Surfing Waves

Hi All,

Been a while since I've posted here but I'm in need of some tips!
I've been playing with my gopro, and what i see on screen makes me squirm!
I know I'm no where near as good as i'd like to be, but damn!

Anyway, trying to improve my form and all, and noticed i do a bit of a Helicopter arm after popping up.
Any idea why this happens? My frontsides are getting better but my backside is still horrible...

I know its not for a balance thing, perhaps its because im trying to pump up the face, but can't seem to get the board up so i use my arms?

Any insights on this? I dont wanna feel like a total kook out in the line up with my arms way up..

I know i should just make a conscious effort to keep them down and practice on it. But why this happens, I dunno.

Please dont laugh, took me ages to finally decide to show my videos (and my face).

Thanks in advance!!

Here are the video links : PASSWORD : helicopter (for privacy reasons)

hard to tell without seeing what the wave is doing... Looks to me like you're trying to use your arms to turn the board up and down the face - which is fine. It also looks a bit like you're too late/close to the whitewash when popping up in the second vid and this may be contributing to not getting much face time.
I don't think you need to worry too much, as you're clearly doing ok. Maybe just concentrate on being smooth.

Jimi wrote:hard to tell without seeing what the wave is doing... Looks to me like you're trying to use your arms to turn the board up and down the face - which is fine. It also looks a bit like you're too late/close to the whitewash when popping up in the second vid and this may be contributing to not getting much face time.
I don't think you need to worry too much, as you're clearly doing ok. Maybe just concentrate on being smooth.

Thanks for that jimi, where i surf in hk, the waves arent great and not consistent most of the time, but yes I try my best to make the section,
the other guys make it look easy to pump their way out of the white wash.

Personally I wouldn't worry about how you look to others. If you are having fun then that is the main thing. One thing I heard recently from a guy who trains pro surfers is learn to get your hips into the turns. Just ignore your arms bend you legs and throw your hips into your turns but most importantly have fun

oldmansurfer wrote:Personally I wouldn't worry about how you look to others. If you are having fun then that is the main thing. One thing I heard recently from a guy who trains pro surfers is learn to get your hips into the turns. Just ignore your arms bend you legs and throw your hips into your turns but most importantly have fun

Thanks Old man surfer, It doesn't bother me so much what people think, it's more of a personal thing. I know how I want to surf like.

But that aside I'm having heaps of fun out there!

The last line says it as it should be, having heaps of fun. Forget the worry smooth out with experience no worries.
Go Pros on the nose make many surfer look like they are having some sort of spasm attack!
BTW always a shock when you see your first video of yourself, gro pros really rock it up

Seems like you are in a hurry while surfing.
I guess you need to take your time, dont try to surf fast but try to perform the right move for each section. You have to observe closely the wave. Your arms position comes on top of that, they accentuate your intention.
I bet you put yourself in strange positions on the wave face by not anticipating enough his mouvement, your arms trying to correct these positioning errors by moving around.
You can repeat basics turns arm mouvement at home, but every stage has to be completed before you can really work on that.
Look Parko surf, he anticipates so much, every moves he does is smooth and relaxed.