Total Newbie

[ridedasurf]

maybe u don't got enough wax on ur board? stick at it u'll learn

[idsmashh]

"This is the most common problem I normally see in the water. It's hard to tell you what your doing wrong. It's also very hard to teach anything when it comes to surfing. The reasoning behind this is that surfing is a feeling and not a direct action. I can't tell you what I do to hack a top turn because honestly I don't know.. I just wait untill theres a wall of water in front of me and then I hack it. Trying to understand the how's and why's of this sport is pointless.. You have to log your water time."
-- idsmashh

No offense to idsmashh, but this is what I'm talking about in my earlier post.

The fact is that surfing definitely CAN be taught. And it is not hard. If you have the proper instructor, it is actually easy. Yep. I said it. Easy. That's not saying you'll be shredding @ Jeffreys Bay or punching aerials anytime soon. Those are degrees of complexity within the sport. I'm saying that with proper instruction, you can certainly quickly learn standing, turning & other aspects of the basics of the sport.

You CAN be taught the how's & why's of the correct functional stance, you CAN be taught the mechanics of the carving turn & the backside rail grab & all of the rest of it. The point is that surfing IS a feeling, but that's just part & parcel of the sport, as it is in any sport. If you learn the correct mechanics in surfing, as in any sport, then how good you become at it is a function of innate ability, practice, commitment & desire to succeed.

No offense, idsmash, but I've seen the Surf Simply instructors take many complete newbs from whitewater splashdown status to paddling out the back & cruising down 6 foot waves inside of 3 days of teaching.

I guess I can agree to partially compromise here. Certain mechanics of the sport can be taught. (your feet need to be sideways, weight your back foot to turn, weight your front foot for speed, ect).. But 95% of this sport is balance. And there are no shortcuts to learn balance... Example: I know the mechanics of a backside air reverse. Just because I know how it's done doesn't mean I can do it.

[yankee]

I guess I can agree to partially compromise here. Certain mechanics of the sport can be taught. (your feet need to be sideways, weight your back foot to turn, weight your front foot for speed, ect).. But 95% of this sport is balance. And there are no shortcuts to learn balance... Example: I know the mechanics of a backside air reverse. Just because I know how it's done doesn't mean I can do it.

Too many Dogfish Head 90's & my balance goes to shiiite.

But seriously, good point you make & I definitely agree with you. Balance is crucial.

[woodrock]

Okay, I appreciate the tips guys. I did watch all of the podcasts this morning from Simply Surf, and I do believe them to be very helpful. Or at least if I can remember to apply them when out again. Now, it's flat as a pancake out there through the weekend At least I had last Thursday to give it a go, and not much of a crowd either.

[MDSurfer]

With apologies to Nike, "Just do it." Sheer repetition, trial and error, body boarding, skim boarding, skateboarding- and of course surfing. It all adds up. This is my 48th year, and it doesn't get any easier, even after the stroke in '94. The best teacher, barring none, is yourself.

[GoodVibes]

With apologies to Nike, "Just do it." Sheer repetition, trial and error, body boarding, skim boarding, skateboarding- and of course surfing. It all adds up. This is my 48th year, and it doesn't get any easier, even after the stroke in '94. The best teacher, barring none, is yourself.

Nicely said M.D. Keep Charging

[BubbleToes]

Woodrock, I’m getting back into surfing after an 11 year hiatus. I haven’t been able to popup without loosing my balance. Took me a while to figure out hello you have balance issues! I’ve tried to blame it on everything from a busted ear drum to bigger boobs. Truth is I just needed to do my homework.

I haven’t been able to go out since I’ve done this to see if it helped but I feel in my gut it did. First like they said reading and watching videos are a big help. Also try doing plyometrics they really help with strength and balance. I can tell a big difference since I’ve started doing them. I’ve always worked on my core and doing pushups. They’re good conditioners also. Doing back and forths help a LOT. Get a small box small enough for you to jump over but big enough that you have to get some good air to clear it. You are supposed to clear it 20 times. I’m in pretty good shape and I’m lucky to make it to 10 but whatever it’s working.

When I first started I would have friends tell me to just practice popping up on the floor of my room. I never did bc I didn’t think it would help. Boy was I wrong! What I do is find an X on the floor; I have tile floors, that is my “sweet spot”. I lay on the floor just like I’m floating on my board I even “paddle out” and find and imaginary wave, get into position then popup. I was surprised but it really helped. Made me more aware of my foot positioning and the way I was landing. I even practice my “gas and break”

I have trips planned to El Salvador, Perth, Portugal, Spain and France. I gotta get my groove back – losing is not an option here! Good luck dude hope it helps.

[suzyq]

since your standing up quickly maybe put an extra two paddles in there to make sure the wave has really got you and situate yourself so the board is underneath you and easier to pop up on