Six surf tips from champion surfer Rusty Miller

By Ann Binlot Published August 14, 2015

six surf tips from champion surfer rusty miller — Image used with permission by copyright holder

In 1965 California-born Rusty Miller was the top surfer in the United States. The US Surfing Champion was also a finalist in the famous Duke Kahanamoku Invitational in Sunset Beach. While studying at San Diego State, Miller went on a Seven Seas trip twice and discovered Australia, he eventually moved to picturesque Byron Bay, where he still surfs regularly while teaching one-on-one and group sessions on surfing. We took a lesson from him, and out of all the surf lessons we’ve had, Miller’s was definitely our favorite. If you’re ever out in Byron Bay, one of the best places in the world to learn to surf, we suggest you look up Miller. “You’re out there riding waves,” Miller told the Manual. “You don’t make the wave, they don’t know your name. You just fit in with them, so maybe. look at the wave as your companion.” Here are six tips from Miller:

You want to learn about the ocean. You want to observe what’s going on in the ocean because you have to have respect for the ocean if you want to surf. You want to surf safely. Find an instructor. Have good manners and spirit in the water, and everybody will get along because you have to share waves, especially in a place like Byron, it gets really crowded.

Recommended Videos

Don’t think too hard. Just look at surfing like a dance. It’s something you practice and don’t think too much and go along with the flow.

Learn how to paddle really good to get your paddling strength up. Paddling is the key to surfing good, developing your paddling skills.

Find a surfboard that floats you in the water good. Don’t find a tiny little board and think you’re going to be Kelly Slater in five minutes. It’s easier when you start with a long board, then what you do is develop your skills so you can surf something a little bit shorter.

Learn how to trim on the surfboard. Keep the board nice and flat, and learn how to fit into the wave.

Stand up in one sweeping motion so your feet land at the same time on the surfboard, and then you can center yourself. You have to be prompt.

For more information, visit rustymillersurf.com.

Topics

Travel

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ann Binlot is a New York-based freelance writer who contributes to publications like The Economist, Wallpaper*, Monocle…

Culture

Everything we know about Stranger Things season 5 so far

The teasers, clips, and best info about Stranger Things' final season

Stranger Things

Stranger Things is Netflix's crown jewel. The science fiction series elevated the medium almost a decade ago with special effects and scale usually reserved for the big screen movie theaters. The intimate comforts of following the heroic citizens of small-town Hawkins, Indiana make viewers feel like anybody can save the world. Combine that with incredible set pieces and frightening monsters, and the series possesses all of the components worthy of its revolutionary presence in TV lore.

One of the only negative running gags surrounding the series is how long it takes to film each season. Since its 2016 debut, Stranger Things has only released four seasons and 34 episodes. It's been since summer 2022 since the last batch of episodes, and there is still no concrete release date for the fifth and final season. The creators of the show, the Duffer Brothers, shared some behind-the-scenes clips of filming over the summer as the cast and crew work their way to the halfway point.

Culture

The Lego Disney Princess Advent Calendar is $20 at Walmart

The Lego Disney Princess Advent Calendar on a white background.

Christmas is fast approaching! Fathers who want to start getting into the holiday spirit with their daughters may want to purchase the Lego Disney Princess Advent Calendar, which is currently on sale from Walmart with a $25 discount that slashes its price to just $20 from $45 originally. We're not sure how long you've got to get this fun Advent calendar for less than half-price though, so if you want to take advantage of this amazing bargain from Lego deals, and you want to get it in time before December arrives, we highly recommend pushing through with the transaction today.

Why you should buy the Lego Disney Princess Advent Calendar
The Lego Disney Princess Advent Calendar, just like any other Advent calendar, counts the days to Christmas from December 1. However, this one features a Lego character or a Lego build from various Disney Princess movies for each day, including Elsa from Frozen, Tiana from The Princess and the Frog, and Ariel from The Little Mermaid. You'll also open Elsa's ice palace, Ariel's undersea palace, and a Christmas tree, among many others. Of course, you won't know what you and your daughter will get until you open the box for each day of the Lego Disney Princess Advent Calendar.

Culture

A ‘Challengers’ star will headline Steven Spielberg’s next film

The film is an original action movie that apparently has elements of science fiction.

Josh O'Connor in Challengers

Few directors are bigger name brands than Steven Spielberg, and even at this late point in his career, plenty of people still pay incredibly close attention to every new film he puts out. Variety is is reporting that, for his next film, the legendary director has cast Josh O'Connor in the lead role.

Plot details about the upcoming film are still being kept under wraps, but the studio has described it as a "new original event film." Spielberg is directing it from a script by David Koepp, who has previously worked with the director on Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The screenplay is apparently based on a story idea from Spielberg and is supposed to include sci-fi elements.