Beginner technique questions

thanks...with that logic, most of the pros on the CT are dorks. OP said he has trouble with popping up and, since he lives about an hour from the nearest surfing beach (more like 2 hrs if he doesn't go to RI), I gave him a practical solution to add to his repertoire. I agree that without surfing knowledge, all the physical fitness in the world is useless, but the same is true vice versa...you can't have one without the other and expect to surf.

I guess it's possible, but I've never seen anyone outrun a wave (maybe on a longboard...but I never watch them, so I wouldn't know). I can catch waves many ways, but paddling early works for me a lot of the time. I wish I could outrun a wave paddling on a shortboard...just don't have the shoulders for it, I guess.

Supposedly, the bigger a wave is, that faster it's traveling...but it's also more powerful, so it's easier to catch than a small wave. Small waves are slower and, therefore, should be easier to catch, but they're usually weaker. I get more tired surfing in smaller waves than big waves...there's just more effort involved.

 

Conditioning is important, but you could be in tip top shape, and still not be able to catch waves.

It is all about positioning. There are TWO parts to this: 1. Positioning yourself correctly on the board; 2. Positioning you and the board on the wave, and at the proper speed to allow you to catch the wave. Both take lots of time to learn.

1. As mentioned previously, you are likely too far back on the board. Work to find the proper spot. Keep inching forward until you start consistently nose diving/pearling. Try to stay in that spot, but arch your back as much as possible when paddling, this should shift your weight back enough to prevent pearling, then at that last push, when the nose of the board is out over the trough of the wave, flatten out, pushing your chin to the board like DawnPatrolSUP said above. You can also shift your weight forward a bit by bending your knees. If you're still pearling, try moving back a little bit at a time. You will eventually learn the balancing act after you find the sweet spot, and learn the weight shift thing, and the timing.

2. Positioning on the wave. This is harder to learn, as it is vastly different from beach to beach, tide to tide, swell to swell and even from wave to wave. Every time you go out, try to watch someone who is riding a similar board. See where they put themself on the wave. Study which ones they make, and which they don't make. Spend some time on the beach watching. Then spend some time in the lineup watching. Start going for waves. Take mental notes, make adjustments.

Once you've learned where to be on the board, and where to be on the wave, you will then begin to learn the timing of how to put yourself in the proper position.

Try to go on cleaner days. When there is side chop on a wave, a little piece of side chop can turn a nice makeable section into an impossible section. If you're out on a choppy day, you need to be positioned in the trough between the side chops.

Then there's the timing of when to pop up. This also takes time, and is different from swell to swell and wave to wave. You will eventually learn the feeling when things begin to accellerate, that's when you pop up. Practicing with the tape on the floor will help you get it to a single motion from prone to standing.

If you have the cash, take your friend up on a lesson, see if it helps. He may be a good surfer, but a sucky teacher. Worst case scenario, get him to use the same sized board, and try to mimic what he's doing.

 

There are differing opinions on the value of surf lessons. A private lesson or two might not hurt. It depends on the instructor. A decent instructor can see what you're doing right or wrong and point it out to you, perhaps expediting the initial learning process a bit and reducing the development and reinforcement of bad habits which may become difficult to break.
Sometimes just a couple pointers from an experienced surfer can go a long way and even get you out of a slump which can occasionally happen.
Surf etiquette is also an important part of surfing.
A lot of good advice here though. Time in the water, trial and error, persistence, and a positive attitude are key. Have fun while learning and enjoy the journey.

 

A ton of great advice here.Watch instruction vids on you tube,watch the pros,and watch surfers at your break.Just like anything in life the more you do it the better you get but I feel with surfing its the hardest learning curve out there so be patient.Water time,water time and more water time.

 

What i'm referring to is being a little too far inside, seeing the wave on the horizon, turning around and paddling for it like it's a race and then getting mowed down. If you paddle out deep enough but not too far, you'll find yourself right where the wave pops up 20 yards or so in front of you, at which point you couldn't outrun the wave unless you have a Wavejet or something. You can compensate for lack of position with paddling speed / direction to get in front of the wave before it closes out on your head and shoot down the line. Positioning, it's everything.

 

Keep your paddle smooth and strong. When you are speeding it up, its not a spastic flailing of the arms, it still has to be smooth and and pulling you thru the water. Kinda loose finger cup your hands. If there's a bunch of water splashing around, you are doing it wrong (unless you are kicking your feet, which on a 9'8 they should be just up kickin in the air, if they are in the water, you're also doing it wrong).

oh and move your fin all the way to the front of the fin box. That could be whats bogging you down when you stand up. Also make sure theres no knots in your leash. (it happens)

Just dont do anything...the less you do, the more you do...the weather outside is weather...

 

most of us learned without lessons.
most of us think lessons can't hurt.

 

Honest question, and please don't take this the wrong way--why do you want to surf? I see so many adult beginners these days, and I guess I just don't get it. When I was a kid, surfing seemed cool, it was fun to goof off in the water with other adolescents, it was fun trying to dodge the older guys, all that. Now if I step back from it it just all seems kind of juvenile, I can't imagine being 40 years old and thinking it was something I wanted to take up as a hobby. And in my mid 30s, I long ago came to the realization that I will never really be that good at this thing, the best I can hope for is to try to age gracefully, maybe become some kind of grizzled weirdo sitting way out the back, whatever. And I've been riding waves for 30 years! What future is there for an adult beginner?

Anyway, as far as advice, almost always in my experience lack of conditioning is not the cause of not catching waves, I mean surfing on a beginner level just isn't that physically demanding. If the beginner has decent technique and board positioning the problem is usually a lack of basic wave knowledge, being able to read incoming waves, know when and where they are going to break. Have you ever ridden a boogie or bodysurfed? If not, you might want to try those things out, spend as much time in the ocean as possible, watching the waves and trying to catch them without worrying about being a "surfer."

 

Man, this is great, right there with ya homie. #grizzledweirdo4life

Lots of good advice here OP, good thread on the basics. But log as much water time as you can!

 

Jake- you need to get better at judging when to take off. Sounds like you are scrambling and paddling when the wave is not ready to be caught. Try taking off later and later. It sounds counter intuitive but you will find that "point" when the wave face is just about to crest, and it just picks you right up. Combine this with little tricks like shoving the board down under water and riding it's buoyancy back up into your paddle, and you should be killing it! The guys who sit way out side know what a wave should look like at that point, and time a few strokes so that they are flying already by the time the short boarders start to scramble on the sandbar. Just sitting out deep and paddling for bumps will get you nowhere. Also, that arthur swell was a bit weird, not the easiest waves to catch, so take that session with a grain.

 

Maybe they didn't have the opportunity to learn to surf when they were younger. If you did, consider yourself lucky and don't begrudge your elders the chance to give it a try.

I took it up in my 50s. That OK with you?

 

You live in Southern North Carolina? I'm fine with it.

 

Age is just a number, anybody can learn at any age, people shouldn't limit themselves on what they are capable of, even in their later years. I struggled with surfing when I was younger, caught waves here and there but never really excelled to the point where I would say I was any "good". Fast forward to 30yrs. old, I got COMMITTED, and now at 33 years old I'm light years ahead of my teenage / 20's self. Just takes commitment and determination and if you really want to get better, you will. Sure we all have our limitations physically, but you can't measure someone's heart.

 

I didn't start until I was 29, and since I am a runner, I can tell you I am in better shape than most young beginners. If you are in good shape, it shouldn't be that difficult to put in some time and get good enough that you can have fun out there. Surfing is a rush to me, even though I am not great at it (yet). As I get better, it will continue to make me happier. I already loved the ocean, so this is another hobby that brings me closer to it. I will probably never compete, and I don't really care about pulling off tricks, but I will always have fun. If it stops being fun and starts to feel more like work, I will probably quit. I think it is great that a 40y/o person wants to take up a sport like this. Most would just go for something a lot easier.

 

Yeah beats taking up fu*king crossfit.

 

I started surfing in my early twenties and now I'm in my mid thirties am in better shape than I was then. That's crazy to me because I was a college athlete. If you're an athletic person, keep in shape and have coordination and determination, you can learn at a later age. I am envious of people who learned young though.

 

I'm not sure exactly what crossfit is, do they have class like things, with like weights and balls and stuff? I think they might do that on the boardwalk some mornings? I find having people up on the boardwalk doing jumping jacks or whatever is much better than having them in the water.