Simply can't take the drop damn it!!!

[klhoskins]

So Im an old guy (39) that's been surfing for about 1 1/2 years now. Sometimes 2-3 times a week, sometimes once every couple weeks. For the last 6 months I have had one major obstacle. On anything bigger than say 4' as long as I have a nice slow shoulder going left (yeah I'm goofy), I can take it no problem. The problem comes in when they are peeling over faster or are bigger rights.

Yesterday I went out and it was 4-6 with bigger sets. Looking around, I was the only one out that couldn't take the late drop. I can be looking at a perfect shoulder but if it's already peeling over, I just can't force myself to do it. I know in my head that it's only water and I have been bashed a few times so I know I'll be OK but I just can't seem to force myself to take them. I'm thinking that it's because my pop-up isn't the fastest so subliminally I know I won't be set in time.

Anyone else run into this road block? If so, how'd you get through it?

[RJD]

Man up!

You know you'll be fine, and a wipe out isnt that bad eh! Just get to your feet eary, be angled on takeoff and get on the rails for the turn.

[gerk86]

dont think about it, pop up, wipe out and realise it wasn't as bad as you thought it would be.

[isaluteyou]

take the drop you will probably find its just in your head You only work things out through trial and error which in this case means taking a fair few beatings

[DoorM4n]

If your afraid of fear your life will be controlled by fear. Those who dismantle fear and hesitance are the successful people in this world.

[drowningbitbybit]

Anyone else run into this road block? If so, how'd you get through it?

Time in the water is the only way.
And go out even when its blown out slop, just so you can go through the drill of popping up again and again and again until its a natural 'muscle memory' movement.

Recently Ive found that going - painfully - over the falls due to hesitating about taking the drop is a real good incentive to stand up and do it properly

Wisest words ever said to me about surfing -
"It'll hurt a whole lot less if you're standing up when it happens."

[Thibb]

My friends think I'm insane for the beatings I take every time I go out. Whenever I see a wave that looks halfway ridable, I just go. Of course, on days like this, when they dump, I get hammered every time. Today I got clobbered at least 12 times, including going over the falls and landing on sand twice. As I mentioned before, I just can't ride quicker waves. It's not the fear holding me back. Just pure lack of skill.

But I guess what I want to say is that I'm about your age and I get beat up all the time. You'll live, just go for it!!

[alimac2411]

if it's just fear that's holding you back from taking the drop then you need to overcome that.
Try getting into your head that if all these guys around you are making the drop, or at least trying to, then so can you, just keep telling yourself that. Maybe next time you go out just tell yourself that you'lll never forgive yourself if you don't try at least once to make it.
Practice is the most important thing, but if you aint trying then you can't practice either. Next time your out just go for it at least once and make sure when you go for it that you're in the right part of the wave before you do. With experience you'll get there!

[parrysurf]

On bigger days make sure you are catching early.....late drops are for advanced surfers....if you are early you can angle the wave and be ridding before it is crashing over you.

Time in water, and good positioning will get you some biguns if you are patient.

Keep it up.....39 is a state of mind.....catch that wave and you will feel like a kid.

[WaterSport]

You may want to be a little further back on the board. Its not uncommon to have your rear foot over the fin. BTW, if you have not waxed your board way back there...do it.

WS

[Jc]

DW, just the other day I was out surfing, I caught a perfect green wave, partyly in shock I caught it, and partly because I was facing down a huge drop (3ft lol) I didn't pop-up either.

Then again that could only have bin the 10th green wave I have caught on it.

[BoarderDave]

I hear ya man.. I struggle with the same thing. Its a tough thing to get over but as a lot of these people have said, it's in your head and you just have to fight that fear. Keep going at it, keep trying, and right when your mind is about to tell you to hold back, push forward one more time and pop up. If you never try for them, you cant ever catch them. You may fall on a bit of them, but who knows; you might actually pull a real nice late drop off and be floating on that stoke for the next week and a half.

"It'll hurt a whole lot less if you're standing up when it happens."
That is such an awesome quote. hah.

[joem]

see if you can get into the wave eailer i dont know if this is possible as i dont know where your surfing or what board your riding. another option that may make it easir is to angle your take off which means that your already moving towards the shoulder im no expert but thats what i'd say.

[Jc]

I find by the time I know I have caught it, I am nose diving into what i like to call "satin's xxxxx" but I guess you could say the ground xD

But I am starting to think I should try and learn to surf accross the face, on maybe mellower waves, but I have no idea where to find them

[joem]

now angeling would help that