Style and Flow

Overall, my short board style is terrible. I look like two squirrels f@cking in a burlap bag.
I guess I've always kept the style I learned back in the 70's. When I ride a mid-length I sorta ride it with a long board stylee. Long, drawn out turns, graceful cut backs. I like that. Yes, I called my dirty old azz graceful!

 

I'd start the convo by saying good style starts with economy of movement, and goes on from there.

 

And here's a scantily clad

 

She flows real well, and, with style I notice!!
Surfing...what surfing??!!??

But....relax as you go down the wave line and keep some shock absorber function in them knees as you make turns....wide turns, the mo' the betta!!

 

don't limit yourself to backside or frontside, same as regular or goofy. just cuz u think you're better at one than the other just limits you down the line. don't stand still on the board, bend the neez or drop all the way and hold on to the rail for diff perspectives and manuevering on the wave. then try the creativity of taking on closeouts, aerials, one hands in the pants tricks. gotta flex, which may or may not include anasttasia's twerk warmup

 

Exactly. Doing the least to optimum effect. "Making it look it easy" comes to mind.

 

Yes... it's the old, "form/function" thing. Good style is usually highly functional, as well as aesthetically pleasing.

I was talking to this guy who's an old dog, now shooting a lot of photos, mostly of his son, who's a very talented surfer. The dad is a nice guy, and does his best to sort of "coach" some of the local kids. So during this one conversation he says to me, "hands up over your head... good picture. Hands up over your head palms up, GREAT picture." I just laughed a little inside... because THAT's what's wrong with "style" these days. It's just too posed... too contrived.

 

I would say I have pretty good flow...I read waves pretty well and put myself in proper position to optimize the waves potential. Do, the required maneuvers to "milk" a wave. Cuttback to reform, stall, drop to barrel etc. I think that just comes with experience.

Now, Stylee....that is all in the eye of the beholder. I don't think I necessarily have the greatest style. In fact, it is something I have been aware of and worked on for the last 30+ years. It may be true for all but I find that in good clean waves my style is optimal (from my perspective...lol). Also, I find that as I get older, in small weak surf my style can get pretty erratic b/c I am trying to hard (to CyC's point about making it look easy....that is not me in smaller surf...even with proper board).

If I could pick one style attribute that I love and hate
I pig dog backside barrel ride pretty well with style I think and I hate that sometimes I have too narrow of a stance going frontside...

 

Right on JD about the "trying to hard" part. I watch people who are trying to hard and I shake my head. Then I go out on a short board and I feel like I'm trying to do too much. I kinda lose my awareness and I end up looking like a one-legged man trying to win an ass kicking contest.

 

Now don't get me wrong about trying to hard. There is a difference between pushing myself and trying to hard.

 

I agree, I still like to push myself to "perform at my best" but sometimes I try way to hard on smaller surf and end up kook'n it up.

 

Does this mean you are drinking cheap beer again??

 

Sounds good to meeeee!!!