Please critique my short-shortboard ride

[pmcaero]

Boy, after being on the BIC for months, I find it hard catching waves on the 6'8" shortboard. I had / have to relearn positioning on the board, paddling, body shifting while paddling.... today was the first good day after 3 sucky shortboard sessions , and I only caught one ride, and only after positioning myself further inside. Forget trying to go down the face, I'd get blown back right away.
After honing my turning skills on the BIC, the shortboard feels light and easy to turn. It slows down fast. I tried pumping but not very effective.

Other than trying (and maybe even catching) better waves, what else do you suggest based on this short ride I caught on the webcam?

[drowningbitbybit]

To be brutally honest, that's not riding a shortboard, that's just standing up and being pushed along by the whitewater on a shortboard

That wave barely looks worth surfing, let alone on a shortboard. There's no steep section and no power. The unridden peak above you might have just about had a beach close-out worth riding for a nanosecond, but it's out of shot when it breaks (if it does). Between the peaks (if we're being charitable) is a flat section so you haven't got anywhere to go... but you don't even try and just get your tail stuck in the whitewater.

Right, to be more constructive... (which is a bit hard, there isn't much to work with)...

Your paddling speed look likes it's improved, but I think you're slowing yourself down by sinking the tail - move just a couple of inches forward, which will mean arching your back more to keep the nose out of the water.

Make sure you've lifted your feet out the water - the wave should catch the board, not you.

The board is horizontal and straight towards the beach as you pop up - shortboards should be facing down and along the wave (but you haven't got enough wave to pop up with).

You pop up into a standing position then crouch back down again - your pop up should be straight into the crouch position without an intermediate step. Practise this one at home!


If I'd been on the wave (and I do take scrappy little waves on my shortboard, just for fun, quite regularly)...

I'd have been so far over the front of my board that the nose was sinking. My right foot (I'm natural) would have been raised above my bum to bring the weight even further forward.

I'd have paddled at a slight angle (the wave hasn't got enough power for a proper angle) and I'd've dropped my weight over the front of the board until I was damn sure I'd caught it.

Then, in a split second, pop up! Weight on front foot to drive! Leading hand right out in front of me! Weight onto the inside rail, weight partially onto the back foot! Look up and along the line! To the top of the line, still driving! Leading with my hand and my shoulders, weight back onto the inside rail and down the "face"! If possible, repeat!

(Actually I'd've spun out over the top of the wave after the first bottom turn because that's what I like to do on small waves, but lets stick to basics for now...)



In all honesty, I'd say that a shortboard was a poor choice for that day. And, if you want to shortboard, as someone said to me the other day "you won't get better if you don't go bigger".

[pmcaero]

Thanks for the advice!

Just one thing, I was at an angle and riding down the line, till I hit the flatter section, the perspective makes it seem less so. That particular wave was crumbling sideways.

I tried for bigger waves from further out but I kept getting blown back or stalling in the foam,or wiping out I guess not paddling hard enough, maybe too far back like you said. Lots harder than on the longer Bic.

There were some good shorboarders out but most people were on longboards, I just want to go beyond the BIC and I don't want to buy a longboard just yet.

[drowningbitbybit]

Just one thing, I was at an angle and riding down the line, till I hit the flatter section, the perspective makes it seem less so. That particular wave was crumbling sideways.

You may have been at an angle, but you weren't 'riding down the line'. For that, you need to be off the flats, travelling at 90 degrees to the direction of the wave and, on a steeper wave at least, the outside rail is going to be out of the water.

So, two things...

If you're on the flats in front of white water, you're slowing down. The wave is losing energy and you've got nothing from gravity giving you any speed. Get off the flats and onto the wall! Which brings me to the second point....

...I think, in a sense, that you're overthinking the tiny details and missing the bigger picture. Surfing - particularly on a shortboard - is dynamic... much more dynamic than just popping up in the right way... as soon as you're moving on a surfboard you should already be doing the next thing (getting back up to the top of the wave in this case) and trying to outrun the breaking curl (we'll worry about cutbacks later...)
On this and most of the other waves you've posted, you seem to paddle... pop-up... wait, regain balance... think that you should crouch so you do a crouch next... while all the while, the breaking section runs off without you.

It's almost like you need to be more aggressive... angrier... with your surfing. Forget about the small stuff... paddle like your life depends on it, push that board down into the wave whether it wants to go or not, pop up and already be looking down the line (not down to the flats!!) and really push hard.

Basically, try and surf like you were 14 again

[oldmansurfer]

My only critique would be I would have wanted to be 5 to 10 feet deeper in the lineup for that wave

[waikikikichan]

I tried pumping but not very effective.

You are NOT pumping, YOU are bouncing up and down on your board. If you bounce, YOU are just moving your body. Pumping ( more mini-carves, rail to rail ) displaces water underneath the board. It's almost like creating steps on a ladder. You will learn to surf better if you just STAND UP and feel the wave.

You pop up into a standing position then crouch back down again - your pop up should be straight into the crouch position without an intermediate step.

As DBBB said, I notice you do a "CONDOR wing spread" at the bottom. That is where you killed all your momentum. It's almost like a big wave free fall action with the arms ( except you were on a small crumbly roller ). You should be forcing the board down and forward. But your arms are going UP and BACK.

[pmcaero]

You should be forcing the board down and forward. But your arms are going UP and BACK.

I know what you mean, my pumping sucks. I think I was noticing the board slowing down and was turning towards the shore , trying to use my arms to help the turn.

[waikikikichan]

I think I was noticing the board slowing down and was turning towards the shore , trying to use my arms to help the turn.

Your thinkings/theory and being reactive not proactive is slowing you down. You thought to "use" your arms, but it did more harm than good. You were in a moment of a bottom turn/ drive up the face going front side. But look at you arms ( after the condor wing thing ). You right arm went in front of your chest and your back arm went behind your back. What does that show, Right or Left ? Counter-clockwise twisting of the waist to the Left. You should be twisting Right clockwise to the face of the wave, NOT away from it. Your back arm should be rotating around your back the other way, like a behind the back basketball pass.

After that opposite turn of the arms, you did your bounces. It's just a bad domino effect from the condor wing and the fast paddle. If you have a problem, look back to TWO actions before and you might find the root of the problem.

[pmcaero]

After that opposite turn of the arms, you did your bounces. It's just a bad domino effect from the condor wing and the fast paddle. If you have a problem, look back to TWO actions before and you might find the root of the problem.

Thanks for the thorough analysis. I guess my exaggerated arm movement did more harm than good

[RinkyDink]

Are you using a surf cam to make your video captures? If you are, can you post the link to it so I can watch it and get a wider angle of the break you're surfing? I think if you're going to ride your shortboard, then you might need to get into the lineup where there's a steeper section of the wave. If you're not comfortable surfing with the big dogs in the lineup of the main peak, then I would suggest you stick with your longboard until a bigger swell comes through. If you're surfing gentle rolling, shoulder section waves, for the most part, then I would leave the shortboard at home so you can get better practice. Most of the waves I've seen from your videos are weak and mushy. If that's what you feel comfortable surfing right now, then use the right equipment (longboard). If you want to practice your shortboard, then find steeper waves that will pick you up faster (maybe even shorebreak). By the way, I agree that your paddling looks way better, but that's how you'll always have to paddle if you want to catch weak, slow rollers with a shortboard. Also, if you don't really want to reveal the break you're surfing at, that's fine too.

[Big H]

My 2c...

Hard to see, but from what I can I would say (keeping in mind I am NOT an instructor)....

...that you paddle really early, no need to burn those extra calories, just position and time better...no need for a running start on a shorty like on a 9' board. Like DBBB said, get forward on the board and arch up some more, really being more poised to strike at the last moment then paddle hard about half the strokes or even less that you use and you're in.

...that when you pop up I would bet that you are looking either at the nose of the board, the water in front of the board or the base of the wave......stop looking down when you pop up and your butt won't be so high and you'll be in better trim and control. Head up and look where you are going. I beat the habit by concentrating on sticking my chin out; hard to look down when jutting out your chin.....also removes any thought of looking or where not to look.......just used to think "stick out your chin" and I'd get up so much easier in better form. Don't be too forceful though; you don't want to be stiff.

.....that I think that you're trying to ride the wave like you were on a longboard. If you just want to trim and go down the line then you need a different board (9"+) that would better suit your style. I believe that you NEED to trim and go down the line.....several hundred times......at that point you'll be more in tune and better able to make a shorty work. Longer board will allow you to get on and stay ahead of the curl and just go down the line.

....for your age, ability and most importantly the conditions, I think you need a 9'+ board. Video to video is more or less the same wave which is barely a wave. The one time that there was something breaking a little further down you said it was too big to get out back. You need a bigger board that will let you ride those little waves, have paddle power to go out a channel and paddle down the beach a couple of few hundred meters if needed to get out back more easily. Practicing on those same kind of waves over and over and doing the same things over and over again isn't going to get you anywhere. Big board would be a smorgasbord comparatively, and you'd get on all those waves that everyone else is struggling to catch and ride them out.

This is the day I was talking about that you posted (as pictured in the top half of the video frame)...this is close to the minimum size you need to ride a shortboard. At my size I would ride my big volume fishy board in those fat crumblers.....just not enough wave there for much else.
http://imgur.com/inbYI9h


If I were you I would get a true longboard, even bigger and floatier than your BIC, make sure you paddle a minimum of 1000m a session (in a good body position using good paddling technique....no other real good way to develop either or the paddle fitness you need), don't catch waves standing next to your board ever, really work on keeping my head up during pop ups and never looking down at any point. Then I would go as far out back as there were waves, the biggest peak the furthest out and make that wave mine.

I would forget that shorter board until you are comfortable in bigger surf that will make that smaller board go. Honestly, to ride that shortboard you need bigger waves, and you need to learn how to deal with waves that are as "big" and bigger as what was in that video the day you said that it was too hairy to get out back. You CAN learn those skills and build your comfort levels on a bigger board. I really don't think you will using your approach. I would take the fins out of that shortboard and salt it away for at least a year, the bic too and ride a 9"+ mal until you get several "lightbulb" moments that will make all of this make sense.



Spent my 2c.....

[drowningbitbybit]

I beat the habit by concentrating on sticking my chin out; hard to look down when jutting out your chin.....also removes any thought of looking or where not to look.......just used to think "stick out your chin" and I'd get up so much easier in better form.

Ha! That's a new one on me!

...but, yes, i can see why that would work.

[pmcaero]

Are you using a surf cam to make your video captures? If you are, can you post the link to it so I can watch it and get a wider angle of the break you're surfing?.

Here's a shortboarder who actually knows how to ride the wave from yesterday. Conditions were shifting between close-out waves into waves you had to get in early with some mushy waves in between. Really hard to gauge well at my experience level.

[pmcaero]

...that when you pop up I would bet that you are looking either at the nose of the board, the water in front of the board or the base of the wave....

I worked on that while using the Bic, but the extra paddling and positioning concentration it takes on the shortboard kinda wiped my memory circuits
Also, I relearned I need to gig my head down to gain some speed as I paddle, so I need to do that, then quickly arch my back....look don the line takes practice

[pmcaero]

I would forget that shorter board until you are comfortable in bigger surf that will make that smaller board go.

You are right, I am not as comfortable as I should be on bigger waves, even with the Bic. I can take on fatter 4ft crumblers, or nicely formed waves that keep their face for a while, but anything steep that requires popping up and turning split seconds before it breaks, I usually opt to not make the break. And anything over 4ft works that way at this beach break, requires quick popping up and going down the line before the lip comes down.

That being said, on bigger days, just taking the Bic outside exhausts me since I can't duckdive it.
I am hoping to stick with the shortboard in anything over 3ft. I think I can get in a bit earlier as my paddling improves. I was definitely better at it early this year, but "lost" it as I went back to the Bic for a while. I think next session will be better, assuming we get any more waves before fall

[pmcaero]

.....that I think that you're trying to ride the wave like you were on a longboard. If you just want to trim and go down the line then you need a different board (9"+) that would better suit your style.

I live in an apartment and have to negotiate some corridors....anything 9ft would get banged to hell, even with a board bag The Bic is plastic so it's fine, and that's less than 8ft long but still a process to take out and back in the house.
I also want to be able to get in and out quickly, and a shorter board I can just throw in the car instead of strapping it to the roof.

[waikikikichan]

look down the line takes practice

Can I ask when you happen to be looking down the line ? After you pop up ? From the bottom turn ?

[pmcaero]

Can I ask when you happen to be looking down the line ? After you pop up ? From the bottom turn ?

I try to look down the line as I pop up. This helps me set the rail nicely from the beginning. It worked best for me going backside.
With the shortboard, right now, I think everything happens faster and I can't process it so I might not look in the right direction as I pop up.
I definitely looked down the line during the bottom turn in the ride shown. But the board slowed down fast and I think I tried to pump and started looking down. Everything happens a bit faster so I am a bit behind, like you said, reactive.

[Big H]

I would forget that shorter board until you are comfortable in bigger surf that will make that smaller board go.

That being said, on bigger days, just taking the Bic outside exhausts me since I can't duckdive it.
I am hoping to stick with the shortboard in anything over 3ft. I think I can get in a bit earlier as my paddling improves.

This is constructive criticism using your own words......


.....how will your paddling improve if you don't push yourself?


I used to wrestle in high school.....some of the most gruelling training that you'll ever go through.....we would run wind sprint, do suicides at the end of the hallway, run stairs, more suicides, then sprints down the upper floor hallway, suicides, back down the stairs, suicides and start again.....and that was just one of the drills. Hated it but understood it to be a necessary evil when you're deep in the third period and down points....that training gave us something that we could call on to get us through.

The point that I'm trying to make is.........if you don't push yourself (don't overdo it; the ocean is not forgiving) you won't make progress.....you will not become a better paddler without paddling and pushing your limits to where you are tired but not exhausted (remember that non-forgiveness).
The waves you showed will give you some work to get outside, but not impossible.....you might have to paddle a couple hundred extra meters to make an end run to get out back.....that is how you get better at paddling, that is how you can paddle outside without being exhausted. One builds on the other...pushing your limits you build your experience, confidence and comfort levels....you also push the limits and expand your actual physical capability.....if you don't push, then it is just excuses building on excuses and you will not realise your ambitions.


The surf in the video from the bigger day you posted isn't even breaking until the shore break....you can paddle straight up the gut after jumping through the shore break and pushing your board in front of you.

Here's the thing about learning to get a big board out back....you have to be creative sometimes, you have to pay attention to the timing of the waves, the sets, currents, breaks in the waves....places that I used to go to and swore it was too hard to get out back when I first started I can paddle out back on a big board and not even get my hair wet now using a little cunning and timing savvy.....other places I have to hunker down and bull my way out.....hard work but will come back to you in terms of increased fitness, awareness, confidence and actual physical ability..................and your paddling will improve.


(2:14) "Just keep paddling!"

[pmcaero]

.....how will your paddling improve if you don't push yourself?

No, you are absolutely right. No shortcuts.Although the shortboard, while easier to punch through waves, does require faster paddling to catch waves, so it is a workout in itself.

On a semi-related note, I've switched back to my summer wetsuits (brrr!) and I feel a lot less buoyant. After I wipe out I don't pop up as fast which feels disconcerting, and I swallow water .