Aljezur Intermediate

Our surf coaching retreat for surfers with intermediate level. Surf coaching & video analysis & surf skating with Vasco Rodrigues; mental training with Kim Chareonbood.

When?

April 2025, exact dates to follow

We at Fearless Surfer and Concrete Surfers specialize in creating a power combo of surf technique coaching, surf skating and mental training. We at Fearless Surfer and Concrete Surfers specialize in creating a power combo of surf technique coaching, surf skating and mental training. And what you feel in our body, in turn, affects your thoughts!

In this intensive surf coaching week you will practice a specific maneuver that you want to improve or learn (bottom turn, top turn, cutback, snap, speed generating, etc.). You will also practice to better use the potential of the wave. Mentally, it’s about sharpening your focus and preparing yourself mentally for more challenging waves. We will of course also dive into topics such as fear, courage and self-confidence.

And last but not least: we spend a lot of time in and out of the water to implement and practice what we have learned! Watch the video to see a typical day at our retreat.

It’s all about where the minds at! – Kelly Slater

The training - your key to more waves!

What you train is what you get! As you may have heard: “What you train for will show in your surfing performance.” That’s why it’s so important to train with a coach. Your coach will help you learn the RIGHT technique – whether it’s a movement or a thought pattern. Whether it’s a movement or a thought pattern, your coach can help you make real progress. We believe that this is what is often missing in classic surf camps. In our retreat you get: focused, professional and efficient surf coaching and mental training. Surf, train, REPEAT!

Surfing goals:
Practice maneuvers and work intensively on your surfing technique, improve positioning and wave selection, use wave potential better

Mental goals:
Crystal clear focus, mental strategy, courage to make bigger waves, flow, individual topics.

Problems:
You’re doing pretty well, but you’re not really improving. You are not using the potential of the wave properly and your turns could have more power. It’s time to learn something new.

Online-preparation from home

To make sure you are as fit as possible for the surf coaching week, the retreat starts a month before, so to speak: 1 x a week live online workout with Vasco Rodrigues; surfskate videos with the basic maneuvers; 1 x a personal online mental coaching with Kim Chareonbood and online mental videos with the basic techniques.

Surf Coaching & Analysis, Surf Skating

On the surf skate, you will fine-tune your surfing technique. What doesn’t work on land won’t work in the water. Dive deep into the details of movement – it’s often the small changes that have a big effect! And of course, we go SURFING daily and discuss your performance and what to improve in the following video analysis. Video analysis is a game changer for sure!

A guide to becoming a confident surfer

Overcome fear, build confidence and gain courage. Learn how to stay composed and create your own ideal mental warm-up. Practice surf specific breath work. In the group and in personal 1:1 coachings, you will get to know the power of your thoughts. With lots of practical exercises in the water and on land.

Your surf level intermediate:

You surf a shortboard with little or a lot of volume or a mid-length. You can duckdive or do the turtle roll. You also manage to get into the line-up in more challenging conditions and you are ok with up to head-high waves. You mainly want to improve your take-off, because you still wipe-out a lot, especially when the waves get bigger and steeper. Regarding maneuvers, you want to improve bottom and top turn and maybe already learn the cutback. You want to improve your wave selection and positioning. Mentally, you want to work on staying focused, getting into your flow more easily and making the right decisions in challenging situations. Another topic will be overcoming fear and building confidence, especially regarding bigger waves or crowded line-ups. In any case, we coach you on your individual surf- and mental goals.

You don’t need any experience for the surfskate.

Prices & Services

Your Challenges

You feel uneasy with powerful bigger waves because you know the wipe-out and hold down could be rough.

You feel like you’re stuck at a certain level and not getting anywhere.

You feel like you lack confidence and courage sometimes.

You are very self-critical and quickly frustrated.

You had a bad experience once and fear is blocking you now.

Your Challenges

You feel uneasy with powerful bigger waves because you know the wipe-out and hold down could be rough.

You feel like you’re stuck at a certain level and not getting anywhere.

You feel like you lack confidence and courage sometimes.

You are very self-critical and quickly frustrated.

You had a bad experience once and fear is blocking you now.

Surfer girl on a wave in the tropics and it's about surfing without fear

What you want to achieve

You want to be able to maintain razor-sharp focus and stay composed in bigger and more challenging wave conditions, overcome your fear, and know how to use your breath better (for example, if you’re stuck in the impact zone).

You want to use the potential of the wave better and draw more powerful turns.

Refining your surfing technique has been on your list for a long time. It’s the details that make the big difference.

You finally want to make a big leap forward! And you know: For that, you need really focused training.

Fear starts in your mind. Courage as well!

The Location

You will stay in one of the comfortably furnished single rooms with a private bathroom and balcony in the beautifully located Utopia Guesthouse in Aljezur.

There will be a large outdoor pool and a garden that offers plenty of space to relax, chill out and use for our training. Additionally, you can book massage and yoga classes.

Have a healthy breakfast every morning.

Different surf spots like Arrifana, Monte Clérigo and Amoreira are only a short drive away.

The Location

You will stay in one of the comfortably furnished single rooms with a private bathroom and balcony in the beautifully located Utopia Guesthouse in Aljezur.

There will be a large outdoor pool and a garden that offers plenty of space to relax, chill out and use for our training. Additionally, you can book massage and yoga classes.

Have a healthy breakfast every morning.

Different surf spots like Arrifana, Monte Clérigo and Amoreira are only a short drive away.

Price & Services

When?
April 2025, exact dates to follow

EUR 1690 per person for 9 days / 8 nights in a single room, including the 4-week online preparation

If you come with a friend, you can share a room together if you want. Price reduction for a double room: EUR 115 per person

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

Accommodation (single room with bathroom and balcony or twin room if you share with your friend)
Breakfast
6 x surf coaching incl. video analysis
6 x mental sessions
Surfskate (if the weather is dry), otherwise technique training & breathwork in the pool
2 x dinner
4-week online surf preparation (online workouts are live, with the possibility to watch them afterward; basic mental training as videos; personal 1:1 mental coaching via Zoom or Skype; surf skate videos).

WHAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF FOR YOURSELF:

flights and airport transfer (flight to Lisbon or Faro, transfer to Aljezur; airport transfers can be arranged at extra cost).
Board and wetsuit (if you don’t bring your own material: board can be rented, EUR 15-18 per day, wetsuit can be provided for free)
Lunch, dinner (except for the welcome & farewell dinner)
Insurances (illness, accident, travel insurance)

COVID / Pandemics:

Full refund if Portugal closes the borders, introduces quarantine on entry or imposes other rules that make the retreat impossible.
On your own responsibility: flight bookings and covid regulations / pandemic regulations issued by your country of origin. We cannot accept any liability here. We cannot accept any liability here.

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Your Mental Trainer

Kim is half Swiss half Thai and grew up in Switzerland. Her big passions are exploring the secrets of the mind, surfing and traveling. After working as a life coach, sports mental trainer & hypnotherapist for over 7 years in her own practice in Zurich, she decided in 2018 to focus on the mental challenges of surfers. Ever since, she has coached surfers worldwide to overcome fear, build up self-confidence in the line-up and have more fun in the waves!

Credentials: Over 6 years of hypno-coaching and sports mental training in my own practice in Zurich; Hypnosis certificate NGH with Gabriel Palacios, Bern; Diploma course sport mental coaching from Sport Mental Academy in Zurich; Certificate course Integral Coach ECA at Living Sense in Zurich

Your Mental Trainer

Kim is half Swiss half Thai and grew up in Switzerland. Her big passions are exploring the secrets of the mind, surfing and traveling. After working as a life coach, sports mental trainer & hypnotherapist for over 7 years in her own practice in Zurich, she decided in 2018 to focus on the mental challenges of surfers. Ever since, she has coached surfers worldwide to overcome fear, build up self-confidence in the line-up and have more fun in the waves!

Credentials: Over 6 years of hypno-coaching and sports mental training in my own practice in Zurich; Hypnosis certificate NGH with Gabriel Palacios, Bern; Diploma course sport mental coaching from Sport Mental Academy in Zurich; Certificate course Integral Coach ECA at Living Sense in Zurich

Your Mental Trainer

Kim is half Swiss half Thai and grew up in Switzerland. Her big passions are exploring the secrets of the mind, surfing and traveling. After working as a life coach, sports mental trainer & hypnotherapist for over 7 years in her own practice in Zurich, she decided in 2018 to focus on the mental challenges of surfers. Ever since, she has coached surfers worldwide to overcome fear, build up self-confidence in the line-up and have more fun in the waves!

I have over six years of coaching, hypnosis and sports mental training with my own practice in Zurich.
Hypnosis certificate NGH with Gabriel Palacios, Bern
Diploma course Sportmentalcoach with Roger Erni at the Sportmental Academy in Zurich
Certificate course Integral Coach ECA (life coaching) at Living Sense in Zurich

Your Surf Coach

Vasco is Portuguese and grew up by the sea. He is an experienced surf- & surfskate coach, and a personal trainer who has coached, among others, the Portuguese longboard champion Kat Barrigão. Check out his impressive credentials.

Certified Surf Coach Level I – FPS
Surfskate Coach Level II – FPP
Bachelor Sports Science
Master Degree High Performance Training – FMH
Master Trainer Carver Skateboards
Master Trainer Surfset Fitness
Strength & Conditioning Coach

Your Surf Coach

Vasco is Portuguese and grew up by the sea. He is an experienced surf- & surfskate coach, personal trainer and has coached, among others, the Portuguese longboard champion Kat Barrigão.

Certified Surf Coach Level I – FPS
Surfskate Coach Level II – FPP
Bachelor Sports Science
Master Degree High Performance Training – FMH
Master Trainer Carver Skateboards
Master Trainer Surfset Fitness
Strength & Conditioning Coach

Women only Retreat from September ’21 in Aljezur. It was great! Check out a recap here.

Women only retreat from June ’21 in Aljezur with a really cool group of like-minded people!

Our first surf training retreat in Peniche in 2019.

Testimonials:

We find it most beautiful when we hear about our participants‘ progress after a coaching session or joining one of our retreats. Bright eyes, the excitement in their voice, the joy of getting better. Read for yourself what others have experienced:

I attended the Intermediate Surf Retreat in Aljezur from 15th to 23rd April 2023.
It was my first time ever that I really delved deep into the technical and mental part of surfing, and I must say, it couldn’t have been better.
Everything I had hoped for and expected was not only met but surpassed.

My primary challenge was managing my ambition and approaching surfing with a lighter attitude, allowing me to address my fear of steeper waves. The entire setup, Kim’s and the coaches’ relaxed approach, mental preparation, video analysis, and surfskate training, all contributed significantly. I’m truly delighted to have discovered and booked this retreat.

The accommodation was also delightful. I found the rooms wonderful, and the overall atmosphere was very suitable for the occasion. My only suggestion here is that the breakfast selection could be a bit larger and more varied.

I wholeheartedly recommend the Fearless Surfer Retreat to anyone looking to progress in surfing.

Nadine, Surftrainings-Retreat Aljezur April 2023 (Level: Intermediate)

Yoga teacher, Coach

I started surfing in 2018 and although I’ve always been a water lover and extremely good swimmer, I’ve noticed that I have a great fear of currents and drowning when surfing. I also always put myself under a lot of pressure to perform in sports, which regularly led to mental blocks in the line-up. And then, of course, it was also about improving certain technical things, such as paddling into waves, correct take-off timing and becoming more confident in the line-up. I felt very comfortable at the retreat. The group was perfect with 8 participants, so it was easy to open up and share fears and challenges with the other women.

In addition, Kim has a very emphatic and gentle yet challenging way as a person, which has helped me to trust myself more and to approach surfing more intuitively. The coaching from Kim and Vasco and the week in the retreat have enabled me to analyze every spot I have been to since then correctly and to assess on my own whether I can go into the water. After that, I finally dared to go surfing all by myself and paddle into waves despite a high male quota in the line-up. And feel that I earn that place in the line-up. After almost 3 years of surfing, the reward came: A beautiful green wave for me and my longboard all alone in Witsands (South Africa).

Lisa, Surftraining Retreat Aljezur September 2021 (Level: experienced beginner)

Psychologist and yoga teacher, Founder of Circle Transitions

I was totally blown away from this retreat. The whole setting was so great, professional but really familiar as well. The daily Video analysis helped me to see what I have to change in the water. And on top of it learning the movements on the surfskate first and than try to make the transfer in the water really helped me to improve in just one week. The mental training put me in the right mindset and I learned more about me in general. Also I now know how I want to feel in the line up and how I can accomplish this with my mental warm up. This week gave me a lot of tools with which I can keep on working now and improve even more in the future.
I wished the week would never end. 😁

Nicole, Surftraining Retreat Aljezur Juni 2021 (Level: intermediate)

I have been surfing for quite some time. In recent years, unfortunately, only occasionally and so my level has stagnated… The joy of surfing has, therefore, extremely decreased and frustration was my constant companion in the line-up. In addition, I am very (generally) quickly distracted and have trouble focusing. On top, my duck dive was not always clean and the sequence needed to be corrected. After each “ridden” wave, I felt that my movements were too soft and not right – especially concerning the upper body (arms).

In a very short time, I changed my mindset into a positive one with the help of Kim. Since the intensive Duckdivetraining in the pool, I am happy when a big, powerful wave rolls towards me. The video analysis while surfing has brought me clarity regarding my mistakes. And I bought a surfskate to practice the movements in the “dry”.

Conclusion: This retreat is an insider tip in mental, athletic and social terms. Great! Merci <3

Roswitha, Surftraining Retreat Aljezur Juni 2021 (Level: intermediate)

I was nervous when I arrived in Aljezur, assuming that in the following next days, I’d be forced to face anxieties and fears. But hello, this super warm welcome, the friendly atmosphere within the group made me calm down so fast, that I didn’t even remember what I was scared of. In contrary I was warmly invited to face what hold me back, never pushed or forced to go beyond my borders. Kim, Vasco and Marta’s kindness and caring attitude made this retreat unique. I’m so grateful that I had the chance to meet this beautiful souls and yes, on top of everything I even did progress in Surfing and Skating. Thank you so much for this amazing time. With love, Betül

Betül, Surftrainings Retreat Aljezur Juni 2021 (Level: experienced beginner)

Your results:

You have the confidence to surf faster and steeper waves.

You remain calm even in challenging situations. If fear or anxiety creeps up, you can calm down and regain composure.

You feel much more comfortable in a crowded line-up and can catch your waves more confidently.

You can concentrate on what’s important and keep your focus, no matter what! You know that as soon as the waves get a little more challenging, that’s one of the most important skills to have.

You have a positive mindset, and you can identify which surf conditions offer you the best opportunities and possibilities.

Because you are more confident, you can also start exploring new surf spots.

And last, but not least — these techniques can also be used in your everyday life! That’s awesome, right? It’s not only about surfing, you are also learning how it applies in life! It’s not only about surfing, you are also learning for life!

Join us for our Surf Coaching Retreat – for more powerful turns, more waves and more fun!

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