Does Kicking Help You Catch Waves?

[Video below]

One of the most common questions I hear as a surf paddling coach is: Does kicking while paddling actually help you catch waves?

The short answer: we’re not 100% sure yet—but anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that it can help.

What the Science Says

In 2010, a study published in the Journal of Sports Science tested competitive junior surfers paddling in flatwater. The results showed that kicking increased peak paddling speed by about 8%, which translated to an extra 0.8–1.6 meters gained over a 5–10 second sprint. That’s a significant advantage when speed and positioning matter.

Real-World Surf Examples

We’ve also seen kicking in action during pro contests. In paddle battles, like Seth Moniz vs. Ethan Ewing or Kauli Vaast vs. Crosby Colapinto in the Lexus Tahiti Pro, surfers used kicking to gain extra speed. These moments highlight that kicking can make the difference in tight situations.

Wave Catching: Still Unproven

Here’s the catch: while kicking clearly helps in flatwater speed tests and paddle battles, there’s no study yet proving it directly helps with catching waves. That’s because surfing adds extra variables, like wave angle, board position, and hydrodynamics. All of these can change whether we can pinpoint kicking as the advantage or not.

My Take as a Coach

From my own experience and observation, I believe kicking with proper technique does help when trying to catch waves, and I have my own hypotheses why. But until we see dedicated studies in real wave-catching conditions, we can’t say it’s scientifically proven for wave catching.

For short bursts of speed, repositioning, and competing in paddle battles, kicking with proper technique is clearly going to help.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking to paddle faster, gain position, or improve your chances in a paddle battle, adding proper kicking could be a game-changer. At the very least, it’s a tool worth having in your surfing toolkit.

Want to learn more? Get 3 free paddling videos and check out my Level 1 Surfing Paddling Technique Book at SurfingPaddling.com .