How to do a Cutback with Taylor Knox

Want to learn how to surf better? Learn from the world's best through Surfline's Pro Tips, a complete how-to series created to improve your surfing skills. In this episode, we go over cutbacks with Taylor Knox.
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Transcription:
Hi your’e watching Surfline Trick Tips with me, Taylor Knox, and we're going to talk about doing some cutbacks. Well basically there's two types of cutbacks, theirs a frontside one and a backside ones and within that there's about a hundred different varieties you could possibly do, but we're going to just talk about a couple today. First being the front side one and I think most people who surf, they can relate to that turn, most people can do it. I'm just gonna talk about how I approach it.
When I go into a cutback I like to get a good, deep bottom turn and come off the bottom really heavy on the back foot and then as you're coming up the face you kind of shift your weight a little bit more equally to the front and turn your hips and arms to go with your body. I think it always helps to have your head follow your body as well. I do move my back foot a little bit sometimes going down the line and I’ll do a nice high line and I'll have my foot kind of up here and then, as I’m shifting down towards the bottom, I’ll move it back maybe one or two inches like right in between the fins is where I really like to have my foot. Then you can just really like to push into that and the board should want to skirt up the wave pretty quick.
Then as you get to the crest of the wave, you're going to want to put your you're board right on the edge of it and that's where you’re going to get the most speed you're going to want to drive your board around like this. And you're gonna want to use that bottom curve of the wave want to get all the way to the bottom so it kind of wraps around in a perfect, nice circle.
I think normally backside bottom turns are a little stronger and easier to kind of get low on. So when you go into backside you're actually low in the bottom turn and then you extend as you come up backside. You kind of guide your board up into the spot and then you can really push hard on your back foot but you're also extending your body a little bit more vertically and you your body is uncompressing, not decompressing.
One really good tip that I learned watching videos of Tom Curren was he was always really centered over his board and he didn't let his limbs fly off to the back cause that always slows him down. He was always so centered and technically perfect, I mean it's unreal. When a guy does it right, its shocking how much force and how beautiful it can look, it's pretty cool.
-Taylor Knox

[@muttonbuster]

I was always taught that the first thing you do to initiate a turn is look where you want to go, and the body will follow more naturally. In other words if you're cutting back going frontside, look over your shoulder to the pocket and your shoulders and the rest of your body will automatically follow. For some reason it makes setting the rail more automatic.

[@coolbeans4399]

Touch water too 👌

[@countryroadstakemehome]

Kooking the cutback lately, Knox explains it very well..

[@bwoodz22]

the man, the myth, the legend, Taylor Knox!!!

[@andreisidro]

Pretty much my favority trick in surfing even though is one of the easiest to learn.

[@Pukkpukkpukk]

Super helpful, always been a huge fan. Im going to try getting further back on my boards transition more weight to my back foot. Im right handed but surf goofy and tend to go heavier on my right leading foot. Maybe I should try switch.

[@sproutz101]

yeah i freaken always catch a rail on the fronside as im turning back around, slows me down

[@oliverneill2561]

sproutz101 BRO SAME! It’s so annoying

[@3108711289]

backside easy..frontside haaaard!!!!

[@alexeshoo655]

Who still here 10 years later

[@IAmRickMagic]

i am!

[@zoewilliams9917]

12 here

[@heenalusurf2500]

make it 13

[@skate_lorax5694]

15

[@williamrowntree-bailly1579]

16

[@sk863cuz]

you know this video is old when theres a myspace link at the end haha

[@kamula992]

Haha

[@khizarabid8414]

+Jade S Cheers for this, I have been researching "how to surf for beginners video" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Have you heard people talk about - Feyvid Surfers Semitist - (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some interesting things about it and my work buddy got excellent results with it.

[@birdsoup777]

To this day Taylor Knox is my favorite Surfer.

[@KX5Kat]

@thedaddymongo I agree, especially about looking away before you rebound or smack off the foam (looking away makes it easier to keep your line and it looks really stylish). Also, try and rebound or smack as high as the wave lets you. There's heaps more to know, I mean a roundhouse thats done on a 5 foot wall can't be turn on a 2 foot wave in vice versa. Ask your mates to watch or film yourself to learn all the dynamics. Learning everything about a cutback can't be done in a 3min video.

[@mayavictoriakarl7794]

Never can get the frontside to look as good as the backside, and still need work on the backside.

[@WEIAST]

i won one of taylors used boards at the us open a few years back

[@marki4920]

12 yrs later, still taking tips! Best vid on cut backs around.

[@joshpampa4395]

I love you Taylor Knox! I has a Santa Barbara Channel Islands alsoooooooo!!! Yew

[@kylewattssurfing3266]

Awesomeness yeeeaaahhh!!!!!!!

[@serahjohn04649]

Watching at 2020 🙂

[@matty2361]

very helpful cheer's

[@bryantotten9132]

Muttonbuster well described.That is summed up then!

[@MadMax31577]

Cool dude-awesome surfer

[@aaronkeogh]

I made a 7'2 flying carpet and I'm wondering, HOW THE FUCK AM I GOING TO DO SOME SICK CUT BACKS LIKE THAT MAN!

[@TheSurfreakDK]

mee to

[@wave1rider65]

Great tips! Make sure you have a strong core or you'll be flailing all over yourself.

[@xblade6500]

lol this guy make me think he's blitzed when he's talking at 1:55

[@bacura101]

@muttonbuster it is exactly like that.

[@kilvil11]

and, what is then the round house?

[@haydenisbrad_5441]

Fwark here we are 2021

[@youlosez]

chee hee! my braddah

[@paulhetherington3854]

I grew up, with Taylor! And the badness here is, you used a, mask! No Knox, in your crap! You hacked- Rusty, Gul, Al Merric!

[@thedaddymongo]

Being a ISA Level 2 coach, he misses a fair few simple tips...I teach ppl to first identify a flat section approaching and drive out onto the face,.Turning your head to look where you are going, form a compressed T with your arms following your head towards the foam....HOLD that position till you want to turn back, and snap your gaze back down the line. For roundhouse cutbacks, lift your arms to throw the board up towards the foam to create a high rebound - but look away before you hit the foam.

[@countryroadstakemehome]

Andrew Swinton I'll take Taylor's advice over yours.. He explained it perfectly

[@Yewpyewpyewp]

Who is still hear 15 years later

[@joecraackers]

i have a surf board and its cool haha lol roflcopter

[@amucas]

Stickers cause drag makin you slower i thought anybody would know that......

[@matt98787]

6 people went over the falls

[@jehkjshrfk]

nah cut backs are fun as shit

[@rafael182df]

zé doidin çô mais eu xD

[@MutilateYOU]

In alot of these videos i kinda noticed how the surfers stumble when they talk sometimes. To me, this proves surfing is undescribable :3 lol...

[@SlickRick4EVER]

"Undescribable" or not literate enough?

[@ryanmoore2779]

Indescribable

[@ryanmoore2779]

@@SlickRick4EVER 🤣

[@onyxho]

hmmmmmmmm

[@Kawaii522]

6 people cant even surf.

[@tigerlily1221]

6 float wallers, accessory men. Get off the couch.

[@carnasaurrps]

kook

[@joenotkickass]

u kno im right

[@InservioLetum]

Unbalanced audio.