Surfing Waves

I just bought my first SurfBoard from Isle Surfboards. I have been wanting to surf since I was about 18, I am now 23 and am ready to hit the waves. I am going this weekend to try Surfing for the first time. I bought wax, board, and a leash. I wanted to know of any tips you guys could give me. I will be surfing in pretty cool water in Atlantic City, NJ on 8th street. Does anyone know if you can surf there all day long? I am going to surf by myself since none of my friends will, so maybe I could meet someone down there to teach me a few things. Of course, I want to start out on the small waves. Is surfing pretty basic? For example, I know how to skateboard, snowboard, and roller skate all pretty well. I pick up on things very fast. Snowboarding, I still have a little trouble with carving and stuff, I fall. But once I am on the mountain for a little bit, I usually get used to it. Any advice or suggestions you guys could give would be excellent. Thanks guys, and take care.
-Justin

What, are you asking whether you can stay in cold water all day? Of course, you can! We do it here in northern CA.

Go here: http://magicseaweed.com/States-Avenue-Surf-Report/390/
and here: http://magicseaweed.com/Ocean-City-NJ-Surf-Report/391/
for good surf reports.

Now get out there and start riding waves. Take the first 3 or 4 laying prone on the board in the white water. Then pop up in the white water. Do this over and over again so that your body knows instinctively what to do. Then go out behind the waves and try to catch unbroken waves. This is where you will find the most challenge. Ride straight to shore and repeat over and over.

jsthursday wrote:Is surfing pretty basic?

You gotta laugh at that bit

Surfing has to be the single most difficult thing I've ever tried, it takes fitness, strength, timing, balance, and an absolute ton of knowlege otherwise you get nowhere.

You get so little time/tries to learn each time you go out.

Good job theres plenty of stoke is all:D

by far the funnest way of getting fit... certainly not basic tho!

first thing first is learning to catch a wave... not as easy as it seems. you need a few waves to find your boards sweet spot. on a longer board there is usually an inch or two of "play" but not much.... too far forward the wave will flip you off the board... too far back and the wave will pass underneath you. once you get it right make a note of where you need to be. maybe the logo is right at eye level or something to that effect. this will save you lots of time and missed waves. take you r time picking your wave also... give yourself plenty of time to set yourself. as the wave's about 10m away give a few easy strokes to get you moving.. then just as the waves about to hit give it a bit of power... concentrate on smoothness rather than speed in your paddling as this will actually get you moving a lot faster than just flailing about like a wounded fish.

when you are catching waves consistently comes the next part... standing up.... the first few times... take your time - make sure the wave has you. then get to your feet... smoothly rather than quickly... speed will come with practice. guessing by your age i'd say you should have this down pretty quickly. get straight to your feet. couple of videos on youtube on how to do this the best way.

once on your feet... keep your knees bent, feet shoulder width apart horizontal on the board, and centered ie. middle of your feet across the middle of the board. like catching a wave this is all about balance. again a longer board will be more forgiving and will take a second before it starts to nose dive or stall if you need to adjust.

congratulations you're now a few weeks in and only just becoming a noob!! hope this helps. don't get frustrated unless like me it's frustration that drives you - and keep the stoke!

frustration of course probably comes with the territory. i have been decent at sports all round in the past such as snowboarding, skateboarding, rollerskating, ice skating, boogie boarding, wakeboarding, etc etc. i am sure that surfing is similar to snowboarding because that sport is pretty hard to pick up on if you don't know what your doing, you fall a lot. but once you up it's the funnest thing ever. thanks again for the tips garbarrage.

jsthursday wrote: i am sure that surfing is similar to snowboarding

Yes, its very similar.
Once you've learned how to lie on a board, paddle, duckdive, get out back, adjust trim, anticipate wave formation, be in the right place at the right time, paddle for a wave, adjust body position, correctly time the pop up, actually be able to do a decent pop up, get the right position standing up, take the drop, do a bottom turn, and turn back on the face... then, absolutely, yes, you're right, its just like snowboarding

drowningbitbybit wrote:

jsthursday wrote: i am sure that surfing is similar to snowboarding

Yes, its very similar.
Once you've learned how to lie on a board, paddle, duckdive, get out back, adjust trim, anticipate wave formation, be in the right place at the right time, paddle for a wave, adjust body position, correctly time the pop up, actually be able to do a decent pop up, get the right position standing up, take the drop, do a bottom turn, and turn back on the face... then, absolutely, yes, you're right, its just like snowboarding

Wait I m a little blind here, is it?

heard someone compare the 2 on a dvd (can't remember which one)
snowboarding is sliding down a mountain on a board, surfing is like sliding down a mountain on a board, then the mountain chases you!!!

garbarrage wrote:heard someone compare the 2 on a dvd (can't remember which one)
snowboarding is sliding down a mountain on a board, surfing is like sliding down a mountain on a board, then the mountain chases you!!!

Thats a classic quote

jsthursday, I too will be taken my first plunge this weekend. I cant wait, I will go about three times a week if posible. I dont think I have the right board for my size but, I will ride prone if I have to. (FREE!! boards what do you do?)I am going to monitor this thread and see how you do. my only training will be from the internet and this site. haha internet surfer, good luck and keep up the thread!