Surfing Waves

Hello guys,

I've been making plans and taking some actions about my surfing, which I intend to share as soon as they are a bit more solid, but I wanted to open a discussion that could really help me trace my goals.
The subject is increasing wave size, even up to the point of taking the guns out of the closet

On your personal experience, what makes you confident and, more important, prepared for bigger waves? Is it surfing time/skills or physical preparation itself?

In my head, and maybe based on my small personal experience, surfing skills help you being able to actually surf well a bigger day. But what it really matters when you're on water is your physical preparation, being able to survive in the enviroment. That being sustaining stronger hold downs and usually being able to swim further distances. This accounting the ocean knowledge as well, which is essential.
So even if you get on water and get wiped out all the time, because of lack of skills for bigger waves, you'd still be able to be out there and live to tell the tale.
I don't take away the importance of surfing time and skill though, not only to build confidence, but also to make you get the best of that session (and maybe being pounded less often ), and neither claiming I'm right.

But I'm really looking forward to hear what the more experienced surfers on the forum have to say, I know many here have been on double overhead conditions, which are big already. Curious if there are any big riders on the forum too!

Thanks guys, have a nice day!

For me it's pretty simple....there will be extended periods when the swells are big and its either nut up and get some or stay out of the ocean for a week or more....

All that stuff that you said matters, but I haven't done any kind of chasing mavericks skill chart mapping....if it is too fierce I stay out, but I want to surf so I push myself to get in on those marginal days when I'm not quite sure that I'm doing the right thing by choosing to get wet, and in the end I'm the better for it, slowly expanding my comfort zone....

If I'm doing it right, then there are no "longer" hold downs....I've been out in double overhead, wiped out numerous times and the worst has been something like 10 seconds....my 8 year olds can hold their breath for 10 seconds so don't worry too much and just ATTACK!!!!!

Seriously though....it is just common sense....whatever your comfort zone is, keep pushing the envelope....when the conditions are there, go just a little bit bigger than you are normally comfortable with....then deal with it.....keep doing that and your zone of acceptability will continue to expand and you'll be in the mix of genuinely big stuff before you know it.....

I don't have much of a choice.....during the season if you want to surf consistently you have to be able to survive and thrive in bigger waves.....it has retarded and enhanced my development at the same time....sack up and keep pushing; that is my advice....

Big H is correct. DOH or "bigger" days is not so much about conditioning because the longest hold down is maybe 10 seconds. One does not need to be an ironman athlete to surf bigger days because the skill is keeping calm in sketchy conditions which generally comes from experience. I am 46, not in the best shape and surf DOH, maybe a bit bigger, and I am not in tremendous shape. However I grew up in Hawaii and spent many many hours in the water. Being young and in top shape is definitely an asset and if I was young or spent more time conditioning I would probably surf on bigger days but I am a single dad, full career and not as devoted as my younger days - most weeks I surf a minimum of 2 days with 3 or 4 times a week super rare, though that's what I shoot for. Point again is - the skill in surfing bigger waves is being able to stay calm because most situations are not tremendously taxing on your body or cardio. What uses all your resources is freaking out and letting your mind use all your resources. Like Big H said its more mental than physical. All that being said when it does get to DOH and bigger I 100% choose my waves wisely, seldom take off on the 1st wave due to what the impact zone could be like after a fall. I do not take off late on big days etc. There are all kinds of precautions I take on bigger days now that I am older. When I was younger and fearless there were many less conditions to watch out for and many more beatings which was kinda fun in my youth. Not as fun now a days but as long as its not super shallow sharp reef I am pretty much okay. If you want to surf bigger waves eventually you will without even knowing it which is you progressing as a surfer. These guys that surf Jaws, Mavericks etc... that's a whole other game. Much respect to those nutz cause 8-10' Hawaiian is big enough for me. I know lots of surfers who have surfed their whole life and surf nothing bigger than head high because that's the cap of what their mind allows them to have fun in. Could they surf bigger ? Absolutely, they rip, they are in fantastic shape - its just their mind not allow them to enjoy anything bigger, nothing wrong with that.

I always look at the surf and if it looks bigger than anything I have ever been out in then I would be much more concerned about safety and give much more thought to the idea of do I want to be out there or not. If it is a size that I have been out in before then I think "Hmmmm well lets see how did I do the last time? Am I in the same shape or better or worse? and if it was at the same break then even better yet you will really know what you are in for. Going out at a big break where you haven't experienced it at that size may present unknown challenges. Now understand in my mind double overhead is good sized and not big. Basically if it is way bigger than anything you have been out in the to be safer you should wait for a smaller swell that is closer to the size you have experienced. Also if you are getting injured or severely challenged by smaller surf to be safe don't go out in bigger surf till you get the smaller surf handled.
I have had a different path than most surfers. I used to bodysurf and get held under for 20 to 30 seconds so when I started surfing the hold downs were minor till I started surfing big waves and even then the thrashing was not as severe as bodysurfing. I surf on a schedule not related to the swell or conditions. If it's Saturday and I am done working and ate lunch and let the food digest a bit then I am going to surf whatever the conditions are at the beach just a mile from my house. I do this because of time constraints but because this means I go out in stormy heavy conditions it makes me used to taking a pounding. I have learned to deal with it and not freak out. Also I surfed a lot before and took some major heavy wipeouts. I work at my conditioning and when I go out in challenging conditions I watch closely to my state of conditioning. If it is really challenging and I am starting to get tired I go in, that's it doesn't matter how long I was out for I am done for the day. It's not very often that that happens but I don't go out in highly challenging conditions very often. If it is moderately challenging then I let myself get a little more tired keeping in mind that I want to reserve enough strength to swim to the beach and deal with currents but that rarely happens. What is more likely that I will reach close to the end of my timed session 30 minutes (I only allow myself 30 minute sessions) and I will forgo paddling back out just to catch one more wave because I am too tired. On small days I allow myself to get really tired but I never do anyway.

You do need to paddle better to catch double overhead waves so you do need to be in better condition for it. The currents are stronger and it's more dangerous so you do need to be in better shape.

Thanks for the replies so far!

For sure, pushing your limits will build confidence for bigger surf, and rarely a hold down gets too long on DOH conditions (of course those 10 seconds can feel much longer after a tiring paddle out, when you have a big CO2 build up). The way you describe I think is the more regular way of increasing wave size. So preparing mentally is really at least 50% of the deal. Psychological training, making yourself believe you can handle that surf size, which is better done through surfing and pushing yourself.

However, as OMS pointed out, bigger surf usually requires bigger conditioning. Considering some surf spots with bigger waves have some longer paddle outs, added to the struggle of getting past the breaking zone, getting off rip currents, repositioning and paddling for the wave.
Long ago, when I was out on a bigger than average day (probably a bit OH), I could notice the lack of both things: confidence and conditioning. I was a little scared about going in and getting tired fast made me bail out pretty soon.

I think I could work on the confidence with water time and pushing myself further, but to be able to manage the conditions, I think it would help to work my body up to it. This would probably even help on the confidence issue, since with better conditioning bigger surf wouldn't be in the edge, but inside the limits of my body. I was worried about surfing skills though, like improving the duck dive, late drops, but as far as I'm concerned right now I just need to be able to go inside, surf for a while (or try to ) and get out with no trouble.

Again, it's more mental then anything else. Of coarse one cannot head out when it's 15-20' surf without being in decent shape but anything other than normal surfing should suffice. Jaws, Mavs, Shipstern, etc. is a whole other game. Back in 2012 when I was still living in Hawaii I had a few friends who would only surf 10-15 foot Sunset beach. These guys were dads who grew up surfing and spent most of their time with work, kids etc. However, once winter came and waves picked up a bit, they went surfing. Most of them did nothing other than surf every now & then, no real training regimes. They enjoyed the bigger days due to the smaller crowds and were experienced enough not to panic in spots many would panic on. Experience is the key but training never hurt anyone. Truthfully, training is a somewhat new concept in surfing. Not long ago you would never hear of a surfer training any other way then by surfing. Maybe Ken Bradshaw in the 1970's and 80's but no one else really trained they just surfed. I think for most of us that is the number one thing to do - spend more time in the water and one develops the skills to be calm in situations they have seen a thousand times.

When I was younger I never trained or worked out but I was an active guy. Lots of waves and few surfers. Surfing is only good exercise if you are actively paddling for waves. If you paddle out and sit in a lineup for 30 minutes before you catch a wave it isn't going to help you much

At 67 bigger days are a challenge, first , I review myself , my , conditioning and the read I have of the full surf conditions. My choice my risk, consider my family . If I can do it yes , beyond me NO!
More power means I need better timing , positioning and appropriate paddle power, , plan my entry and exit points. Nice thing aves wash the body ashore, most Aussie spot I can bodysurf in.
Death slabs on rock shelves have never been my choice, refused to hit Waimea when I was 20. Sunset and Pipe were my top hits!

Now my brain have overtaken my gonads as the primary force, the fun glands take me to double overhead at max!

Learn and live in a high surf zone , big is relative!

Got a friend that's surf 30 feet no problem, but doesn't do as well on 3 footers. I find that strange.

For me I find a lot of it is about confidence on the day and the right board for the conditions.
My profile photo was when I had only been surfing a year and the report was clean 3-5ft.
In perspective, I was out of my depth and seeing the photo at DOH surprised me that I had been able to catch waves bigger than I had imagined. For some reason that day, I caught 9/9 waves and the biggest I had ever caught (possibly still). Every single wave I rode out and all I can put it down to was just having he right board for the day and nailing that first one to have confidence to make the drop and paddle for the rest.

Even a year later and a heck of a lot
More experienced, a solid 4ft will scare me and if I bail on the first one then my confidence is gone. If I make that first one then bring on he rest.
Some days however, I just feel like I don't have the right board for the day and things just don't line up for what ever reason (wrong place at wrong time when big sets come through etc).

Funnily enough, two days before xmas I had the closest near-drowning experience to date from a hold down. The silly thing is that it was only About 3ft but just caught me by the lip as I tried to pull out and got air-dropped upside down next to the board. For some reason the hold down was particularly bad and I just got cycled round and round under the water. I tried fighting to the top and couldn't get there, I then tried to relax and wait to be brought to the surface but the wave kept spinning me under the water. I was literally running out of air and the thoughts went through my head of 'I am going to down if I don't make it to the surface ASSP!'. I fought the wave again and just made it to the surface gasping. It really worried me. I'm a stupidly fit and healthy guy and could hold my breath on land or in normal circumstances under water for probably 2.5minutes and yet for this 10 or 15second period came close to drowning.. I've never had a hold down like it, perhaps it was longer and I got hit by a second wave but I don't know.

Regardless though, anything under 2ft now feels small whereas I used to like that size and these days I'm hunting for that just overhead size to have some fun and start getting spray on turns.

jaffa1949 wrote:At 67 .....
Now my brain have overtaken my gonads as the primary force, the fun glands take me to double overhead at max!

I feel ya Jaffa. I am learning the feeling of my brain taking over my gonads. Truthfully, it's kinda hard to take, as I do miss where the ol' gonads put me at times. I guess there is something to coming home safe and unscathed but not quite as fun. I am 46 and really starting to feel my logical, reasoning brain tell me what I can and should do versus what I want to and shouldn't try. People like you charging at 67 easies my worries, in that I still have 20 plus years of quality surfing in front of me.

Well my gonads tell me to make love not war but it's my adrenal glands that get me into dangerous surf. My brain makes it safer.

Some good big wave surfing

https://vimeo.com/153470400

check out
- that someone can drop in on you even in 40ft (first wave)
- the wipeout at 2.04 (and figure that he survived apparently unhurt, so a DOH is baby food ...)

oldmansurfer wrote::lol: Well my gonads tell me to make love not war....

Hah....my gonads are increasingly telling me to fall asleep with the remote control in my hand lately.....need a geezer smiley inserted here....

dtc wrote:Some good big wave surfing

https://vimeo.com/153470400

check out
- that someone can drop in on you even in 40ft (first wave)
- the wipeout at 2.04 (and figure that he survived apparently unhurt, so a DOH is baby food ...)

Great video. The beginning is all surfers getting obliterated. Yeah double overhead is where the danger level starts to go up rapidly. Below double overhead the danger is quite similar and above it the level increases with height and this is reflected by a decrease in the number of surfers however at breaks like Peahi and Waimea bay it's often difficult to tell there are less surfers.

Thanks a lot for putting your thoughts here!

I have no plans on surfing Jaws, Waimea or Mavericks in any time soon, but I look up for some spots. One of them is a place that works on bigger waves. Not giant, but bigger (maybe up to 12'), and also not really hollow. The thing is that the paddle out is close to 0.7 mile, so I think that will take some good conditioning. I wouldn't dare to go there unless I was sure I could swim the whole way back if necessary. Also, as Benjl experienced also, sometimes a 10-15s hold down can feel like 1 hour, so I plan on keeping with my apnea trainings to get more confidence about the time underwater, specially considering two or three waves hold downs. After a big paddle out, the body is probably a little high on CO2, so it takes even more effort to hold your breath.

I have some stuff going on, tracing some plans and taking some action. I will share it with you guys as soon as I feel I have something more solid to show. For now, I'm just happy with the days ahead of me, with the possibility of having more surf in my day-to-day. Those big wave challenges will come with time and preparation. Just so I don't leave a big , below there are some pictures from the spot I look forward to hit (Someday, not tomorrow ).











So what do you think from the pictures? Some of them seems to be on bigger days, but the videos I could find of the break didn't seem as big.

I would love to surf those waves but they seem a big choppy and wonky. The second pic looks awesome but still depending on how fast that wave is it's going to jar my old knees a bit though pretty sure the knees can take it. It doesn't look so scary, the waves aren't breaking top to bottom.

Yeah, maybe it was a windy day. Also those waves are a little chubby, not so hollow, which is why I want to use it as a step up. It's probably more forgiving and could build up my confidence to try some more hollow big wave spots.
It's the place that works best on bigger swells close to where I'll live, since other spots just don't seem to handle the conditions (probably ending up on close outs?).

The big challenge there is handle the big paddle out/paddle in and the rip currents that are quite strong on bigger days. It's not Jaws, but I think I should prepare myself for this, specially on swimming resistance. I'm working on some sets of endurance building to get my volume up to around 1.4 miles and once I finish moving I'll be able to try those workouts on the pool. So far I'm doing aerobic training on treadmills and stationary bikes. I think about using open waters swimming contests as indicators that I can handle that distance on my own, because if you lose your board there you have to be prepared to swim for almost two hours.

Being physically prepared is very important. I think those waves would be fun and less scary than top to bottom breaking waves but a 2 hour swim means no bodysurfing in?