Help for a new surfer.

[blackrob43d]

I just started surfing a week ago and have went out 3 times. I'm in southern florida. My problem is balancing on the board when i'm paddling. I have a 7'2 fun board and when I start paddling out sometimes my board starts pointing diagionally to the direction i am trying to go, instead of staying straight. This causes me to have to burn up energy just correcting my body position/board direction when paddling out.

I am also having problems standing up. Whenever I catch a way and try to pop up, either my board nose dives or when I try to put my feet down the board is too far out infront of me and I bail. I've been looking at the other posts and it may be that I am standing up too late..I tend to ride the wave for a couple seconds after it breaks before I try standing up.

Thanks for the help.

[Sillysausage]

first part, basically you'll just get used to it, is it when you're going up the wave the board slips out to face a different way?

nose diving is caused due to bad positioning (too far forward) and the falling part is probably due to u putting too much weight on the back foot, try keeping weight on your front foot for the first part of the wave before adjusting slightly.

after a week, don't expect too much, you're still a complete beginner

[blackrob43d]

Thanks sausage, that was helpful info. Regarding the first part, the board slips slightly to the left or the right of me when I am paddling through the whitewater trying to get past the break. I can usually correct it soon enough but it happens frequently.

[drowningbitbybit]

At this stage you're basically doing everything wrong.
So it's hard to describe what to do to fix it.

Surfing is a long-term process, not something you'll pick up after a week.
So you need to put in the hours and find that balance on the board.

When you're paddling (either for a wave or just to get out back) remember that slow, rhythmic and powerful is a lot more effective and balanced than thrashing and splashing about paddling quickly but weakly.

[IB_Surfer]

some of this we covered on a different post, give it a once over:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12876