How did you get back into being a surfer after stopping or quitting for 10+ years ?

Hey what's up everyone! This is my first time posting, but it's not my first time surfing at all I know a lot and spent 100's hours upon hours in the water practicing in my teens in central and south FL. Check out the profile to learn more. Surfing was my life and lived for ANY rideable conditions basically out the crew. To knee high slop that pisses off, to OMFG double overhead and sucking out! I've charged it all! Dawn patrol to NIGHT surfing!

I had to let go of the board at 19, and lived in Washington DC for close to 20 years. I figured I was too far away to keep up the routine. Very hard and difficult emotionally speaking, caused I realized when I left FL, I missed something inside of me. In fact Rip Curl used this slogan during my days of the 90's : "Only a surfer knows the feeling". Not only was it catchy, but very true All I could do was treasure memories of how it felt, play surfing video games as they came out (nice, but no dice really, except Sunny Garcia's title) watch the old surf films Bunyip Dreaming and PUMP, catch contest on TV to imagine the day of going back to it all. One time I ended up in Ocean City during a swell after 911. I rented a board, and paddled out to the line up. Well it hit me hard that since I've stopped even this long, that I'm struggling hard. I'm getting out of breath much quicker, and endurance has slowed with paddling. I was quite upset. Found a forum like this (maybe it this one lol) and made a post. I'll never forget one poster reply saying you can't expect to just jump into things. It's going to take time, and I realized that a weekend surfer wasn't going to cut it for me. So I never lost my soul. In fact I went to Dell WS where one of the first Flowriders was at, and here's my video.

[video=youtube;69mMkz1rtxU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69mMkz1rtxU[/video]


As you can I do know something and I admit that I'm failing hard, however standing on 25 mph of water is something you're not going to shred on the first time, and once it starts to spin out as you can see, good luck trying to keep your balance.

Part 2 next reply

 

OK, so now about 5 years down the pike, things change. I end up coming back to Lauderdale to live. First I had a near slip and fall, that water built up in the knee. After a couple of months of waiting for this to finally heal up. I've saved up money for a board and gear. Boards have doubled in price, and I was of the resin/fiberglass fins era. So screws are quite refreshing to see. Wasn't looking to buy a bad ass performance board to start back into the swing of things, just something I can turn and maneuver the line with. I found something for 250 + fins Kinetic Designs 6'3 G .Wilson hand shaped. The first day was some windblown weak slop. I begin to head out, half way out, it's hitting again just like back 01. The ocean is humbling me big time! Getting quickly out of breath, paddling becomes slower and harder trying to get out. I slowly began to get a bad headache, and feel nauseated, so I head in after 40 mins. Took a break, then headed back out again after I eat and rest since I'm living a few blocks away. This time I was able to stay out about 2 hrs, but it was small and weak. Barely ridable, but I stood up a few times frontside dominant. Backside needs to re-orientation to stand up. Caught a few lines, even snapped a close out. Felt really good! I read the winds are about to blow and pick up the wind swell for the next day. I'm ready to hit it as the high tide is coming in. This is nothing new to me. I've surfed 100's of days like I'm about to in windblown chop, so I'm not really thinking anything of it. Looks about waist-chest, and that's all I want. Start to paddle out, and it's not doing too bad getting out. Trying to find the shoulder of an incoming set to take off on. It's shifting, pushing me back, so I have to keep paddling and duck dive under whitewater to stay right at the break point. After a few attempts, I get this sore feeling right under my rib cage. I keep on paddling around, but this is quickly becoming severe. I try to take another wave, which I rode the line. I paddle out, and getting knocked around, over peaks. Even when I started, I never had this kind of pain before and I'm thinking I'm a too dammed skinny ? Out of shape ? WTF is going on ? It's unbearable to stay out, so I head in feeling quite defeated. I read up on this, and it seems quite common, however I can't understand why decreased endurance and energy is happening so fast to me. I read some threads, then fell asleep, when I woke up the whole area hurts. It hurts to even cough now on the right side. I'm chalking this up to not being used to the full body motions and movements in surfing and being knocked around yet, like I was really fine tuned at 17-18. So, what can a person do to ease back into things after 15-20 years or more ? I'd like to hear some pointers and suggestions, especially those who had to stop or quit for years, even decades to go back at a later point. How did you get back into surfing and make the transition from relearning to performance levels ? I'm a DIE HARD dedicated guy, so I'm not giving up at all. Once a surfer, always a surfer and I won't let go. Anyway, I think this could be a good thread for those are in my position of coming back younger mid aged adult 35-40 range.

All I need to do is win the lottery, buy a lakefront property and have Wavegarden installed LOL

SURF ON wherever in the world you are!

 

OK! And I heard that as well LOL! Riddle me this please raddadbrad, how come that's something I didn't experience the first time learning as a teen ? Is that because of age ? Inactivity ? I let myself ride over the tops today and rock around. I'm like WTF, my ribs never hurt laying on a board for hrs all during those teen years. Rib or not, the OCEAN does humble. Doesn't matter if you can do 100 push ups, curl free weight in high reps and try put yourself in the best shape to condition yourself to get back into the water....Surfing is NOT for the weak minded. It's probably a tougher sport than most realize! Throw out pre-conditoning. I guess it's the ocean is what does the real conditioning instead.

Might have to consider that Paddleair

 

Oh yeah, the board has got some thickness and density. I'm not ready for the potato chip slicer obviously. I had eye balls on Al Merricks, but I know better! I guess it's take a bruisin' and get back out in it when tolerable. It really hurts to LOL tonight! Fun!

 

Day 2 : Rip pain near screaming levels. Just enough to keep composure though. Hurts to cough even slightest or laugh. Reading something funny will be bloody murder...I wonder how long this last for before it begins to subside ?