Back into surfing after 15yrs
Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2020 3:33 amHey All,
I've been getting really interested in surfing again, after about a 15 year hiatus. I started surfing in the late 80’s (age 10) in New Jersey and by the late 90's I was heavy into it and part of a small group of surfers that would be out in the water year-round. I swore I would never stop surfing back then, but somehow it happened anyway.
But a couple years ago I found out that I needed to have a hip replacement, at 40 years old, and it was kind of a wakeup call that I need to start enjoying things like surfing again, because I was probably taking them for granted in the past. Before that I would just rent a board on vacation, once in a blue moon, and just thought that I would pickup surfing again some other time when it’s more convenient.
After the surgery, I wasn’t really sure if I would be able to surf anymore, but some old friends got me motivated about it again until I finally picked up a used board off Craigslist to give it a try.
I tried a shortboard first, but couldn’t popup in my first few sessions. I almost quit in frustration, but my friends pushed me to swap it out for a funboard. That made a huge difference and the old technique started coming back. Pop-ups are still my biggest challenge with my hip issues, but the stability of the funboard helped me learn new ways to get my feet quicker until I finally made my way back onto a shortboard this summer. Once I’m on my feet, it’s just like old times again. It’s still super difficult on late takeoffs, but luckily the newer boards have a lot more volume than the old potato chips we rode back in the 90’s.
Anyway, just wanted to introduce myself and also say thanks for making this a great forum. It’s already helped me with a bunch of info and I hope that I can do the same for others as well.
I've been getting really interested in surfing again, after about a 15 year hiatus. I started surfing in the late 80’s (age 10) in New Jersey and by the late 90's I was heavy into it and part of a small group of surfers that would be out in the water year-round. I swore I would never stop surfing back then, but somehow it happened anyway.
But a couple years ago I found out that I needed to have a hip replacement, at 40 years old, and it was kind of a wakeup call that I need to start enjoying things like surfing again, because I was probably taking them for granted in the past. Before that I would just rent a board on vacation, once in a blue moon, and just thought that I would pickup surfing again some other time when it’s more convenient.
After the surgery, I wasn’t really sure if I would be able to surf anymore, but some old friends got me motivated about it again until I finally picked up a used board off Craigslist to give it a try.
I tried a shortboard first, but couldn’t popup in my first few sessions. I almost quit in frustration, but my friends pushed me to swap it out for a funboard. That made a huge difference and the old technique started coming back. Pop-ups are still my biggest challenge with my hip issues, but the stability of the funboard helped me learn new ways to get my feet quicker until I finally made my way back onto a shortboard this summer. Once I’m on my feet, it’s just like old times again. It’s still super difficult on late takeoffs, but luckily the newer boards have a lot more volume than the old potato chips we rode back in the 90’s.
Anyway, just wanted to introduce myself and also say thanks for making this a great forum. It’s already helped me with a bunch of info and I hope that I can do the same for others as well.
