Anyone ever get into an occasional slump in their surfing? I mean, you hear about batting slumps in baseball. For the past couple weeks it seems that I'm just not doing much of anything right out there: catching waves, popping up, paddling out through the surf. I've only been surfing for a year now, but sometimes I feel like I've never surfed at all. Finding myself getting frustrated a lot more lately. Could be a number of factors: downsizing to smaller board, getting used to different surf conditions, squeezing in rushed sessions to fit my work schedule, etc. I've been getting out at least 4X/week. Some days I've been able to put in two or three 1 hour sessions in a day. Perhaps I need to take a little time off. We have a flat spell that started yesterday and lasts through Monday. Maybe I'll give it a rest till then.
Dude I feel you completely. I've been surfing for about a year as well, and not to sound conceded i have been killing it. I've been riding a 6'2 corkscrew for a while now n just rippin it up. i'm el salvadorian, n i got to stay over there for two weeks with a buddy of mine in august, ect and there are days when i'm like on top of the world stoked, but man, dude some days its just like fvckkkk i feel like the biggest kook. its usually days where i'm like either physically dead tired / mentally drained, or the line up is butts to nuts crowded and its like an agro bro first come first serve bs, and i literally just blow it every time i try taking off and nothing feels right and i start to think, i should swim more, stop smoking cigs, eat better, quit my morning job n free up more time. Anyway, luckily i got a ton of really positive dudes that i surf with and it always helps to put it in perspective - even if you are being the biggest kook, paddling out is a million times better than doing pretty much anything else, and even if you have a **** day today, tmrw you might catch that wave that will make you believe in god. (I'm atheist, so i guess i'm still waiting for that wave hahahahah)
I think everyone has days like that. Ive been surfing a long time and I still have days where Im just on it and other days it seems like I cant surf or catch a wave to save my life. Dont sweat it. Idk why that is but it just seems that way. Surfing as in life, some times you have bad days, some times you have good days, occasionally you have great days. Maybe if I lived in a more consistent wave zone with better surf and could surf everyday I would be more consistent with my surfing but..... I still have a good time either way. Leave expectations out of your surfing. Just surf.
switch up your board once in a while, I find my surfing gets stagnet riding the same thing everyday. pull out the log or fish. or single fin to get a different ride, helps with progression and the stoke.
Having trouble with the SB ... pull out the LB and have some fun. Remember ... the best surfer in the line up is the one having the most fun!!!
yep, couldn't agree more...I know I can rip a wave (what I perceive for my ability) and look like an idiot the next...Have sessions like that too.
Actually when you get in a slump it's a good sign. It means you are aboot to progress to a new level. Everytime that happens, in a week or two you'll have a breakout performance. And no, the best surfer isn't the one having the most fun. Surfing's not aboot fun. It's aboot territory, performance and being cool. Wearing the right shorts, T-shirt, shoes, sunglasses, hat and fanny pack is much more important than having fun. Fun.Ha.....who has "fun?" Fun......Americans always want to have a good time, and they expect it. Russians don't have fun, and you don't see them all bent aboot it.
Not yet. I have been surfing for 2 years, but I am not 58. I think it is awesome you are out there learning at that age. It makes me think that I could get my dad on a board, as he is 62. Are you sure you have the right board for your size and level of surfing. I ride a 6'8" with ease after learning on a 7'4". As a beginner, having the correct amount of volume for your size is very important. Just stick with it. You will get out of that slump.
Thanks, but Dos don't skate. Gave up skateboards when I was 14. Prefer landing in water than on asphalt, concrete, or cactus. I think what will help, as it has in the past, is to ask one of the experienced regulars I know to watch and critique what I'm doing. Practicing the wrong thing over and over again without any feedback only reinforces the problem, creating and ingraining bad habits. This can easy happen if one surfs alone most of the time. Actually, during this "slump" and transition to the new board, I've had a couple of my best rides. It's just been very inconsistent.
^^^ What he said. I'd like to add that I don't think you should take a break. Go out there as often as you possibly can, flat, 1ft, 6ft, don't matter, just hit the beach when you have any free time. Paddle around on your board, especially if you're still getting acquainted, it's like a new woman, when you first start slappin skins it's fun no matter what but you're not always in sync and some sessions are better than others. Keep hittin it and next thing you know you've got your timing down. If you're really frustrated then go out on the LB a few times till you get your confidence back up and once you've gotten some consistency go back on your shorter board.
Thanks, Brew. The board is a factor, but I think it's a lot about technique. Also. I had been riding mostly 2-3 ft waves. More recently it's been 3-5 ft. Last month, I went from an 8-4, very high volume beginner's board to a 7 ft quad swallowtail (22 " wide, 3" thick with a fair amount of nose rocker). I'm 5-10 and 185 lbs. The quad is certainly harder to paddle, and I can't catch those slower, rolling waves like I could with the beginner board. I may have stayed with the beginner board too long - 11 mos - but cash was tight. Wanted to try downsizing before going to a longboard.
Good words, DP. Thanks. Thought maybe I was experiencing "burnout". Didn't want that to happen. Getting out in the water has become major part of my life. Just getting out makes a day special. It's like the bumper sticker: "A bad day at fishing is better than a good day at work". BTW, are you a Rays fan?
The stick you're on now is 7' x 22" x 3"? That's pretty voluminous. We are similar size and that stick would put me in waves all day. How's your wave placement and positioning? In 3-5ft you should be getting some no paddle waves here and there with the right positioning. Most of the boards I've been on for the last 3 months are quads and I don't have paddling issue with them. I thought paddling is more relative to dimensions and volume. With that amount of foam and quadded up, you'll be getting nice speed once you're in that wave. How's the wind been during your sessions? When, how, and if that wave is breaking has much to do with getting into it. We get some great looking ones on the EC that end up chubbing out and being crap despite having swell.
Anytime man, yeah i'm a Rays fan, got our asses stomped in game 1, hopefully they'll come back with a win in game 2 and make it interesting. They fought hard to get in, would be a shame to blow it now. They have a dangerous squad but they might be tired, we'll see what happens.
Baseball's not a sport. It's professional paint-drying. This, coming from the guy whose town has the best team in MLB. I'd rather watch Major League Croquet or the National Bocce League. Pastime my arse. Prince Fielder is type II diabetic thanks to his "athlete's diet".
Thanks, EMass. I think my wave positioning and placement using a different board have been a big part of the problem. Too often when I finally catch a wave it's breaking and, more often than not, I'll go over the falls. Haven't mastered popping up as that's happening - I just hang on. With the significant nose rocker, I have yet to pearl this board. The beginner board caught almost everything, so wave selection, placement, and positioning wasn't as critical. Through early last week, our 3-5 ft days were very choppy, disorganized, quick close-out, with onshore or cross-shore winds of 15-20+ mph.
DosXX, I find changing equipment makes the most sense, to me. I have some beater boards with shoddy weird rails and heavy glass, just some old 80's stuff and when I surf a few swells on that and then get back on a more 'shapely' board, I feel like a superhero, if I am actually better or not, who knows, but I FEEL like I am surfing better Also, bodysurfing, get to know the wave, feel the wave...be the wave...nanananana http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gQwY5Np4FA
believe me, landing on water can sometimes be as bad as concrete. Couple of weeks ago, I got pitched to the flats on a punchy shoulder high wind swell and pretty sure I cracked a rib. It still fk'n hurts like a mofo!
I'm pulling for the Rays AL and the Pirates NL. Not to turn this into a baseball thread, although I'm willing to start one for the post season; but there's a big difference between watching a baseball game on TV and going to one live. I think that's generally understood. Ball games on TV, with the exception of the post season, can get tedious with same camera angles, slow pace, commercials, etc. TV misses a lot - the atmosphere, the crowd, ancillary activities, the food, the smells, the sounds; heck, just the general feel of being at a ball park. There's nothing like it. But I can also enjoy listening to a game on the radio - like when I was a kid in bed at night or tuning in to the World Series while in the Navy. However, I find it difficult to follow basketball and hockey on the radio.
