Learning to Surf - need a surf school holiday

[mowers]

Hey,
At the age of 43 I've decided that I want to learn to surf, its a bit late but I've been busy.
So I'm based in London and I'd like to go away for a week and do a course and come back able to surf. I've done a couple of weeks boogie boarding and I can wake board well but I've never tried to surf.
I've been looking but there is an enormous amount of information and to be honest I just don't know where to start and would love to hear advise from as many people as possible.
This is what I am looking for:
I'd like to spend under a £1000. I'd like to go at some point in December or January. Preferably somewhere warm, shark free (I know its silly) and sandy.
I'd like lessons every day (if thats a good idea) and I'd like to be able to learn in a reasonable sized group and stay somewhere with others as I will be going alone.
Any thoughts or considerations on where to go and with a company would be great.
Many thanks
Ben

[Lebowski]

Pretty much every 'surf camp' will cater for your needs. You just need to find somewhere warm in Dec/Jan and within your budget. Morocco is warm during the days at that time, and cheap.

By the way, coming back 'able to surf' after a week basically means you'll be able to stand up and maybe trim gently left or right. I'm not having a dig, you just need to manage your expectations. Surfing is hard.

[kook_lover]

It is hard but it's the best thing you'll ever do in your life (at least for me anyway )

[waikikikichan]

At the age of 43 I've decided that I want to learn to surf.
I'd like lessons every day (if thats a good idea)

Most of the newbies in Waikiki, don't make the full hour lesson. Like 45 minutes if they take a few breaks. Their necks stiffens up, eyes burns, back and arms hurt. Some of them tell us they couldn't lift their arms up the next morning. So plan on a rest day between lessons.
But if you're going to be on a sandy beach break within shouting distance from the sand, maybe you can last longer. But beach breaks have their own type of punishments.

[BaNZ]

On my first day, I was tired before I even got in the water. Instructor made us carry the board in pairs from the shop to the beach which was a good 500 yards away. Luckily he just push us onto the wave as it was way too small to even paddle.

Rested second day. Third day I decided to go to a different instructor closer to the beach. He took me to a lake first and try paddling / popping up for a good 15-30 mins. I had to rest before going out to the beach. My instructor asked me if I still have energy. I said yes but he knew I had no gas left in the tank. He took me out anyway and watch me struggled. He didn't want to help push me or drag me along. He wanted me to get back to the shore by myself. When we got back, he told me that he wants me to respect the ocean and always reserve enough energy to come back. Which then I knew I picked a good instructor.

[Beginner77]

A genuine question for the people who got tired learning, but did/do you do other sports regularly?! It surprises me that surfing would be tiring, that's all. After our first two hour lesson my wife and I hired boards for another two hours - tiredness didn't even come into it, we were just having fun. I'm now hiring for roughly four hour sessions at a time and lovimg it. I'm not especially fit, not triathlon standard or anything, I just do an hour or two a day of exercise, plus I'm 40 years pld with aching joints. I'm not trying to say I'm super fit, but it just genuinely surprises me to hear that a single surfing lesson could be tiring.

[BaNZ]

Yes as it's a different set of muscles. The only person that I came across that was able to surf for several hours on the first session was someone who do crossfit on a professional level. It all depends on the break you're on. When I first started, it was summer with no wetsuit and small 1-2 feet waves. I can stay in water for 5-6 hours and the water is warm.

When I surfed in UK, I was in and out within an hour. The brain freeze + thick wetsuit + strong rips + huge volume of water drains your energy very fast. So it all depends on what type of break it is and the conditions.

[oldmansurfer]

There are varying degrees of exercise required depending on the waves and the board and the knowledge of the individual. There are also different goals and it seems quite obvious to me now that some people just want to play around and have a good time but when I was learning it never dawned on me that there would be people like that. I was a swimmer (on swim team) so I didn't get as tired initially even though I learned with no leash and on a shortboard. But once I was surfing in earnest I would tire initially after a couple hours however soon I was in even better shape and could surf 6 hour sessions (rarely) if the waves called for it. Usually if I surfed 6 hours I would do three two hour sessions in one day taking breaks to eat and drink and relax a little but if I was having a lot of fun I would just keep at it. Fun is the normal outcome from surfing but I wanted to learn to surf so when I had the most fun was when I was learning the most.

[waikikikichan]

It surprises me that surfing would be tiring, that's all. After our first two hour lesson my wife and I hired boards for another two hours - tiredness didn't even come into it,

1) Were you at a beach break with mushy white water reforms close to the shore ?
2) Were you standing feet on the floor waiting for waves or paddling in/out for the full 2 hours ?

I'm not especially fit, not triathlon standard or anything,

Back when i used to do triathlons, i remember 6 time Ironman champion Mark Allen saying surfing is one of the hardest things his ever tried doing.

[billie_morini]

Hey,
At the age of 43 I've decided that I want to learn to surf, its a bit late but I've been busy.

Ben

I started later! You'll be fine. Keep the stoke (and suffer through the exhaustion and aches & pains. It is worth it!)

[Oldie]

A genuine question for the people who got tired learning, but did/do you do other sports regularly?! It surprises me that surfing would be tiring, that's all.

I think it depends a lot where you surf. The spot I had my first sessions/lessons an and many others allow you to walk to the line up when the tide is not high and the waves are small, and little paddling is necessary as you can often stand. Even when not very fit, you can surf for hours there. I hear mostly from beginners that surfing is not tiring, and that is often because they just surf broken waves/whitewater.

Go to a spot where you need to paddle out a long distance, turtle roll under heavy sets, and constantly paddle to keep position due to strong currents, and you can be totally wasted after 30mins.

[Beginner77]

It surprises me that surfing would be tiring, that's all. After our first two hour lesson my wife and I hired boards for another two hours - tiredness didn't even come into it,

1) Were you at a beach break with mushy white water reforms close to the shore ?
2) Were you standing feet on the floor waiting for waves or paddling in/out for the full 2 hours ?

I'm not especially fit, not triathlon standard or anything,

Back when i used to do triathlons, i remember 6 time Ironman champion Mark Allen saying surfing is one of the hardest things his ever tried doing.

Have another read of the first and last sentences of my post I was exclusively referring to the early stages of learning.

[Beginner77]

A genuine question for the people who got tired learning, but did/do you do other sports regularly?! It surprises me that surfing would be tiring, that's all.

I think it depends a lot where you surf. The spot I had my first sessions/lessons an and many others allow you to walk to the line up when the tide is not high and the waves are small, and little paddling is necessary as you can often stand. Even when not very fit, you can surf for hours there. I hear mostly from beginners that surfing is not tiring, and that is often because they just surf broken waves/whitewater.

Go to a spot where you need to paddle out a long distance, turtle roll under heavy sets, and constantly paddle to keep position due to strong currents, and you can be totally wasted after 30mins.

You've not read my post properly. I was exclusively referring to the early stages of learning. Of course surfing 3 metre waves in strong currents is going to be hard work

[waikikikichan]

It surprises me that surfing would be tiring, that's all. After our first two hour lesson my wife and I hired boards for another two hours - tiredness didn't even come into it,

1) Were you at a beach break with mushy white water reforms close to the shore ?
2) Were you standing feet on the floor waiting for waves or paddling in/out for the full 2 hours ?

I'm not especially fit, not triathlon standard or anything,

Back when i used to do triathlons, i remember 6 time Ironman champion Mark Allen saying surfing is one of the hardest things his ever tried doing.

Have another read of the first and last sentences of my post I was exclusively referring to the early stages of learning.

Aaaahhh yaa, I AM referring to that too. You said on " After our first two hour lesson " , which I take it as your early stage of learning ( if not your very first ). So I asked if on that first lesson (where you surfed 2 hours, then rented for extra 2 more hours,) were you at a soft white water rollers surf break close to shore, sometimes standing on the bottom ? ( since you were having a hard time laying on the slippery sponge board deck )

The part about Mark Allen is NOT referring to "early stage of learning". Just to equate your comment that you are not "triathlete fit". My comment is to say even a Ironman World Champion triathlete ( who can easily swim 2.4 miles/ 3860 meters ) found surfing a challenge. That's how tough learning to surf is, for all of us.

[Beginner77]

Have another read of the first and last sentences of my post I was exclusively referring to the early stages of learning.

Aaaahhh yaa, I AM referring to that too. You said on " After our first two hour lesson " , which I take it as your early stage of learning ( if not your very first ). So I asked if on that first lesson (where you surfed 2 hours, then rented for extra 2 more hours,) were you at a soft white water rollers surf break close to shore, sometimes standing on the bottom ? ( since you were having a hard time laying on the slippery sponge board deck )

The part about Mark Allen is NOT referring to "early stage of learning". Just to equate your comment that you are not "triathlete fit". My comment is to say even a Ironman World Champion triathlete ( who can easily swim 2.4 miles/ 3860 meters ) found surfing a challenge. That's how tough learning to surf is, for all of us.

Of course, yes, I was talking about the first 1, 2 or 3 lessons, which for most people (me included) involves standing in breaking waves, jumping on a board and riding to shore. During these stages most people learn pop up techniques, turns, balance etc, so it's mainly about learning techniques and having fun, rather than building or making demands of fitness (that comes later with paddling out). That's the bit I found it hard to see how anyone got tired after an hour or so. If your comment about Mark Allen isn't referring to these early stages, then it's entirely irrelevant to the point I'm making.

[Beginner77]

If you're interested by the way, the slipping off the board problem was the board. We've since surfed at three other locations on multiple occasions renting a variety of similar boards and have never had the same problem again, or even anything like it. A recent visit back to that original place confirmed the problem: you can't even put your hands on the board and push up with some of their boards - it's like you're on ice.

[mowers]

Thanks all,
So Morocco sounds like a good fit.
Sounds like fitness is going to be a big issue and I need to be prepared.
Any thoughts on good pre-surfing fitness videos?
Ben

[saltydog]

If you're interested by the way, the slipping off the board problem was the board. We've since surfed at three other locations on multiple occasions renting a variety of similar boards and have never had the same problem again, or even anything like it. A recent visit back to that original place confirmed the problem: you can't even put your hands on the board and push up with some of their boards - it's like you're on ice.

My old wavestorm foamie has become so slippery after the plastic film had peeled off even with wetsuit and booties on, so I believe you. I hope you are using a better board?

[saltydog]

How tired you get is very dependent on the condition of the ocean and how the lessons are taught. Wading into a thigh deep then hopping onto a deck when already broken wave is not tiring at all. Some schools have brand new students paddle out to the lineup right away so they can be pushed to catch unbroken waves. So... it all depends. Around here I only see the latter.

[Beginner77]

If you're interested by the way, the slipping off the board problem was the board. We've since surfed at three other locations on multiple occasions renting a variety of similar boards and have never had the same problem again, or even anything like it. A recent visit back to that original place confirmed the problem: you can't even put your hands on the board and push up with some of their boards - it's like you're on ice.

My old wavestorm foamie has become so slippery after the plastic film had peeled off even with wetsuit and booties on, so I believe you. I hope you are using a better board?

Yes thanks. We're renting, but just avoid that location now, which is a shame as it's the closest place to where we live. The last straw was when I sprained my wrist - I paddled into a wave, pushed up with my hands and my hands slipped off to the side violently. The boards at all our other locations are almost sticky in comparison, you don't even think about balancing or popping up and I don't think I could slip off if I tried.