Introducing ASI Surfing Instructor: Ricardo Machado

ASI surfing instructor, Ricardo Machado is an ASI surfing instructor in based in the Algarve, Portugal. He is is originally from Brazil. He tried surfing and that changed his life, he knew he wanted to be near the ocean.

Tell us a bit about your Background

I'm Brazilian and proud of it.   I grew up in a small town in south Brasil playing football and my dreams until I was 17 years old was to become a pro football player (I didn't have enough discipline for that).

I also trained Capoeira for 4 years, I was about to become a capoeira instructor when I was 18 years old.

Author’s note: Capoeira is a traditional, energetic and exciting form of martial arts that blends acrobatics, dance and music!

How did you get started in surfing?

Nothing was making me really happy but I was living close to the sea with many surfer friends and one day one of them started to teach me to surf. I suddenly loved it because I didn't need anybody else to play with me, just the waves and my board!

My life changed a lot, 10 years after becoming a surfer, I became a lifeguard, the best job of my life because I could help many people, saving them from death and also I could better understand the sea and it's danger, so I became a better surfer while I was helping people and making some money.”

Why did you become an ASI qualified surf instructor?

After six seasons as a lifeguard (4 in Brasil and 2 in Portugal) I decided to change course a little bit; lifeguards aren't well paid for the job we do. I saved some money and did the ASI Surfing instructor course with Sérgio Brandão (one of the best coaches I’ve ever met). I also knew that I could learn even more about surfing and start coaching surfing myself.

Author's note: Sérgio Brandão is an ASI surf trainer with over 25 years experience. Sérgio set up one of Portugal’s first surf schools in the Algarve in 1996 and has surfed and coached at the highest levels.

What sort of activities and services are you offering to your customers right now?

At the moment we're in lockdown in Portugal, I have some kids that I used to coach and train in swimming, skating, simulating surfing and surfing when it's possible. But at the moment we're just trying to keep fit to come back stronger to the days after lockdown (they keep training and surfing by themselves and I keep training and surfing when I can).

Hard times but we can have some surf if we travel by ourselves for 90 minutes to the south of Portugal.

What do you love about being an ASI Surfing instructor?

I love to be close to the kids and be able to teach people about surfing, waves and the sea. I would also love the opportunity to be an international surf instructor; I would love to go to New Zealand to spend some time there and I would love to work as a surf instructor while traveling and surfing, it would be a beautiful experience.

Can you tell us about any memorable stories or situations that have happened whilst instructing?

The funniest and most interesting situation I've had happen was with 2 kids, brothers, one of them 9 years old, the other 11, both of them crazy kids! They were always keen to go outside to catch bigger waves.

One day I said “Ok, today we'll go outside…” Vasco 11 and Manel 9 were going with me over the channel to the outside when a big set came (a big set for them, it was 4ft and quite soft waves)

Vasco the older brother started to scream to me super loud .."Ricardo what do I do now?? Oh my god, that wave will kill us all!!" ...while his little brother Manel was super chill behind me laughing out loud about his older brother’s reaction, I also started to laugh after seeing Manel laughing!

After a set of 3 waves there were 3 of us laughing out loud on the channel without paddling. We stayed there for ten minutes like that, we couldn't paddle, just laughing about the situation! After that we kept paddling, we went outside and they got some nice waves and that was one of the best classes I've ever given.

Thanks so much for taking the time to give us some insight into your surfing life and recent experiences, Ricardo.

About ASI
ASI is an international professional membership and training organisation and governing body for instructors, coaches and schools and clubs in the outdoor recreation industry for surfing, stand up paddle and bodyboarding.
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