paddling technique?

[The Fafanator]

keep your arms right next to the board and make nice deep strokes, the S shape thing helps, keep your hand right next to the board and you'll be fine, and just practise, go in any conditions (unless it is unsafe) every day and you will be amazed at the amount your paddleing improves, plus you'll get a better knowladge of the ocean.

[matt2000]

I totally agree with tiny2's 4th point. It's better to reposition yourself, then maybe 1 or 2 deep strokes are enough. Otter's 'reach far forward' actually didn't work for me. It tensed up my upper body, therefore loosing my breath eventually. Instead, digging in at near sternum level keeps my breathing deep and relaxed. I don't feel anxious even if the set is pounding ahead. Finding the sweet cg spot is so true, as well as angling the knees, planning instead of pushing, all so true. Overall, most people assume 'paddle harder, train in weight lifting, huff-and-puff your way through the ocean' is really misleading in my opinion. Easier and smarter is the way.

[twerked]

swimming laps is good, but you use slightly different muscles when paddling a board. because you're up higher out of the water than when swimming, the muscles used (don't ask me which, i'm guessing lats and tris) are doing a slightly different motion. it will help, but nothing like time spent on the board paddling around. my $0.02:

when i'm just paddling around in the line up, i'm usually just using one arm kind of lazily getting to where i want to go. if i want to go farther to the right of where i am now, i'll just try to catch a right and then it'll drop me over there. if i want to go to the left, same thing.

i only take maybe two or three strokes to get into waves. just try to position yourself better in the waves and that will make it tons easier.

remember that most of the power comes in the second part of the stroke, so i guess from when your arm is just nearly vertical to exit of the water. i just notice that if i put just a bit more effort into that bit of the stroke, i can get a nice little boost.

if you're having trouble getting into waves, if you're tall enough on your mini mal, you can try giving a few leg kicks. and as a last push to get you into a wave, you can do a both arms hard paddle as the last stroke

[esonscar]

BEWARE - On my first go on my 9 foot longboard I kicked like hell - nearly bust my ankles !

[twerked]

^oh yeah, definitely make sure you have enough room. longboards and mini mals i really can't. it's weird, but it works. my fish and shortboard i almost always do, only one or two kicks if i have to. with the longboards, when i do the two arms at the same time thing i kind of use my whole body to kind of shove the board forward as i paddle.

[oldgrom]

Sinistapenguin Called it right on the first time !! good call SP.

With the leg acting as a fulcrum (feet as close to ass as pos = nose down, , feet in the drink = tail drag/foot drag.) . How do you find the G SPOT of the board ?? Well best way is to eat shizz getting out ha ha ha (not kiddn) but in the calm water just paddle with your feet at a mid hight (duh,, halfway form deck to ass ) and position yourself to where the board is gliding/skiming (like a skiping rock) then you'll see the aspects of the rocker and float of a board when your board nose is just at the right hight and your paddling you'll hall azz then lift your feet closser to azz to see what happens,,,,, nose goes lower or digs in (no longer skimin the surface) and feet go down to deck and it like draging a bag of concreete again not skiming ,,, anf then,,,,,,,,,, WHALA you found it !!! YEA ! ! But wait your still not done while you were doing this ,,, right? ,, tell me you were allready doing this ?? Arch your back hard lifting your chest up too, head up and looking where your paddling ( use outher surfers as reference to see your new found speed as you glide allong then double check all this and tripple check it out then,, relax lay on board for a secnd (not moving.. AT ALL !! )) then look strait down at your board with your nose touching place a finger on the deck where your eyes are( don't poke your eye ,, it hurts.) and ither scratch a line in your wax or swipe a line with some wax ( sprinkle a lil sand on the mark for next time or scape stip,clean put sticker/decal:) ) Now your set for the sweet spot even if ya get tossed or caught nappin you can get on it quickly look down till your eyes meet their mark ,,, arch,look forward, lift leg to middle or so to use the rocker aspect, paddle deep long hard rythmatic strokes semi cup hand.... HALL AZZ ! ! You'll find a many new uses for the rocker aspect,, what you say??,,, What rocker ?,,,.. well say If your legs get tired or ???? you'll now have a reference spot for legs flat on deck = tail drag= scoot forward and regain skiming plane no tail drag,, yea cruzin allong and............... uh oh here comes my wave gotta go =grab rails scoot to eye spot(G SPOT ) arch,look,leg paddle = hall azz = popup catch wave = ..... Cool eh?? get it ?? FEWWW !! O.K. now lesson 2 wave positioning and enter angle ,,, Na jus kidn,,,,,,,,,,,,, or am I ? ? ? ? ? Look at a rocking chair and see how verry little sits on the floor/ground that's what you want your board to do,,,,,,,,,as well as your body too arch,legs, head now it's your stomach that's riding the deck of a board that's skiming......... Good luck happy surfing.

[twerked]

also i might add that when i paddle around in the line up, i'm nowhere near where i am laying when i'm paddling for a wave. the whole arching my back thing all the time is annoying. so i'll scoot back on the board so i can lay down easier but still keep the board planing through the water. when i'm paddling for a wave i'm up much farther on the board and arching my back like a fool

[oldgrom]

Hmmm that's probably why there is a sweet spot to reference ,,,, any fool can figure out forward/ back to keep a plane but the arch aspect is used to stroke hard to catch and to get out as well as just paddle and I don't think any lazy laying is done to catch or paddle out unless ya have magic board.

[twerked]

^huh? i don't mark a sweet spot on my board, i just go by feel. and sometimes on the paddle out i'll just kind of make my way on my own time, depending on the conditions. if it's big, i'm spending about 10 minutes on the beach looking for a rip to pull me out, and watching the waves and sets and how they are breaking to make my paddle out as easy as possible

[oldgrom]

No doubt twerked I hear ya,,,, I do all that jaz too and then some ,,,,,but I think this is in reference to a noob who ain't figured it all out yet.

[twerked]

^oh okay. i was just a bit confused with everything you were saying. the only real way for someone to get it though is to get out and just do it. paddle around even when it's flat. get tossed over the falls because you're too deep. whatever, you gotta get thrashed to learn

[oldgrom]

ABALOUTY!!! Nothing beats real time in the surf, no matter what the surf conditions are ..

[AussieDave]

Ok Guys, I'm seeing the S thing everywhere but am still pretty confused.Is the 'S' in the vertical or horizontal plane? i.e. Do you dig your hand down then up then down, or do you bring your hand in from the side of your board, go underneath, out to the side, then underneath again???

Or am I totally off the path?!?


One last comment though, is that my mate (really good surfer) said I should paddle deeper. I told him I was (cause I was). He told me again, paddle deeper. I was paddling deep, so I told I was, ok! This went on for a good hour, me thinking that I was paddling as deep as possible, until a wave came and I actually paddled reawlly deep and couldn't believe the difference it made. Moral of the story - you may think you are paddling deep but unless you are paddling as if you are trying to scoop up sand each time, you sure as hell aren't!!

Any info on the 'S' thing would be awesome. CHeers!

[drowningbitbybit]

Great pictures!

...And its the top one.

Im not so convinced about the S-paddling thing myself. I think its more important to go deep and powerful.

[paulyoffshore]

also i might add that when i paddle around in the line up, i'm nowhere near where i am laying when i'm paddling for a wave.

Noted. At this point I feel pretty good about positioning /hydroplaning on the paddle out and about. On a 9' board should I be moving a bit forward or back when going for a wave, and how far forward or back off of my "sweet spot". Right now, I either end up sinking the nose and pearling or I end up high on the rail and back the hell off fast for fear of going over the falls.

[paulyoffshore]

hi guys, yet another question!
does anyone have any tips on paddling? i mean i get out the back ok and all, but everyone always overtakes me! do i just need to get stronger or is there simply an easier/better way of paddling? cheers.

NZ girl, I'm still pretty new to this myself. From what I read, getting a longboard out back is a pain in the arse for everyone. The method thats been working pretty good for me is to walk out as far as i can while holding my board to the side hopping over the white water as it comes, trying to figure the timing of the sets on the way. Then when i'm relaxed and have my lungs calm and full of air the last wave rolls over and I hop up on my board, center myself and say "give me 20 good ones" strokes that is... i mean Deep, focused, deliberate, from front to back, feel the resistance, cupped hands, full deep breaths, toes pointed, stay on center, remain as focused as possible. If more white water comes, take it straight on, once it passes recenter immediately and keep counting from where you were.

Counting left, right, left, right, one, two, three, four till I get to twenty... I'm out back fast
ok... i've been counting recently, its more like forty strokes, but i'm counting, one and, two and, three and... so twenty on each side or 40 total...

:woot: . RARELY do I have to start the count over. When i do I never make it to 20 again. hope this helps.

[esonscar]

I’d describe my paddling as a curvy ‘V’ :-

Fresh:
1. Arm going over an oil drum, into being fully in the water.
2. Pull strong and short, aiming to reach half way(ish) between trouser pocket and nose of board ( hand and a bit of forearm goes under the surfboard).
3. Exit arm as if stopping someone putting their hand into your trouser pocket, pulling strong from 2.
4. Pretend to take you arm out of a jacket sleeve
5. Back to arm going over an oil drum again.

I often used to wrap my thumb on the rails as my hand exited the water after a completed stroke !

Tired:
a. Slap arm deep into water.
b. Pull strong to as if stopping someone putting their hand into your trouser pocket.
c. Flick the wrist out of the water at the end of the stroke.
d. Windmill / flap / hurl the arm over the top and back to part a !

Forget about the shape of the depth of the stroke, just paddle deep as you have already done in the surf.

Strength comes with practice or other training.

Happy paddling.

[IB_Surfer]

The S paddling is not really, it's a visual to train your paddling. When you paddle you stroke down and cut the water which turns your hand inward and you end up scooping water slightly under your board, as you lift your arm it extends out which completes the S shape. The whole idea is to stroke down, not out.

Begginers always stroke sideways which means they are only using the power of their shoulder, stroking down with your head high you use your pecs, shoulders, arms and lats, wich will produce more thrust.

[phillwilson]

last few sesh's ive had have put me firmly on the outside for the first time in a while, so im needing to paddle much much more,

just wanted to thank all on here for these tips, im trying them all.

so far i have found pauly's comments right on the money...20 good ones gets me to the right area and gives me something to do besides think of the waves coming at me. i'm on a longboard so its better to just go for it then all this rolly polly shiz that seems to just take more effort then its worth.

ok so i have found myself reverse-bodyboarding a few times but its rare if im paddling full pelt.

[mart8235]

ok so i have found myself reverse-bodyboarding a few times but its rare if im paddling full pelt.

I know that pain all too well!!
I'm on a 8' minimal, tried duckdiving as the wave was about to dump on me popped out the other side started paddling and suddenly i'm in the wash getting pulled to the beach and ripped off my board! all gravy!!!