Surfing Waves

paddling seems to be my problem. we had an awesome day in the gulf, got up plenty of times and even started to bottom turn a little bit. i know i'm progressing, but i do have a problem with paddling. when you paddle should you kick your legs for more speed or just use your arms and pump as hard as you can? i have seen both, but which is more effective for a beginner?

dont know the deal with this one much, from the using your feet comment i guess you must be on a shortboard. All I can really say is to make sure the second half of your paddle is the strongest...the bit from where your arm is at a 90 degree angle in the water to your body until its behind you in the water, that is the most mpowerful part of the stroke if that makes sense. Im sure some of the more experienced surfers may have something more to offer..

Few tips on paddling:

Use deep strokes instead of small scratching strokes.

Move your arms in an S shape under water.

Make sure your arms are going under the rails of the board, not out to your sides too much.

The thing about paddling is that you need to use your energy effectively which involves slower, but more powerful strokes not ineffective short strokes.

As for kicking I only kick if I need more forward momentum at the peak point on a wave and think I am going to miss it. Also you can only realy kick if you are on a shortboard and can put your legs out over the side slightly at the back.

There's really not much point in kicking - coming from a swimming background, kicking contributes very little to overall propulsion, as little as 10%(unless you're ian thorpe with flippers as feet!).

The trick to paddling is
1) Practice - you can never get enough of it,
& 2) Positioning- as a beginner you'll see more experienced surfers stroke effortlessly into a wave, while you're paddling red-faced at 90mph.
It's all about where you position yourself in relation to the peak/wave.
As a rule of thumb, if it takes me more than three strong, powerful strokes to catch a wave - then you're in the wrong position. Just something to think about next time you're out.

Back to your original question, as a beginner/ish I'd advise you to forget about kicking, as it could make you unsteady as you prepare for the drop, or your trailing legs might inhibit you catching the wave (yeah, keep your feet up and out of the water).
You do see experienced surfers kicking, and I do it myself from time to time, but its more of an instinctive thing than anything else- probably from swimming.

Just food for thought, and that's my own personal view on it,
Hope it helps

make sure that when you paddle the board stays straight.
to make sure of this, hold your head up high, you want the pressure on the board to go from your knees to your chest.

wow.. stoke.. i think you pointed out one of my problems. my feet hang over the back of the board and i guess that would increase drag and slow me down and make me miss my wave... should i keep my feet at a 90" angle or more slanted? i'm just tired of paddling so hard and catching only a few waves.

Technique. Timing. Positioning.

-doug

I think the more I try to relax and concentrate not on paddling fast, but paddling deep and hard, I go faster. Plus more gracefully. A very strong and deep stroke at a moderate pace I think is the best.

As for kicking, if you do, just remember, opposite hand, opposite foot. So like left hand paddling while right foot is kicking. That keeps everything in line, like in running.

intothewave1985 wrote:wow.. stoke.. i think you pointed out one of my problems. my feet hang over the back of the board and i guess that would increase drag and slow me down and make me miss my wave... should i keep my feet at a 90" angle or more slanted? i'm just tired of paddling so hard and catching only a few waves.

What ever is comfortable. Just keep em out if your not kicking. I would not go past 90 degrees though. Not sure but I would think that would shift your weight if you went past 90 degrees.

I wouldnt go putting your feet high up out the water - that way you tend to end up with weight on your knees which just stalls the board. When all goes well and I get it spot on, I tend to have my left foot just above the water, and my right foot (with the leash) a bit higher, at about 45 degrees.

Keeping the leash out the water makes a surprisingly big difference.

I tend to do a flappy kicky thing too, but I think thats just because Im all excited and I dont think it actually helps

nope the flappy kicky thing works. take it from me and probably lots of other shortboarders.

All you gotta remember is:

"Pick an apple, put it in your pocket"
<----------One Stroke--------------->

"Pick an apple, put it in your pocket"
<----------Two Stroke--------------->

.......................and so on..

Agreed with one of the other posters, positioning on your board will make or break you. Improper positioning and you will work your butt off, but never catch a wave. Got to find the "sweet spot" like on a tennis racket. Once you've acquired the sweet spot, and it changes from board to board, remember that when you paddle, keep your fingers together, you don't want the water going through your fingers, you want to pull/push the water behind you. Take long, even strokes. Reach as far forward as you can, and reach as far down as you can. Make your arms work for you as well, not just your hands. Keep your head up and your back arched. Keep your feet out of the water as the extra drag they create is totally counter productive. Scissor kicking is popular with short and longboarders, and does provide some forward impetus. I don't use that technique myself, except on take off. I find that kicking both feet forward together can cause you to gain enough forward momentum to catch the wave you may otherwise have missed. My two cents...