my stomach is in my chest

Relax. It will be blown out by the time you get there......

 

Don't drink..... The coffee or caffeine

 

Helps to think about the guys surfing 30ft Mavericks or 20ft Ireland knowing that they very well can survive slams in cold water in waves 3 times the size. Not saying that 8.2 @ 11 sec isn't heavy! Thinking about this helps me calm my nerves down.

 

^^^^that, and don't get stoned.

 

What? I've been doing it wrong all these years? just joking kids, drugs are bad.

 

Prep work is done on a regular basis by surfing regularly and staying in shape, keeping cardio up and paddle strength up. At this point there isn't much else you can do but stretch really well and find a way to calm your nerves before paddling out. Don't stare at it too long when you walk up, give it a minute to study the wave pattern but the longer you stare the more you will psych yourself out. Try and remain calm at all times and if it gets to be too much don't be ashamed to come back in.

 

Oh no dude, you've been doing it right...for me though, if there's size, and it's cold, and I get baked, then it's the "what the f am i doing out here paddle out"...

 

oh man, you gotta be a champion stoner to be able to surf decent sized waves all cheezed up.

 

Know your limits.

Dont put wax in your dings.



Drink a lot of water. Have a nice meal.

 

In ALL seriousness? Watch a couple quick videos of some Good fun surf in Hawaii. Look at the dudes and boards they're riding. No big deal. Watch the Juno video. Humanize it. Dude, you've been here before. Remind yourself that it's Winter and you and your buddy are going out to have a Blast and catch a few Bombs.
Up your frequency from Concern to Stoked.
Get Out Of Your Own Head.
Your brain is doing this to you.
Paddle out and go Kill it.
Charge.
It's mad rad Fun out there. I Promise.

 

Testing you limits can get you super pumped. Don't psych yourself out before your out there. Work on your breathing now...nice deep breaths threw your nose....slow (when you first paddle out, try to maintain your breathing at a slow steady rhythm...and when you are getting worked which is sometimes tough). To me, this is one of the most critical things about surfing in sizable surf. Drink lots of water. Stretch!

 

It always helped me.


Felt like I could "see" the wave better

 

If they had a contest for that in my early 20's I'm sure I coulda been in the running for the title.lol. Didn't know any surfers locally who didn't partake at that time (late 70's early 80's).
As far as being nervous I find it like any other sport I played once I'm out there it all comes back. You just gotta get that first wave under your belt. To me the worst thing can be that first paddle out.

 

go get em.

have fun

 

I need to stop the coffee. I cramp up all winter because I'm a caffeine addict.

 

I don't know what your experience is obviously, but for me, knowing Iv done it before and have been out in some sketchy stuff helps me if I'm getting nervous.

Usually I'll see the huge bump on the swell info graph thing. For some reason THAT is what gives me butterflies. Not sure why. But then when I look at the bouy reading and see numbers that Iv been out in before. And I look back to those swells and remember how fun it was. Than I get amped, throw on a surf movie, pass out, go surf in AM. Didn't always be like that but now that I'm older (still only 25) and Iv got allot more experience that helps put my mind at ease.