Surfing for 1 year, progress?

[Swans23]

Hi there.
I've been surfing for a year, I'm generally in the water 3-7 days a week. I moved to the South Coast of NSW, Australia a year ago for work, as I didn't really have any mates here, and the fact that I'm 40 and over drinking myself into a stupor I took up surfing.
I started on a big foamy then moved To a 7ft 6 performance shape long board, to now be riding a 6ft 10 regular type of board. I'm 183cm tall and100kg, a pretty big unit, broad shoulders etc. I'm very dedicated to getting better and improving. I have got lessons at various stages over the year. On a good day I can pop up and ride across a wave fairly consistently but can get down on myself after a bad session.
My issue is I want to start challenging myself in bigger conditions but really struggle with waves over the 3-4 ft range. Im still pretty fearful of the bigger waves and definitely overthink my process. I'm pulling out of waves if I'm the slightest bit unsure about how it's going to break for fear of wiping out. I also struggle to get out the back in bigger stuff because my board has a lot of volume.

It's very difficult to measure your own progress when learning, particularly when you always surf on your own. Does anyone have an opinion on whether I should stick to the 3-4 ft waves for a while longer until I have more knowledge, skill and condidence?or do I try to challenge myself in bigger waves? At what stage do you push yourself further? Also where should a begginer be after a year of surfing? It's really hard to tell? I've been told it will take me 3 years of regular surfing to be comfortable out there. It would be great to get some feedback and advice, cheers.

[oldmansurfer]

It's always good to push yourself but be careful not to make it too monumental of a challenge or it may overcome your motivation to surf. I hear people post here about difficulty getting out back especially with a board with too much flotation. Sometimes it makes me think the waves are different elsewhere. That could well be but in that case then the waves are also different elsewhere from where you are trying to surf. Here is what I would recommend for you to challenge yourself go out in the size that doesn't scare you and lineup wherever you normally lineup then paddle 3 feet deeper into the lineup. Do this until you feel comfortable with going 3 feet deeper then go another 3 feet deeper. You will get used to taking steeper drops and this will help on bigger waves.

[oldmansurfer]

One other thing is there are a variety of ways to go out through surf with a board with too much flotation to duck dive. The more you know the better you will do

[Big H]

Keep at it....I started at 43, am 185cm and 92kg, not too far away from you....now 46 and three years in I can tell you that for me to get more "comfortable" means paddle fitness and paddle fitness meant being active in my sessions....taking as many waves as possible, shifting from peak to peak, chasing down waves......not just sitting in the lineup and hoping for a chance....the better you paddle the easier it is to get out back and the more confidence you have in the water......bigger waves are not hard once you've sorted positioning and can paddle effectively.......you just sack up and do it. I watched a 20something Japanese tourist miss about 10 waves in a row in my last session....he was taking off deeper on a wave than anyone else (with any sense) would try.....he was trying to pig dog the drop from the get go and was doing forward roll after tumble, getting pitched in the curl every time because he was too deep and his technique was poor.......BUT he was game as h3ll....he wasn't going to give up. Get some of that in your life and bigger waves will become not so big.

[Swans23]

Thanks, yes I'm starting to go deeper in the lineup now, as opposed to lurking areound the edges waiting for scraps. I'm also starting to take on steeper drops and ripped across one the other day that felt awesome. My paddle fitness has improved greatly, but seeing guys zip around like they have a motor on their board makes me realise I have a ways to go , I was fairly fit when I started as I have been a regular gym guy for years. But now I only surf and try to squeeze in some skipping, push-ups etc in between.
I have never had a fearless attitude though, and like many things in my life I try to take a clinical approach. It doesn't quite work with surfing though, particularly as a beginner because of the unpredictable nature of it. I will keep at it, I'm genuinely obsessed with it, it's the greatest thing I have ever done for myself really. At this stage my goal is to be able to rip across waves that I have been able to read.

[waikikikichan]

Does anyone have an opinion on whether I should stick to the 3-4 ft waves for a while longer until I have more knowledge, skill and condidence?or do I try to challenge myself in bigger waves? At what stage do you push yourself further? Also where should a begginer be after a year of surfing?I've been told it will take me 3 years of regular surfing to be comfortable out there.

I agree the first 1-3 years, is just trying to stay out of peoples way and learning the basics. The big jump in advancing your surfing technique happens in the 3-6 year range. After that you sort of plateau. ( and start complaining about how crowded it is, kooks, blah blah ). I was on a softboard for my first 2 years.

Don't be stupid and try to ride a bigger motorcycle than you can handle. Don't be foolish and try to jump a ditch that your other MTB rider friends can but YOU can't. Master the slow pitch at the batting cages first before you go to the fast pitch selector.

[Swans23]

Thanks for that reply, it really helps. It becomes difficult to gauge your own progress.

[jaffa1949]

Lessons of surfing Reading , riding and rip,ma,stick!

Reading the whole break and the waves educate you in at least two things, how to paddle out as easily as possible and beginning to understand how the break will encourage you to ride it.

When you progress you learn to ride the rest of what you are reading , that's advancing to the next class.

Rip,ma,stick is when you graduate and respond and design even better rides on the wave.

I think you are a little undersized in your choice of board, the board should be chosen for riding not the paddle out (which is a learned skill and reading skill).
Longer would help the catching of waves- more waves= more lessons on the face.( Riding).

Stay in 1 to 4ft waves really hone your skills , graduation into big waves will come naturally.
Have a bucket load of fun.
I have sent you a PM too!

[RinkyDink]

If you're surfing a beach break, then keep an eye out for those big 5-6 foot days when the slow rollers come through. I remember a day back when I had been surfing for about 3 months and I popped up in the white water froth of about a six foot mushy wave. Somehow I managed to stay on my board in the turbulence of the white water and glided down into the trough. As I cruised down the line heading toward the flats, I thought the wave was going to die out on me because there wasn't much of a slope to it, but it carried me inside and suddenly formed up again. The wave jacked up and got a bit gnarly, but before I could process what was going on I dropped down the face picking up a ton of speed and the section broke behind me. I had a blast on that wave (it still stands out in my mind) and it kind of gave me an appetite to try bigger sized waves. Anyway, my point is that there are bigger waves out there with gentle slopes on them that you can practice on. You just have to identify those types of waves and then commit yourself to taking off on them.

[RinkyDink]

Speaking of riding bigger waves, I saw this video BigH posted in another thread and marveled at the popup technique of Reef McIntosh.

What I like about his takeoff is how he timed it. He didn't wait to get to the top of the wave before he popped up. I often do. I think I have this sense that you can't get the momentum down the face of the wave unless you pop up at the top of the wave. This video clearly shows that you can get your board moving down the face if you pop up with the right timing. I guess I've known that, but somehow I'm not fast enough to avoid popping up at the top.

[dtc]

Where do you surf on the Sth Coast? There are some point breaks and some beaches that have easier paddle outs on big days. I only know a small part of the coast but can PM some useful spots if you are in the right area

I found going out on a big day and just being out there, even if you aren't catching waves, makes you more comfortable with the bigger waves. You might even go out on say a 1.5 OH day and snag a 'smaller wave' which is OH. Still big but seems smaller! Anyway a few days and the waves seem more normal. And a few days like that and you head out next time totally determined to catch a wave (helps if there are several days in a row)

A bigger board will be useful in terms of having the faster paddle speed and getting in earlier. That's why people have 'step up' boards - and no reason not to have one for what is step up territory. No one on the coast cares if you are surfing a 7'6 or 9' - heaps of people surf them

[Swans23]

Some great advice from everyone, and no kook shaming either! Thank you so much!

[jaffa1949]

We all were there once, some not so long ago!
We are here to help!

[pmcaero]

If you can manage getting out, a longer board will allow you to catch waves sooner, so the perceived sense of "crashing" is lessened.