[MrMorrill]

Hello all! First time poster, new surfer!

My wife bought me a surfboard for our first year anniversary and I use it just about as often as I can (usually on Saturdays and Sundays) but I'm aiming to start going after work to catch more waves. But my question is, when I am paddling for a wave many times I feel like I am literally not moving at all and the wave will either crash on top of me or I'll miss it completely. This doesn't always happen I do catch waves but I may be catching them out of sheer placement and luck. What would cause me to basically paddle in place?

For clarification, I will be paddling 5ft or so before the wave gets to me almost being sucked back towards the wave. I'm not a body builder but I'm decently strong, it must be my crappy form.

Any ideas?

Also, my board is a 7ft2in fun board incase that helps.

Thanks!

[RayG]

<popcorn in microwave> 

[OldSoul]

<popcorn in microwave> 

lol

MrMorrill, when you paddle be sure to take deep strokes with your hands cupped together like you would do if swimming. If you are getting sucked up and having the wave crash over you, then you are too far inside..

On a board with longer length such as you 7'2", you ideally would want to sit out a little further and paddle with the rolling wave as it begins to break. This will take practice to master (I myself am no master haha)  because beach breaks are all different and every swell is different, you can cheat and paddle out to where the long boarders are sitting and you should be good, but before you step foot in the water take a few minutes to see where the waves are breaking and how they are breaking... slow and mushy? Fast and punchy? these all determine where you want place your self out there.

If your at a jetty it will be a somewhat easier to figure out where you need to be.

Hope that makes a little sense... anyone feel free to add or criticize hahah

[The Lone Surfer]

You've been sold a bag of goods. How old are you?

[snaggletooth]

What would cause me to basically paddle in place?

the polar vortex. it has created some really f'ed up wave dynamics lately.

[DERPASURFA]

Sounds like a defective board.  I'd be suspicious since she's encouraging you to surf.......

[surfingbear]

Talk to this guy.
[email protected]

[seb]

Start at the beginning:
rollerblading > boogie boarding > surfing


PS Getting stuck in the middle is ok.

[SeaCliff]

Talk to this guy.
[email protected]

Yup.

[Crackie Onassis]

Bodysurfing is fun (see other thread).

[jeffbhall]

Hello all! First time poster, new surfer! ...my question is, when I am paddling for a wave many times I feel like I am literally not moving at all and the wave will either crash on top of me or I'll miss it completely. This doesn't always happen I do catch waves but I may be catching them out of sheer placement and luck. What would cause me to basically paddle in place? ...I'm not a body builder but I'm decently strong, it must be my crappy form.  Any ideas?  Also, my board is a 7ft2in fun board incase that helps.

I think that paddling strength and technique is the most important skill that you can focus on as a beginner. 

The good news is that you don't even need a swell or any waves at all to get better at it.  If you are in shape and you are a new surfer, what you need to understand is that the level of paddling power and paddling technique that you need is waaaaay more advanced than you even realize, and its much more complex than simply being "decently strong".  You need to commit to training yourself to become a better paddler first before you try to become a better surfer. 

Go out on flatter days and paddle as much as you have time for.  Go hard and go long.  Paddling is as much about your body's ability to convert energy as it is about overall muscle strength.  Physically "strong" surfers don't always paddle well...but "fit" surfers do.  Your path to surfing nirvanna begins with hard physical training, there are no shortcuts. Period.  I would also agree that a good surf coach is very important when you are just beginning to surf; send Robbie a note at [email protected] 

I would also recommend jumping onto Craigslist and buying a used longboard, a 9 footer would be ideal, but don't go below 8+ feet.  Keep the 7'2 for paddling practice for now, but use the longboard for surfing.  Eventually you will be able to step down to the 7'2 for surfing.

For the beginning surfer I think that 99.99% of surfing is paddling well.  Focus on it and commit to becoming a great paddler and the rest becomes MUCH easier.

Regarding placement, that is, where you need to be in order to catch a wave, check this video out:  

The best advice I could give you on learning everything else you need to know is to use the search function on this message board.  If you have a question about a topic, it has most likely already been answered here at some point.   

[SeaCliff]

Hello all! First time poster, new surfer! ...my question is, when I am paddling for a wave many times I feel like I am literally not moving at all and the wave will either crash on top of me or I'll miss it completely. This doesn't always happen I do catch waves but I may be catching them out of sheer placement and luck. What would cause me to basically paddle in place? ...I'm not a body builder but I'm decently strong, it must be my crappy form.  Any ideas?  Also, my board is a 7ft2in fun board incase that helps.

I think that paddling strength and technique is the most important skill that you can focus on as a beginner. 

The good news is that you don't even need a swell or any waves at all to get better at it.  If you are in shape and you are a new surfer, what you need to understand is that the level of paddling power and paddling technique that you need is waaaaay more advanced than you even realize, and its much more complex than simply being "decently strong".  You need to commit to training yourself to become a better paddler first before you try to become a better surfer. 

Go out on flatter days and paddle as much as you have time for.  Go hard and go long.  Paddling is as much about your body's ability to convert energy as it is about overall muscle strength.  Physically "strong" surfers don't always paddle well...but "fit" surfers do.  Your path to surfing nirvanna begins with hard physical training, there are no shortcuts. Period.  I would also agree that a good surf coach is very important when you are just beginning to surf; send Robbie a note at [email protected]. 

I would also recommend jumping onto Craigslist and buying a used longboard, a 9 footer would be ideal, but don't go below 8+ feet.  Keep the 7'2 for paddling practice for now, but use the longboard for surfing.  Eventually you will be able to step down to the 7'2 for surfing.

For the beginning surfer I think that 99.99% of surfing is paddling well.  Focus on it and commit to becoming a great paddler and the rest becomes MUCH easier.

Regarding placement, that is, where you need to be in order to catch a wave, check this video out:  

The best advice I could give you on learning everything else you need to know is to use the search function on this message board.  If you have a question about a topic, it has most likely already been answered here at some point.   

Nice job, Jeff - solid advice.

[adamlesper]

Its hard to imagine becoming a decent paddler without surfing at least 50 times per year and probably closer to 100times per year.  Physical training helps if you add that to alot of water time but I dont believe you can get by surfing on saturdays and sundays.  You also need sustained time in the water where you surf 2 times per day for a week straight or 20 of 30 days, aka surf trips. 


I know I didn't turn the corner until I started getting out 100+ times per year.  Training helps but is nowhere near as effective as actually surfing. 

[Looseness]

So, MrMorrill logged on for all of 9 minutes, asked a question and left, never to be seen again or even see the responses to his question. Obviously the guy can't swim for brown trout if he can't move a surfboard and doesn't know why.
It was nice of everyone to actually provide considerate responses as well as some humorous stuff. Oh well. Summer {Surf Season} is almost over.  [size=78%]  [/size]



 

[Looseness]

His description of not moving the surfboard reminds me of something I see sometimes, people "petting the water".
They stroke the water {very short stroke} with their hand actually arced in the wrong direction so that it doesn't push against it, more like you would pet and animal's back. I don't understand how anyone would think that does anything, but logic and understanding of the most basic physics/mechanics is not a big thing these days it seems.