Surfing Waves

Hi everyone,

Can i have some tips to get my confidence up so i dont fall of the lip or something...

What do you mean, fall off the lip?

Going for a freefall?

Pretty much the only you can overcome it i paddling for them! Take a beating and you will soon get used to it and it won't be as bad.
That is admittadly lame advice, but the only one I know of?!

If that's what you mean then Dec's probably right.
Just summon up some courage and go for it.
What size waves are you scared of? cos cant you just go out on smaller days?

If you do take a fall.. and you will no matter what... just relax. its quite a plesurable sensation... enjoy it.

PapaWoolacombe wrote: just relax. its quite a plesurable sensation... enjoy it.

Really, I dont think so on bigger waves when you need some air and the wave wont let u up, quite scary really

scary in big surf nothing enjoyable about it ging over in 12ft waves is not fun

scuba steve wrote:

PapaWoolacombe wrote: just relax. its quite a plesurable sensation... enjoy it.

Really, I dont think so on bigger waves when you need some air and the wave wont let u up, quite scary really

Which is why you relax you will feel the motion pass and know when to go for the surface.

You will wipe out (its inevitable) but to try and avoid it paddle as hard as possible and get up quick - think this is right

I had this today, the guy I was with said I probably just took the worst beating I was going to get for a while - its not always going to be like that, but I still kept pulling out of the waves and couldnt get the courage to just go for it.
I really should have because the longer I left it the less courage I had. I also knew I was surfing waves that I wasnt really ready for but it was either that or nothing, just get out on smaller days until you get the confidence again. I think PW is right in terms of relaxing - I struggled like hell trying to get up from under the wave and quickly ran out of breath and panicked and made it worse for myself. Not sure I could ever enjoy it though

PapaWoolacombe wrote: Which is why you relax you will feel the motion pass and know when to go for the surface.

Maybe I'll give that a go, must be better than struggling for dear life and wasting oxygen

scuba steve wrote:

PapaWoolacombe wrote: Which is why you relax you will feel the motion pass and know when to go for the surface.

Maybe I'll give that a go, must be better than struggling for dear life and wasting oxygen

Exactly! It took me time to get used to just letting go so give it a crack!
I've also found your less likly to pull a muscle... as your relaxed ther is nothing to strain against. Same principle as when your drunk.. you can take nasty falls etc and not really hurt yourslef cause your faily relaxed.

lol. pw is right. i remember trying to surf big waves before i was ready. but getting rolled on is a lot easier if you relax. i remembered that from body boarding!!

Not over shallow reefs!

In indonesia it's all about belly flopping and curling up in a ball so you don't go deep enough to hit the reef.

But yes, for begginers or people surfing beach breaks, you have to relax and let it shmush you!

Dec wrote:Not over shallow reefs!

In indonesia it's all about belly flopping and curling up in a ball so you don't go deep enough to hit the reef.

But yes, for begginers or people surfing beach breaks, you have to relax and let it shmush you!

Thats also true... Again depens on the break. Reefs are eather draggers or Pinners. Most tend to drag so the best thing you can do in that situation is spread into a star after rolling over. to keep you head away from the rocks. Worse you get on draggeres is usally some scrapes and bumps. Pinners are nasty, if your caught int he pocky not much you can do other that what deck says. protect your head and relax in a ball, you'll know when yo kick off the bottom to go for the surface.

i agree relaxing is the best thing you can do although its also a good idea to know where your board is. If im falling i usually kick my board away i do it subconsciensly now. Of course you cant always do this. The worst type is those pinner waves particually if you get held under for a while and when you get realesed you have one falling one your head nasty stuff, many drownings happen that way. So my first concern after being pinned is not where my board is but whats coming my way

On those pretty big days which are like head high and some a little bigger I sometimes paddle for the wave but pull out after seeing the huge drop I'm in for. If your not gaining enough speed, will that cause you to go over the falls? I guess I have to practice paddling at an angle more since its kind of tough for myself.

Beachbum wrote:On those pretty big days which are like head high and some a little bigger I sometimes paddle for the wave but pull out after seeing the huge drop I'm in for. If your not gaining enough speed, will that cause you to go over the falls? I guess I have to practice paddling at an angle more since its kind of tough for myself.

nah, thats the exact moment you should go for the drop, if you make it its great, and even if you dont youll get credit for going.

Youd be suprised what you can drop in on, it always seems much steeper and bigger when your at the top looking down about to take off late, but once you got your feet planted you get a different perspective, and have more control.

besides, no matter how bad not making the drop could be, trying to pull off and getting sucked over is guaranteed to be much worse.

GowerCharger wrote:Youd be suprised what you can drop in on, it always seems much steeper and bigger when your at the top looking down about to take off late, but once you got your feet planted you get a different perspective, and have more control.

besides, no matter how bad not making the drop could be, trying to pull off and getting sucked over is guaranteed to be much worse.

Lol I do after to agree with that going over the falls is not fun..
So should I just try to paddle at an angle down the wave and keep my head down low.

You always know where your board is, attached to your leg and up, unless caught in rocks or reef.
Like everyone else says relax wait for the calm tug on your leassh and up you pop.

dont start on big waves either, start on the smaller 1foot ones, then gradually build up. Dont worry if you fall on 1foot waves you wont be held down for more than 5 seconds.