A bit discouraged

[laneo]

Hello everyone,


I have just started surfing ( a bit late in life too, 23 years old ). I have always wanted to surf, I used to skate a bit in high school, tried roller blading, and also rode bmx, but never surfed. I lived in Pittsburgh for 8 years, and then Arizona for two, so there weren't many waves to catch there haha . Anyway, I have now lived in Myrtle Beach for about 13 years. Surfing is quite popular; even though the waves aren't too good here, it's a very common sight to see on our beaches.

I got a board at the beginning of July. It's 7'9, 20 1/2 wide, and 2 5/8 thick. I am 5'3, about 100 pounds. So far I have only been surfing about 3 times. I try to go once a week for 2-3 hours. I have gotten paddling down, sitting, and basically transitioning from sitting to paddling for the wave. I got up for about 1 second my first session, fell off. My second time, the waves were terrible, I got up, but then fell off again, then it started to rain so we left . My third time out, I was a bit nervous, I couldn't find my surfing buddy, so I was all alone. Well, not completely alone. There were a bunch of surfers out there with me, all having a good time. I was a bit nervous. I see how good they are and I feel embarrassed and intimidated. I know that sounds stupid for a guy my age, but that's just how I am.

I tried to catch some waves, my pop ups were perfect, only problem was that my timing was total crap. I'd get up on the board and the wave would take me for a second, then I'd just sink and it would roll past me. I kept trying and trying, I just cant judge waves well I guess. A lot of the surfers out there are really nice and very laid back. One guy who was a bit older than me said as long as I was having a good time, hanging out, no worries, they don't care if I am doing bad or not, they all talked and laughed and I didn't feel as nervous as before. So i feel a lot more comfortable about going back out and not worrying about how I look now. I just want to know if this is common. Will I get good? Does anybody have any pointers on timing, judging the waves. My first two times I judged them fine, just couldn't pop up, this time I pop up, and my timing is off. What gives?

[tonylamont]

Don't be too hard on yourself. Surfing takes a lot of practice and no one is surfing well after 3 sessions.

There are probably a zillion pointers people could give you, but let me cut to the chase: go to Youtube and look for "Surf Simply." They have a series of videos called "Whiteboard Wednesdays" that cover all the basics of learning to surf, including catching waves / timing. IMO (and I know many people here agree) these are far and away the best, most detailed and informative learning to surf resources on the web. Watch every single one of those (note that there are a couple of the series that are not on Youtube; however, all of them are on Surf Simply's web site). You will have a much better grasp of what to do - and not do - after watching those.

[jasedrummer]

Yeah you are being way to hard on yourself.....I managed to stumble to my feet on my first time and rode the whitewater for about 5 seconds. After that could't get up for the next 5 sessions. I practiced popping up at home a load on the floor and then it finally clicked in the water. Popping up properly and riding the whitewater for about 5 to 10 seconds was a great feeling at the time.

Thing is surfing is all about progressing and gradually getting better....I have been surfing for about 18 months now and I'm only just getting out to the lineup and paddling for unbroken waves. My wave count is poor at the moment but I know I'm going to get there and improve! Even now when I go out to the lineup I feel a bit embarrassed as sometimes there are some real good surfers there that make it look so easy....

My advice is don't give up, find yourself a spot where there are other beginners and spend time in the whitewater getting that pop up sorted before going out the back. Learning is part of the experience - try to set yourself small goals when you go and remember that you are there to enjoy yourself.....

By the way I'm 40 years old so forget the age thing!

[offshore]

I doubt Kelly Slater was any good when he had only 3 sessions. Most people never get good at something because they don;t put enough time into it.

[laneo]

Thanks for the advice/tips and support. I know that I am being a bit hard on myself, but I figured I would maybe be a bit..better than I am haha. I thought my experience skateboarding would have helped..guess not; surfing just feels so much different. I plan on going back at least once a week or so for 3-4 hours. So I guess I just got to keep it up, and practice, practice, practice. One kid told me to never give up, he says a lot of his friends did that, and I myself don't want to just give up. I learned guitar all on my own, and I look at surfing just the same way. I remember when I thought playing simple chords like A D and E were hard, now I can solo. Just took me 7 years

[offshore]

It took me just short of 2 years just to get competent, be able to paddle into any wave I want/ and know which ones NOT to paddle for. That was from surfing quite a lot/ several times a week at least.

There is no end to learning, these days I'm working hard on improving nose riding and linking turns.

[drowningbitbybit]

10 years surfing. Still crap. Still out there.