Surfing Waves

Hi,

I had a question about the terminology "trimming" for longer boards i know it means to walk up towards the nose to get maximum planing but I also hear "trimming" being used when a longboard or person riding an mid length board is going on rail-to-rail? Perhaps this clip of devon howard may better illustrate what I'm talking about. @ 3:40 - 3:50.

Is that considered trimming or just mid-faced bottom turns? How is that done without dropping all the way down the face upon take off? Reason I ask is I normally surf a beach break that has very fast sections and it looks like a good way to gain speed. This technique is probably totally beyond my skill level but I was just curious anyways.

Also a couple sessions ago I manage to kick out unintentionally which felt like a sudden snappy turn that just shot me through the back of the wave. I haven't been able to do that since and I don't know why. I didn't exert much force on my back leg. I've been trying to do it again when a wave is about to close out but I can't. Did it have to do with a particular part of the wave I was on? My feet seem to be in the same spot every time I pop up and I sort of lose control when moving my back foot closer towards the fins. I'm 5'7, 120lbs and ride a 7'2 x 22 x 2-3/4 egg with 2+1. I normally find it pretty hard to turn.

thanks

My understanding of the word trim is just setting your rail angled along the wave so that you are cruising along with the break at a speed that matches the break. So the better you are at trimming the less you have to do to stay about in the pocket. I have also heard it used to describe angling your board when taking off (popping up). So it can be one of the steps of taking off on a wave. However I don't get too hung up on terminology so I might not be entirely accurate.

The second thing about cutting out on a wave without effort. It's hard to say what exactly happened. Are you talking about punching through the wave? There is a kickout I do sometimes called the island pullout or standing island pullout where you just punch through the wave. There are a few variations on that but originally it was a longboard maneuver. Sometimes you hit a chop and it causes your board to veer suddenly. Sometimes the wave when it is closing out sucks water up the face pulling you to the top.

This should help

Wow CARBr6 that is interesting. Lots of surfers who been surfing for 10 years and don't know how to carve? I never would have thought that. But there is a simple definition though I never would use it to describe turning more like the end result of a turn. Well I guess if you are going to teach people how to surf you have to be specific about your terms.

Perhaps he means they don't know how to do it in the simplest and most efficient manner?
There are a little range of instructional videos like this and they are all pretty good. If you want to see more search 'Surf Simply Podcast' in Youtube, my particular favourite is when he is discussing "poo stance"

Uncle Jaffa's take on TRIMMING
( Some definitions: cut away waste, nothing in excess, hold a sailing boat in the fastest line in relation to the wind.

On a genuine longboard or Malibu there is a spot ( sweet spot if you like) some where about 1/3 of the length of the board back from the nose where if you stand the board will match the speed of the wave standing on the this spot used to be known as trimming subtle changes in weighting while standing there would speed the board up and a slight step back would slow it.
Step a little further forward you were nose riding , step right back and do a stall and pivot turn ( sometimes with a drop knee ( Youtube Phil Edwards to see this at it's best)

One of the progressive ideas of the short board was to combine all the controlling movements in one small area and have no trim spot although weighting between front and back foot gave stalls and acceleration.
Here trim is where you achieve the speed match to the speed of the wave using the power to generate your next move.
In common engaging the inside rail and choosing the spot on the board and in the wave face that allows natural speed generation.
Good tube riding, deep, is the absolute essence of trim anything out of alignment and you are beaten.
Don't be caught up too much on terminology (that's landlocked stuff) learn to link whatever you do with what the wave offers you .Even radical turns can be done with smoothness and style..