Wave selection and timing

I look at kicking the same way I look at throwing a ball. When you step with your opposite foot you get more momentum on your throw.

When I'm moving my legs in unison with my arms i feel like I get more momentum on my paddling stroke. For this reason, I do a sorta kick / leg movement type thing regardless if I'm on a HPSB or a LB.

RE: shallow or deep paddling, I'm a deep paddler for this reason: When you dig shallow your hand is moving all the water. When you dig deep you are using your hand AND the surface area on your fore-arm to push water.

Thoughts?

 

yea man my shoulders are toast as well. I'm that dude stretching on the beach for 10 minutes before I paddle out.

If I don't I'll be in so much pain that I can't drive myself home.

 

In the turbulent impact zone after catching a wave, trying to make it back out, I usually go for a deeper stroke so I'm not pushing foam. The trick is , like your pier pointed out, is to get the hands back out in front of you quickly, it's called turnover. Faster the turnover, the faster you'll go. I'm getting winded just typing this, time for a breather lol

 

Also, when caught inside, it is best to claw the sandbar on each stroke to create leverage to propel you out faster...

 

haha...Damn dude thats pretty hardcore paddling.

If i'm pinned somewhere shallow enough for me to claw the sandbar paddling....i'm probably standing up, maybe walking further out, probably cussing....not paddling.

Maybe i need longer arms!

 

Sorry, I should be more transparent with my sarcasm...

speaking of standing up. The incoming pre Flo swell combo with the N wind swell day was pretty damn heavy and super shallow. I caught a wave and ended up in the impact zone for what seemed like 5 set waves just unloading on the sandbar. I would standup, turn my board side ways and hug the sand and get pounded. Stand up and do again and again...then paddled out disoriented for minute lol.

 

I've done great damage to my right shoulder in waist deep water standing up and holding the board under my arm, when the surge hits me it jerks the shoulder up. After lots of these over the years, it finally took it's toll and it would pop out from time to time, very painful. So I spent 18 months gradually rehabbing it (while surfing still) and getting the opposing muscles stronger. But I avoid that shit now. Too old to go through that againne, but when I'm in that position and that's the only option (other than bellying to the beach and looking for a rip to make it back out, which is usually what I do if I don't kick out before the shorebreak), I try to consciously loosen and relax the shoulder so it doesn't pop or tear.

You may want to heed my advice on this one if you're over 45.

 

I agree with this, except one point. Absolutely no offense intended. Until i got that 5'7, all my boards had a wide point north of center and low rocker. On certain waves/conditions pushing the nose down most definitely helps. You said putting your weight forward to get down the wave faster makes no sense. This is the one thing you said i don't agree with. Now with the more rockered 5'7, i feel like this doesn't apply. So board does matter. But getting that nose down isn't about getting down the face faster. It's about getting into and over that ledge. Obviously there's a sweet spot. But saying getting your weight forward makes no sense is absolutley incorrect. Go to any surf school or whatever and i guarantee they will teach "chin down" while paddling. Same thing.

 

Right on.

Also, don’t forget wave for variable

Getting out of my summer hell-hole to other, faster spots remind me that I don’t have to have my face at the nose of my board after one or two trips over the falls.

Also reminds me I need to find 1k for an LB

 

I think LB is right about being on plane and efficiency. But I also agree with your point Bass. There are certain instances where your weight and momentum being forward feels like it helps. Maybe physics would prove me wrong.but, sometimes it seems like I will get more forward on my board (and probably off plane) with a breaking wave moving where a constant planing board is not happening. It seems at that point momentum and gravity are taking over and getting over the ledge takes a bit more ‘weight’ versus relying on being on plane for efficiency. I definitely shift my weight forward in critical circumstances to push down face. If you think about the take off on steeper waves, a lot of the front of Yoe board is sticking out over the transition until you are committed down the face so at that point in time (seconds before and after) pushing weight (especially my beer gut) over the ledge brings more momentum for that thrust down the face...where you get soooo pitted!!!! It’s like planing is most efficient until it’s not...

 

I totally agree with LB on the planning. However depending on board, weight forward is where you got to be to plane efficiently. A blanket statement can't be correct. To many variables.

As well as the things you just mentioned. It's weird though. When it comes to getting over that ledge, it's not a constant weight forward. It's just enough to get over than shifting that weight back for the drop.

Diffrent boards, diffrent waves, diffrent boards on diffrent waves. How i paddle and shift my weight depends on all of that. There's no technique that works 100% of the time. At least not for the average surfer.

 

Right, not a constant. It’s almost a deliberate action in the moment. Good stuff...

 

So i just googled "pro surfer paddle" saw two videos about regular paddling. But found this about paddling when it comes to catching waves. Interesting stuff. He explains it much better than i did. Plus the video of a pro doing it has got to be worth somthing. They gotta be doing somthing right.