The soul arch is a classic
longboard surfing
Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...
maneuver, performed by arching the back while riding a
wave
In physics, mathematics, engineering, and related fields, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance (change from List of types of equilibrium, equilibrium) of one or more quantities. ''Periodic waves'' oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium ...
, demonstrating nonchalance and casual confidence.
Origins
As the first surfboards were extremely large, heavy, and unwieldy by today's standards, the soul arch may have been one of the earliest tricks available to riders to demonstrate their style. The 18th century
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
an 'wave sliders' seen by
Captain Cook
Captain James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer famous for his three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, conducted between 1768 and 1779. He complet ...
's crew performing "dangerous maneuvers" with great "boldness and address" would have ridden hardwood planks with no directional
fin
A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. F ...
or
skeg
A skeg (or skegg or skag) is a sternward extension of the keel of boats and ships which have a rudder mounted on the centre line. The term also applies to the lowest point on an outboard motor or the outdrive of an inboard/outboard."A small fin f ...
to aid steering.
Development
As longboard design progressed, lighter
balsa wood
''Ochroma pyramidale'', commonly known as balsa, is a large, fast-growing tree native to the Americas. It is the sole member of the genus ''Ochroma'', and is classified in the subfamily Bombacoideae of the mallow family Malvaceae. The tree is f ...
and
glass fiber
Glass fiber ( or glass fibre) is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.
Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the inventio ...
boards with skegs allowed greater freedom of movement, while allowing better riders to adopt more exaggerated stances. Arms raised in the air, with the hands clasped behind the head, signified control and balance; this became a common position. Combined with the difficult Hang Five and
Hang Ten
"hang ten" is a nickname for any of several maneuvers used in sports, especially surfing, wherein all ten toes or fingers are used to accomplish the maneuver.
* surfing: the surfer stands and hangs all their toes over the nose of the board. Us ...
moves, when a rider positions at the front (or nose) of a board, a soul arch becomes a significantly more difficult trick, requiring a considerable level of skill and balance.
See also
*
Glossary of surfing
This glossary of surfing includes some of the extensive vocabulary used to describe various aspects of the sport of surfing as described in literature on the subject. In some cases terms have spread to a wider cultural use. These terms were origi ...
References
External links
*
* {{Cite web , title=soul arch , url=https://eos.surf/entries/soul-arch
Surfing terminology