Getting to the very beginning of a wave allows you to surf the wave to it’s maximum potential and furthest length.  A duck dive is one of the most useful surfing tools you can learn, so that you can maximize a wave. The duck dive is used to get under waves. It is used to get out past the breaking waves so you can get to the start of a wave you might surf.  The duck dive consists of pushing your surfboard under the water, then following it under with your body.  The surfer below is using this technique so that he is not grabbed by the breaking water and pulled backwards and thrown off his board.

The best way to do this is to push your board as deep under water as you can with your hands in the middle section of the board on the rails and your stronger foot pushing on the tail.   After pushing the nose under water thrust your weaker foot into the air while holding your stronger foot on the tail.  This will help push the board deep under water and help redirect your nose upward, and through the back of the wave.  You must point the nose of your board slightly upward once it has reached its complete descent, so you are carried through, and out of the back of the wave.  The further under water you push your board the less likely you will be grabbed by the breaking wave and the more likely you will shoot forward with the surge from the under water energy.

This is slightly more difficult for longboards.  Any boards seven feet or longer are nearly impossible to duck dive.  The way to get these boards through waves is by going turtle.  Turtle is when you flip a longboard upside down.   This help you punch through waves, but it is difficult on larger waves.  It is always useful to find the channel and paddle out through it (see the article on channels).