Next step for a transitioning beginner?

[sirkook94]

Hey guys!

So, as the subject says, I'm stuck in a weird phase of my surfing progression right now. I have been surfing for about three or four months, and I'm having some trouble with what steps I should take next to up my surfing level. I live in Southern California.

I started surfing about three or four months ago on an 8' x 22'' x 2' 5/8'' minimal. I like to think I progressed quickly, and was able to stand up within 4 or 5 sessions of surfing (at beginner breaks such as San Onofre and Doheney). In favorable conditions and wave size (2 or 3 ft max) I am able to down the line both backside and frontside, as well as do a pretty cool bottom turn. I am able to catch most waves as long as they are not too steep.

Quite possibly getting ahead of myself, I bought a 6'8'' x 21 x 2'7/8'' fish, thinking that I would be able to use it with my plethora of skills acquired in three short months. However to my surprise, I find myself struggling and getting a bit discouraged on the fish. I am not able to stand up. Wave positioning and my pop-up speed on the fish are something that I need to adjust to. So my question is, seeing as though the minimal seems a little easy to ride, and the fish is a bit difficult to ride, what should I do? Should I stick to the minimal for a bit longer until I get better, or should I tough it out on the fish, and get acclimated with the shorter board? I am very hard on myself for not being able to get up, and get very discouraged I love surfing, and would hate to get too discouraged because it is too hard tight now. So if anybody has any insight, please share!

**Extra info: I'm about 5'9'' and 160lbs. I like to surf Bolsa Chica, T-street, Doheney, and when I can San O (it's a bit far from me)

[Lebowski]

A fish of those dimensions still has a lot of volume, so it's not too unreasonable to continue trying to use it.

However, there seems to be a common misconception among most learner surfers that they must buy a new, shorter board as soon as physically possible, often after only a few days/weeks/months.

This is usually not the case, and they would be much better sticking to the larger original board. The board is certainly not 'holding you back' or any such nonsense. The only thing that gets easier with a smaller board is duckdiving, and that is an acquired skill. If you can't get out through the broken waves on your mini-mal/longboard, then you need to improve your skills and fitness, not make everything harder by buying a smaller board.

The classic 'I need more manoeuverability' is also no excuse. That is a factor of your skill level until you become a high level surfer.

The above is not particularly aimed at you. Your fish has a decent amount of volume for a 2nd board and you should be ok to persevere with it. It's just that I despair of reading all the learner threads full of excuses for why they must buy a shortboard asap.

[oldmansurfer]

How many hours a week do you surf? It is a big jump to go from an 8 foot board to a 6'8" board. How many hours have you spent trying to ride the shorter board? If you had asked before you got it I would say keep surfing till you can do a cutback and a floater and an off the lip turn with the 8 foot board. However now you have the shorter one, it's probably just a matter of putting in time and putting up with not being able to catch a wave for a few outings. You need to popup faster and be better lined up on the wave with the shorter board so you can work at that and you will probably be able to surf it.

[sirkook94]

Thanks for the feedback! I go once a week for about 2-4 hrs at a time, but as my summer starts to wind down I'm going to increase to twice a week. I've only taken the shorter board out for two sessions, but I plan on taking them both out, and maybe switching between the two from now on. Since I'm a beginner, I find myself looking down a lot instead of looking up, but I'm assuming with muscle memory, that should correct itself eventually/

I guess I just expect a lot from myself. Need to focus on the basics and having fun.

[dtc]

Since I'm a beginner, I find myself looking down a lot instead of looking up, but I'm assuming with muscle memory, that should correct itself eventually/.

Just wanted to say that muscle memory will teach itself what you let it. If you look down a lot, you will teach yourself to...look down a lot. Waikikichan says something very true, which is "the more you practice doing it wrong, the more better you'll get at doing it wrong"

Psychologist Thomas Gordon has a four-stage approach to learning:

subconscious dysfunction - you don't realise you are doing something wrong <- you probably are still here for some things (which is fine, I mean you haven't been surfing that long)
conscious dysfunction - you know you are doing it wrong <- where you are for most things
conscious function - you do it right when you think about it <- where you get to next
subconscious function - you do it right without even thinking about it <- where you (and all of us) want to be

The step you want to make is, as others have said, figure out what you want to do - then do it. But you cant go from step 2 to step 3 just because you keep doing something over and over - you have to do the right thing, over and over.

Also, two sessions with a board? I think most people, even good surfers, will mess up the first few sessions. That said, longboards are very forgiving - your pop up takes too long? LB - doesn't matter probably; shortboard and you are already down the face of the wave (probably face first). Wave positioning - LB you probably can sit anywhere within about a 10m radius of the prime spot; shortboard perhaps you have 2m forgiveness. So it really is a matter of learning and testing and trying - having made the jump early, you may not have all the skills quite up to scratch and now have to learn in a less forgiving environment. But its totally possible.

[sirkook94]

dtc- Very true. Thanks for the feedback and positive reinforcement. I plan to practice my fundamentals at easier breaks just so I can get to the learning stage that we all desire to be at. For some reason I am really hard on myself for not developing my skills quick enough. I;m used to that with most of the other sports I've done, but not surfing. It's a completely different world out there.

[oldmansurfer]

Besides the skill of learning to use a surfboard there are other skills, paddling, positioning and reading the waves/ocean. It's likely most sports you have done don't have a constantly changing field/court. Don't be too hard on yourself , it is difficult for anyone.

[IB_Surfer]

Honestly, without getting to wordy that sounds like a really good size to try next. Learning should be incremental. Enjoy the stoke

[Big H]

Ride the board that is easiest and develop good habits and technique faster.....bigger board will means it should be easier to catch waves, the more popups you do without looking down, the more wave time you have to develop a feel for riding the wave, the faster you can get up and angle down the line, cutbacks and bottom turns all on an "easy" board you'll be faster in development and more able to actually ride that fish. The "harder" that people talk about is the aforementioned smaller margins for error which means missing more waves that you try for which will also mean resigning yourself to substandard waves since you'll get no respect in a lineup with any kind of crowd on a decent wave after you blow multiple good waves....so in the end it will fewer waves, less face time and all on a crappier break if you insist on the shorter board for whatever reason. Go with the bigger one for now, learning to surf is hard enough. And for the duck diving argument, part of your development should be learning to get outside on paths of least resistance. Most breaks you should be able to sort out on boards considerably bigger than your mini Mal keeping your hair dry if you pay attention to what is going on. Learning to deal with getting caught inside on a big board is important as well...learn the right techniques and coping with a smaller board will be a piece of cake.

[HurdyGurdyManOnAWave]

Hey man, i'm also from So. Cal. It looks like were in the same stage of surfing... you're probably a little bit better, considering you've been doing it a couple months longer.

The difference is that I started on a shortboard (a very fat and buoyant one 6'125). I've never even ridden a long board.

I'm a little further up the coast (between north and south Los Angeles). Haven't been to Bolsa Chica yet because i've only been able to surf really local spots (time restraint), but I hear it's an amazing spot.

If you want, we can swap boards for a few sessions, I hear that is a great way to enhance surfing skills, also give each other a few tips, etc. Let me know!

-G.E.