If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to catch a perfect wave at J Bay or get barreled in the Mentawais and see it exactly from the perspective of the surfer and know all the things that were going through @dylanlightfoot’s mind from a technique perspective than you need to check out this podcast. We break down several of his waves in detail that he caught using a special camera rig developed with @chrisrogers using @gopro cameras. Our conversation ranged from assessing the right maneuver, bottom turn technique, backfoot positioning for turns vs barrels, where to place your turn on the wave, managing speed, board selection for points vs small beachbreaks, what an advances surfer focuses on, gamechangers on your backhand, and all the fine points of barrel riding technique.

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Excitement for J Bay

02:00 The Perfect Wave at J Bay

03:10 Analyzing GoPro Footage

04:22 Techniques for Bottom Turns

05:22 Weight Distribution and Foot Placement

06:44 Decision-Making Process for Maneuvers

08:28 Snap and Timing

09:54 Enjoying the Flow and Connection with the Wave

11:02 Backhand Surfing and Adjustments

13:05 Managing Speed and Positioning on the Wave

14:09 Snap and Timing

15:24 Self-Critique and Improvement

17:44 Choosing the Right Board for J Bay

20:34 Focus on Flow and Execution

24:38 Transition from Perfect Waves to Small Beach Breaks

28:54 Adapting to Small Beach Breaks

31:54 Improving Backside Surfing

36:37 Competing at J Bay and Surfing Against Heroes

38:54 Dealing with Nervousness and Pressure

43:48 Surfing a Bomb Barrel

46:37 Reading the Wave and Adjusting Speed

50:57 Navigating the Chandelier Section

53:16 Commitment in Barrel Riding

54:15 Scoring a Left Barrel

56:12 Technique for Backhand Barrel Riding

57:41 Managing Speed on the Backhand

58:38 Advantages of Backhand Barrel Riding

59:09 The Appeal of Mentawai Islands

59:37 Closing Remarks

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