Course LevelsLapoint Surf courses
Level 4 - Advanced
At Level 4, you’ve reached the peak of our surf school and the final level before surf guiding! The feeling of catching a great wave never gets old, but at this stage, we’ll push you to not just catch waves but to catch them with control, style, and precision. We’ll get into advanced techniques like cutbacks, floaters, and snaps and dive deeper into surf strategy. Level 4 is where the hard work pays off!
Become the best surfer you can be
In this course, we’ll focus on fine-tuning your surfing and pushing the boundaries of what you’re capable of. You’ll develop a more strategic approach to the water, learning to maximize your wave count and tackle crowded spots. Throughout this progression, you’ll become more independent in the water, with a better ability to read waves, adapt to different conditions, and understand the dynamics of each surf spot that comes your way.
What you will learn
Learn how to surf safely on your own
Level 4 is where your physical, mental, and technical preparation will come together! We’ll work on advanced maneuvers like vertical turns and roundhouse cutbacks while focusing on using the right surf equipment to suit your needs.
As your confidence grows, you’ll push yourself to try new and more aggressive techniques, taking risks that lead to improvement. With support from your instructors and through filmed sessions and drills, you’ll take your surfing to a higher level!
Level 4: Master your surfing performance
Level 4 is the stage where you truly begin to shine as a surfer. It’s about mastering the technical aspects of surfing, improving your tactical approach, and building the strength needed to tackle a variety of waves and conditions.
Skill level: Preparations for level 4
Waves type: All types of breaks ranging from 2 ft to 8 ft (knee-high to overhead). You’ll face mellow and more powerful, steep waves, providing the perfect conditions to perfect your technique. You’ll tackle everything from easy green waves to more challenging and bigger surf.
Mental preparation: Mental, physical, and technical readiness for high-performance surfing.
Physical preparation: Surfing at this level demands endurance, strength, and control.
Technical knowledge: Knowledge of surf etiquette and equipment.
Requirements
Swimming ability.
Level 1, 2, and 3 knowledge and practical skills (be a fully independent surfer).
Ability to catch and ride waves from knee-high to overhead-high waves.
Experience adapting to various surf conditions, from small to large waves, and managing crowded lineups.
Comfort with fast, steeper waves if requested.
Around 3 months of surfing experience requested (~65 surfing days) prior to starting Level 4.
Minimum hours to complete this level
We recommend at least 90 hours of surfing at Level 4, ideally spread over 10 to 12 weeks, to truly refine your surf performance at this level. However, just like in previous levels, you can progress at your own pace and spread the hours out over a longer period if needed.
We’ll focus on…
You’ve already got the basics and are now ready to push your limits! Here, we’ll focus on enhancing your physical conditioning, perfecting your technique, and helping you become the surfer you always dreamed of becoming! We will work on:
Improve wave selection, manage crowds, and adapt to different breaks. Focus on surf safety, entry/exit points, and spot analysis.
Work on advanced maneuvers like cutbacks, floaters, snaps, and re-entries. Enhance paddling strength, posture, and body mechanics.
Focus on staying in the critical part of the wave to generate speed and control.
Perfect bottom/top turns, trimming, pumping, vertical turns, and roundhouse cutbacks. Push yourself to surf more aggressively and with greater flow.
Improve your ability to read waves and position yourself for the best take-offs. Understand different take-off angles and adapt to varying wave types.
Review video footage of yourself surfing to refine techniques and develop a smoother, more powerful surfing style.
Use a range of boards (soft tops and hard tops) to adapt to different conditions.
Milestones for Level 4
You'll be able to surf with greater speed and control while adapting to various surf conditions after you finish Level 4. Here are the milestones we aim towards:
Master high-performance surfing techniques (cutbacks, floaters, snaps, re-entries).
Refine your wave selection, paddling technique, and positioning for advanced wave types and sizes.
Increase your ability to surf aggressively while maintaining control and flow.
Set and achieve individual goals for each session, focusing on specific drills for improvement.
Enhance your understanding of different break types, surf equipment, and how to adapt to changing conditions.
Develop mental confidence to surf overhead waves and manage crowds with ease.
Perfect the connection between bottom/top turns, trimming, pumping, and other advanced maneuvers.
Theory
A deeper understanding
Understanding the why behind your actions is key to accelerating your surf progression. In Level 4, we’ll dive into advanced theory and practical knowledge to help you become a better surfer.
The lineup
At this level, you'll become highly confident in the lineup. You'll learn to manage more complex surf conditions, paddle out efficiently, and make tactical decisions to get the best waves.
Ocean awareness
You’ll deepen your understanding of swell forecasts and learn how to read conditions at different breaks. We’ll teach you how to interpret swell charts and other tools to predict the best surf spots and improve your ability to catch waves at the right time –and how to use all this knowledge on your own.
Spot guiding
Building on Level 3, we’ll fine-tune your ability to evaluate spots, read the crowd, and assess risk versus reward. With these skills, you'll be fully equipped to choose the best waves and surf safely, whether in local or unfamiliar spots.
Individual feedback
Your instructor will be in the water, giving real-time feedback on your technique and decision-making. We’ll help you implement strategies to enhance your performance, from paddling to wave selection, so you can start mastering high-performance surfing.
Surf equipment
We’ll provide expert advice on board and equipment selection, ensuring you’re using the optimal equipment for your progression. With a range of boards to choose from, you’ll have the opportunity to experiment and find the setup that suits you best.
Surfing overhead high waves on your own
By the end of Level 4, you'll be ready to comfortably surf overhead+ waves without assistance. We'll help you perfect your technique for bottom turns, trimming, maneuvers, and duck diving so you can confidently handle bigger surf.
Board control in the lineup
You’ll master the skills needed to move efficiently in the lineup, including improving your paddle technique and learning how to position yourself to catch more waves. We'll also work on your ability to react quickly when a set arrives.
The duck dive
The duck dive is an essential skill for handling bigger waves. We'll help you fix your technique, ensuring you conserve energy and avoid unnecessary paddling, making you more efficient in the water.
Take-off technique
A perfect take-off is crucial to set yourself up for success. We’ll focus on positioning, timing, and pop-up technique to ensure you’re always in the best spot to catch the wave and execute your maneuvers with precision.
Video analysis
We’ll film at least one of your sessions, allowing you to review and identify areas for improvement. With personalized feedback, you’ll have clear insights into your strengths and areas to focus on for continued progression.
Surfboards
Throughout Level 4, we’ll provide a range of high-performance boards to test, helping you refine your skills and adapt to different wave conditions. You're also welcome to bring your own board for a more personalized experience.
At the peak of our surf school
Level 4 is where you’ll take everything you’ve learned so far and turn it up a notch! It’s time to start tackling bigger waves, pulling off advanced maneuvers, and surfing with more speed, style, and control than ever before.
At this level, you’ll focus on everything that makes high-performance surfers stand out—like perfecting your bottom turns, mastering powerful cutbacks, and learning how to surf in the pocket. You'll also start taking on bigger waves with confidence and figuring out how to manage your time in the lineup like a pro.
We’ll keep things fun but challenging, too, by pushing you to set goals for every session and nail your technique with personalized drills. Expect to work on things like your paddling strength, your wave selection skills, and your overall flow. You’ll also get the inside scoop on reading surf forecasts to make sure you’re always catching the best waves at the perfect time.
By the end of Level 4, you’ll be cruising through the lineup, catching bigger waves, and pulling off maneuvers like never before. It's all about surfing with power, style, and confidence—plus, having tons of fun along the way!
Sustainability
The beach is our home. We are leaving it better than we found it.
We have made a commitment to our ocean, beaches and community. They are our playground, our home and our livelihood. We are going to leave them better than we found them. That means that all our employees, friends and guests helps out with recycling and taking other actions for the environment. Each week there are beach cleaning and recycling activities to ensure that our home stays the way it was supposed to be.