Look for the open face
Read the peak, breaking point and open direction before the take-off. Prepare your gaze and body for an angled entry.
SURFPLUS / G4
Frontside and backside angled riding
Go beyond straight.
Ride both directions.
THE CAPABILITY TO BUILD
Enter and hold a controlled line along the wave face on both your frontside and backside.
YOUR STARTING POINT
Surfers with G3 or equivalent ability who can catch unbroken waves independently and are beginning to enter a line. The team should confirm your current ability and a suitable wave window.
01 / THE SKILLS
Build it one part at a time.
Use gaze and body direction
Work on frontside and backside lines separately. Connect your gaze, shoulders and board direction while leaving room for others.
Stay where the wave has energy
Explore higher and lower positions on the face, maintain speed and finish with a controlled exit. Review the line rather than just the stand-up.
02 / LESSONS & LEARNING UNITS
See the work behind each stage.
Open a lesson to explore each skill and its purpose. Lesson codes describe the curriculum, not a number of days or a fixed booking package. Your starting ability and the conditions shape the plan.
G4-1Understanding the wave faceLesson content
- Understanding the wave face
- Recognise the open face and the area available for continuing the ride.
- Reading wave direction
- Read the open and breaking directions to choose an available line.
- Looking down the line before take-off
- Prepare your gaze and body before taking off instead of waiting until you are standing to find a direction.
- Angled take-off
- Connect the take-off direction with the open face.
- From straight rides to the wave face
- Develop a line along the open face rather than continuing straight towards shore.
G4-2Frontside angled ridingLesson content
- Frontside angled riding
- Build a controlled line with the front of your body facing the wave.
- Looking along the wave face
- Look towards the part of the face where you intend to continue riding.
- Opening the shoulders
- Align your shoulders with the intended line to help guide the board.
- Angling the board along the face
- Maintain an angled line along the face instead of reverting to a straight ride.
- Safe spacing on frontside rides
- Watch other surfers and maintain safe spacing on a frontside line.
G4-3Backside angled ridingLesson content
- Backside angled riding
- Build a controlled line with your back towards the wave.
- Looking back at the wave face
- Look back along the face during a backside ride instead of only looking towards shore.
- Leading with the front shoulder
- Use the direction of the front shoulder to connect your gaze, body and board line.
- Backside angled take-off
- Connect a backside take-off with entry onto the open face.
- Backside line control
- Maintain the backside line and notice when the board drifts away from the open face.
G4-4Higher and lower positions on the faceLesson content
- Higher and lower positions on the face
- Explore how different positions on the face affect speed and line.
- Holding a mid-face line
- Practise holding a usable line through the middle of the face in suitable waves.
- Maintaining speed
- Reduce unnecessary loss of speed and keep the ride connected between movements.
- Staying ahead of the whitewater
- Use position and speed awareness to avoid being caught by the breaking whitewater.
- Controlled exit from a wave
- Choose a controlled, safe exit when the line ends instead of finishing out of control.
G4-5Combining frontside and backside ridingLesson content
- Combining frontside and backside riding
- Develop each side separately, then choose the appropriate line for the wave direction.
- Choosing wave direction independently
- Read the open direction independently and choose a line suited to your ability.
- Surf priority rules
- Apply priority decisions when choosing a wave and following a line.
- G4 assessment
- Assess independent frontside and backside performance separately; one side does not replace both.
- Video review
- Use available footage to review gaze, shoulders, board direction and line; confirm whether recording is included.
G4-practice2Confirmed learning-unit linksLearning units
These are the learning units confirmed for this lesson. This list does not establish the total number of lessons in the stage.
- Turning into an angled ride after take-off
- After standing, guide the board towards the open face and connect into an angled line.
02 / A TRAINING RHYTHM
Prepare. Practise. Review.
This sequence illustrates how the skills can connect. It is not a fixed timetable or a promise to pass within a set number of days. Session count, duration, location and teaching language must be confirmed with the Kuta team.
- 01
Diagnose current line entry and practise reading the open direction.
- 02
Work on frontside and backside lines with targeted feedback.
- 03
Combine wave choice, face position, speed maintenance and safe exits.
04 / ASSESSMENT REFERENCE
G4 assessment: what each band means.
Published SURFPLUS criteria, presented as a learning reference. A coach assesses independent performance in valid conditions using video evidence. This page does not assess you or create a learner record. Confirm local assessment arrangements before booking.
Assessment wave condition
Wave height > 0.5 m
Minimum pass | Both frontside and backside
- Independently complete a standard angled ride on both frontside and backside
- Submit one valid angled-ride video for each side
- The angle between the board’s travel direction and the open direction of the wave face is less than 45 degrees
- Each side lasts more than 3 seconds with no evident safety risk
Both sides achieved; line control still developing
- Demonstrate angled riding on both frontside and backside
- Independently ride at an angle for more than 3 seconds on each side
- No evident safety risk throughout the attempt
Consistent performance
- Read whether the wave opens left or right
- Actively enter the wave face or trim line after take-off
- Ride consistently at an angle for more than 5 seconds on both frontside and backside
- Gaze, shoulders and body clearly point along the intended line
Passing an assessment, recording a level, and applying for or receiving a certificate are separate states. Wave height describes assessment conditions; the coach still decides whether the situation is safe and valid.
If a skill is not yet consistent, discuss the specific gap, targeted practice and review with the team. Confirm any further-session or equipment fees separately.
04 / BEFORE YOU BOOK
A clear plan starts
with a conversation.
Equipment and preparation
Ask the team to confirm a suitable board and leash, clothing for the conditions and sun protection. Confirm what is supplied, any rental cost, sizing and what you should bring.
Tell us about your starting point
Share your previous experience, confidence in the water, preferred dates, group size and teaching language. A recent surfing clip can help the team understand your starting point if you choose to share one.
Price, dates and inclusions
Current Kuta prices are confirmed by enquiry. Ask about currency, sessions and duration, equipment, recording, accommodation, transport, insurance, cancellation terms and any follow-up training charges. No booking or payment is taken on this page.
Suitable conditions come first
The on-site team decides whether conditions and the training area are suitable for your ability. Do not use a website level label as permission to enter unfamiliar conditions.
05 / QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING
Know what you are
signing up for.
Is this a surf instructor qualification?
This page describes a surfing ability stage: frontside and backside angled riding. It does not offer instructor qualification, certificate issuance or eligibility for an external programme.
Can I skip a level?
Discuss equivalent experience with the team. A label from a previous course is useful context, but the next plan should follow your current observed ability.
Are certification and repeat lessons included?
Do not assume they are included. Confirm any assessment, certificate, validity period, repeat-session fee and participating location before booking. Completing a course and being certified are separate matters.
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