What's your style?

[dlrouen]

Good stuff. Is your style the same no matter the wave size or would you say you do things differently as the waves get larger? This would include all techniques, from paddling, to popping up, to dropping in and riding the wave...

I am going to defer my response to LBCrew. His post should be in a magazine:

For me, the surf dictates the board. The board dictates the style. I don't try to ride a fish like a groveler... or a log like a shortboard. It just doesn't feel right, and I'm pretty sure it looks bad, too. I guess that's the most important thing... trying to ride the board the way it's designed to be ridden, taking advantage of it's strengths, and not trying to force it to do something it's not supposed to do.

In smaller and weaker surf, fish and logs should be surfed with flow and grace. These waves don't have much power, so these boards emphasize flow and style.

In medium, snappy surf, grovelers are surfed with quickness, and a more snappy, slashy style, to match the wave.

Performance shortboards should be surfed with power, and in the pocket, matching the power of better surf.

A stepup or semigun is surfed with speed and control, in tune with the speed and almost "slow motion" power that comes with the size.

[DawnPatrolSUP]

I am going to defer my response to LBCrew. His post should be in a magazine:

Certainly a great breakdown

[purpleheadedyogurtslinger]

If I could give myself way too much credit I'd say a special Olympics version of Occy. I'm goofy footed and I love making big turns in weird places.

[DawnPatrolSUP]

Where are the Jordi Smith's, Jon Jon Florence's, or Gabriel Medina's of the world? Anybody who thinks their style resembles them?

[dlrouen]

Where are the Jordi Smith's, Jon Jon Florence's, or Gabriel Medina's of the world? Anybody who thinks their style resembles them?

How nice it would have been to grow up with consistent wave action. Practice makes perfect.

Aside from location, I believe the East Coast is challenging enough to prepare us for quality (real quality) waves. If you surf enough slop, you can surf a lot more than you think. Look at Kelly, before the championships - getting by on FL waves turned him into a household name. I'm not saying that there is a little Kelly in all of us, but the East Coast is still a force in the surfing world. We put up with a lot on the Eastside and when the time comes to surf a foreign land, you will be pleasantly surprised. I exceeded my expectations when I surfed quality waves out west and so forth.

[DawnPatrolSUP]

How nice it would have been to grow up with consistent wave action. Practice makes perfect.

Aside from location, I believe the East Coast is challenging enough to prepare us for quality (real quality) waves. If you surf enough slop, you can surf a lot more than you think. Look at Kelly, before the championships - getting by on FL waves turned him into a household name. I'm not saying that there is a little Kelly in all of us, but the East Coast is still a force in the surfing world. We put up with a lot on the Eastside and when the time comes to surf a foreign land, you will be pleasantly surprised. I exceeded my expectations when I surfed quality waves out west and so forth.

Great point, and for this reason I personally feel the East Coast isn't as bad as some make it out to be. Sure it can suck at times, but it can suck anywhere at times. Slater, Lopez, and many others were groomed right here in FL where they developed their style, which obviously transitioned just fine to the "elite" waves of the world.

[Mackin'_L.I.]

Most recently, I'm all about pulling into barrels I know I have no business faithfully entering in knee high shore break, especially backside lefts (regular foot) which the majority of Long Island waves seem to produce these days. Going along with the whole East Coast preparing us for better quality waves elsewherentheme, I figure it will only prepare me better for the buick sized barrels I hope to surf in said foreign lands. Plus, once you start really going for it and not bailing as soon as fear takes over, you'd be surprised just how far in it you can get. (that's what she said!)

[Koki Barrels]

How nice it would have been to grow up with consistent wave action. Practice makes perfect.

Aside from location, I believe the East Coast is challenging enough to prepare us for quality (real quality) waves. If you surf enough slop, you can surf a lot more than you think. Look at Kelly, before the championships - getting by on FL waves turned him into a household name. I'm not saying that there is a little Kelly in all of us, but the East Coast is still a force in the surfing world. We put up with a lot on the Eastside and when the time comes to surf a foreign land, you will be pleasantly surprised. I exceeded my expectations when I surfed quality waves out west and so forth.

I agree 100%, I actually think it makes us better surfers surfing the crap we get....everytime I've ever traveled and surfed, it always seems a little easier. Maybe that's part of the reason Kelly has made such a dent in the surfing world, surfing crappy waves forces you to perform better.

[zaGaffer]

... surfing crappy waves forces you to perform better.

True dat. However, I'll still take being spoiled and riding better waves.

[LBCrew]

I agree... to a point. Riding crappy waves makes you a better surfer, but there's a ceiling. You reach a point where you just don't progress anymore, and you need better surf. That's why most guys from the East Coast with true talent, who are making a serious run for it, get the he!! outa here as soon as they can!