Help with the duck dive!

[surfingmilzo]

im progressing in my surfing getting better each session. i just find it really hard to get out the back
i can submerge my board but not to deep, then when i go to submerge myself i cant seem to get deep enough.
please help me guys

[FortPierce Surfer]

the duck dive take alot of the practice, the best advice i have is
1. push the nose under as deep as u can with out makeing yourself completely verticale
2. use your knee, or foot to push the back end of the board down and then pull up on the front
3. hug yourself close to the board and kick upward.

duck diveing is as much about skill as it is timeing, useing the foce of the wave to push yourself up towards the surface is ideal. whatch the guys around you and ask around, just keep practiceing and itll come

[surfingmilzo]

thanks buddy, will have to try it out sometime this week

[Rickyroughneck]

the duck dive take alot of the practice, the best advice i have is
1. push the nose under as deep as u can with out makeing yourself completely verticale
2. use your knee, or foot to push the back end of the board down and then pull up on the front
3. hug yourself close to the board and kick upward.

duck diveing is as much about skill as it is timeing, useing the foce of the wave to push yourself up towards the surface is ideal. whatch the guys around you and ask around, just keep practiceing and itll come

If possible, I would start out trying to use your foot. When I switched from using my knees to using my feet the benefits were immediate (more control, snappier).

[surf patrol]

You'll be able to go deeper using your foot.
Also, make sure you've got plenty of forward motion going into the duck dive. Paddle hard as the wave approaches.

[jaktequila]

Wait, first of all, what's the size of your board? I know this is in a shortboard section but how short is it? Because the first shortboard I learned to duck dive on was 6'8 and it was painfully difficult. I'm not even sure I can duck dive on that one now.

[surfingmilzo]

im on a 6'3

[drowningbitbybit]

You should be fine to duck a 6'3.

Apart from technique, the other critical thing is commitment.
A duckdive is not a matter of pushing the board down a bit - sink it as hard as you can, throw yourself forward and then wrench it back up again out the back of the wave. If you dont fully commit to it, you wont make it, simple as that.
This is particularly true when you're still learning how to do it as you wont be 100% sure you can make it - but screw it, show that wave who's boss!

[jaktequila]

I agree with other posts. Throw yourself forward and it'll be easier. What I do these days is to pop my body up before I push my board down. The higher I pop up, the deeper I can duck dive. Just make sure you use your foot, not knee. This is useful in bigger surf and critical situations. You just need to practice a lot. There were days that I'd go out just to practice duck dive. Those choppy close-out days..

[surfingmilzo]

Duck diving just fine now! thanks guys im stoked

[Rickyroughneck]

Duck diving just fine now! thanks guys im stoked

Good to hear