Backside from yesterday...am I improving?

[pmcaero]

Feel sorry for you UK surfers if there is that many people on waves like that!

I'm in "New" England. US East Coast. The webcam distorted perspective makes it look more crowded than it was. But yeah, now that the weather is improving the lightweights are coming out. During the winter I was the kookiest guy in the water, now there's a few bigger kooks in the lineup.

[dtc]

Oops - I saw the hoodies and the grey water and thought 'England'. I know how insulting it is to be called English.... At least you got rid of the monarchy early on.

[pmcaero]

Here's a frontside from yesterday. I find it harder to get speed and have a good stance while surfing frontside.

[waikikikichan]

Stop paddling the wave, when you're already up and riding. ( you can see you do it twice as the white water engulfs you, then you do a major one right as you get pushed out the back ) Use your legs to steer and drive the board. Using your back hand to pat the wave, just makes you squat more and breaks the body line.

Look at the guy on the Left. He is just standing there, trimming close to the pocket. Smooth and casual.

[pmcaero]

Using your back hand to pat the wave, just makes you squat more and breaks the body line.

Thanks for noticing that. I will try to eliminate this habit as well.

[RinkyDink]

Here's a frontside from yesterday. I find it harder to get speed and have a good stance while surfing frontside.

It looks like you're making huge progress. Congrats.

[dtc]

It's been bugging me what looks wrong and I now think, with help from wkk's comment, it's that you hang your arms down almost gorilla like; compare to the other guy who has his hands up at chest height. Moving your hands up (stop patting the wave as mentioned) will straighten up a lot of things

[RinkyDink]

It's been bugging me what looks wrong and I now think, with help from wkk's comment, it's that you hang your arms down almost gorilla like; compare to the other guy who has his hands up at chest height. Moving your hands up (stop patting the wave as mentioned) will straighten up a lot of things

I agree, dtc. I think the 360 trick might actually help you, pmcaero, to free yourself from the overemphasis you place on getting your stance right and get you to start swinging and twisting a little more as your respond to the wave.

[pmcaero]

It's been bugging me what looks wrong and I now think, with help from wkk's comment, it's that you hang your arms down almost gorilla like

I'll try that pointing trick on front arm, and back arm raised sort of pointing up. Dunno if I'll be able to focus on both arms at the same time.

[waikikikichan]

Do Not point your back hand up. That's your " drive" hand and needs to be in motion. Your front hand can be pointed in the direction you want to go. Again, stop locking yourself / mind in to these predetermined forms.

If you're Madonna, it's okay to Pose. But this surfing, keep moving to the music.

[IanCaio]

Pmcaero,

Congrats man, looking at this new footage and comparing to the other ones you posted you really seem to be improving a lot!
I have to agree it seems a little odd your arms are so straight down, maybe you should get used (even on dry land you can practice) to use your arms to drive your board, while trimming or pumping. Try to stand on the floor in surfing stance, and just imagine you're going up and down the waves face, and use your arms to throw your body up and down, and keep attention on your knees movement. After you get an idea of what it feels like, will be easier to do the same on water.
This video has been posted here before and shows what I mean:

You'd be doing it much slower, since your board probably doesn't respond as fast as a shortboard (seems like at least 7'?), but it doesn't really matter how fast you do the movement. Guess it would help you with arm positioning!

Stop paddling the wave, when you're already up and riding. ( you can see you do it twice as the white water engulfs you, then you do a major one right as you get pushed out the back ) Use your legs to steer and drive the board. Using your back hand to pat the wave, just makes you squat more and breaks the body line.

I've seem a lot of guys trying to use their arms while standing up to push water back on mushy weak sections, like, when they were losing speed. This is out of question then? Never knew if it was good practice, but as a last resource seemed like a good idea.

[pmcaero]

That's your " drive" hand and needs to be in motion.

Thanks, I will try to think of it that way, hope it helps.

[pmcaero]

Try to stand on the floor in surfing stance, and just imagine you're going up and down the waves face, and use your arms to throw your body up and down, and keep attention on your knees movement. .

Good idea, I will try it on my homemade balance board which is a skimboard strapped on a partially inflated exercise ball, and so it can pivot in all directions.

[Big H]

Try to stand on the floor in surfing stance, and just imagine you're going up and down the waves face, and use your arms to throw your body up and down, and keep attention on your knees movement. .

Good idea, I will try it on my homemade balance board which is a skimboard strapped on a partially inflated exercise ball, and so it can pivot in all directions.

That skateboard you have would be better practice. Don't get ahead of yourself though.....first you need to start surfing waves big enough so that you can tell the difference between being on the flats and on the face....then you need to learn to trim on the face, just rolling down the road like W-chan said, not getting pushed along in the flats....when cruising down the line gets to be too pedestrian, then you can spice it up by learning to pump.....just relax, let your arms respond to the wave....loosen up....really don't think about practising arm movements.....think about getting out back on the biggest peak on that beach and riding it the direction the wave says it should be ridden then getting so you can tuck in again and again so that skill becomes easy....then embellish.....

[pmcaero]

Don't get ahead of yourself though.....first you need to start surfing waves big enough so that you can tell the difference between being on the flats and on the face....

We've been closed out for 3 days. Big swell but also onshores. Maybe I'll go on a dawnie tomorrow if it cleans out and I'm not too tired, but I wouldn't bet on it.