I can't recommend Ivan enough. After just one lesson, I felt significantly more confident in the water and had a much better understanding of what I needed to work on to progress my surfing. Instead of just pushing me into waves, he focused on technique, positioning, wave selection, and the specific adjustments I needed to make to transition toward riding a shorter board. What impressed me most was how personalized the instruction was. Ivan quickly identified areas where I was struggling and gave clear, practical feedback that immediately improved my surfing. I left the lesson feeling more comfortable, more capable, and with a clear path forward for my progression. If you're serious about improving and eventually downsizing to a shorter board, this surf school is absolutely worth it. The lesson accelerated my learning far more than I could have on my own. read more

Ivan is the man!$ He taught my wife and I to surf day 1. The nicest guy and definitely knows how to teach surfing. Patient and explained everything in a very logical easy to understand way. Made sure you got up all day. We had the best time and were so happy to have done it. Highly recommended. read more

Hook Up Surfing - Surfing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Had one private session with Ivan and it was amazing. When I surf at new places if possible I always try to find a local coach, to get familiar with the conditions/not get hurt, and to improve the skills. I've run into surf coaches in LA, places in Mexico and Asia, Ivan is my favorite. He pointed out some problems I hadn't noticed before and helped me catch waves I would have missed. It was a blast. Next time in Oahu I'll get the 10 session package! read more

Great experience. Ivan was a great instructor. Very patient with first timers. Had a blast and was able to surf quickly under his instructions. read more

Been surfing with Coach Ivan for about a month now and I had so much progress!! Highly recommend Hook Up Surfing to anyone! He always makes sure the clients are safe and will go at the client's speed. I am very happy with my experience with Hook Up Surfing read more

My sons and I (Ages 15 - 49) had a great lesson with Ivan today. As first timers to both Hawai'i and surfing, Ivan ensured we had a safe yet pure surfing experience. All three of us were up and riding waves by the end of our private lesson! If you want to experience surfing for the first time, Hook Up Surfing is a must. read more

I've been surfing with Hooked up surfing for almost 3 years. They are the best in the business. When we first came to visit Wakiki years ago we tried out the generic surf lessons you find at umbrellas on the beach which were okay but not that fun. Then my son who was 6yo and I tried hooked up surfing and Ivan and Jenn and team are so friendly and teach you technique that get you confident in the water. My son is now 9 and loves surfing and respects the ocean and can handle himself well in the water because hooked up are not only great teachers but they are passionate and love what theydo. That love equals fun for you if you give them try. Aloha. read more

Jen and Ivan were amazing!!! I brought my 51 year old husband and 11 & 14 year old daughters to their first surf lesson with this crew and they were up surfing in no time! read more

Ivan is a terrific instructor. When you first meet him you will notice that he is very chill and he puts you at ease. He will hand you a long-sleeve rash-guard shirt so that you do not get rash burn from the board that he provides to you for the duration of your lesson. He stresses safety first and foremost which is great. Safety comes first... both yours and Ivan's and the people who you may be with while surfing. During the land lesson which lasts for about half an hour he goes through technique and makes it very easy to understand. Make sure you pay attention to what he says and does and ask questions if you do not understand. Then he hands out the surf boards and lets you know where to walk. From there he takes you into the water for the surf lesson and helps you with your leash. My husband was up and running in no time! Check out the picture that I uploaded of my husband surfing for the first time ever. I highly suggest that you take surf lessons from Ivan. He gets 5 stars which I rarely give on Yelp. I also highly suggest that you buy the pics and video so that you can remember that day. You will not regret it! :) read more

Hook Up Surfing - My husband surfing for the first time ever and staying up for the first time ever LOL Mahalo to Ivan. - Surfing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Got a living social coupon for the both of us, called up and made appointment, and got prep instructions on the phone. We were in front of the hotel on the morning, and Ivan swung around in his van (with long-boards on top!) and picked us up. Upon unloading, he handed out long-sleeve rash-guard shirts to both of us. Came in very handy! Good instruction and practice on the lawn. Then it was off to carrying our boards to the beach. After instructions on paddling, he led us off slowly to the breaks. These were not your Waikiki tourist low-liers. These were 3-5ft! For first-timers, it was a bit daunting but Ivan gave us confidence and reassurance. Also, there was practically no one else around except some dumb canoer whom Ivan shoo-ed away to give us some space. Then he shoved us off and we were on a roll. After each run, he'd direct us back in line. The boo was having a bit of trouble, so he paused to give detailed instruction, correction and make her practice before catching her next wave. It helped -- she got it done! Could've gone on forever and gotten better and better if i didn't wuss out of breath. Ivan generously helped push me back to shore! Which instructor would do that? Will definitely go back, maybe try SUP with Jen (who came along to take pics and help) next time. Good people, excellent instruction! read more

Ivan and Jen are just the best! My friend and I took intermediate level private surf lessons with Ivan every day of our week long trip to Oahu. He took us all around to different local breaks so we had rideable, fun waves every day of our trip (even though it was often a challenge since the swells were really small during our visit). He worked with us on specific turning and pop-up techniques, and we both walked away as better, more informed surfers. On two of the days a photographer joined us to take pictures in the water, which helped us understand exactly what we were doing wrong and improve our form. In addition to being great coaches, Ivan and Jen are also great people. They're super nice and silly, and became good friends during our visit. I think they really set themselves apart from some other surf instructors in how much they care about getting their students on as many good waves as possible. A lot of other surf instructors will make it as easy on themselves as possible (taking beginners, especially, to bad breaks that are convenient for them and ending the lesson as quickly as possible). Ivan and Jen always made sure we had the best possible waves for our level and every one of our lessons went significantly over the 1.5 hrs. Next time we're back in Oahu, we will definitely be hitting them up! read more

Hit up Hook Up for all your surfing needs. Great instruction, great lesson. Ivan worked in a super last minute Rez for me since I only had one day left on the island; great dude. It was my first lesson and he had me up on my second wave. Highlight of my Hawaii trip. read more

Ivan, Jen and Corbin gave our kids semi private lessons 5 kids 8-16 in ages awesome lessons and they all came away with stories of how the surfed the "big" waves in Hawaii. They are cautious with your kids and helped them all the way. Highly recommended and will use them all the time!! We would give them a 6 Star if they had a GoPro for photos for kids as they went out so far we could hardly see them. Aloha and Mahalo's Gerald read more

Just had an awesome intermediate lesson + video analysis with them. I've been surfing for several years and I've been burned going out with people who say they can coach intermediates and then just point me at waves. Ivan asked me what I wanted to work on, got me into waves bigger than what I comfortably surf solo, and gave me tips in the water to improve my surfing. He has great communication skills, was able to adjust based on my mindset, and gave clear instructions. Then we reviewed the footage and he pointed out 2 things to work on that I had no idea I was doing. He also noticed when I got stuck in the whitewater and came over to point out where the channel actually was. A super nice guy. I'm definitely going to see him every time I'm in Hawaii to tune up my surfing. It's worth to not get stuck at the same skill level for years. Their team takes out first time beginners, me obviously as an intermediate, and another instructor said he helped her move from a longboard to a shortboard. So I'd say they really can teach from beginner to advanced. read more

Today my wife and I went out with Ivan and Jenna. Both were amazing instructors that gave amazing and direct/informative advice while building you back up. My wife and I are fairly uncoordinated and don't have tons of upper body strength and we were able to get up and catch several rides. The lesson location was amazing. We didn't do it out where the other thousand tourists were, but we were still in Waikiki (not writing out Ivan's secret spot) but it took away allot of our fear of being laughed at. Highly recommended :) The most important take away was learning how to self critique what we did and get the immediate review from folks that have been surfing for over 10+ years. While my wife and I both caught our first couple waves, the constant tutoring really helped sink in those important fundamental lessons and we take those back to Charleston with us. Word to the wise, take something for sea sickness! I've been sky diving, plenty of rock climbing, helicopters, planes, etc ... I still got a little bit of that sea sickness feeling. If I took one pill, my two hour trip could have been three or four hours! Ateast bring a bottle with you. read more

Whenever I experience something fun and awesome, I want to share it with the world in hopes that others will try it too. Surf lessons with Ivan is one of them. It's been a looong winter, and I was hesitant about standing up on a fast moving longboard in a bathing suit amongst strangers. I agree with Vadim's post, 'it helps if you're in good physical shape...,' but on the contrary, I was NOT FIT and still had a BLAST! Soooo happy I did it! Getting in the water, paddling and catching waves is such great exercise and so much fun. I felt like a kid again, playing in the ocean. Surfing has actually inspired me to incorporate those experiences into my daily life on the mainland. Why shouldn't we have that much fun everyday?! Oahu spring morning started off rainy, but by 9am was sunny and warm. Met Ivan at Kaimana Beach, but he will pick you up in Honolulu too. Right away, I spotted his blue van loaded with six long-boards...couldn't miss him. He handed out sunscreen and rash-guard shirts (long sleeve) for everyone. Ivan was well prepared. Our group of five students were at different levels. Two had already taken lessons prior and the rest were beginners. We went through the land lesson where Ivan customized our stance for each individual. He had great tips for paddling too. Before we got into the water, everyone felt confident and safe about where we were headed. Once we were at the wave break, Ivan lined us up and helped us catch our waves, one by one. Waves were 1-3 feet on the front side. After catching my first wave, I had a huge permasmile...the ENTIRE DAY. We each caught as many waves as we wanted or physically could. I actually asked if we were almost finished before the lesson ended, because I caught so many waves. I bet private lessons are well worth it. Everyone was positive and supportive, cheering each other on. It was awesome! Ivan is truly a great coach. If you listen to his instructions and follow them, you will learn to surf. I tend to err on the side of caution and over think things. Ivan made me feel safe and confident about catching waves. Things I would do differently: Light Meal: I ate a huge breakfast and still managed to have a great time. But in the future, I will have just one banana or papaya. Sign-up for Day One & Everyday of trip: I scheduled my lesson towards the end of my trip, but wish I signed up for Day One and Everyday. Highlight of my week/month...uber memorable! read more

WISH I COULD SIGN UP FOR MORE! My husband and I signed up for lessons at a local surf shop near our hotel and were so glad we did! Ivan is an excellent instructor! His on shore instructions/information was quick and striaght to the point so that we were able to get as much time in the water as possible. He really paid attention to our form and told us how to work with what is natural for us. His feedback after every wave was really helpful and helped us ride more waves than we thought either of us would!!! Next time we are on Oahu we will definitely call Ivan again!!! read more

Ivan was fantastic teaching my 8 year old son how to surf! My son completely enjoyed the surfing experience at a nice local spot! When we return we will sign up for more lessons. Ivan is an excellent instructor! I highly recommend surf lessons from Ivan!! Updated 10 months later December 2016 My son (9 years old) had a surf lesson with Ivan 10 months ago and had a great time! We were back in town for the holidays and booked a second lesson. Jen was great! She kept the lesson very relaxed and he had another great experience. He stood up several times and surfed with the sea turtles. We will definitely book again next time we are in town! read more

If an Ohio girl can be taught how to surf than anyone can!! I am proud to say Ivan at Hook-Up Surfing is my surf coach! They tailor each lesson to fit your surf level. Ivan taught me from day one all about the being comfortable in the ocean and reading waves (back home we only have Lake Erie) to strapping the ankle band on securely, to standing up, and of course being comfortable surfing all size waves! I trust this crew! read more

Ivan, Jen and Jenna were fantastic teachers and SUPER nice people and we loved our surf lesson with them!! Waikiki beach is a beautiful place to learn, and they created such a comfortable/trustworthy environment for that. Had such a blast and would seek them out again!! read more

Hi, This review isn't about the quality of instruction, but ethics instead. I bought a living social deal the year I was going to go there. He was all booked when I was there and told me I could give it away to a friend or family member and he would honor it. Anyway, when I did that he was charging them more than the value of the voucher ontop of the voucher. Very shady. read more

This crew is phenomenal . On time, great instructors that are personable and just plain awesome. Look no where else for awesome surf instruction. Great supporters of the military too. Worth every cent and then some. Rob- read more

I love Hook Up Surfing! I've been out for lessons with Ivan and Jenn 6-7 times over the past year and have had a great experience every time, both on group and private lessons. Ivan is encouraging and personable and very good at helping you make corrections so you get better with every wave, and he makes sure you always have fun while you're learning. Jenn is similarly awesome, both for her photo-taking skills and her surfing and stand-up paddle (SUP) instruction. Nothing like learning from a pro. :) Lesson rates are very reasonable, they provide transport, the land lesson is comprehensive and has a good safety focus, and they always make sure to find the best waves for your skill level once you're in the water. I can't recommend them enough!! read more

My oldest daughter (8yrs old), my brother-in-law and I had a surf lesson with Ivan and Jenn this past week and we couldn't have been more excited about the experience! Great teachers with a quick on land lesson and more time in the water. It was my first time and I was up on my second wave, my brother-in-laws 2nd time surfing, he was up on his first wave and my daughter took a few more tries, but was able to ride her first waves too. Their patience and simple instruction made it a success for all of us and we'd absolutely go back next time we are in Waikiki. read more

Ivan and Jen are pretty much the best O'ahu has to offer. I took a group of six friends with me for spring break and Ivan and Jen gave us the best day on the island. They were able to get ALL OF US up and surfing really quickly and still gave each of us individual attention. They're laid back and hilarious, but are still very conscious of safety, technique, and style. We were originally booked to surf Waikiki, but apparently, the waves were not ideal, so Ivan and Jen let us know they were going to take us to a different beach for better waves. They took all seven of us across the island to a beautiful beach just north of Kaneohe. The water was perfect and the waves were ideal. Jen and Ivan gave us a very thorough (and pretty funny) land-based surf lesson. THey went over safety, technique, and the like. We had given Ivan our weight/height info and he brought surfboards to suit each of our body types. When we jumped in the water, Ivan and Jen brought us to some beautiful waves. We surfed for about an hour and a half and it was really, really fun. Ivan and Jen made it fun. They were easygoing but very instructive. Highly, HIGHLY recommended! read more

Jenn and Ivan were kind, encouraging and patient. My wife, daughter and I all took lessons while in Waikiki. By the end of the first lesson we all rode waves! Most importantly, Jenn developed our daughter's confidence in the water. In fact, after we left Waikiki, our daughter remarked that she wished she could still spend time in Waikiki so that she could spend more time with Jenn. High praise from our nine year old. Surf with these two folks, you will enjoy the experience and improve your surfing. read more

Me, my wife and 2 girls had lessons today with Ivan and Jen. They were first rate, concerned with our safety and our surfing fun. None of us had ever been proper surfing, though we have body surfed and have done boogie boards. They picked us up at our hotel and drove us to a great spot for beginners. We had a perfect morning for surfing and 3 out of 4 of us were able to stand up. Jen was really great with the girls ( 9 and 10) and both of them are really stoked to surf some more. Ivan worked with the adults ( me and my wife) and struck a good balance between working us and building confidence. It was a really great day and experience for all of us! read more

Thanks to Jennifer for the Stand Up Paddling lesson! Of all the sports lessons I've taken (surfing, golf, etc.) this was the best! Jennifer did a great job of teaching both of her students (it was only me and one other in the group). I found Hook Up Surfing as a deal on Living Social. I'm glad that I did! Had I not seen the deal, I may never have known that they were an option. Jennifer's ability to teach us (on land, and in the water) was exceptional. She was also well prepared with the proper size board for each of her students (which was determined based on our height/weight provided when calling to make an appointment). She gave lots of great advice, both during the lesson--and for our future SUP adventures after the lesson, specific for each of her students. Jennifer truly has a gift for instruction. You could tell that she was genuinely interested in assuring that her students got the most out of the lesson. She did a great job of making us feel like we were all family, too. It was a fun morning out on the water! Although I have not taken a surfing lesson from Hook Up Surfing (yet), I would definitely consider it in the future. Ivan (the surf instructor) was conducting a lesson at the same time that we were in the SUP lesson. His student seemed to be impressed with the surf lesson. If his instruction style and ability is anything like Jennifer's, I would be happy to join them out on the water again! read more

Great experience and a great guy. Ivan is great at identifying with his students and does an excellent job making everyone feel comfortable. My two sons and I took group lessons and he couldn't have done a better job of making everyone feel like it was a private lesson. His skill and knowledge transferred through flawlessly. If we return I would love to go out again with him. Thanks Ivan. read more

I just wanted to say thank you so much to Ivan and Jen! Me and my 2 friends (32-35 years old) decided to take some surfing lessons while in Honolulu. There are tons of surf lessons all over, both on the beach and online. Some are cheaper than others, but in the end through some good reviews we decided to go with Ivan and Jen at hookup surfing and thank god we did. These guys were amazing and the lessons were great! Now all 3 of us have taken surf lessons before in Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama and other countries but we are still beginners by far. I will say that in the first 10 minutes with Ivan and Jen we learned more than we had in any other surf lessons. They were phenomenal at teaching and improving our form and technique. They also weren't lazy about the lessons at all. We could see tons of people doing lessons near the shore where there were no waves and Ivan and Jen took us out pretty deep to catch some great long waves to learn on. It was an exhausting swim out there but totally worth it as we caught some of the best waves we had ever caught and actually surfed them! They also spent more than the amount of time that we had paid for with us to ensure we had a great time. We would have gone for a second private lesson if the weather had held out, sadly it didn't but I can't recommend them enough. We will definitely be back to take more lessons from them on our next trip! read more

I went for my first surfing lesson with my son and daughter and Ivan showed up on time with two young assistants to help my kids (each one stayed with a kid throughout the entire lesson) and make them feel at ease. We had a blast and all 3 of us managed to get up and surf. Highly highly highly recommended. Thanks Ike. read more

Jenn and Ivan are great instructors. You owe it to yourself to take a lesson if you want to learn to surf or stand up paddle, you will not regret going with hook ups surfing. read more

Great experience surfing with Ivan. He pays close attention to your form and corrects everything so that you can improve. I was used to instructors telling me I was doing everything right even when I knew I wasn't- Ivan instead immediately told me exactly what I was doing wrong and how to fix it. This instruction showed great results out on the waves. At the end of the day, he has a passion for surfing and wants to share that passion with you so that you can enjoy it just as much as he does. I loved it. 10/10 would do again read more

Very well executed training indeed. Good, no thrills theory with what was needed. Very adaptive to our skills in the group. Tnx!

Phenomenal instructors. Phenomenal service. I was extremely apprehensive of going out into the water due to the different conditions that I was used to. But Ivan was amazing and helped me overcome my nervousness to go further in and attempt some waves. He gave awesome feedback to help self-correct and to finesse techniques. Ivan took me out to Waikiki beach where the water was stunning, safe (not many rocks and reefs to contend with) and there were enough waves for everyone to catch. I also loved how he had an additional instructor out there, Jenna, taking photos and ensuring safety, care, and providing additional tips and techniques for getting the most out of the water. I was really impressed with the quality and professionalism I had with this school and I will definitely be seeking them out on my next visit to Oahu!! Mahalo Ivan and Jenna! You rock! Thank you for making my day! I highly recommend Hook Up Surf-- they are awesome!!! read more