Which piece of the puzzle am I missing?

[Sabian]

Hi guys -

I've only just joined this site, but it looks like people are very willing to help, even on the most basic of queries, which is good because I've got another one for you!

I've been surfing for around 6months now and am riding a 9'2" epoxy longboard - I'm not the smallest of guys, so it seems to give me the level of balance and buoyancy that I need for my body type and also for my basic level of skill. I can get to my feet quite often, but am aware that I'm using my knee a bit, rather than popping up, so I'm working on getting rid of the bad habit. I have 'gone across the wave' once or twice, by angling the board slightly as I paddle towards the shore, but this is still a rare treat for me.

I'm surfing now in the cold mid-winter and so as there are (far) less people in the water, its giving me the space that I need to practice and learn, but I just can't quite seem to crack the next step somehow. I'm watching others as they appear to effortlessly pop to their feet, then go floating off across the wave. They also seem to be popping up quite late into the wave, rather than as soon as the wave has taken them, then sailing across to the side. Whilst I always enjoy my surf sessions, I can't help but feel green with envy.

So, here are my questions guys - I hope that you can work out what I'm trying to describe. Firstly, should I continue to crack the 'pop' before anything else - is it THAT fundamental to getting to the next stage? Secondly, should I be paddling straight towards the beach and then once I'm starting to drop down the face, only then try to physically turn towards the direction that I wish to go, or should I stick with angling and then trying to stand up in that same initial direction, rather than concentrating on trying to turn?

I hope you can work out what I'm trying to say and I'd really appreciate any tips that you can give me.

Thanks!!!

[billie_morini]

Hallo Sabian,
It's good you have the stoke and will brave colder temps. I really enjoy cold water, so I'm with you. Six months surfing is not a long time, especially if you don't often have someone more experienced to coach you. I think you are doing fine.

Q1. Firstly, should I continue to crack the 'pop' before anything else - is it THAT fundamental to getting to the next stage?
A1. Foremost, you must be able to catch any wave you decide to catch and be able to standup. Being able to catch any wave you choose means you have been in the water enough to be able to judge where and when waves will form, as well as, where you should be. Standing up effortlessly and every time you want to, is absolutely fundamental. This is where a lot of people give up. Don't you be one of them. Beginners easily spend a full year getting these two elements down pat.

Q2. Secondly, should I be paddling straight towards the beach and then once I'm starting to drop down the face, only then try to physically turn towards the direction that I wish to go, or should I stick with angling and then trying to stand up in that same initial direction, rather than concentrating on trying to turn?
A2. The Hawaiian word for angling across the wave face, is "la la," As in "I'm going la la." It's great when you do it because it extends your ride and, at the end of the ride, it also places you in the best of places for paddling back out. Have you noticed when you finish your ride that is straight to the beach, you have to battle out from the inside? Not the most fun, but it does build strong muscles and stamina. It is a common technique to take off at an agle than straight toward the beach. The value of this is you're better positioned to go la la. It works well for me on smaller waves. The bottom turn is something that you, as a surfer, really should learn. This opens up a lot more possibilities with the ride, what you can get out of a wave, and makes non-surfers think you really are a surfer. It takes a lot of practice, unless you are a kid. Everything seems to come easy to kids. As you learn to make bottom turns, you will fall off a whole bunch. You'll probably fall off so much that you'll wonder if you've developed any capability at all. Of course you have, so keep at it. When I was learning to do the more advanced things (la la and bottom turn), I'd do them & fall a bunch of times, then ride one wave straight to the beach for the thrill of it, then go back to falling off for awhile.

Be sure to surf this forum. You'll find a lot of info related to what you are working on now.

[Sabian]

Hi Billie -

Firstly, thanks a lot for the pep talk - surfing has definitely got me hooked and stoked, so much as my not being able to ride down the line is driving me nuts at the moment, I won't be giving up on it and I am aiming to stay in the sea right throughout the winter - I guess that you guys that have been doing it for years become half-penguin after a while! I wish I was able to pick it up with kid-like speed too, but unfortunately I think its going to take me the full 'grown-up' duration to put everything together, haha!

I see a lot of sense in what you are saying about saving myself from having to battle back out by avoiding the straight-line into the beach and as my board is a buoyant old beast, it really can be quite a battle, particularly in bigger waves. I'll take your advice and concentrate on angling and 'going la-la' from now on, apart from an occasional ride to shore to keep me buzzing and hopefully I'll eventually crack it. Once I've got that in the bag, I'll start work on nailing my bottom turns.

I'm enjoying looking around the forum at some of the other questions and answers too, there's definitely a wealth of information to be found here, but getting a direct steer from people that know what they are doing is a big help for novices like me that are trying to get to grips with early stage surfing, so again, thanks for responding and giving me a steer - much appreciated!

[billie_morini]

Alaho Sabian,
Hopefully, this will also encourage you: I was 46 or 47 years old when I learned to surf. Ja, I know what you mean about wishing you could pick it up at Kid Speed. I had and continue to have the very same thought. Surfing is a lot like playing guitar. In order to have any proficiency, you have to do it regularly. It helped me a lot in the beginning to be in the water for 6 to 8 hour periods.

Dunno about guys becoming accustomed to cold water. I think it's more of "you either like it or you don't." I know a lot of So CAL surfers that have surfed forever and never grew to like cold water.

billie

[Sabian]

Aloha Billie -

That really is encouraging to hear, because I am actually 41, so its good to hear that you were able to conquer it at this middle stage of your life also (its good to try to remain a little bit kid-like in the mind)! Funnily enough, I also play a little guitar too - and although I am definitiely no Dave Gilmour, I guess my guitar work is probably a fair bit better than my surfing at the moment, haha!

Anyhow, if there's any surf around on Saturday or Sunday, I will be getting back into that cold sea - and I'm looking forward to it. I will try out the tips that you have given me and I will let you know how I get on. Here's hoping for a few nice trips 'going la la' down the line - and maybe even a bottom turn or two...

Cheers

[Surf Hound]

Sounds as though you are on the right track with your progress and skill level. Best advice I can give you is to just keep at it. Soon you will be popping up and riding the face on everything you can catch. It just comes, you progress, progress then one day your up and riding every wave. Once you get it everything falls into place. Keep at it my friend and you too will be hooked for life on surfing.

[Sabian]

Thanks a lot Surf Hound! Its good to know that I'm somewhere around the right stage of progress for the amount of time that I've been doing it (I've self-doubted a bit when I've watched guys whizzing past me as I've bobbed around gurgling seawater, haha!). Up until I had these posts back from yourself and Billie, I had no idea of whether I was on the right track or not - that'll give me a good boost now, so I'll be all the more determined and giving it all I've got the next time I get out on those waves. Much appreciated!

[Sabian]

Hi Billie - thanks for the message.

As a 'new user' the site did not give me permission to reply to you directly, so hopefully you will have sussed that out and pick this response up here instead. I live in South Wales, in the UK, so the range of places that I have been able to surf so far are pretty limited (by my ability, more than anything else), though you should be able to get some pretty good info and images on the places that I've listed here using Google. My mainstay surfspot is Llangennith Beach, in a part of Wales called the Gower, which can produce some really nice waves, both for my level and also, quite often, some bigger, badder waves for surfers with more ability. I also use Langland Bay and its neighbour, Caswell Bay, when swell conditions mean that there's not much at Llangennith (though its usually the other way about - Llangennith tends to be the indicator beach). The only other one that I've tried so far (in the UK) is Rest Bay at Porthcawl, which again, can produce some nice waves. I'm aware that there are a lot of other good places here in the UK, but until I get a little bit better, I'll probably stick with the local ones mentioned (as the nearest 'good' ones to me). Other than that, I did have a go abroad in Fuertaventura - when I was there, I stayed at Corallejo and surfed Glass Beach, Flag Beach and also tried El Cotillo up in the North West of the island (which ate me alive, incidentally!).

[billie_morini]

Hallo Sabian,
thanks for all the info about your location and breaks. At least you're not land-locked on the Continent and have some options. Wouldn't you like to be located in San Diego, California? There are 110 breaks listed there, so there is a wave no matte which way the swell comes and 1) the water is warm and, 2) there are almost no sharks. I have a co-worker based in San Diego that is originally from London. She and her husband surf almost every day at Windansea. They walk to the break in 2 minutes from their apartment. There is frequently surf at this break, so it is what you and I need.

My favorite surf buddy is a German who has returned to the Fatherland. When he lived in Los Angeles, we were always going south to San Onofre or north to my regular breaks. I taught his little Korean girlfriend to surf at Huntington Beach (Surf City, USA). They'd often go to Malibu and Zumas. Not that my buddy is working near Stuttgart, he has no surf at all. So, you and I are far better off than him.

On December 1, 2008, a manager of an international engineering firm located in Hannover, Germany, called me. He asked, "So Bill, are you ready to join us in Germany?" Without any hesitation I blurted, "No, you have no surf!" This is not the appropriate response when someone is calling you about employment, but my heart was doing the talking. "They" worked on my for several months and brought me over for 2 weeks for meetings and to visit many offices. We made a deal after about several months of negotiation. In the end, they broke the deal, I didn't return to Germay from California, and found employment that allowed me to move to Santa Barbara. Guess what? "They" are at it again, however, this time they are trying to get me to work in their offices in Santa Barbara and Santa Ana. We may be able to make a deal.

There are big color print advertisements going out this week that say the Rincon Classic surf competition is set for January 6 through 8, 2011. This is a beautiful break. You may recall that surgeons told me I cannot surf this Winter, so I think I'll go and watch some of the competition in-person. God knows, even without neck injury, I do not surf well enough to enter (any competition). Remember, have fun (because the best surfer is the one that is having the most fun).

billie

[Sabian]

Hi Billie -

Its a real pity that you are unable to get out on the surf this winter and I hope that your neck recovers to the point where your surgeon gives you the go-ahead to go hit the waves in the spring or summer. I also agree that being landlocked would be a real burden, so given that I've got neither of those problems preventing me from getting out on the water, I can't really complain at all - even with the frost and snow that is currently over here, its still seems downright impossible not to enjoy the fun of surfing! As for the surf in San Diego, it sounds absolutely fantastic - with or without the sharks!

It also sounds like you are very much in demand by the German fraternity - I can't say that I'm at all familiar with either Santa Barbera or Santa Ana, but if you eventually decide to live and work there, hopefully they will be within range of some nice breaks for you to tame. Finally, I didn't know about the Rincon Classic, but I'll certainly be keeping my eyes peeled for it now that you've given me the heads-up on it.

Cheers Billie,

Sabian

[BB-GLACK]

Hi Sabian,

I posted a similar post a while back
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=15497
The replies I got helped hugely and the video links the guys posted. I have been surfing a year and a bit now. I'm going through a rough patch at the moment and cant get sh!t together on the water but have generally in the last 6 months or so been able to catch a few nice waves every session where I get a turn and go along the face of the wave.
The steps I took to get there-I first got to the stage where I could comfortably pop up and go straight to shore almost everytime in the white water before I tried green waves. Then once I had the pop up and was catching green waves I found angle the board and digging deep as the wave approached helped alot. The video link in my post above illustrates it well, to be thinking everything right/left before the wave, your paddle, angle, slight lean etc. If everthing is going right /left when the wave lifts you then all you have to do is pop up and you are going down the line. Also practice as much as possible, I found 3 days in a row would be more benefical to me then 6 days spread out over 6 weeks, I get down every chance I get but havent been for 3 weeks now because of the snow and -8 to -10 weather here in ireland the last few weeks has the roads in bits, and I already know after 3 weeks out I will be well rusty on saturday when I finally get out but still cant wait!! Anyway enjoy it all buddy, and dont despair or get too fustrated because it will happen and then when it does happen it will be the next step that will be wishing for!! I'm new to surfing too but I dont think Il ever be contented with my ability and skill level I think ill always be looking to improve more and more I think thats the nature of it!!
Best of luck with it

[jaffa1949]

I'm new to surfing too but I dont think Il ever be contented with my ability and skill level I think ill always be looking to improve more and more I think thats the nature of it!!
Best of luck with it

Good post BB I'm a vintage old fart your last sentence says it all really and although I may be retreating somewhat from the "humungous" waves I rode when I was younger I am still looking to do more with more style and grace than I did before. Surfing has always been a blessing for me, may it be for you too!

[jaffa1949]

Another reply for Sabian , it's good if you can stop the knee thing as an in between stage on standing up as if is one knee and then you put uneven knee on hand pressure on getting up you will nearly always come unstuck. Try as often as you can as a warm up and around the hose popping up from lying down to standing in a squat position in your surfing stance, builds the stance muscles.
Paddle at a slight diagonal as per the La la hawaiian advice from Billy and if you have the pop up going well and fast it will even push you a little further down the line doing a square bottom turn is a slightly more advanced skill and becomes more and more difficult as the wave faces get steeper so the angled take off is the way to go.
Get your confidence going across the wave, try little wiggles up and down the wave by leaning and shifting your stance, takes a lttle figuring out .
AS you get more speed you can increase the force and the lean you put into your wiggles and suddenly you will notice they have become turns.
Surf more and you will improve more, hey I notice that if I don't surf enough I drop back in connecting my skills.

[Sabian]

Hi BB, hi Jaffa -

Just wanted to say thanks to you guys for your posts - the surf has been poor here yet again this weekend (pretty much a duck-pond here in South Wales, worse luck - hope that it was better this weekend for you in Ireland, BB!), but I'm really looking forward to trying out the tips that both yourselves and Billie Morini have suggested (and thanks for that video link BB - I found that useful). I've also noted your tip on concentrating on the angled take offs to start with, rather than the more difficult bottom turns - that makes good sense to me Jaffa, so thanks for that). I've also started doing the pop-up exercises daily too in my living room, which is amusing my cat immensely, but as I'm not using my knee, I am now rebuilding the muscle memory into a 'good' habit instead, so I can really see how that is going to benefit me.

Finally, I know exactly what you both mean about ever being 'content with your skill level' - I know the stuff that I'm trying to do is early stage basics, but even once I've cracked it (and I will get there eventually, even if it takes me 10 years!) I already know that it won't end there - and that it will just get replaced by some fresh new surfing challenge.

I agree that it is just the nature of the beast and just like you guys, I am now well and truly hooked!

Thanks again for your help - much appreciated!

Sabian