

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