Although it is a fairly modern fad, surfing actually began many, many years ago – almost 4,000 years ago , around 2000 BC to be exact!! Polynesians began riding waves on wooden boards when fishermen discovered it was a quick and efficient way to reach shore with their catch. Eventually, catching waves in this way became a fun hobby rather than just part of the job. It's unclear when "stand-up" surfing began, but at least as early as the 15th century, Hawaii's chiefs, queens, and other royalty enjoyed the sport of "he'enalu," or gliding over waves. . These Hawaiians developed their own prayers, board shapers, and rituals related to surfing, and lower-class Hawaiians were forbidden from sharing these rituals or the waves. Surfing virtually disappeared in the late 19th century as the number of native Hawaiians declined. Its return is due to the “Father of Modern Surfing”, Duke Kahanamoku. Duke Kahanamodu was a popular Olympic swimmer who started a surf club on Wakiki Beach and then began introducing the sport to the West Coast in 1914. The Wakiki Surf Club became extremely popular and was even written about by legendary authors Jack London and Mark Twain. East Coast surfing began in 1912 after James Matthias Jordan, Jr. surfed off the coast of Virginia Beach on a massive 110-pound Hawaiian redwood. Then, in 1959, the film Gidget brought surfing to international attention for the first time. Gidget was a film about a girl of the same name who fell in love with surfing and a surfer boy. The country fell in love with her and this sport. The Beach Boys' music cemented the country's love affair with surfing and everyone was heading to the beach! Today, surfing is enjoyed by millions of people each year on beaches... middle of paper ... where the waves break, float in the water near where the waves start to break, back to the beach. ii. Watch the waves to get an idea of ​​where the swell breaks. Once you decide to catch a wave, position the nose of the board towards the shore and lie down. iii. When a wave approaches, the surfer must paddle hard to catch it. The surfer can feel that the wave has been caught when the surfboard accelerates at the same speed as the wave below. iv. Just before the wave begins to break, the surfer pushes down on the board as if doing push-ups, while bringing his legs under his body, planting his feet on the board and standing up. This is the pop-up.v. Once standing, you should stand with your front hip facing forward and your feet perpendicular to the board. Keep your knees bent and your eyes facing forward