Observations - hands and arms, turns and stuff.....

[Big H]

So lately waves have gotten smaller....since spring for the most part around here you just needed to tuck into a wave and then it was off to the races.....now that the waves are getting smaller and my skills are coming along I'm learning how to make more with less, milking smaller waves to get more out of them by pumping and making turns/returns to the critical parts of the wave (pocket, lip)....in a nutshell I'm learning to surf better. Been using the carver skateboard between surf sessions actively...really getting down low on turns, pumping through turns from deep squat to nearly full leg extensions and working turns and pumps to develop the feels......I found in doing this that when I was really in the groove, pumping and turning as fluidly as I get with power and balance, I was doing something with my arms without doing it...my body naturally figured something out which is both hands reaching forward, hands stay on either side of the board for the most part, and the weird one is that if your palms face down and you use your arms like you are pointing to where you want to go with the top of your forearms, a lot more power , smoother power is generated. I started to think about this after reading posts from DTC and WKK about hands on the outside of the board and using your arms like a Tai Chi master, slower, graceful moves that come from your chi (body connected and in balance with your movements).....anyhow, I wasn't aware before but now I am and in that awareness both on the skateboard and in the water, I am surfing better now, turning with more power and balance. Being a golfer (ex-golfer) I am big on "swing thoughts".....I have two now, lead hand stays low and outside the knee (more or less, no frozen arms, stay loose, relaxed and try to flow but that's the default) and palms down facing the water.....it works for me.

Next thing is to go back to doing leg fitness work....squats, frog walking, balance board and more skating concentrating on holding knee angle around 90* for as long as I can because my legs are starting to get tired in the middle of surf sessions now because my rides are so much better, longer and filled with turns........good times!

[dtc]

Excellent. I suspect also as your skills improve you suddenly have a lot more 'time' to see what is going on and react to it - which means smoother rather than 'OMG what do I do, ok lets swing those arms around hard'

[Big H]

Excellent. I suspect also as your skills improve you suddenly have a lot more 'time' to see what is going on and react to it - which means smoother rather than 'OMG what do I do, ok lets swing those arms around hard'

Yeah.....what used to be a blur is slowing down now.....part of learning is what the reaction should be as well....linking moves with correct reactions to the wave is the hard bit....yes I can bottom turn well now....so WHEN to do it - right out of the pop or do you tic tac high on the wave and let it steepen a bit before dropping down and bottom turning at the right moment to make the next section in the process? Good times!

[oldmansurfer]

I have been getting a lot of practice riding small gutless waves as well. Looks like I will have some more this weekend.

[BoMan]

Nice post!

On the longboard, I'm also working on a better turns. My problem is with the timing. It takes longer for the log to respond to my 140 pound body and I have to start maneuvers early to make them happen on time. So my bottom turn has to begin when I'm half way down the wave instead of the bottom or I end up in the flats.

I finally decided to swallow my pride and sign up for an "intermediate clinic" to iron this out.

[waikikikichan]

Yeah.....what used to be a blur is slowing down now..

I'm sure you're stoked to be able to do your moves better now. But what's totally rewarding for me is to hear you actually listen and put those advices to use. Thank you.