Bodyboarding: The Cutback

Step 1: You will need

Step 2: Get into position

The cutback - sometimes known as the cuttie or slash back - is for any intermediate or advanced bodyboarders that want to learn how to keep themselves within the wave's power. Put simply, your aim is to guide the board back towards the breaking whitewater section of a wave after gliding out past it. This not only prolongs the length of your ride, but helps you gain speed and maneuverability.

As you accelerate towards the shoulder section with speed from your bottom turn, focus on the spot where you want to begin your carve.

Never forget that a cutback is best performed on the shoulder of the wave where you'll have enough time to begin with a rounded slow turn.

Step 3: The cuttie

Now you're in position, slide your hands to the front of the board and hold its nose. Then drive your hip into the inside back corner of your board. This will help keep you from losing your edge while turning on the wave's face.

Tip: The more you pull on the nose, the greater the spray you'll throw. Great for point scoring or just showing off.

As a means of keeping the cutback flowing, it can be a good idea to keep your legs just touching the surface of the water to prevent spinning or bouncing out.

Step 4: Continue the ride

Once you've turned hard enough that the wave has now caught up - this is when the cutback is about 90 per cent complete - it's time to redistribute your weight so it's centered over the board, remember to look in the direction you want to go and continue the ride by building trim speed.

So there you have it. The perfect cutback. Now you're ready to get stuck in to our other bodyboarding masterclasses elsewhere on Videojug.