The simple answer is yes! Having a basic set of swimming skills is important when you go into the water, even if you don’t attempt to do any water sports. Usually, if you don’t know how to swim, you also can’t paddle and surfing especially requires a lot of paddling. Without effective paddling it will be hard to keep the balance on the board, stand up or catch a wave. Also, should you fall off your board you need to be able to stay afloat, only then you will feel comfortable and safe. All our instructors at Four S are certified by the Portuguese Surfing Federation with the Lifeguard Course, so you don’t have to worry about anything when taking any of our lessons. Safety always comes first!

We want to make one thing very clear: there is NO age limit to surf and therefore also NO age limit to learn how to surf! We follow a simple motto: It is never too late to start with anything in life! Remember: there is a first time for everything and with enough time and determination you can learn how to surf some good waves and enjoy all the benefits that surfing offers even in later stages of your life.


There is no simple answer to that, as it really depends on every individual person, but let’s say that with a bit of balancing skills, it is quite easy to learn the basics of surfing. In fact, the learning curve with surfing is relatively smooth compared to other sports. Some people might find it harder and physically more exhausting than others, but some will tell you that they picked up quite fast. Of course, being used to the water, doing other sports activities, and having an overall good level of fitness helps, but like anything in life, surfing takes practice. So don’t get discouraged and give up on the first lesson. We at Four S always adapt every lesson individually to you, therefore you must only want it and be willing to try it out!