Why learn how to fall?

Fear of falling can become a barrier to starting surfskate or progressing with confidence. For many surfers, surfskate is an especially useful tool for working on movements and sensations outside the water, but fear of injury can limit its use.

That is why, alongside learning to turn, pump or perform manoeuvres, it can also be useful to learn how to manage a fall more safely.

The Safe Fall project

Carving Social Club took part in the development of a programme designed to study motor responses to falls during surfskate practice.

The project was developed in collaboration with university research groups from the University of Seville and the University of Jaén, with the aim of gathering information about falls and studying possible protection strategies.

A methodology based on martial arts

The Safe Fall approach draws on certain principles used for falling in Judo and other martial arts.

Through repetition and progressive exercises, the aim is for certain protective movements to become more automatic responses when a fall happens.

The idea is not limited to surfskate: learning how to fall and react appropriately may also be useful in other sporting and everyday situations.

The study and questionnaire

One of the first phases of the project involved gathering information about the incidence of falls among people who practise surfskate.

An anonymous questionnaire was created for surfskate participants. If you would like to contribute to the study, you can take part here:

Take part in the Safe Fall questionnaire

Safe Fall and surfskate at Carving Social Club

This project is part of our history and our way of understanding surfskate: as a tool for working on surfing, learning new movements and enjoying the sport with greater confidence.

Today we still use surfskate in our classes and activities in El Palmar and, when it makes sense for the surfer's objective, within our Surf Coaching programmes.

You can also discover our current Surfcamps in El Palmar, where we connect work in and out of the water and leave room for group free surfing sessions when conditions allow.