Kook Advice

[zaGaffer]

Sounds like you have all the tools you need man, just put in the time. Surf every day, twice a day if you can. I'm like "Bye Hon'" and run for the beach everytime my wife gives me the nod (actually, I walk, I'm lazy). Cheapest entertainment there is in Cali. "Do Work Son!" as the CTO at my old gig used to say, all it takes is time.

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. ~Silent Cal

[zaGaffer]

Oh yeah, one more thing. There is no better exercise or conditoning technique for surfing, than surfing. I could be wrong about that, and I admit, I go to the gym everyday over my lunch hour and either lift or do cardio; but surfing is what makes me a better surfer. If I worked where I lived, instead of 20 miles from the coast, I'd toss my gym membership and surf over lunch.

[yourdirtymomma]

This post is giving me flashbacks man.. Everyone remember when it was super fun to just pop up and ride a wave straight into shore. I used to rave about sessions where all I did was catch 2 or 3 waves like that. Now I gotta do 2 or three snaps down the face to even make it worth it.... Ahhhh the good ole days

YES I DO! That was last summer. It's amazing how fast it fades.....8 months ago I was SOOOO stoked to just pop-up and ride.....I didn't care if it was white water......now I just feel shame when I take the white water.

I have my first ride to the beach on video and though recreating it doesn't stoke me, watching it does

[yourdirtymomma]

O' yeah....7176....don't give up. I'm thousands of nose dives and wipe outs in.....at this time last year I called myself "Queen Nose Dive of the Clan Flounder About!" This past week, I've really gotten dialed in and only need 10 feet to catch the wave (down from 50 feet of paddling).....it's taken a lot to get here and I still have far to go.....just don't give up....you can do it.

[biff22]

I remember the summer I learned to surf. Of course I remember my first good wave down the line and whatnot... but I also remember the day before when it was crappy but I had spent the day riding whitewater and trying to go left or right - not on the open face but in the whitewater. Yea it was lame, but I remember thinking about how I stumbled upon a solid "betweener" way to practice.

I wasn't really surfing, but I was faking it while doing better than I would have if I was trying to catch waves like the real surfers and it was just the thing I needed. The next day I caught my first real wave (a left into the jetty) and had a few more to varying degrees of success but I am convinced that day out in the whitewater "faking it" was crucial in figuring it out.

I also taught my fiance' and a close friend with this and it definitely helped. Gave them a chance to feel the board under their feet without having to coordinate popping up and turning down the line which is brutal for beginners.

The only other advice I'd give is to give ALL other surfers the right of way until you get it down and know with some proficiency what you're doing. My buddy is brutal with missing/falling on/dogging good waves just because he got them since he was in position. Drives me nuts especially since I taught him. Have fun and be safe.

[kingofkooks]

move further up on the board. practice popping up on dry land. If things don't get better go to a surf shop that offers lessons and spend an hour getting a private lesson.

[johnnytoobad]

You need lots of water time, big waves lil waves, crunky waves, mush burgers. Pop up at an angle and ride over stingrays. BTW back on the gulf Coast lake michigan was fun to surf