...too old to start surfing?

[BigFlorider]

I am sure this has been asked on the board before...but I just turned 46 and I started to learn to surf. I have been a weight lifter for years and I am big (6'2" 240 pounds ) but I am athletic . I have been surfing each weekend , at least one day a weekend for the last 3 months. I found it very slow going and I can pop up on land, in the water it's a different story. People give me different advice ex. Start in the white water, no paddle out farther, etc.). And now I am wondering if I am too big, too old or should I just be patient?

Looking for validation and some inspiration.
Thanks!

[jaffa1949]

I am sure this has been asked on the board before...but I just turned 46 and I started to learn to surf. I have been a weight lifter for years and I am big (6'2" 240 pounds ) but I am athletic . I have been surfing each weekend , at least one day a weekend for the last 3 months. I found it very slow going and I can pop up on land, in the water it's a different story. People give me different advice ex. Start in the white water, no paddle out farther, etc.). And now I am wondering if I am too big, too old or should I just be patient?

Looking for validation and some inspiration.
Thanks!

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1356467535.579753.jpg

Ya not too old and ya not too heavy , you are just ready to start learning , here is a bunch of the older crew on the same board as you!!
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=17676
They will validate and encourage you, .


Be patient junior!!!!!!!!!!! Start in the white water! Have fun realising how everything is more challenging than any other sport you have known.
BTW try a good normal board ASAP after getting off the soft top

[BigFlorider]

I am sure this has been asked on the board before...but I just turned 46 and I started to learn to surf. I have been a weight lifter for years and I am big (6'2" 240 pounds ) but I am athletic . I have been surfing each weekend , at least one day a weekend for the last 3 months. I found it very slow going and I can pop up on land, in the water it's a different story. People give me different advice ex. Start in the white water, no paddle out farther, etc.). And now I am wondering if I am too big, too old or should I just be patient?

Looking for validation and some inspiration.
Thanks!

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1356467535.579753.jpg

Ya not too old and ya not too heavy , you are just ready to start learning , here is a bunch of the older crew on the same board as you!!
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=17676
They will validate and encourage you, .


Be patient junior!!!!!!!!!!! Start in the white water! Have fun realising how everything is more challenging than any other sport you have known.
BTW try a good normal board ASAP after getting off the soft top

What is a normal longboard? A fiberglass or epoxy longboard?

[jaffa1949]

What is a normal longboard? A fiberglass or epoxy longboard?

Either / Or something about 9ft + some of the epoxy boards are more durable and able to service a learner's wipeouts but if you take care of your board then an standard PU board will do OK tto.
Both boards have a form of fiberglass just the inside foam and how the glass is applied differ.
Ther should be some good second hand boards of either type available, in surf shops or on various online selling sites, but better to go and have a look if you can.
Have a good look around the forum lots of tips on board choice and debate about what to ride.
Lots of product information and board type criteria.

Have a look at this section for starters, look around the forum.

[surf patrol]

Hi BigFlorider, welcome to Surfing Waves!

[billie_morini]

bigflorider,
You are not too old. I was the same age when I started.
You are not too large. I've seen guys your size, especially at San Onofre, CA.
Progress is a function of time invested. Surfing is like playing guitar. You have to do it and do it and do to learn and to maintain whatever skill level achieved.
If you are not popping up in water, then you should do something I teach: 1) go to beach break where waves keep coming and coming, 2) go into the water right in front of the breaking waves (best if you can stand whether knee, waist, or neck deep), 3) jump on board when wave is breaking behind you & paddle HARD with head up, 4) make 5 to 8 strokes to catch wave and consciously place palms on deck directly in front of shoulders, 6) pop up as explosively as you can by pushing firmly from palms and pulling feet under you, 7) ride to stop, and 8- REPEAT. When I say "repeat," I mean it. Keep doing it and doing it. You should get 25 to 50 rides like this each time you go out. The reason for this is to condition your entire body to instinctively know what to do. After you do this for 6 to 8 outings, or longer if your body doesn't do this instinctively, then try to catch unbroken waves. Unbroken wave size should be between 2 to 4 feet high. You will be amazed when you catch your first green wave and your body instinctively paddles HARD, pulls your hands to position palms down, and pops up. I promise this will work.

[Kalymero]

Bigflorider,

Of course you are not too old, maybe the learning process will be a little bit slower, but if you are really interested and motivated you will learn and enjoy this wonderful sport!!

Good luck!!

[surfgoth]

this guy is proof that weight isnt a factor.

[themathteacher]

So there is still hope for me at 205lbs, good!

[BigFlorider]

Well, I am catching waves regularly, but my problem is popping up consistently...I get my front foot forward but my back foot and back foot knee are still on the board!!! I don't seem to stand all the way in the water!!! Frustrating!!! Any exercises or tips to keep me from having my back knee on the board?

[dtc]

Well, I am catching waves regularly, but my problem is popping up consistently...I get my front foot forward but my back foot and back foot knee are still on the board!!! I don't seem to stand all the way in the water!!! Frustrating!!! Any exercises or tips to keep me from having my back knee on the board?

There are lots of possibilities in terms of 'technical' flaws, but if your back foot is getting stuck then chances are your hips arent getting high enough from the pop up. Which is most likely because your hands are too far forward on the board - you are lifting your shoulders up (allowing your front leg to come forward) but not your hips. You need to lift your hips to give your legs room to come through (I say 'most likely' because it seems to be the most common flaw when I watch beginners learning to surf - the beach I usually surf at often has surf schools and they can be amusing, and instructive, to watch).

Have a go by putting your left hand just under your armpit (as close to your body as you comfortably can) and your right hand all the way down near the bottom of your ribs (assuming a natural footer - left foot forward. Reverse if goofy). The reason for the hands at different levels is that it gives you a natural 'twist' as you pop up; but its not essential. What is essential is to have your hands at rib (below shoulder) level. If your hands are at or above shoulder level, then they are definitely too high.

Other possibilities are:

- just not pushing hard enough. You mention you were a lifter so I doubt you lack strength, but possibly you are just being too tentative. Commit. Try to pop up tentatively and you will fail - its like riding a bike, the slower the harder.

- rather than trying to bring your feet under your body, you are trying to push your body back to be over your feet. This gives enough room for your front foot but your back foot gets 'jammed'. Remember that as you pop up you generally want to be heading 'downhill' (down the wave, weight slightly on front foot) rather than doing what your brain says, which is trying to keep the board level by putting weight towards the back of the board. This problem will usually be fixed by having your hands in the 'right' spot; usually popping up this way involves hands that are too high anyway.

good luck - popping up is a bit like riding a bike. Once you figure it out, you generally do it right 95+% of the time. This is why surfers can never explain how to pop up - its like describing how to ride a bike. You know you can, you just dont know exactly how.

[BigFlorider]

Thanks DTC, I appreciate the tips. Thanks to everyone on the board for their help! I'll let you know in a couple of weeks the status of my progress.

[lorez]

I'm a similar size and found this thread very inspiring. I had lesson the other year & the odd session while on holiday in Cornwall since. I have a weekend break @ croyde next weekend & want to do more this year. Thanks folks for installing some confidence in me

[still-learning]

Hey Bigflorider, how has your surfing come on since you started?

[BigFlorider]

I have been surfing about once a week depending on surf and weather conditions at Cocoa Beach in Florida. I had a difficult time getting the pop up working in the water. I allowed my mind to get in the way of my muscle memory and logic and it took a while, but I can pop up regularly. Now, my big challenge in surfing unbroken waves and finding the spot to be for the take off. I still nose dive a lot and miss waves...being consistent finding the glide zone is my biggest challenge. I really love the sport even with all the bumps, bruises and scrapes I've accrued I've the past 9 months!

[jaffa1949]

Good to see you are sticking with it, given time and water hours you'll be fine

[billie_morini]

BigFlorida surfer,
Hooray for you!

Enjoyed your recent comments and they ring true. You see:
1. Difficulty popping up water IS the most difficult part of surfing. Failure to achieve this is the #1 reason people quite.
2. Your next big challenges of:
a. surfing unbroken waves is the #2 surfing challenge, and
b. finding the spot to be for the take off is the #3 surfing challenge, which without, you can't achieve #2a.

Keep doing it and all three will come together. The overall way to achieve this is to simply have time in the water. You learn things consciously and subconsciously through time in the water. Once experience reaches a certain point, our bodies begin to react instinctively. It is a really cool thing and it's achieved by those that keep the stoke!

I like that bump on the south side of the pier at Cocoa beach. It's often a slow-moving, fat swell. Have you tried to surf that? I bet you can. Boy, and the water is so warm; even in Winter.

billie

[dtc]

Now, my big challenge in surfing unbroken waves and finding the spot to be for the take off. I still nose dive a lot and miss waves...

You have probably already realised that nose diving is generally related to not paddling hard enough (ie being fast enough across the water when the wave arrives). Missing waves can also be due to the same factor (although sometimes, esp with 'fatter' waves, they just go straight past...). Anyway, next time you are out put some focus on paddling hard.

Longboards are easier to paddle (than shortboards), but by the time you turn and set yourself up and get the initial momentum, a few seconds will have passed and by then the wave might be on or past you, so you have to anticipate a bit earlier and paddle hard from the start. Drives me crazy seeing the 12 yr old grommets turn and spin and take 2 paddles and set off....but us older/heavier/longer boarded guys need to think ahead a bit more.

[BigFlorider]

BigFlorida surfer,
Hooray for you!

Enjoyed your recent comments and they ring true. You see:
1. Difficulty popping up water IS the most difficult part of surfing. Failure to achieve this is the #1 reason people quite.
2. Your next big challenges of:
a. surfing unbroken waves is the #2 surfing challenge, and
b. finding the spot to be for the take off is the #3 surfing challenge, which without, you can't achieve #2a.

Keep doing it and all three will come together. The overall way to achieve this is to simply have time in the water. You learn things consciously and subconsciously through time in the water. Once experience reaches a certain point, our bodies begin to react instinctively. It is a really cool thing and it's achieved by those that keep the stoke!

I like that bump on the south side of the pier at Cocoa beach. It's often a slow-moving, fat swell. Have you tried to surf that? I bet you can. Boy, and the water is so warm; even in Winter.

billie

Thanks Billie! My balance after popping up is still in need of refinement. I will definitely keep at it!

The spot you described at Cocoa Beach is very popular, so I tend to surf further south or on the north side of the pier while I learn.

[BigFlorider]

Now, my big challenge in surfing unbroken waves and finding the spot to be for the take off. I still nose dive a lot and miss waves...

You have probably already realised that nose diving is generally related to not paddling hard enough (ie being fast enough across the water when the wave arrives). Missing waves can also be due to the same factor (although sometimes, esp with 'fatter' waves, they just go straight past...). Anyway, next time you are out put some focus on paddling hard.

Longboards are easier to paddle (than shortboards), but by the time you turn and set yourself up and get the initial momentum, a few seconds will have passed and by then the wave might be on or past you, so you have to anticipate a bit earlier and paddle hard from the start. Drives me crazy seeing the 12 yr old grommets turn and spin and take 2 paddles and set off....but us older/heavier/longer boarded guys need to think ahead a bit more.

Hi DTC,

I do realize that I need to be moving fast enough to keep from nose diving my board. I have been practicing my paddling on flat days and doing "turn and burns" in a large pool I have access to when I am away from the beach. I think I am a decent paddler...my board is 9'6" x 23 x 3 3/16 but has a pronounced rocker. I sometimes feel like I am pushing water trying to get up to speed. I also have a tendency to go after waves that are too steep.

Thanks for the insights! Keep them coming!