What are the Progression Sessions?

We are super excited to invite you to sign up to attend our awesome Progression Sessions. We ran four of these last year and they have fast proved to be our favourite sessions to date. Progression Sessions take everything that we love about our surf camps/retreats and combines them in a super flexible local environment making them accessible and completely surf led. This has been the brain child of many years of coaching, observing, recognising need, best methods of learning and combining this with our favourite teaching style which utilises both land and sea resources.

Tom and I have produced an incredible amount of learning tools over the years, this is our chance to really dive into it and with you and truly introduce you to our world of all things surf and stoke.

The course is three land based and three sea based sessions run over a four week period.

The importance of flexibility

Anyone attending this course needs to be flexible with their availability. This is of course within reason but we ask that those signing up can ensure a level of availability that allows them to get in the sea in response to surf conditions. Unlike our Five week courses we do not have a set day and instead establish a WhatsApp group together and refer to the forecast to establish the best or most appropriate three days to get in the sea. These are likely to be be early morning (before work) sessions or evening sessions, we will also look to weekends.

Cost: £225 total. 50% on purchase, remaining balance due first week of February 2026.

There are four places available on this course allowing us to really focus in as a small group. These sessions have resulted in long lasting friendships, providing the spring board to continue getting in the sea and maintaining the stoke.

How do they work?

The first land based session is a meet and greet, setting expectations and learning about strengths and points to work on. Here we will go through surfing experience, goals and expectations regarding the course. This helps us as a group support one another to progress onwards. The remaining two land based sessions will be a combination of photo/video analysis from the in-water sessions whilst drawing upon the wealth of resources we have and our unique Yonder coaching methods.

Thursday March 5th 6/30pm - 8pm - Land based - fixed.

Thursday March 12th and 19th - 6pm - 8pm Land based - fixed.

Flexible in-water sessions commencing Thursday March 5th with aim to end March 25th. Our three in-water sessions can fall any time within these three weeks. We allow this period of time to consider and account for the nature of surf and appropriate conditions for intermediate surfing.

Where will the sessions take place?

Primary Location - Longsands Beach, Workshops; Tynemouth. Second location, Blyth or other local beaches.

How many will be in the sessions?

The course is open to four women. Small group sizes ensure everyone attending gets the attention and support necessary to progress at their own individual pace. It is particularly important to have a small, focussed group for intermediate surfers.

What is the intention of the course?

We will use video analysis as a powerful method of coaching, feeding back from our in-water sessions and developing a wider understanding of key concepts around intermediate surfing. Coaching is delivered by both Tom and Sally together.

The focus of the surf based sessions will be to capture high-res footage and notes from shore to feedback and analyse all aspects and elements of the session - positioning, wave selection, paddle, getting to feet, manoeuvres, generating speed, poise, footwork and other wider concepts. Before each session we will set intentions and focus individually.

Back on land; for these sessions, we will analyse the footage and set new intentions; we will work on mindset, delve into deeper forecasting, discuss wave types, understanding manoeuvres, equipment and other relevant aspects of surfing. We will draw upon the huge wealth of material we have gathered over the years.

Longboard or shorter board (eggs, midlengths, mini-mals, fish or shortbaord) or a mixture depending on conditions will be suitable; we can cover all styles.

Course format:

Session 1: Meet and greet - a chance for us all to set intentions and expectations, to discuss things we might be struggling with and want to focus on. It is important to share these together and build positive connection for the coming sessions. In addition to this we will refer to Yonder resources to review paddle and pop up techniques delving into concepts around surfing.

Session 2: Water based session with coaching & video analysis from the land - beach tbc.

Session 3: -Video analysis feedback referring to Yonder coaching material and resources.

Session 4: Water based session with in-water coaching and video analysis - location tbc.

Session 5: Video analysis feedback referring to Yonder coaching material and resources.

Session 6: Water based session with in-water coaching and photos from land.

What level of surfing do you need to be?

See our ability levels here

In order to get the most out of these sessions we do require surf experience. You must be comfortable to paddle out back (within reason) you have been independently surfing with your own hard board (not a foamie/soft top). We ask that attendees are able to change direction whilst paddling and have control over their surfboard with a strong understanding about surf etiquette and surf safety - these will of course be discussed but prior knowledge is required.

An ability to paddle for, catch and pop up on green waves is required though this may be the very thing you also need help with so we do not expect you to have this perfected! For us, it is also more about your confidence levels in the sea and ability to 'go for' green waves and feel confident to paddle out back and manoeuvre a board. Click here for our ability levels.

Each surfer is always individually supported in their surf journey. Just message me (Sal) if you’re not sure.

What do you need?

You will need to own your own wetsuit, boots and gloves if needed. You will also need your own board and to have been getting in the sea regularly. We do however have boards that you can try throughout the course and encourage you to did so including minimals, longboards and eggs.

Flexibility

The idea is that the group is flexible through the month of March in the hope that we can capture relevant footage and utilise good surf days.

Who are we?

Yonder is a family business We are proud to support anf future a growing community of emopowered female surfers and their families.

Sally is a Finisterre Ambassador, a qualified ASI Level 2 Surf Instructor and SLSGB LifeGuard with years of experience surfing in the North Sea, this is a great opportunity to learn to surf with a passionate and experienced instructor. Tom is an experienced surfer and surf photographer and film maker with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in all things surf. Billy our son is likely to be with us, as an intermediate surfer his contributions are invaluable to members of the course.

Important disclaimer - No refunds will be issued if participants cancel.

What does our community says about the Progression Sessions?

“This course was the most useful step I have ever taking in my surfing journey. It was more than just lessons, it was forming a community of like minded surf obsessed women (plus Billy and Tom of course) supporting each other as we develop our skills, chase waves, and look more deeply into forecasting, technique, wave reading, confidence, local knowledge and much more. There are surf sessions which are flexible for when we are gifted swell and then evening feedback sessions, both of which were incredibly fun and valuable. The feedback from video analysis in particular was incredibly useful, giving us things to focus on each session. Sally and Toms coaching as always was invaluable- personal, insightful and supportive. If I could pay a life time fee to do this every week I would 😅. But in all seriousness, if you want to improve your surfing and absorb some of Sallys infectious stoke which makes you want to just exist in the water as much as you can- this is the course for you.”

More testimonials here