Surfing Waves

Hey first time poster but recent lurker/reader here so virtual drinks to all

I've been surfing for a year or so but am not in as often as i'd like. I usually get out twice a month and coming into winter am keen to try and get out most weekends. I am 6'5 and 15st and ride a 7'2 x 20 1/2 x 2 3/4
fat boy flyer/slayer type board.

Basically i am trying to progress to getting more face time as at the minute i can handle both lefts and rights ok but i find 80% of waves i get i pop up and as i drop in the wave is already closing out and am frustrated by short rides and 5 second glimpses of bliss.

All my local breaks are strand type beach breaks and part of my problem is probably poor wave selection, but i think my technique is a problem too as my best rides are off the shoulder of 4-6 ft type stuff where you already have some lateral momentum. Of course some of the waves i get a short ride and then it closes out because of my poor technique once i am on the face but more often my problem is getting up at an ok angle starting to ride along the face for a second or two but then not going anywhere apart from beachward with the white water. Any questions or advice welcome.

your technique will do nothing about close outs. you can only ride the wave that is there. if you are getting caught behind the sections you could try to stay high on the wave. this will give you more down the line speed when you need it. sometimes when waves are fast peeling it is best not to drop in at all. you need to get to your feet a bit earlier and point the nose down the line before you start dropping down the face. if it keeps peeling then you will need to pump down the line.. so just before you get to the bottom turn to the top and repeat.
hope this helps

thanks so much for replying, When i do get a slightly better wave i have been trying a sort of slow pumping and this has been working. What you said about not dropping in but riding higher makes sense and its what i feel would really help but i find it difficult to achieve any lateral momentum. This is why i find rides off the shoulder much easier and more fruitful as i already have a bit of a push.

It would be a great help if you could please give me a rough step by step break down of how best to get a bit of momentum while pointing down the line before dropping in. If that makes sense...

Thanks a lot!

as you get to your feet, point the nose towards the shoulder. then drop a little bit down the face (not all the way). this alone should give you some speed. next do a small shallow bottom turn to the top of the wave (not too far or you will ride over the back). just repeat until the wave eases up or you see that it's about to close out entirely. you are now pumping down the line.

think of it as a series of really small bottom turns. they should be most effective on fast peeling waves if you keep these manuoevers slightly above mid face.

get this down and lateral momentum won't be a problem. your next problem should be that you'll often outrun the wave at which point you'll need to learn to cut back to avoid losing the wave.