Surfing Waves

Anyone here has experienced surfing worst than they did before???

well, I've been surfing for 4 years now, 2 to 3 times per week (1,5meters waves max), I always used longboard, I absolutely love it, and I surfed decently, good takeoff, a decent line, I could walk to the nose to a hang five (not cross steping, more of a akward walking ). I started surfing on a 7'7 retro single fin, with decent take offs, decent lines, its a super fast board, so I could do much more than droping and cut the wave. Suddenly winter storms came and in myy country (north of Portugal) its very hard to get a good day to surf, so I surfed only 5 times on the since december. Suddenly this week the waves were nice again, no wind, not very big, easy to paddle out etc etc , BUT, I cant surf :O I've tried with both the 9'4 and with the 7'7, and it's like I forgot how to simply take off... 3 days surfing and not a single wave that I could pop up :O I really don't now wath hapenned as I could very easily pop up and go down the line with both boards.

Has anyone experienced anything like this?? I am reallyyyyy confused to what is hapennig...

Thanks

When you are younger surfing skills are retained much better when not surfing. As you get older the amount of time spent not surfing translates to more time spent relearning. Long enough and it's like you never surfed before (except you know what to do.) My advice is to go back to what you did to learn the first time and just work at it. Eventually it will all come back to you.

yes, what threw me off is when I gained weight from not surfing, it didn't feel right until I lost the weight back

At the moment quite a few notches down from my normal levels, dicky knee, lack of surf time and definitely paddle fitness all comes to a head in the take off pop up and assemble my body for the ride phase, once up and riding the mojo is there. but those first few coordinated things don't quite gel like they did!

Solution I'm just being very basic in my opening bit

You might be mentally assuming you know what to do and therefore not focusing on what you actually need to do. As the others have said, concentrate and think. Figure out what you are doing wrong - maybe you are not paddling hard enough or not committing or not positioning.

For what it's worth....If I am having a shitty surf, I paddle in, sometimes all the way in and sit on the beach and reassess positioning, the wave, how others are riding it, what the hell is my problem that day......I go back out with a new perspective....it always seems to help a little, sometimes just a little but it's better than not doing anything.

Been feeling like this lately. Just moved from Chicago to Huntington Beach. I worked in Chi for 5 years and only took about 2 surf trips a year. I previously lived in Sydney and would get in the water 5 days a week. That 5 years and added weight I gained sitting at a desk has definitely hurt the fluidity and consistency of my popup. Been going out every day for a couple weeks now and I've been seeing a lot of improvement.

Brian wrote: I worked in Chi for 5 years and only took about 2 surf trips a year. I

curios, why didn't you surf in Chicago? Seems like they allowed surfing at a couple of city beaches in 2009

My apartment in Chicago overlooked Oak Street beach downtown. From what I understood surfing was illegal at all of the beaches near me. The lake was rarely surfable and it would be a stretch to even call it that on the days you could catch something. Very short period wind swell that was more like a washing machine, not to mention I'd need a significant upgrade from my 3/2 suit as it was usually snowing sideways. I didn't have a car either (parking downtown is very expensive) but I've heard of some surfing up in Wisconsin. I did end up making trips to Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cali a few times and Florida so I wasn't completely abstinent. My situation is a lot better now, I'm living across the street from the pacific now the fiancée doesn't have to hear me moan about every vacation being near waves either!

I have that issue. I moved from Florida 24 years ago. I get minimal chances to surf each year. I spend a lot of time falling off than riding. I'm also a 200 lb middle aged dude and not a 165 lb guy in his mid twenties. I just bought a bigger board with the hopes that it will help me compensate for all of the above factors that has returned me to kook-land.