Help! ...suck in big or mushy beach breaks.

[fingers714]

Hello everyone

Newbie here.

I have this problem. I've been surfing for 14yrs and can't get better!

I live in New York. Yes N.Y. Trust me. We get waves. Nice waves. In fact tomorrow will be 10ft plus.

See here in New York when the waves are big and its a storm it can get hairy. The waves here can jack up, steep, quick big drops, short wave, fast. it's no rolling thunder, it bombs. There can be A LOT of water moving through if it's a storm surge. We have no channel to paddle out in. You just wait for a break or just go for it. Really experienced people cut right through it.

My problem is that even on a small day I am no good unless the waves are clean with no rip, or sweep as we call it. If there is a lot of water moving through or it's a mushy wind chop I suck. It's horrible. I sometimes take a pounding and do the walk of shame yet on a clean day I'm decent. I don't get it. I can't find the right spot, get caught inside, I have terrible vision and wave presence. It's at the point where if it gets big or mushy or both I don't get in. I get nervous.

I am older so I don't have the stamina or agility as a younger person but I am in really good shape. As I said, I do surf. Maybe not as much as someone who travels a lot or gets to surf all year which helps. I also box and do a lot of cardio. I'm 46 but that don't mean anything. I'm 6'2 195lbs and very fit. I should still be able to get better and rip. No excuses. I started on a long board 14yrs ago, then went to a big guy tri, now I am on a 6'4 quad which I think sometimes is too heavy. it's 2 3/4, feels heavy under my feet which I think effects my duck dive. I sometimes don't get deep enough.

I just want to get better, get more waves and also get in bigger surf or inconsistent surf and not be afraid to paddle out. I am always trying out figure out what I'm doing wrong. Also, even on those clean days where I'm decent I don't perform like I should and I have tunnel vision on the wave.

Sorry so long. Anyone have suggestions? Tomorrow will be 5ft over head and I want to get out and get some waves!

[jaffa1949]

There shouldn't be any walk of shame, lousy come choppy come all over the place type surf challenges and makes all surfers look less than the their fair weather capacity.
Chop doesn't have a consistent timing or direction or power, so dealing with it is on a bump to bump basis. It is why all but the most dedicated frothheads choose another day another spot etc.
We can all handle less than perfect up to perfect, but why surf a bad day at the laudromat?

Here we call sweep water moving sideways along the beach an a rip is where the water heads seaward again, often it is forced seaward by a beach obstacle or a channel it has cut, increase dramatically if it is under a storm surge.
A good idea before any surf (particularly if it is near the top of your ability) is to watch the surf see where the 'good' guys are getting out.
Reading the beach and the waves is a great surfing improver!

[drowningbitbybit]

Don't worry about it too much... I've been surfing years and I'm still hopeless in anything but small, perfect and uncrowded conditions!

[fingers714]

Jaffa1949... I do know the difference between a sweep and a rip. Sorry if I wasnt clear.
I want to get better. A lot of guys surf those conditions. Ive been surfing a long time but dont get better. I am not beyond learning and do spend a lot of time watching.

Drowningbitbybit ....unacceptable! Lol ; )

[oldmansurfer]

How often do you surf? For a while I surfed 25 hours a year. Now I surf about 52 hours a year and I am learning twice as fast...go figure

[dtc]

Is your problem getting out, or being able to catch waves after you get out? For example, I'm usually able to get out but if the surf is shifty and messy I might paddle around a bit to find the right spot, only for it to then change to somewhere else...I think in that case, people who succeed just catch whatever they can and make the most of it, rather than waiting for the 'perfect' wave to arrive where they happen to be.

Maybe just swap to a bigger board for a while - say 6ft10 egg/hybrid; or possible buy yourself a 'step up' board for the bigger days. Easier paddling; although still the duck dive issue; it might give you more confidence.

How good are quads for that kind of surf? I dont know - dont surf them - but would you be better off with the control of a thruster? Or even check the board's contour - single contours I believe arent much chop in the chop.

[drowningbitbybit]

If you've been surfing a lot of years but aren't getting any better, it's likely to be due to a bunch of bad habits that you've got into without realising.
Get someone to film you (eek! A shock to us all whenever it happens) and then work on one thing at a time.

[drowningbitbybit]

I'm 6'2 195lbs... I am on a 6'4 quad ..it's 2 3/4... I think effects my duck dive. I sometimes don't get deep enough.

That should be an easy duckdive. I'm 6' 180lbs, and I can duck up to about 6'10 (2 3/4 thick) without any drama except on proper big days.

[fingers714]

The duck dive issue isn't a huge issue unless it gets big. You know when you get that right feel. You know you went under the incoming water and pop up? It's kind of smooth. Well sometimes it just feels I'm not deep enough and although I avoid a head on collision I still get pushed back.

So that said, getting out is sometimes my issue. Like I said in my post I live on a beach break with no channel.

I don't want to place too much emphasis on mushy or choppy waves. Some guys are just good at picking the right spot. My point is. My surfing doesn't improve and once it does get big or choppy I either suck or puss out.

It's 630 a.m and it's about four feet overhead and clean but instead of surfing I am here typing away my surfing sorrows. I have developed a greater sense of fear because of my lack of progress. I have no confidence. I fear paddling out into the pounding close out sets we get and I don't commit to the bigger waves once I'm out. Lately, I can't clear my head and realize things aren't as bad as they appear when your out laying on your board.

I think sometimes maybe I am not being aggressive enough. I am not committing and not charging hard enough.

I sat watching everyone paddle out as the sun was rising and it pissed me off. The majority are twenty and thirty yr olds which made me feel a little better but again. No reason why I can't be out there. If anything, want to be the exception.

[dtc]

When you get older you get more sensible...

[BaNZ]

I have confidence issues when I surf alone... Don't have that problem when I go with a surfer girl. If she can do it, I can as well! so I always try bring a lady friend so I can impress LOL!

[oldmansurfer]

One thing I wanted to say is that we all sucked at surfing when we first started.....well everyone except me....just kidding.....anyway don't let it get you down. Persist at it eventually you will succeed. It takes time in the ocean catching waves or falling down trying to. It will all come to you with time.

[dtc]

Dont want to get all pychological, but I have done a bit of sports coaching so here is some of that stuff (keeping in mind that my knowledge of this is limited to coaching training courses)

What is your fear - is it getting hurt, is it missing the waves, is it struggling with the paddling or fear of losing your board and not being able to get back in? Could be something else. Its unlikely to be not having the skills, because you can surf plenty good on smaller waves and the skill are much the same until you get very big.

So knowing you have the skills, but feel unable to use those skills, what is holding you back

Once you can identify what it is that is the problem, you can start working on it. eg if you are worried about safety, start swimming so you become very confident you can make it back to shore. If its falling and getting hurt, well that is always a risk but you know how unusual it is. Maybe you can try a helmet? If its being held down for too long, work on breathing and being able to hold your breath.

etc etc

From reading your stuff, its not a physical or skill limitation, its a mental thing.

[fingers714]

It is definitely ALL mental which is a huge road block with surfing. particularly in bigger surf.

It's funny. I spoke to someone on the beach (while I watched the rest of the swell ) a little while ago about this briefly.

He's about my age 40 something. He was getting out of the water. Another surfer I know.

He said he had all kinds of problems with his surfing at one time until he was out in So Cal one year. He asked someone what he thought
was wrong with his surfing and the guy told him he wasn't angry enough. He said 'angry' I'm not an angry guy i'm peaceful. The guy told him he needs to attack the wave like he's angry, be more aggressive, confident, and totally committed not just to catching the wave or making the drop but down the line.... He said he took a whole new approach to surfing after that.


So ya, it's mental. I need to just do it. Get back out and get my confidence back.... Here's to redemption tomorrow morning...

[drowningbitbybit]

He asked someone what he thought was wrong with his surfing and the guy told him he wasn't angry enough. He said 'angry' I'm not an angry guy i'm peaceful. The guy told him he needs to attack the wave like he's angry, be more aggressive, confident, and totally committed not just to catching the wave or making the drop but down the line....

Sounds familiar

Sometimes I'll find that I'm getting nowhere... not catching my share of waves... missing the ones I do go for... then something will click... screw it... what could go wrong? And due to frustration with myself, I'll paddle into the bombset like a crazy thing, and then make it with no problems at all*

Good luck tomorrow!



* or get totally annihilated, but, hey, sometimes you've got to give it a go

[dtc]

Yeah, I imagine we all (maybe not Jaffa...) have the experience of getting really frustrated and just going for it - and making it

It like golf. You get so annoyed about spraying your shots or whatever, you walk up to the ball and just whack it with no set up and ....it goes 250m down the middle of the fairway.

You only need one wave. One wave to prove you can do it. It might take many waves to get good at it, or comfortable or whatever, but only one wave to prove it to yourself that its possible. So perhaps go out with the aim of making one wave in the session. However many efforts it takes - keep going until you have done that one wave - committing to make it, not holding back, knowing that you can do it and when you do then its all go from there. Once you have done it once, then a second time is a breeze.

Visualisation can help as well, for some people. So when it happens, you are prepared for it, for the drop, the speed, what you need to do - its not really any different to your normal waves so you can visualise what you are going to to, but in the moment things can go awry so it can be worth doing ahead of time (I remember perhaps one of the bigges waves I caught last year - and I'm not a big wave person - having so much fun screaming down the face and thinking how long the ride was just down the face that I 'forgot' to bottom turn and face planted into the flats - I'm still annoyed with myself, it was such a good wave). Anyway, if you google 'visualisation for athletes' or something like that, you will find some articles about it - you may be an outcomes visualiser or a process visualiser, whichever works best for you. Or both.

So my pop (sports coaching) psychology: aim to do just one wave. Visualise it. Then its easy...

[jaffa1949]

Please don't hold the Jaffa up as a big time success story, I'm human, some days I really suck and it can be in good surf or bad surf. My rugbied out knees can fail in a crucial part of the takeoff and I have a prat fall like anybody else. I always have fun, my ego left some years ago and my surfing is so much more enjoyable without it.
Oh I take my place in the line up I sometimes assert myself but in the end, it is just about enjoying water time however Huey gives it to me!

[fingers714]

Thanks everyone

Paddled out today for the last of the swell.

The last thing I wanted to see was a very crowded lineup yet there it was.

Set waves. 2-3 waves. 3-5 minutes.
20 people. Sucks....super clean chest to head high and pushing. Perfect for me to claim some great waves and get my confidence back. If only I can get just a hand full.

my head wasnt in the moment I paddled out. First wave kid drops in doesn't even look inside. Ok...no worries. Shake it off.

Decided not to jockey for position and sit a little down beach to pick off some waves coming that way. Long story short. I surfed like xxxxx! Everything is wrong.

Positive thing is I know what. Timing, angle, and stance (im standing straight up). Im doing all these beginner mistakes!

Frustrated!

[oldmansurfer]

I am 60 years old and go out in sloppy choppy waves all the time. Hey it's better than sitting at home. If you want to learn you have to go surf. You can come here for advice and encouragement but then you need to get in the water. Fortunately for me I usually have the break to myself or just a couple others. Whenever it's really good it's a zoo usually but once in a while I have good waves and only me or a couple others. Also I surf in a bay where there are actually numerous breaks so I can usually find a uncrowded peak. The problem with learning to surf in crowds is you waste a lot of time. You paddle out and wait for your turn and if it's crowded enough you might not even get a turn. So two things happen, one you don't get enough exercise and you don't get enough practice riding waves. I decided to just ride whatever was there at the time I had allotted to surf and this meant surfing in waves that were sloppy and choppy and big sometimes. I have gotten much better at my sloppy choppy break. I'm still learning. So if you are learning at a crowded beach then see if you can find a peak that no one is catching and try to catch that one. I surf only for 30 minutes when I go out due to time constraints in my life so I surf when I can regardless but I do try to stay busy and push myself in whatever the conditions are. Including trying to do more on a wave like more turns or if the wave is really poor then just ride it as far as I can so I have farther to paddle back out and get more exercise. I am still learning to read the waves and I think this will be a constant thing try to figure out where to be when the waves come in. Really that is still often a mystery to me. I like to ride the larger waves so I go outside of where the waves break mostly but if a set doesn't come in after I am rested from paddling back out I try to catch one of the inside waves which means I have to paddle like a maniac for 5 to 10 yards to take off on it, again getting exercise and strengthening my arms. So I make use of my 30 minutes. I think if you take an attitude like that instead of feeling bad about not being able to do stuff you will learn better and be happier while at it. It will take time and effort but you should enjoy it.

[pmcaero]

I feel the same way. (surfing for two years)
I also feel I used to be better my first season, on bigger waves (fewer wipeouts=more confidence)

I'm 34 and sometimes I feel I have neither the experience of maturity nor the energy of youth.

Also in the Northeast on beach breaks where when it's big it's usually not clean...having a hard time paddling out, seeing all these guys and gals shred in front of me...so, I feel you brah!