EPISODE 11 : How To Do Frontside Combinations With Micky Clarke

The Santa Barbara and Ventura region produce world class surfers, some of which ascend to the highest levels of professional surfing, and others who are well known underground heroes. Micky Clarke is writing his story one page at a time and is an underground hero of sorts, with bravado in waves of consequence, and an arsenal of tricks that make him a stand out in all conditions. He has a velvety smooth style that when combined with his power and rail game, and raw x factor brand of surfing, the results are explosive and unpredictable.

In this tutorial Micky breaks down how to do a frontside combination while bringing in his unique brand of surfing to put a new spin on this timeless topic of linking turns together. His in depth break down emphasizes the importance of the bottom turn, technique, commitment and follow through providing a foundation for beginning to next level combinations of turns.

Step By Step Coaching Tips

Step One:
The Set Up

Take a high line
Then do a fade or speed check turn to get to the bottom of the wave’s face
Redirect face and eyes to make sure you are looking as far to the bottom as possible because where you look is where your board is going to go.

Step Two:
The Bottom Turn

Once at the bottom of the wave compress your knees into your chest
Lean onto your toe side rail and drop your back arm to engage with the face of the wave as a pivot point and for more control
Keep your eyes on the section of the wave you will be turning off of next.
Have your leading arm start by framing the front leg on the outside of the left knee ( regular footers), right knee (goofy footers).
Glide and drive through the bottom turn keeping your chest and arms open towards where you want to go, anticipating what the wave will do, and keeping your eyes on the section you will be turning off of.

Step Three:
The First Turn

As you approach the lip line begin redirecting your weight from the toe side to the heel side rail.
Open up the chest and arms keeping your body projecting ahead of where the board is going.
You want your chest to lead.
Keep pushing throughout the turn so you get more speed coming out of it.
Remember, you want your hands and head to be moving ahead of the board.
Push through the turn and finish the slice.

Step Four:
The Second Bottom Turn

Upon completion of the first turn redirect back to the bottom of the wave, keeping your eyes at the bottom of the wave and repeat the same exact process of the bottom turn.
Once at the bottom of the wave compress your knees into your chest
Lean onto your toe side rail and drop your back arm to engage with the face of the wave as a pivot point and for more control
Keep your eyes on the section of the wave you will be turning off of next.
Have your leading arm start by framing the front leg on the outside of the left knee ( regular footers), right knee (goofy footers).
Glide and drive through the bottom turn keeping your chest and arms open towards where you want to go, anticipating what the wave will do, and keeping your eyes on the section you will be turning off of.

Step Five:
Combination turn/ tailblow reverse

Keep your eye on the lip line while coming off the bottom turn, scoop and pivot
As you approach the lip you are going to karate kick as hard as you can to get the tail out of the water.
The back leg extends, while the front knee sucks in for the release, and to nose pick it, put all of your weight onto your front foot.
Pivot off of your nose
Try to control it as much as possible and stay centered over your board.
Control the slide by keeping weight on the front foot. When you apply weight to the back foot it will spin you back around.
Get weight back onto your front foot and ride out.