Bodyboarding is similar to surfing in that the bodyboarder uses a board to ride on top of the water. The bodyboard is wider, shorter and more rectangular in shape than a pointed, tapered surfboard. A bodyboarder uses swim fins for added propulsion. Like surfing, bodyboarding originated in Hawaii and the boards are called paipo. Almost anyone who loves the water can learn this sport.
Choosing School
Look for a school that is near the water where there are gentle waves, as you would if learning to surf. Check the school and their curriculum. See if instructional videos are included in the lessons. You should check the credentials of the instructors and the school facilities.
Fees and Duration
Before getting committed to enroll in a surfing school, investigate other schools in the area for their rates as well as their curriculum. Compare the facilities, the modes of instruction and the duration of the lessons. Some schools will wait to complete a required number of students before they will conduct the lessons, while others will have scheduled lessons no matter how many students there are.
Board Size
Bodyboarding has an easier and faster learning curve than surfing. Part of the lessons on bodyboarding cover chosing the right board for your height and weight. As a general rule the length of the board should come up to your belly button. You should be able to carry the bodyboard on its side under your arm, close to your armpit and your hand cupped over the side.
When you are a beginner the shape of the tail or the bottom portion of the bodyboard does not matter. However, it will be better if you get one with bat tails if you will be riding the bodyboard in the prone position. The crescent shape tails are better suited for bodyboarders who ride in the drop-knee position.
Equipment
Aside from the bodyboard, you need a wetsuit, a pair of swim fins, a foot or arm leash and board wax. The rest will be your enthusiasm and your desire to learn. A wetsuit will provide insulation for your body to protect you from the cold wind and water. The swim fins are used as a propulsion device. And the board wax is applied on the board to protect its coated surface.
Curriculum
The curriculum for bodyboard lessons should include the history of the sport, how to read the waves, how to identify safe and dangerous spots while in the water and how reefs determine the breaking of waves, the strength of the current and the dangers posed by reefs. Modern teaching methods should teach how to read wave forecasts on the Internet, read wave and wind direction and check the tides. There should also be lesson on safety in and out of the water. You should learn the techniques in paddling and the right body posture when you paddle aboard the bodyboard and how to ride the waves, using either the prone position or the knee-drop position.
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