  
SURFING HOLIDAYS IN PORTUGAL'S LISBOA VALE DO TEJO REGION
ERICEIRA SURF CAMP - SURFING COURSES & SURF TUITION
Your success at learning to surf is a direct reflection on the level of tuition you get and your instructors ability to teach. This is why your success is so important to us and the reason why the surf lessons are run with a maximum of 8 students to ensure you get the attention you need on the beach and in the water.
The Ericeira Surf School only employs qualified surf instructors. This means you will receive professional surfing tuition with courses that follow the FPS, BSA and DWV guidelines for surf schools. All the instructors that run the Surf Lessons and Surf Clinics are skilled watermen who have many years experience surfing and coaching at different levels. They have all the necessary skills and experience to help newbies and beginners progress to a level where they can become independant surfers.
The Surf Lessons and Surf Clinics have a low student to instructor ratio for safety and to ensure you get the attention you need on dry land and in the water. All participants are placed with an instructor who specialize in teaching at a particular level.The school is open to people of all ages, skill levels and nationalities.
You will have 5 days of lessons per week, 56 hours daily, with two surf sessions per day. For legal and surf ethnical reasons, we can not let you the equipment outside of the surf lessons within the first week. However you are welcome to use all the surf equipment outside of the surf lessons in the second week for your own free surfing.
Quick links: A typical week | Beginner course | Intermediate clinics | Video Analysis | Equipment
A TYPICAL WEEK
Beginners will be taught the basics of surfing in the very first week. Intermediate level surfers will be pushed to improve their skills, as well as correct their mistakes and to attain their next personal level. This goes for the (optional) second week, as well. Obviously surfing is dependant on your ability, the tides, surf and wind conditions. However as a rough guide, this is what your first week on the Surf Camp in Ericeira might be like:
1st DAY
morning: knowing your equipment, weather, safety
2nd DAY
morning: formation of swell, code of conduct in the surf
afternoon: video analysis
3rd DAY
morning: formation and types of surf
afternoon: duck diving techniques
4th DAY
morning: tides
afternoon: video analyses
5th DAY
morning: board shapes, ding repair, visit a shaper
Evenings are for chilling and a little relaxation. Get together with the group for a BBQ go for a meal in Ericeira or just try and kick someones ass on PS2. For more details on the courses see the rough course outlines below.
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Newbies/Beginners Course
You‘ll be given a surfboard and wetsuit best suited to you. All the equipment used is specifically designed for beginners and intermediates with safety being the key factor.
Beginners will use boards specifically designed for both stability and safety. The beginners course includes all the basics from learning how to get in and out of a wetsuit ;-) to surfing 'green' (unbroken) waves. Surfing is progressive and everyone develops at a different pace, your surfing may develop to the point where you can join the advanced group and learn more advanced technique. Some of your surf sessions are filmed for later comment and discussion.
COURSE OUTLINE FOR NEWBIES & BEGINNERS
• Basic knowledge of surfing equipment
• Understanding the setup of the beaches, rips and currents
• Wave shapes and approaches
• Safety rules
• Paddling techniques
• Sitting on and turning the board
• The 'duck-dive' or 'eskimo-roll' (getting through waves with a board)
• Getting to your feet – Standing up and surfing broken waves to shore
• Priority rules
• Learn how a surfboard is made and fuctions
• Positioning in the line up to catch unbroken waves
• Surfing green waves and the bottom turn
• Advanced manoeuvres
• 25 hours of surfing theory and practice
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Intermediate Clinics (Advanced Course)
To be on this group you don't need to be world champion. You just need to know the basics. This course is aimed at those who have surfed before or followed a beginner course at some time. This way you don't have to go through all the basics again.
The focus of this group is on your individual surfing. Once you have learnt how to take off on a wave, you start to develop your own style and this is when timely error correction will ensure that your surfing develops quickly and properly. The video analysis sessions are invaluable at this stage.
Learn and practice the bottom turn, start to aim for the top section of a wave, finding the pocket and the cut back.
COURSE OUTLINE FOR INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED SURFERS
• Brief surfer diagnoses
• Quick review of surfing basics
• Techniques for paddling and turning for waves (tricks and tips)
• Priority rules (review)
• How a surfboard works
• Types of waves and approach to apply to each of them
• The 'Bottom turn' and its importance for wave riding success
• The importance of the upper body for bottom turning.
• 'Duck dive' techniques
• The 'off the lip'
• The 'cutback'
• General surf manoeuvres
• 25 hours of surfing theory and practice
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Video Sessions
Twice a week the classes get filmed and this is followed up by a video session at the surf camp, usually followed by a barbecue.
In the video session you get to see yourself surfing, which is the best way for you to understand where you can improve. At the end of your surfing holiday you can take a DVD of those sessions home with you.
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Equipment
All the equipment used is specifically designed for beginners and intermediates with safety being the key factor.
Beginners use boards specifically designed for both stability and safety. Intermediates will use boards which provide a good blend of stability, manouverability and performance. The instructors will select a board suitable for your size, weight and ability.
All the equipment is checked and maintained on a regular basis to ensure you have the best material at your disposal. The surf school also provide a wide range of good quality wetsuits and rash vests.
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