What is the pocket—and why you should surf in it

I love pockets. No woman wearing a dress with pockets will fail to mention that it has pockets upon receiving a compliment on said dress. “I love your dress.” “It has pockets.”

But what is the pocket in surfing?

🎷 From jazz to surf: Origins of “The Pocket”

In jazz and funk music, “in the pocket” means being perfectly in time with the groove—not ahead, not behind, just riding the beat with smooth precision. That idea of flow, rhythm, and timing directly translates to surfing. When a surfer is in the pocket, they’re in sync with the wave’s energy.

It’s highly likely that early surf culture—especially in the 1950s and ’60s when jazz, beatnik, and counterculture slang was everywhere—borrowed the term from music to describe that ideal positioning and feel.

Or perhaps, it’s as simple as surfers seeing that natural “pocket” in the wave, that curved hollow near the breaking part. We will never know for sure.

🌊 What Is the pocket in surfing?

“The pocket” is one of those phrases in surfing that gets tossed around a lot, but for beginner surfers like us, it’s not always explained clearly.

In surfing, “the pocket” is the part of the wave closest to where it’s breaking—right near the steep, curling section that’s pushing forward with the most energy.

I do not like this analogy, but I couldn’t find a better one—it’s basically the wave’s engine room. Stay close to it, and the wave does the work for you. Drift too far ahead or too far behind, and you’re either outrunning the wave or left in the whitewash.

It’s the sweet spot.
See, that’s a better analogy.

🧍 Why Beginners Miss the Pocket

We beginner surfers often ride too far in front of the wave because we’re just so damn excited to stand up and stay up (which is understandable!). But that also means we’re usually missing the best part of the wave—the fun, fast part of it.

🌀 How to Know If You’re in the Pocket

How do you know you’re in the pocket? You will feel the wave lifting and pushing right behind you.

It’s even easier to know when you’re NOT in the pocket—your board feels sluggish and the wave is peeling waaaay behind you.

🧭 How to Stay in the Pocket

And here’s how to stay in it:

• Look back over your shoulder while riding—get used to checking where the wave is breaking
• Angle your takeoff slightly toward the open face instead of straight to the beach
• You can also watch videos of longboarders—they’re often pros at hanging near the pocket for style and control