Paddling: Your Cheatcode to Surf Progression w/ Van Vu

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In this episode, Van Vu—founder of the Basis Surf Podcast and the Basis Paddle Trainer—talks about his journey as a surfer obsessed with improving his surfing in this interview with Michael Frampton of the Surf Mastery Podcast. He shares how rushing to shortboards stalled his progress, and how returning to longer boards, focusing on fundamentals, and building paddle fitness transformed his surfing. Van also explains why paddle power is the biggest bottleneck for most surfers and how more reps—not flashy turns—are the real key to progression. The conversation dives deep into technique, board choice, coaching perspectives, and why catching more waves is the fastest way to improve.

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Chapters

02:23 Earliest Surfing Memory

05:37 First Time Shortboarding

09:00 Don’t Size Down Too Quickly

13:25 Sizing Down in a Thoughtful Manner

16:00 From Riding a Pickup Truck to an F1 Car

19:30 Inspiration for Starting the Basis Surf Podcast

22:13 Lessons Learned from Starting the Podcast

27:28 Surf Coaching is Still at Its Infancy

30:14 Learn through Brute Volume

33:24 You Need to Catch More Waves

36:00 Inspiration for the Basis Paddle Trainer

38:00 Maintaining the Arched Prone Position While Paddling

41:00 The Biggest Resource Is Your Time

43:15 2x-8x Your Wave Count 

47:30 Surfing as a Pyramid

49:10 Paddle Power of Pro Surfers vs Beginners

51:45 It’s a Game of Years

54:12 Discount Code

Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more!

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