Surf Maneuvers Series by Hawaiian South Shore: 

• Surf Maneuvers Series Tip 1: Taking Off on a Shortboard
• Surf Maneuvers Series Tip 2: Pumping Down the Line
• Surf Maneuvers Series Tip 3: Bottom Turn/Top Turn Combo
• Surf Maneuvers Series Tip 4: Floaters and Foam Climbs
• Surf Maneuvers Series Tip 6: The Down Carve
• Surf Maneuvers Series Tip 7: Layback Snap

 

Tip 5: Roundhouse Cutback

The Roundhouse Cutback: A Cornerstone of Advanced Surf Moves

In the world of surfing, while explosive top turns and aerial maneuvers often steal the spotlight, there are timeless techniques that continue to define the essence of power surfing. One such maneuver is the roundhouse cutback. This classic move not only showcases a surfer's control and style but also serves as a fundamental skill for navigating various wave conditions.

Understanding the Roundhouse Cutback

The roundhouse cutback is one of the essential advanced surfing techniques that every aspiring surfer should master.

The ideal time for a roundhouse cutback is when you encounter a tapered shoulder that lacks the power and steepness for more aggressive maneuvers. However, it can also be effectively performed on closeout sections that are less than vertical. The key is to recognize the wave section that will allow you to maintain speed and flow through the maneuver.

When to Execute a Roundhouse Cutback

As you progress in your wave riding skills, incorporating advanced surf moves like the roundhouse cutback will significantly improve your performance.

The ideal time for a roundhouse cutback is when you encounter a tapered shoulder that lacks the power and steepness for more aggressive maneuvers. However, it can also be effectively performed on closeout sections that are less than vertical. The key is to recognize the wave section that will allow you to maintain speed and flow through the maneuver.

Steps to Perform a Roundhouse Cutback

1. Initiate with a Bottom Turn: Begin with a small bottom turn to set up the maneuver. This foundational move helps you transition into a drawn-out rail carve. Remember, the bottom turn is crucial for setting up all successful surfing maneuvers.

2. Engage the Rail: As you transition from the bottom turn, engage the outside rail of your board. Lead with your head, arms, and torso to guide the direction of your turn. Your lower body will follow, ensuring the surfboard carves smoothly through the water.

3. Frontside Roundhouse Technique:

• Use your front arm as a pivot point, reaching down toward the wave face below your outside rail.
• Keep your rear arm perpendicular to the board's rail and follow through the entire turn.
• Maintain momentum and look for a section to rebound off of. If available, angle the board upward to hit the lip or whitewater.

4. Backside Roundhouse Technique:

• Engage your knees and hips more actively. Pivot around your back arm while the front arm moves with the outside rail.
• Lead with your eyes and upper body, letting your legs and board complete the turn.
• Avoid pushing too hard through the cutback to maintain speed for the rebound.

• Breaking the Rail and Fins Free: Without proper setup, you might break the rail and fins free, leading to an involuntary layback.
• Losing Momentum: Ensure you maintain speed throughout the maneuver to complete the turn and set up for the next move.
• Incorrect Arm Positioning: Dropping your back arm can short-circuit your carve, turning it into a layback unintentionally.

 

Perfecting Your Surfing Techniques: The Roundhouse Cutback Breakdown

The roundhouse cutback is one of those maneuvers that has been around for decades but remains as radical as ever—as long as it is done correctly.

 

A proper roundhouse is a fluid, powerful response to a not-so-powerful section—it’s a way to return to the source of the waves power after outrunning the pocket, and to do so with style, finesse, and the opportunity to get radical. The best roundhouses aren’t just cutbacks—they are a setup for a radical rebound off the whitewater, or better yet off the curling lip. Accomplishing this, however, requires a lot of speed, impeccable timing, flawless technique, and a full commitment to the rail.

Identifying When to Cutback

To execute a cutback effectively, you need to recognize the right moment. Here are some telltale signs:

• Weakening Shoulder Ahead: If you see a section of the wave losing its power and steepness, it's a prime opportunity for a cutback.
• Board Slowing Down: Feel your board losing momentum? This is another clear indicator that it's time to perform a cutback.

Combining these visual and physical cues ensures you're always ready to transition seamlessly into a roundhouse cutback, optimizing your ride and maintaining speed.

As you approach the section, initiate a small bottom turn to set up the maneuver. While you aren’t trying to go vertical, it is important to remember that the bottom turn is the foundation of all successful maneuvers. Without it, you will end up breaking the rail and fins free with your down-the-line momentum and likely do an involuntary layback that you don’t recover from.

What is the correct technique for turning back down the line after a cutback?

The key, as with all surfing maneuvers, is to lead with your head, arms, and eventually torso. The lower body goes where the upper body leads, and the surfboard follows the lower body, so make sure that you are looking where you want to go to set up the entire turn.

Stage 1: Positioning and Initial Turn

After the first stage of your turn, your nose is now facing the pocket. You are essentially riding backward on the wave, and it's your job to turn the board around again so that the tail is in the pocket.

Stage 2: Preparing for the Turn

Just before your board reaches the whitewash, you want to do the opposite of what got you there to turn back around.

Stage 3: Executing the Turn

Twist your body back towards the face as you lead with your front shoulder again. Use your head and look down the line nice and early, back towards the shoulder, so that your body may follow.

Stage 4: Completing the Cutback

As soon as you are back into the pocket and riding straight down the line, you have successfully completed your cutback. Immediately begin pumping to avoid falling behind the whitewash and continue this new wave positioning into your next maneuvers.

By breaking down each step and focusing on specific body movements and techniques, you can master the art of turning back down the line after a cutback. Remember, precision in your movements and weight distribution is crucial to maintaining flow and control on the wave.

 

Perfect your frontside roundhouse with these key surfing techniques:

1. Front arm: Act as pivot point, reach towards wave face
2. Board positioning: Carve around front arm axis
3. Rear arm: Keep perpendicular to rail, follow through turn
4. Body movement: Torque while pushing rail through water

Enhance your surfing skills by focusing on arm positioning and body mechanics for a powerful frontside roundhouse cutback.

Adjusting Your Body Weight During a Cutback

From the beginning of your bottom turn until you reach the top portion of the wave and start turning, keep your knees bent and your body compressed low. As you ride up the face, begin to apply more pressure on your outside rail by:

• Leaning into your heels for a frontside cutback.
• Leaning into your toes for a backside cutback.

Apply weight onto your back foot at this stage. This helps you to engage the fins, particularly your outside fin, so they can move the surfboard in your intended direction.

By integrating these weight adjustments, you ensure that your cutback is not only stylish but also powerful, setting you up perfectly for your next maneuver.

 

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Proper execution resembles a deep snowboard carve. Avoid pushing too hard to maintain speed. Redirect gaze and transfer weight to recover and generate momentum.

While modern surfing emphasizes aerial maneuvers, the roundhouse cutback remains a timeless and essential technique for power surfing. This powerful surfing maneuver is a key component in the repertoire of professional surfers and advanced wave riders.

Other Advanced Surfing Techniques to Complement Your Roundhouse Cutback

Here are some advanced surfing techniques that complement the roundhouse cutback:

1. Snap Turn: A sharp, vertical turn at the top of the wave. This maneuver can be executed after a roundhouse cutback to redirect the board back down the face of the wave.
2. Floater: Riding along the top of a breaking wave. This can be combined with a roundhouse cutback to transition from the lip back to the face of the wave.
3. Barrel Riding: Also known as tube riding, this advanced technique involves riding inside the hollow part of a breaking wave. A roundhouse cutback can be used to set up for a barrel section.
4. Bottom Turn: While not as flashy, a powerful bottom turn is crucial for setting up other maneuvers, including the roundhouse cutback. Mastering this fundamental move enhances overall performance.
5. Aerial Maneuvers: Although not directly related to the roundhouse cutback, aerial tricks like alley-oops or air reverses represent the pinnacle of advanced surfing techniques.
6. Carving: A series of smooth, arcing turns on the face of the wave. This technique can be used in conjunction with roundhouse cutbacks to maintain speed and flow on the wave.
7. Foam Climb: Riding up into the whitewash of a breaking wave. This can be combined with a roundhouse cutback to redirect back into the green face of the wave.

Want to learn more advanced surf moves and surfing techniques? Check our Hawaiian South Shore website to complete Surf Maneuvers Series for comprehensive guides on various wave riding skills.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how high you can boost or how many chop-hops you can do—a truly good surfer is judged on his mastery of the fundamentals and his ability to push them hard enough that they become cutting-edge.