Wavestorm, 45 degree going down the line, how to keep speed?

[ConcreteVitamin]

It's a GoPro strapped to my shoulder with an angle looking downwards. So my head/eyes are actually looking at the waves, not directly down.

[ConcreteVitamin]

This is my latest half attempt at going backside down the line. It's a small reform wave (that day waves outside were pretty big). Anything I should specifically work on improving? Any comments will help!

[steveylang]

You were able to get going down the line so that’s good! A couple of quick comments:

Your feet are not well-positioned on the board, they should both be centered on the middle line/stringer down the board. You were able to balance because they were offset, but it’s a bad habit to have. I would try pop ups on land and see where your feet are ending up. Just keep practicing and you will get there. Other than that, your pop up looks pretty smooth and quick!

You do a good job of looking down the line after you pop up, I would try to get used to looking down the line while you’re still paddling into the wave. It’s not as applicable here riding a reform, but on a normal green wave looking at the open wave face as it picks you up gives you a lot more information about what is going on behind you, and helps your timing and vision a lot.

[dtc]

yeah, didnt look too bad. A touch of the poo stance/ stiff knees (once you are standing, you basically are locked into place and dont 'flow' with the wave) and some back arm bracing (holding your back arm up against a 'wall' to keep yourself balanced). A lot of this is just stiffness caused by not being relaxed and comfortable on the board, which is entirely understandable and will go away a bit naturally as you get more experienced; but it does create some issues. Not really sure what the answer is here, other than 'relax' or 'let your knees and hips move'.

Waikkichan is really good on things like back hand bracing, so will be able to provide a much better (and more accurate) explanation

You may find it easier (if possibly counter intuitive) to lift your front arm up when turning backside, rather than down and pivoting around it.

You are also turning from the middle of the board (your back foot doesnt move at all, you just trim around with the curve of the wave). That is ok for this wave, it just makes for a slow turn; can be harder on bigger or steeper waves



http://www.surfline.com/community/whokn ... fm?id=1117



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rsq2Px8_JQ

[oldmansurfer]

My only thought is if you want to improve you need better waves so work on your wave selection

[waikikikichan]

I like your positioning to catch the reform.
I like how you set the rail to trim.
I don't like how you are just stiff and static after that.

Your post asked " How to keep speed ". Look at it as riding a Swing in the park. The reform is giving you that initial push, like a friend pushing you on a swing. But let's say your friend only pushes you once. And then you just sit dead still on the seat, not moving a muscle in your legs or arms. You slowly lose momentum.

You need to work with the wave, fall up and drive down to resist and relax against the wave. You need to learn disperse water of the rails ( but not bounce up and down ). You need to ride your surfboard as you ride a Swing. more Kinetic, not Static.

Actually that is a good way to learn the pump, timing and understanding how the core muscle affects surfing. Stand on the seat of a swing. You can't straighten out or bend at the wrong moment.

[pmcaero]

Driving your car through a gradual bend in the road, should you crank the steering wheel back and forth from right to left vigorously ?

you mean you don't?!?!?!?!

[ConcreteVitamin]

Guys, this is another month of practice. Please help critique!

I see two big problems:
1) My back foot stays fixed. At several points I move my front foot to further forward, but it'd be better if both are moved.
2) On the third wave, I tried to pump. But it didn't seem to work

Also a big question: do the "turns" in there count as baby bottom turns?!

Any other big issues you can tell from the video? Positioning/pop up? Advice much appreciated.

[oldmansurfer]

I think you are too far forward on the board to turn it effectively and on the second wave you should have switched directions in response to the wave

[dtc]

Your stance is a bit too wide and you have a lot of weight on your front foot. I think its because your head is quite far forward and you have a tendency to look along the line, then down (or just in front of the nose), then up then down. Its only subtle but I think its causing you to lean too much onto the front leg .

surf1.PNG (68.26 KiB) Viewed 1001 times

Or maybe you are just moving your front foot forward for some reason?

With the back foot you can move the back foot back and keep the front foot in the same position; but you rarely need to move the front foot forward and not move the back foot as well.

You are doing ok little turns; its definitely a bottom turn if you go down and turn 90 degrees along the wave. Your pop up is really good and actually the first second or so you have a good body position; but you then end up bending a bit too much in the hips. Just keep your upper body more upright if you can. There are definitely good chunks of time when its working well, then it gets a bit wobbly. You are a bit far forward to do hard turns, but for just cruising along the face you are almost there

[waikikikichan]

I see two big problems:
1) My back foot stays fixed. At several points I move my front foot to further forward, but it'd be better if both are moved.

Excuse me, but where or who told you "it'd be better if both are moved" ? What is wrong with just moving the front foot if that is all what it takes to transfer just a bit of weight/momentum forward ? Do what you need to do, at a given moment.

2) On the third wave, I tried to pump. But it didn't seem to work

a) What you did IS NOT pumping. More a single jumping jack or a praise Hallelujah moment. Your body went up and down, but the board stayed in the same trajectory. Bouncing / bending at the knee with out the board rising and falling, sheering water left and right, is not pumping.
b) There was no need to pump ( the situation didn't call for it ) . What more speed did you need at that moment ? To run faster into the closeout ? I think slowing down and try to do a weave / veering turn might be the call.
c) You are not at a level to even pump. Every wave you end up falling on your back after you "sit". You need to be able to control your board going front side left and backside when you turn right. As many have said, you are too far forward, too bent over, too stiff, etc. Don't get ahead of yourself by trying to Pump, when that's a more advanced technique.

You got a really good take off, pop, bottom turn ( yes, it is a bottom turn ) and trim line. I like your style. But you really need to work on turning right.

[ConcreteVitamin]

Happy new year everyone. Thought I'd share a fun POV video on my sponge I got a few days back. Not the best wave I caught at that spot, but it's fun

Was meaning to do a cutback at the end but didn't pull it off. Onwards to the new year

[jaffa1949]

Im a little curious, it appears that your leash is on your left arm.Is that normal with Wavestorms or is it a leash for your camera.
BTW a much better view than nose pointing back GoPro shots!

[ConcreteVitamin]

Im a little curious, it appears that your leash is on your left arm.Is that normal with Wavestorms or is it a leash for your camera.
BTW a much better view than nose pointing back GoPro shots!

Haha it's leash for the camera

[jaffa1949]

Phew, was a little worried for a brief moment until I looked again!

[dtc]

What is that at 0.27? A rock?

[ConcreteVitamin]

I'm guessing seaweed

[dtc]

Good! Thought you were being a little ‘brave’ there for a minute ...

[Parshan]

I like your positioning to catch the reform.
I like how you set the rail to trim.
I don't like how you are just stiff and static after that.

Your post asked " How to keep speed ". Look at it as riding a Swing in the park. The reform is giving you that initial push, like a friend pushing you on a swing. But let's say your friend only pushes you once. And then you just sit dead still on the seat, not moving a muscle in your legs or arms. You slowly lose momentum.

You need to work with the wave, fall up and drive down to resist and relax against the wave. You need to learn disperse water of the rails ( but not bounce up and down ). You need to ride your surfboard as you ride a Swing. more Kinetic, not Static.

Screenshot 2018-10-17 at 9.28.59 PM.png

Actually that is a good way to learn the pump, timing and understanding how the core muscle affects surfing. Stand on the seat of a swing. You can't straighten out or bend at the wrong moment.

Nice example and advice.