Landlocked (UK)and in need of inspiration

[Rock bus]

Anyone else a novice surfer who is landlocked and struggling to find any time to surf? Being based in the Midlands, leamington, and a father of three, with full time very busy job, I have found it impossible to surf this year.

To the point where I am now even thinking of just not bothering

Anyone face similar dilemma and how do you deal with it?

Also anyone do anything else Interesting as a hobby when they're not surfing to keep their health up

Inspiration desperately required!!

[BaNZ]

I've personally not tried it. But maybe you can try http://www.bodyflight.co.uk/surf
Or pickup skiing / snowboarding? You can do that in Milton Keynes too.
Wait for http://www.surfsnowdonia.co.uk/ to open..

Or move out of UK like me lol!

[billie_morini]

Rock bus,
for exercise useful in long periods away from surf, rowing and free weights help me a lot.
Keeping the stoke when away from long periods without surf is not always easy. A combination of movies, checking surf & tide conditions, talking to buddies that are surfing, and simply running my hands along my board helps me.

[oldmansurfer]

Perhaps you can find a place to stand up paddle.

[billie_morini]

As far as moving, I moved 350 miles from moderate landlock to a surfing town on the coast. Several or more regulars on this forum have down it. The positive thing is there will come a day where your kids can be part of your surfing actions. Then you will catch more waves. My father had a similar long term plan with me for motorcycles. It worked, Mom couldn't object to Dad riding because junior did it, and we had more fun together than I can ever convey.

[Rock bus]

The irony of it all is that I used to be kid free and living in Plymouth but didn't try surfing then .....what an idiot!!!!!!
It's only now as a middle aged father that I really want to do it..must be a mid life crisis!!

Would love to move to West Country again but sadly job and the family don't really make this an option now

[oldmansurfer]

I was landlocked in Colorado for a while but did manage to go snow skiing and windsurfing while there. I hear there are rivers that have standing waves that can be ridden which keep you in shape for the ocean or kite surfing, windsurfing or SUP on some lake or river might be good too. The standing wave in the river thing seems to be getting popular in the USA.

[dtc]

I'm in the same boat, although probably get to the coast more often than you seem to. My thoughts are:

- live vicariously on a surfing forum...

- spend your 'at home' time maximising your surfing fitness, so swimming and gym and whatever. Even social football or some other aerobic activity is useful (but swimming is probably the most useful and everyone benefits from doing weights). Work on any areas of inflexibility, esp ankles, back and hips (traditional issues for us old men). foam rolling, stretching etc. All of this is good for you anyway, but at least now you have a goal to motivate

- watch videos and keep learning, even if you cant necessarily put things into practice. If your mind knows what to do, its easier to make your body do it

- (the big one) make an effort to get to the coast as much as you can. It can be difficult, its much easier to stay at home and do the chores; especially if your kids or wife aren't beach people and/or you have nowhere to stay at the coast that doesn't cost a lot of money. But if you don't make the effort, then it wont happen.

- try a few long trips (week+) every year. Surfing every day for 2 weeks will improve you much much much more than surfing 2 times a month for a year

- get used to spending your first one or two sessions back being rusty (what does DBB call it - 'like bambi on iceskates'?). Your timing, in particular, will be totally off and you miss 3/4 waves you go for. So its definitely 2 steps forward, 1.5 steps back when you have big gaps between surfs. Just accept that is the way it is, you will go down for your eagerly awaited first surf session after 2 months away and miss every wave and fall off and get really frustrated. Then part way through the second or maybe third session it will click and you will be almost back to where you were the last time. Then you will start improving. No matter what you do out of water, time in the water is the only way to get better.

- stay on a longboard. If you go too short, see the previous point and multiply it. Don't try to get too fancy or go too fast. It might take you 4 or 5 years of intermittent surfing before you are able to move to a mid length (7ft or so) board. Just accept it. Longboards are plenty fun anyway.

- try not to get frustrated. Remember that people enjoy looking forward to things often more than they enjoying doing the thing. At least now you have a lot of anticipation to keep you going!

[Indysurfer]

Hang in there. I live in Indianapolis, Indiana and know what you mean by landlocked. I find almost all of our family vacations are spent either going to places to surf or snowboard to make up for this. Though I would like to surf everyday, in reality, I am lucky to surf 10-15 days a year...again if I am lucky! I have found the magazines, an occasional video, and painting a surfer themed picture once in awhile can keep me stoked in between trips. The challenge I find is that my progression is very slow as a result.
I'm 41 years old, so not getting any younger and have 4 wonderful kids. Pretty cool to see my 10 year old paddle into and ride his first wave in Puerto Rico this past summer.
I think someone mentioned on here that you should try paddle boarding...I would agree with that as well. Here in the states there are people that wake surf behind wake surf boats...looks pretty cool and perhaps you could give that a go if there are places close by where you could hire a boat and driver. I wish someone would create an ideal wave pool for us surfers in the midwest!
Anyway, hang in there and don't give up.

Andy

[waikikikichan]

I live about 2 or 3 hours from the nearest surf. And I don't drive so I am dependent on others for a ride. The best thing I do on land when I can't surf is to ride my Carver skateboard. To me swimming in a pool or standing on a paddle board isn't surfing. I want to carve and pump. And want to go fast and slam into a turn and slide the tail. Watch the video on the Carver skateboards website - "Jake Davis Make Waves". Good example of the body motion/memory used in surfing. "Taylor Know the Style Master" is good too.
I go out on the back street and go up and down about 10 times and my legs are blown. Just like after a good surf ( my shoulders don't hurt though )

[Blane879]

Dude dont give up! I fell in love with surfing a few years ago whilst on holiday in Cornwall. I was from South Wales so ununfortunately the closest surfable beach was well over an hour away. But I eventually made the plunge this year and moved from Wales to Cornwall. If you really wanna surf you will always find a way Bro. Take care and remember.....Live the search!

[oldmansurfer]

Mabe try this

[Dead_One]

i used to live near the sea, but in one of the many locations in the uk with no surf, near glasgow in scotland.
I am also 40+, with 4 kids, so not a lot of free time. I managed to keep things going by convincing the family that holidays to Cornwall were worth while... and one year managed about 8-10 visits, including one 1100 mile round trip for a weekends music festival and surf....
Added to that were the occasional saturday/ sunday visits to the closer surfing locations, usually about a 5 hour round trip.
Just need to decide how important it is to you, and then try to come to compromises with the rest of the family so you can get to the sea...its amazing how keen kids can be to go away for a weekend if they get to do stuff they like as well.

And then the rest of the time, well like the others suggested, films, forums, magazines etc.

In the end i decided to move to the surf, was going to cost less than all the trips, and have been happily here near Newquay since july, surfing 3-4 times a week most weeks

[Rock bus]

Hi all
Thanks for all the responses, really appreciate it.
Good to know that I am not alone, although very envious of those of you have been lucky/brave enough to actually move to the coast.

Think I will have to grin and bear it for a bit and then when Warmer weather comes, really make the effort. Appreciate that better waves in the the uk during coldest times but not sure can face 5 hour drive to surf a bit and freeze a lot, also no chance of getting the family to agree to come along until the weather picks up!!