Surfing Waves

Finally starting to progress to catch *actual* waves as opposed to whitewash...Just wondering tho, how early should I pop-up? I never seem to get a long ride on the wave...

Maybe I need to angle against the break at the start or something? Any suggestion?

as quick as you can mate

if its breaking left angle 10 degrees to your left

if its breaking right angle 10 degress to your right

you pop up as soon as you feel the wave catch your board...or is it the other way around?

lol it usually happens the other way around...

I think "sweet Ive got the wave" and then I end up standing at the very top of it for like a few seconds and fall over!

what size board are you riding? if you're falling on or shortly after the take off, it might be your stance. make sure to bend at the knees and not at the waist. you might also be standing too far forward or too far back on the board. if you're too far back on the board or if you're shifting too much weight on your rear foot, you may be losing the waves because you're in essence stepping on the brakes.

Yeah, as Danny boy said, slight angles towards direction you are going.. Its a whole timing thing, and the more trials and errors you have, you'll start to get a feel for it. If you find that you are popping up a lot and end up sitting on top of the wave as it keeps rolling underneath you, you are doing it too early. (Or maybe need to lean forward to drop down the face - not too far, or your nosediving.)

You need to learn the feeling of when the wave has a hold of you. Keep trying it out, you'll find the feeling of it. You keep paddling until you feel the wave pushing you forward then right as your about to drop, pop-up and enjoy the drop and ride..

Trial and error. The best way to learn to surf, is to keep surfing as much as possible.

Trial and error. The best way to learn to surf, is to keep surfing as much as possible.

Perfectly put

I think people end up waaaay over anlyzing things stop second guessing yourself and just get in the water and soldier on. Just every now n then check how other surfers are doing it just make sure you are not developing any nasty habbits otherwise everything else will come as a natural progression

^^^^^^^

totally agree, for ages i over-analyzed everything in surfing. got me nowhere to an extent, your better off just heading out and learning by trial and error-only then will something really click

Surfing is 50% imaging. the other percent are just basic knowledge.

i was told by a wise man if u think u are on it paddle abit more

Actually I reckon smallwavegrovellerchick could be right...

I was using 7'2 but then the instructor told me to swtich to an 8' and kinda forgot how far forward or how far back to stand!

Been reading all this stuff about how longer boards are good for begginers but Im way more comfortable on the 7'2...weird...

Been reading all this stuff about how longer boards are good for begginers but Im way more comfortable on the 7'2...weird...

Not wierd at all but perfectly normal everyones different. I for example cant ride a longboard whatsoever in fact anything over 7ft is really hard for me. If it feels comfy then stick with it

yeah man! it just feels so much nicer riding shorter a board, its lighter to carry as well and (to me) it feels kinda awkward riding a long board, cant figure out wat to do with all the extra length

It's all a question of habit, I guess. I have a 7'6'' and my girlfriend has a 7'2''. Depending on the size of the waves, I'll choose what board to take if she's not going. It always feels awkward for a couple of minutes if it's a different board from last time, even through the difference is only 4''. The smaller one will feel wobbly, and the larger one will feel sluggish...

a_person wrote:yeah man! it just feels so much nicer riding shorter a board, its lighter to carry as well and (to me) it feels kinda awkward riding a long board, cant figure out wat to do with all the extra length

I've always felt it was easier to surf smaller boards. Also easier to manage in the water, easier to transport and travel with, easier to climb up and down rock walls, hills, narrow stair cases with... I feel like shortboards are for more spontaneous surfing, whereas longboarding takes more setting up and planning both inside the water and out. Plus I rather have a shortboard land on my head than a longboard, if I had to choose.

As for all the extra length on a longboard, it really does help when the surf is nearly flat. On a shortboard there are definitely more unsurfable days.

Longboard or shortboard, we're all part of the lucky few that get to surf. Keep the stoke! That's what it's truly about!

Totally agreed, traditionally Im a snowboarding nut and didnt like or know the meaning of summer (nor did I like it)...

but now I cant stay away from the beach, cant even stop thinking about surfing lol!

imagine wat'll happen when Ive been surfing for a couple months!

As far as catching the wave, just try to remember the whole point is to get enough speed on the paddle in to slide down the face. After you've gained some experience, you won't even think about "Did I catch it yet?" You'll just know.

I find that when you paddle for a wave keep paddling untill you don't just feel the wave taking you but untill you feel yourself sliding on it, then pop-up, rather paddle for a little while more than lose a wave.