Bodyboarding and Its Maneuvers

Gustavo Neira performing a Barrel - Ayelet Fuentes via Instagram

First, you should know that bodyboarding was born in the early 1970s, when Tom Morey created the first modern board known as the “Boogie Board.” Designed to be ridden lying down, this innovation allowed more people to enter the ocean in a more accessible and safer way.

Over the years, the sport began to expand rapidly across different beaches around the world. As a result, it has evolved by incorporating increasingly radical and technical maneuvers.

Essential Bodyboarding Moves

Today, this sport is characterized by its speed, the ability to ride barrels, and the execution of aerial maneuvers, making it one of the most dynamic board sports. Here’s what you need to know:

Roll: A classic maneuver where the rider rotates their body along with the board in the critical part of the wave and lands back on the face.

ARS (Air Roll Spin): Requires speed, timing, and control, as it combines a spin with a roll in the air.

360°: A full rotation performed on the wave, either on the face or inside the barrel.

Reverse: A turn performed in the opposite direction of the wave’s movement. This maneuver is often used to link others.

Barrel: One of the most sought-after moments in bodyboarding, where the goal is to ride inside the wave as it breaks.

Gustavo Neira performing an Air Forward - Jorge Flores Pizarro via Instagram

The Move Toward Aerials

With the evolution of the sport and the increasing level of riders, maneuvers gradually began to move into the air, taking advantage of the most critical sections of the wave to gain height and difficulty.

Among the most well-known are:

Air Forward: The rider projects forward off the wave, usually by hitting the critical section and using speed and momentum to launch and land back on the wave face or foam.

Air Reverse: A 180-degree rotation in the air. The rider takes off and rotates to land in the opposite direction before continuing the ride.

Invert Air: A signature bodyboarding maneuver where the rider launches vertically, rotates into an inverted (almost upside-down) position, and returns to the wave. It is considered one of the most technical and classic moves.

Gustavo Neira performing a Backflip - Grutero via Instagram

Backflip: One of the most spectacular maneuvers, using a powerful section of the wave to launch upward and complete a full backward rotation before landing back on the wave.

Finally, bodyboarding offers a wide variety of tricks that combine speed, technique, and creativity. From classic turns to radical aerials, this discipline continues to evolve and attract riders from around the world.