Surfing Waves

Hi,

Can someone answer a couple of questions I have please.

- Which leg should your leash be on (regular stance)?
- When you're walking out in shallow water (before you paddle), what side should your board be on?
- What's the best way to fall when you come off your board?

Thanks!

Regular stance , left foot forward so rear foot for leash, right foot, goofy left for leash.
Which ever side you are comfortable with long walk change sides.

Depends on a lot of circumstances, just cover your head when you come to the surface.

Do not throw your board if you are going to get hit by the wave or if someone is riding near you.

Learn to keep control of your board under any circumstance.
Do not grab your leash around where it is near the board to hold it( people have lost fingers that way.
Other than that and more importantly enjoy!

I often carry my board out through the surf if it is shallow enough then lean forward and hold the board above the wave as it hits me. Other wise I push the board while I walk by placing my hand right above the fins so I am not pushing it forward and catching up, I am just walking and holding it next to me. Then as a wave comes I will grab the nose and dive under it or pull the nose above it depending on the size.

In terms of walking out, remember 'never get between the board and the beach' (ie don't have the board in front of you - a wave will take it and propel it into your head). In front of you includes ensuring the nose of the board isn't so far in front that it can swing around and smack you.

When falling, try and do the following

1. never fall between the board and the beach.... (basically, if you can fall so the board is pushed in front of you, then when the wave takes the board it will take it away from you rather than directly over you). So fall backwards and push the board beachwards

2. fall flat - do not dive into the water. It might be unexpectedly shallow. Don't jump off either unless you are confident of the depth and you use very soft legs (knee bending) - people have broken ankles etc. Best way to fall is butt first if you can; but always remember to fall as if the water is shallow

3. if you don't know where your board is, as Jaffa says, protect your head. (even when under water - a board can spear many feet into the water) If you are comfortable enough in doing it, open your eyes under water and you can spot your board before surfacing. If there are other surfers around, surface with arms around your head as well, because you don't know where they are and your arms will make it easier for them to see you.

4. be aware before you fall of any underwater dangers - a rock, for example. If you cant avoid surfing near that danger, keep in mind that its there and protect yourself or take appropriate action

5. don't panic. The average time under water is something like 3-4 seconds and even big waves will rarely hold you down for more than 10 -15 seconds. Everyone can hold their breath for 15 seconds, unless they are panicking and thrashing around. You cant fight the wave - let it tumble you for a few seconds and it will then release you and you can surface. Get comfortable with being washed around (do some body surfing, for example, to really get a good understanding)

I do pretty much what old man does when walking out, or I walk out holding the nose (tip: wax the nose a little bit to help grip). Don't get behind the board.

Learning to fall is important. I don't even think about it much any more but I have a number of ways that I fall depending on other people in the area, the depth and if there is reef or rock around. As you surf you will (hopefully) develop ways to fall that keep you from getting hurt and keep from hurting others. I usually try to keep from getting hurt but if others are around close by I do everything I can possibly do to keep them safe. Generally I don't dive head first down because if you hit the bottom it can kill you, but if people are inside of me I have dove head first to get deep and keep my board from going further inside. I am still here so so far I have also kept myself safe too but till you get better at it I would say try to land flat or angle your feet so you penetrate the water deeper and angle your body parallel to the wave and the beach and the bottom then as the wave passes over you roll over. Usually if no one is around and I have to wipe out I kick my board down the line and fall backward off the board parallel to the beach and the wave. Make sure no one is around if you practice but if people are around try to hang on to your board.

Worris wrote:Hi,

Can someone answer a couple of questions I have please.

- Which leg should your leash be on (regular stance)?
- When you're walking out in shallow water (before you paddle), what side should your board be on?
- What's the best way to fall when you come off your board?

Thanks!

-Leash should be on your back foot. That's your right leg if you're regular.

- Doesn't matter at all. Mine tends to always be on my right now that I think about it. Just whatever feels natural.

- Best way to fall is away from your board, whichever way that may be. Cover your head with your arms. Fall "shallow", too. Sometimes it's a lot shallower than you think.

Worris wrote:Hi,

Can someone answer a couple of questions I have please.

- When you're walking out in shallow water (before you paddle), what side should your board be on?

Whether wind, current, swell angle, etc. there is always one side that is going to be pushing the board into you more than the other....be on the side where the board isn't being pushed into you.

If it is neutral, exactly the same on either side then so is the action; doesn't matter.