Surfing Waves

I feel like my paddling is inefficient, my paddle strength feels like it isn't really increasing much with water time.

I know there are a lot of conflicting opinions on what the best technique (to S or not to S). Are there any pointers that anyone can give that I might not know?

I think the best thing is to just keep surfing a lot. When the surf gets flat, go for some long swims, or take your surfboard and go for a long paddle. Paddle till it hurts and keep track of how long you went. Try to add to your time and increase your strength and endurance. You will become a stronger and better paddler!

Don't know whether this is relevant to you or not (and on re-reading this, very hard to explain), but I found a while ago that my paddling had become very efficient... but for me, not the board
I found that taking, for instance, half a dozen strokes to catch a wave was much easier than it used to be, but didn't move the board any faster. I was making it easy - slightly apart fingers, stopping the stroke early, and even the S merely makes it easier to move your hand through the water easier. But that's not the point... the paddle should be like climbing a ladder: you put your hand forward and then pull yourself to that position, not pull your hand back to where you are.
So keep your fingers together, don't S, go reasonably deep, and push all the way through - it's much harder work, but makes the board move much faster. Then it becomes normal and you soon get used to it.

If it makes you feel any better, I think I'm going through the same thing after nearly a year of practicing. I can tell I'm getting a little better because I'm getting outside on some bigger days when it used to be impossible. But it's still tough to see more experienced surfers paddle right past me like I'm not moving at all.

One thing I've noticed is that I paddle a lot better earlier in sessions (duh) - as I tire, my technique gets sloppy, the board moves side to side more and my paddling isn't as efficient. Agree with the comment about climbing a ladder - when I'm doing better it seems to work that way.

Thanks for the replies!

drowningbitbybit wrote: But that's not the point... the paddle should be like climbing a ladder: you put your hand forward and then pull yourself to that position, not pull your hand back to where you are.

Interesting, I did long strokes before and I think that was what tired me out a lot as it meant I was doing too much work with my shoulder. I read on another forum that keeping the elbows high and putting the energy into the start of the stroke is more efficient, maybe it needs shorter strokes to capitalise on that (down to the chest only or something).

tonylamont wrote:If it makes you feel any better, I think I'm going through the same thing after nearly a year of practicing. I can tell I'm getting a little better because I'm getting outside on some bigger days when it used to be impossible. But it's still tough to see more experienced surfers paddle right past me like I'm not moving at all.

One thing I've noticed is that I paddle a lot better earlier in sessions (duh) - as I tire, my technique gets sloppy, the board moves side to side more and my paddling isn't as efficient. Agree with the comment about climbing a ladder - when I'm doing better it seems to work that way.

Haha I am glad I am not the only one. It is not so much the paddle speed but seeing the other surfers constantly paddle around the line up without tiring!

Rickyroughneck wrote: putting the energy into the start of the stroke is more efficient

Efficient yes, effective no.
It's a balance between tiring yourself out and getting the board moving - so you don't want to be wasting your energy by putting in every bit of effort into something that doesnt actually move the board, but on the other hand you don't want to make the stroke too easy either.

As a practise, on flat water between waves, take the stroke to the limit - take your hand all the way from as far as you can reach to all the way back and actually flip your hand out at the back. Its tiring and inefficient, but gets the board moving amazingly well. Then compromise somewhere between an 'easy' stroke and an 'effective' stroke.

And a couple of more simple, practical tips -

Make sure you're on the right position on the board - if the nose is in the air, you'll be pushing water forward.

Keep your knees together.

Make sure your feet aren't dragging in the water.

Raise your foot so that your leash is out of the water (particularly the ankle bit).

Raise your head and arch your back as you catch the wave, but keep your head lower if you're paddling any distance or if you need to build momentum before the wave gets to you.

Rickyroughneck wrote:Thanks for the replies!

drowningbitbybit wrote: But that's not the point... the paddle should be like climbing a ladder: you put your hand forward and then pull yourself to that position, not pull your hand back to where you are.

Interesting, I did long strokes before and I think that was what tired me out a lot as it meant I was doing too much work with my shoulder. I read on another forum that keeping the elbows high and putting the energy into the start of the stroke is more efficient, maybe it needs shorter strokes to capitalise on that (down to the chest only or something).

I think I saw the source you referenced (Tom Caroll), Ricky, and it has made an enormous difference in my paddling. Reaching forward for the catch, leaving arms and hands shaped but relaxed0, pull back and down until level with chest, pull elbow straight up behind the ribs to bring the hand out of the water near the chest and shoot straight forward for the next catch. By pushing down and back I am lifting the board slightly and pulling it forward. If I paddled past the chest, I would be pushing the board down in the water and do more throwing water behind than pulling the board forward. I used to climb ladders as part of a job I used to have and you reach up to grab the rung and pull yourself up until it is at your chest, not down by your hip, to grab the next rung. Same with the way I now paddle.
I am no ripper, but I get out much, much easier than I used to. I also catch more waves, position better, and have energy to move with the sandbars or against the current for much longer into the session. The board moves faster because I get more strokes per minute..like two strokes at 70% of the power in the same time it takes to eke out 100% power out of a single stroke. The key to more strokes per minute for me was to get comfortable with the new technique so I could learn to relax as much as possible. Relaxed muscles can move faster than tense muscles and I'm not damaging the sheaths on my nerves that pass through my shoulder joints by tensing my arm muscles and swinging my arms out to the sides (Torque=force x length of lever).
Practicing lying in paddling position (chest and feet up, balanced side-to-side and front-to-rear) on an indo board with the round pad under it really helped me improve at the new stroke, as I found it took more balance to reach forward...where the power is.
I'm 41 and big, so what works for me might not be what is best for everyone else...I think that someone who has the fitness level and surfing experience of a pro-surfer doesn't need to worry so much about paddle technique.
Please forgive such a long second post

surfsadhu wrote:I think I saw the source you referenced (Tom Caroll), Ricky, and it has made an enormous difference in my paddling. Reaching forward for the catch, leaving arms and hands shaped but relaxed0, pull back and down until level with chest, pull elbow straight up behind the ribs to bring the hand out of the water near the chest and shoot straight forward for the next catch. By pushing down and back I am lifting the board slightly and pulling it forward. If I paddled past the chest, I would be pushing the board down in the water and do more throwing water behind than pulling the board forward. I used to climb ladders as part of a job I used to have and you reach up to grab the rung and pull yourself up until it is at your chest, not down by your hip, to grab the next rung. Same with the way I now paddle.
I am no ripper, but I get out much, much easier than I used to. I also catch more waves, position better, and have energy to move with the sandbars or against the current for much longer into the session. The board moves faster because I get more strokes per minute..like two strokes at 70% of the power in the same time it takes to eke out 100% power out of a single stroke. The key to more strokes per minute for me was to get comfortable with the new technique so I could learn to relax as much as possible. Relaxed muscles can move faster than tense muscles and I'm not damaging the sheaths on my nerves that pass through my shoulder joints by tensing my arm muscles and swinging my arms out to the sides (Torque=force x length of lever).
Practicing lying in paddling position (chest and feet up, balanced side-to-side and front-to-rear) on an indo board with the round pad under it really helped me improve at the new stroke, as I found it took more balance to reach forward...where the power is.
I'm 41 and big, so what works for me might not be what is best for everyone else...I think that someone who has the fitness level and surfing experience of a pro-surfer doesn't need to worry so much about paddle technique.
Please forgive such a long second post

Thankyou for the well written an informative post! You are right, Tom Caroll does ring a bell so I think it was his technique.

I tried the shorter strokes (to the chest) today and found I didn't get as tired as fast as usual; however I also realised that I had a really bad habit of splaying my left arm outwards as I brought it forward (not not my right curiously, asymmetric arms!).

I will try the full technique next time and see how it goes, it sounds very promising.

Swell is near constant in Wales, lovely

thx for the op to start this thread.. that kinda explains why i can always catch my first wave most easily but then it's a down slope..

and more thx for the tips from dbbb n ssh.. like the ladder analogy, will def try it out myself too.. hopefully my wave count will up a bit.. like 3