Paddling out in Big Surf with Bodyboard? It seems impossible..

Good question.

15 foot waves! LOL! I have a hard enough time getting out in 5 foot. Some days I can barely get out at all, if it's too choppy, or if the waves are dumping over the sandbar at low tide.

Getting out there is the hardest thing about bodyboarding for me. You just have to have a lot of strength and stamina, I guess.

 

the difference between paddling on a bodyboard and a surfboard i huge.

A bodyboard just doesn't cut through the waves like the pointed nose of a shortboard.

But, the advantage bodyboarders have, is we can use both legs and arms. You end up relying heavily on the legs with the long paddle outs. Full body workout for sure.

 

It's really all about proper duck diving, so practice submerging your board as deep as possible (you can do this in a swimming pool), and also work on your paddling techniques, using your arms and legs to gain momentum as you approach your dives, etc. Once your board is submerged, kick with your swim fins to help dive deeper, and also kick throughout the dive to help penetrate the waves energy and stay low as the white water passes over you before you surface. Try to get yourself and the board as far underneath the wave as possible. Use those jetties to your advantage and time big sets, use rips, etc. Like anything else, practice! Best thing about bodyboarding is that its easy to get started, and you could spend a lifetime trying to master it. Good luck!

 

Timing of the sets is also a key thing. You have to be close to where the waves are breaking when the set is finishing. Sometimes it is very tough especially as the waves get bigger.

I complete agree with the full work out and trying to give an extra thrust while duckdiving.

Good Luck and Don't Give Up!

DjKmais

 

Agree

This season allowed me to really push what I had learned in my long lasted 3 year bout at BBing (LOL!!). Well at least a few select times. Bill & Danny taught me I was truly trained and prepared to charge TS/Hurricanes....the paddle out was a cinch...not to brag but it was. The hard part was committing to the 12 foot close out that I really wanted to charge but didn't have the 'balls' to charge for a lack of better words. I'm new at this and proudly a women of 34 years...I'm not stopping though and plan to be the best I can be at this phenomenal sport. If I f-up and drown doing so, believe me it was meant to be. Enjoy the upcoming surf and winter (my favorite time to BB!).

 

Yoohooo! That is good to hear. I wish my mom would do that. You are awesome! And I understand how you felt out in Bill. Gighnormous close-outs but I charged them for like 3 seconds before total close-out. 'cus I did not want to paddle out again (it was difficult ).

 

I could not agree more. Your one paragraph sums up a lot about what I think of bodyboarding.
Keep sponging y'all!

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks it is very difficult. I am 33 now and spent some years away from bobyboarding. I tried to get out yesterday at Belmar, NJ and had no luck. I was sucking wind and was very tired going out to begin with. I think a lot has to do with strength and stamina. Duck diving helps, but when wave after wave is coming through, man. The ocean can really humble you. I am gonna start this training regimen. Here is the link:

http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/surfitness--multidimensional-conditioning-for-surfers/1006646

 

practice, practice.

 

I agree I'm not from Belmar but I, Bodyboard belmar most of the Spring/Summer/Fall and during the winter months I stay a little closer to home. I live in Keansburg so I hit up MB, Deal, and them places before I take the ride too Belmar, and boy out of all them places Belmar is problaly the hardest place too paddle out in. Between the undertoe, the rip and the tide running, sometimes it takes me a little while to get out but its worth the paddle out just don't take the wrong wave and get sucked back too the beach because if its not the summer and theres girls laying out on the beach theres not point of resting for a little bit .

Goodluck with your training program, Lift lift lift.

 

mm

idk im 14 and i got out in bill i was just llucky there was a jetty so i could drift with the rip

 

Dive deep, grab the sandbar and hold on. I find myself ditching the board every now and then and going into full-spread legs and arms stretched out in order to not be sucked over once I am getting hammered. But while duck-diving, big breaths, relax, let the motion take you under the wave and pop up to the top, surface as quick as possible in order to start paddling immediately, cause you know another one is coming,

Days like Noel, Ernesto, and Hannah (Assateague) really gotta commit to making it out there. I was mashed to bits attempting to get out in Noel, thankfully, rips occur around groins, but the thrashing I got was life-threatening. I was very under-prepared that day

Oh, diagonal paddle-out with the current will help out a lot too. Keep spongin'!

 

spongeboards ARE slower but also less mass to fight heavy surf, and frankly i can jump off and dive through and let the leash bring the board through the wave or wash ( i hold on....not trusting the velcro....)...if yer tired you can also turtle and pull the nose toward yer head and the wave will force the board ...and you ...under and pass you by....in theory anyway (if you don't, the board will get ripped out of your hands). i also use webbed gloves...it makes a difference....

 

i heard those webbed gloves cause cramps like no other?

 

I have used the webbed gloves alot in the past and while they do add stress to your shoulders and back muscles, they propel you alot further with each stroke. It is important to use proper form when paddling and dont over extent your strokes. Keep them short and shallow and let the gloves do the work for you. After a couple of months using them your back and shoulder muscles will be much stronger and you wont need them as much.

 

When you said "hold on not trusting the velcro". What do you hold onto? The leash or the board?

 

NEVER NEVER NEVER take your board into a pool, thats just plain retarded! And for paddling out, u need to just have alot of endurance and use your arms. I still remember one day that it was dumping with crazy current out hear in NC, and i saw 5 surfers just sitting on the beach just watching the swell. I took it apon myself to get out there... it took me about 10-15mins of constant paddling/ducking to get out and constant paddling to just maintain my position. Needless to say i got 3 sets in until i was pulling to much speed off the waves and lost one of my fins... it ruined my day... now i live by fin leashes lol

 

Never ditch your board!

On big days like those approaching in the next couple of days, I switch fins. Imo, large scuba fins WORK and take less effort than small bb fins, plus you save your arms the wear and tear. Obviously this isn't for dk, I only ride prone. Anyway it may sound foolish but the thrust generated from larger fins is a huge plus in huge surf. Saved my ass countless times.