Surfing Waves

Hi all,

I was wondering about this.... is there an ideal surfer physique?

For example, ballet is a profession that you gotta have the right physique for.. you gotta have the high instep, slightly sway backlegs, the narrow frame, the flexibility, long arms and neck, etc, etc... (this is girls...)

You can train and train, but without the right genetic make-up you just aren't gonna have the same look as some one who was born with it all in the right place.

So, how about surfing? Is there an ideal physique that's gonna make life easier? Will another type of physique make life difficult? Or some tricks impossible even?

Just wondering....it's interesting.
MARTI
xx

one good thing that attracted me to surfing is almost anyone can do it, you can be fat, skinny, big boned, young, old, short, tall, long arms, short arms, one arm, whatever, i dont know if you know jesse belleur(sp?), he was an aspiringl pro surfer, but due to an injury, some parts of his body is paralyzed, but still, he goes out, so there's really no ideal physique in surfing..for tricks, it really helps if you are flexible, have great balance, stamina, upper body strength, and a good attitude, other than that, it's all about having fun

most pros tend to be fairly short and squat, but then there are also plenty of examples of succesful pros who dont fit the usual mould. most have well developed shoulders but that comes more from lots of surfing rather than genetics
Shape/size does seem to affect peoples style tho, but then i guess that goes for everything not just surfing.
overall, as long as your healthy and reasonably fit/active, no your shape wont affect your ability to surf, theres plenty of short fat guys in hawaii who rip, and lanky skinny guys too.

I was wondering about this.... is there an ideal surfer physique?

... yep ! i believe its 75kg with a slight beer paunch, 5ft10 without adidas's and broad boxers shoulders .... im sure i read that somewhere

I believe this could be the ideal physique for not getting knocked off your board by a fat lip

Id say a low body fat percentage would be good but the guy above proves me wrong. haha

hahahahaha wow...check out the picture of him at the bottom right, he's tearing it up, looks like its going to be a great cutback.

i think anyone can surf who has the strength to stand up quickly and lean and also take a beating...all the surfer has to do is find the right board to suit his or her needs no matter what physique.

Take a look at bethany whats here name, she's lost an arm and can still carve it up no problemo, i dont think its in the physique I reckon its all in the mind, commitment levels make good surfers not body shape.

yeah, you have to be ready to take some punishment. there's always the chance that you might drown.

that guy is suited for big wave riding - the amount of fat on his body would make him about a bouyant as laird with a life jacket on.

When I started surfing I was skinny.

Got married and a couple of years later, I'm a few pants sizes up.

Don't think a perfect physique exists for us ordinary yobs.

Yeah, I'd say it's more about the right board for your physique.

WishKid Wales wrote:Take a look at bethany whats here name, she's lost an arm and can still carve it up no problemo, i dont think its in the physique I reckon its all in the mind, commitment levels make good surfers not body shape.

an actual serious question...how does she paddle out though? me and a mate have always wondered about that. seriously, not to be mean or provocative, but how does she manage?

Bethany Hamilton is an amazing and inspirational surfer.

She had to make some adjustments, true. She uses a webbed glove to help pull water and paddles with her feet/legs. but she gets out there as good as anyone! To pop up she has to put her hand in the centre of the board. She says she has had a rope handle put in that place to help. None of that's anything new. All of it helps surfers who haven't lost a limb.

Anyone here gutsy enough to go straight back in weeks after losing and arm? And, on top of that, not question their personal spiritual beliefs?

That is what I call strength of character.

-doug

i saw a guy in france surfing with one arm, on the clean days he was able to paddle out better than many of the surfers out and was pretty good once he was up.

OMFG!!!

http://magicseaweed.com/photoLab/viewPh ... otoId=6012

dougirwin13 wrote:Bethany Hamilton is an amazing and inspirational surfer.

She had to make some adjustments, true. She uses a webbed glove to help pull water and paddles with her feet/legs. but she gets out there as good as anyone! To pop up she has to put her hand in the centre of the board. She says she has had a rope handle put in that place to help. None of that's anything new. All of it helps surfers who haven't lost a limb.

Anyone here gutsy enough to go straight back in weeks after losing and arm? And, on top of that, not question their personal spiritual beliefs?

That is what I call strength of character.

-doug

Theres a world class Sponger whos had his leg nibbled of and hes still at the top of the sport.. can't remember his name off hand but hes in alot of the No Friends Vids.