Surf Coaching Retreats vs ISA Instructor Courses
When looking to improve your surfing skills or even turn your passion for surfing into a career, you’ll come across Surf Coaching Retreats and ISA Instructor Certification Courses. While both involve coaching, their focus and purpose are entirely different.
Many surfers also confuse ISA Level 1 and Level 2 Instructor Certifications with the general L1-L4 surfing ability levels which are separate systems entirely. This document clarifies the differences between these programs and helps you decide which path suits your goals.
Table of Contents
Surf Coaching Retreats: Progressing Your Surfing Skills
A surf coaching retreat is designed to improve your personal surfing ability. Its all about progressionwhether youre an intermediate surfer looking to refine your technique or an advanced surfer aiming to push into more challenging conditions.
Key Features of Surf Coaching Retreats
- Focus on individual surf progression – Technique refinement, wave selection, and maneuver improvement
- Video analysis and personalized feedback
- Suitable for intermediate to advanced surfers (often requiring L3 or L4)
- No certificationpurely for skill development
ISA Instructor Courses: Becoming a Certified Surf Instructor
An ISA (International Surfing Association) Instructor Course is not focused on improving your personal surfingits about learning how to teach others how to surf. If you want to turn your passion for surfing into a profession, this is the program you need.
ISA Level 1 vs. Level 2 Instructor Certification
- ISA Level 1 Instructor: Teaching beginners, focusing on safety and group management.
- ISA Level 2 Instructor: Coaching intermediate to advanced surfers with video analysis and surf-specification
L1-L4 Surfing Ability Levels vs. ISA Instructor Levels
Many people mistakenly think ISA Instructor Levels are related to general surfing ability levels. However, these are two completely separate rating systems.
Surfing Ability Levels (L1-L4)
- L1 (Beginner): Learning to catch whitewater waves
- L2 (Improver): Starting to catch unbroken waves
- L3 (Intermediate): Consistently riding unbroken waves and starting maneuvers
- L4 (Advanced): Confident in a variety of conditions, executing turns and critical maneuvers
What About the Mentawai?
Our ISA Surf Instructor Academy in the Mentawai is not a surf coaching retreatit is focused on preparing participants for ISA certification. However, due to the challenging conditions, we require a minimum surfing ability level of L3 to enroll.
Requirements for the Mentawai Academy
- Minimum L3 surfing level required.
- Focus is on becoming a surf instructor, not personal surfing progression.
- Goal is to obtain ISA Level 1 or Level 2 certification.
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Path
If your goal is to become a better surfer for yourself, a surf coaching retreat is ideal. If you want to start a career as a surf instructor, the ISA Instructor Course is the right choice. Make sure to understand the differences and choose the path that aligns with your goals.
