Surfing Waves

Hi,

I've decided after 15years of bodyboarding to cross over to surfing....

Has anybody here done that and have any tips? It was a real mission just figuring out that my legs should be closed when I paddle....

My biggest problem so far is actually catching a wave.... My dropknee in bodyboarding was/is pretty good, so the pop up is not a problem....I seem to have trouble actually catching a wave.... Do I give a little kick while catching it (if you know what I mean)?

Trust me....it's very humbling being a kook again

Oh and great forum, I've learned a few thing already just reading previous posts!

What are you riding, short or a long? Two very different animals. I am riding a long board and just starting out also so I am no expert by any means. I was missing a ton of waves too.

Are you going straight down the wave? If so you are probably out running of the wave and stalling. Try to angle your self on the wave a little bit.

I think some of the time I thought I had caught the wave but was just missing it. I started to add another paddle or two and that helped.You say the pop up is easy for you. How are your feet positioned when you get up? To far back or legs together and you can stall. Spread the feet apart and maybe just lean a little forward (this I am not real sure on since it seemed I just needed another stroke or two to catch a wave).

I am sure someone better than me will come along and tell you what to do.

Oh, I'm riding a 6"6'. I figured I would be able to pick it up quicker due to my experience...... found out that's a negative

The wave just seems to go under me..... how much further forward should I lean? Should I kick with my feet before I get up? Maybe my arms aren't strong enough.... in bodyboarding you use your legs more...

I do try keep my feet shoulder width apart (back foot on front of pad), front foot around the middle of the board....


Weird thing is i'm Goofy at dropknee and natural on a surf/skate board

It has a lot to due with timing and positioning.

You may just need to start paddling sooner, or just sit a little closer to the take-off zone.

Make your paddles strong and deliberate. And paddle like you really want that wave. Casual paddling will get you nowhere. MAKE IT COUNT!

I made the same transition and found that you definately need a bigger board than what you've gone for. Especially coming from body boarding where you have the fins to help catching the waves you'll find that you may have relied on the fins more than your arms for paddle power and thus getting on a surfboard which is all arms your going to need all the help you can get and that is board length.

KS

I know exatly your position i made the transition about a 4 months ago. I came from being a pretty good Bodyboarder had most tricks sinched and was extremelly confident in my dropknee pulling off 360's cutbacks and combo's etc

I found paddling a surfboard somewhat easier but it took a little getting used to as i wasnt using my legs so much anymore.

As far as catching the wave its more to do with arm power as aposed to leg power on a bodyboard pluss you cant take off so deep. You just need to find that magic position again and do not attempt those mean drops on surfboard chances are you wont make them

Just tell your brain that your arms are the ones generating the power not the legs and you will do fine. Coming from a DK background you will probably be up and actually riding fairly ok within a week as its not that much diff all you have to do is not plant the back knee so not much prob there.

The biggest problem i had was going goofy or regular because on a BB i did both depending on the wave.

Have fun.

Thanks for the replies!

I guess my biggest problem is I still have that bodyboarding mentality that I need to put aside (I still bodyboard, so it will be difficult) I'm probably in the right spot for a bodyboard and wrong spot for a surfboard...

The board size is fine for me, I felt pretty stable the few times I managed to stand up. I have ridden the lifesaving club's longboard on those small summer days and found it pretty easy. I wasn't exactly ripping it up....but catching a wave and standing was easy. That prompted me to try a smaller board. Bodyboarders like tricks!


I'm so stoked there's a few other (ex)spongers here...... I was expecting a thrashing like on some other forums....

I still sponge every now and then when the surf is big or when its closing out cause at least i can stll take off with a bodyboard And pluss nothing gets you into a tube easier than a bodyboard

Keep with the surfing though becaus ethe two go together pretty cool.

What i did when making the transition was that i didnt bodyboard for an entire month and went all out surfing i found that worked for now i have no probs switching between the two if anything surfing has improved my dking which i should really get out sometime and do again

isaluteyou wrote:I still sponge every now and then when the surf is big or when its closing out cause at least i can stll take off with a bodyboard And pluss nothing gets you into a tube easier than a bodyboard

Keep with the surfing though becaus ethe two go together pretty cool.

What i did when making the transition was that i didnt bodyboard for an entire month and went all out surfing i found that worked for now i have no probs switching between the two if anything surfing has improved my dking which i should really get out sometime and do again

Yeah, I've tried not to bodyboard for the last month. I'm sorta "saving" it for bigger/heavier days. I like the new challenge, like I said.... It's weird being a kook again

When I bought the surfboard the shop owner told me that once I experience the speed and manuverability I won't go back...... That made me really keen to try!

Deftoner wrote:
I'm so stoked there's a few other (ex)spongers here...... I was expecting a thrashing like on some other forums....

Ahh we're a friendly bunch on here but i'm sure a thrashing can be arranged if required! I'll just call our resident thrasher! EL TIMMO, YOU'RE NEEDED FOR EX-BODY BOARDER THRASHING! I'm sure he'll be along in a minute with some words of wisdom.

kitesurfer wrote:

Deftoner wrote:
I'm so stoked there's a few other (ex)spongers here...... I was expecting a thrashing like on some other forums....

Ahh we're a friendly bunch on here but i'm sure a thrashing can be arranged if required! I'll just call our resident thrasher! EL TIMMO, YOU'RE NEEDED FOR EX-BODY BOARDER THRASHING! I'm sure he'll be along in a minute with some words of wisdom.

Ha ha bummer.... I've read some of his posts.

Technically I am immune to thrashing since i'm currently the best of both worlds.

Deftoner wrote:
Technically I am immune to thrashing since i'm currently the best of both worlds.

Yes well the less said about your bi-tendancies the better methinks and you can stop that winking melarky right now!

KS

kitesurfer wrote:

Deftoner wrote:
Technically I am immune to thrashing since i'm currently the best of both worlds.

Yes well the less said about your bi-tendancies the better methinks and you can stop that winking melarky right now!

KS

heh heh..... You know what I meant!

Bloody smiley's are a disease.

Couldnt help myself

I made the same transition recently and it was a humbling experience. I was so amazed at how few of my body boarding skills carried over. I guess knowing how to hit an off the lip reverse spinner doesn't have a surfing equivalent.

One thing that helped me get over the learning curve was not allowing myself to reach for my sponge. I kept it in my closet and refused to ride it until I could surf in a manner that didn't cause my wife to hide her face in shame.
And now that I am getting over the hump in surfing, I'm not so interesed in bodboarding anymore because now I wan't to learn how to cutback!

One thing I learned while bodyboarding that has been helpful, though, is wave knowledge. I think that being comfortable in the water and understanding how surf works is a big advantage.

jhaevin wrote:I made the same transition recently and it was a humbling experience. I was so amazed at how few of my body boarding skills carried over. I guess knowing how to hit an off the lip reverse spinner doesn't have a surfing equivalent.

One thing that helped me get over the learning curve was not allowing myself to reach for my sponge. I kept it in my closet and refused to ride it until I could surf in a manner that didn't cause my wife to hide her face in shame.
And now that I am getting over the hump in surfing, I'm not so interesed in bodboarding anymore because now I wan't to learn how to cutback!

One thing I learned while bodyboarding that has been helpful, though, is wave knowledge. I think that being comfortable in the water and understanding how surf works is a big advantage.

I'm realising the same.... wave knowledge is about it that crosses over (and maybe a little DK skill). It is frustrating, but i'm enjoying learning a new discipline. I have tried to stay away from the mat for as long as possible too.

Maybe soon one of "us" will bring the off the lip reverse spinner or ARS to surfing... heh heh you never know....