Surf coaching made for real progress.

Ericeira, Portugal

We don’t sell surf experiences.

At Sardinha Surf Coaching, we believe surfing is so much more than just being pushed into a wave.

We’re here to guide you every step of the way — until you feel confident to surf on your own.

Sardinha Surf Coaching team: Filipe, a highly experienced surf coach known for his unique training tools, and Lídia, fitness coach and manager, who adapts land training to each surfer’s needs.

How It All Started

I’m Lidia, co-founder of Sardinha Surf Coaching.
I always dreamed of surfing — but I had one big challenge: I couldn’t swim.

At 26, I decided to change that.
A year of swimming lessons later, I was ready to surf — and I moved to Ericeira.

But once I got there, I realized most surf schools were built for tourists or kids going pro.
I wasn’t looking for someone to give me a “surf experience,” push me into waves, or hand me an oversized foam board.

What I wanted was to learn deeper things about surfing — to go into the ocean by myself, to analyze a current, find the right channel, understand the area where waves break, and nail the timing for my take-off.

What I was looking for was the knowledge and foundation to become an independent surfer.

But what about adults who truly want to progress?

That’s when I met Filipe.
He was developing a structured method for adult surfers, and I became his first student.

In one month, everything changed.
By the end of the month, I was independent in the water—I knew where to surf, how to analyze the waves, and which spots were right for me.

That first month became the foundation of Sardinha Surf Coaching.

Lídia, Sardinha’s manager, showing her surfing progression from day one to after one month of training with head coach Filipe, as part of the intensive surf coaching methodology.
Lídia’s surf progression after one month of tailored training with Filipe, showcasing the results of Sardinha Surf Coaching’s high-performance program.

That’s how Sardinha Surf Coaching was born.

We created the 1-Month Intensive Surf Training Program, a structured and complete method that combines:

  • Surf sessions to refine your technique

  • Fitness & surf skate training to improve strength and balance

  • Video analysis for personalized corrections

  • Ocean theory & equipment knowledge to make you a confident, independent surfer

This is not just a surf course—it’s a transformation in how you approach surfing and the ocean.

“Our goal? To give you the tools for a lifetime of confident surfing..”

— Filipe

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Sardinha Surf Coaching student receiving beachside feedback before a surf session in Ericeira — part of our 1-month intensive surf coaching program.
One of our Sardinha Surf Coaching clients walking barefoot after a surf coaching session in Ericeira, Portugal — real progress, real conditions.
Private surf coaching session with Sardinha Surf Coaching — head coach Filipe guiding a client into the ocean, showing her the channel and the breaking zone.
Sardinha Surf Coaching student riding a wave during a private surf session in Ericeira — real-time application of coaching feedback.
Sardinha Surf Coaching head coach Filipe giving beachside guidance to a client — part of a tailored private surf coaching session.
Private surf session with Sardinha Surf Coaching — coach and student heading toward the break for personalized in-water training.
Theory session included in Sardinha Surf Coaching’s intensive surf programs — building surf knowledge beyond the water.
Sardinha Surf Coaching team guiding a client through surfboard selection — choosing the right board for real progress in and out of the water.
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Sardinha Surf Coaching student surfing a wave at sunset in Ericeira — celebrating another step toward independent surfing.
Sardinha Surf Coaching private session in soft conditions — real wave practice for beginner and intermediate surfers in Ericeira.
Sardinha Surf Coaching surf skate training session — building technique and body coordination on land in a sunny Ericeira day.
Sardinha Surf Coaching team enjoying a beach walk with clients in Ericeira — post-session connection and time for some free surf.
Filipe, head surf coach at Sardinha Surf Coaching, surfing a wave in Ericeira with a boat in the background — real coaching, real conditions.