May 04, 2026

The Key to Turning Midlengths w/ Taylor Jensen

44 minutes

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Taylor Jensen (@taylorjensentj) is a four-time World Longboard Champion who is equally comfortable noseriding as he is throwing down powerful carves. He also collaborates with Firewire Surfboards, making longboards, and more recently, alternative twinzer models. In this episode, we get into what makes a good turn on a longer board, why elite athletes never stop training fundamentals, and how land training can benefit your surfing in ways that surfing alone cannot. We discuss paddling, which Taylor considers one of the most important pillars of surfing, and why neglecting it can stifle your progression. He also gives a detailed breakdown of the twinzer model, why it sits in its own category between a twin and a quad, and what makes it such a fun setup coming off a longboard.

Chapters

01:23 Welcome & Intro to Taylor Jensen

02:05 The Secret to Throwing Buckets (Dad Bod & Big Feet)

02:49 Longboard Philosophy & Rail Surfing

04:28 Traditional vs. High Performance Longboarding

06:34 What Makes High Performance Longboarding Look Great

08:39 How to Carve on Longer Boards: Patience, Placement & Rails

11:03 Reading Waves on Mid-Lengths & Longboards

13:31 The Internal Battle: Switching Between Traditional & HP Longboarding

15:58 Training for World Titles: Physical & Mental Game

17:38 Drilling Fundamentals on Dry Land (Cross-Stepping & Footwork)

22:58 Why Paddle Power is Non-Negotiable

28:06 How Longboarding Changes the Way You Read Waves

32:42 The Twinzer Explained

37:27 Board Design Deep Dive: TJ Pro Mid vs. Twinzer Mid-Length

41:44 Closing Advice: Diversify Your Equipment & Surf with Intention

Subscribe for more interviews with pro surfers, coaches, shapers, and everyday surfers like Tom Carroll, Zeke Lau, Victor Bernardo, Matt Parker of Album Surf, Matt Meola, Ryan Lovelace, Eric Arakawa, Noel Salas of Surf n Show, Parker Coffin, Dane Gudauskas, Kassia Meador, Clayton of Ombe Surf, Dylan Lightfoot, Derek Dunfee, Magnum Martinez, and more!

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