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N00B question - Dropping down face/glading in

  • 20-05-2015 1:53am
    #1
    punk_one82
    Registered Users Posts: 1,148 ✭✭✭


    So I've been learning to surf for the past few months. I don't struggle with popping up or staying up once I'm up, but the biggest problem I'm having is more to do with paddling into the wave.

    Watching decent surfers near me they all seem to glide into the face, not making the drop down the face until they've got to the their feet. They generally have a few seconds time gliding on the wave lying down to check either side of them etc.

    However when I go to paddle into a wave, I never seem to have that time to decide whether to go or not. My board almost always seems to make the drop down the face, and as a result the popup seems to be a lot more difficult. (Board feels like it's facing straight down the wave, whereas everyone else seems to have the board fairly flat)

    My question is - is this purely down to weak/incorrect paddling from me? Will it be a noticable difference when I managed to glide into the wave or is this something that's just all in my head?


Comments

  • #2
    Mickeroo
    Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,131 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    Try looking at something on the shore roughly 45 degrees in whichever direction the wave is going to break and don't take your eye off it until your feet are flat on the board after your pop up. This will angle your slightly board in whatever direction you're looking and will stop it flying straight down the face of the wave.

    Otherwise, if you do take off straight on on the wave just pop up as quick as possible and try and initiate a bottom turn, you're probably just taking a little bit too long.


  • #3
    rodento
    Registered Users Posts: 1,728 ✭✭✭rodento


    Also depends on the wave, some allow you to glide in, others dont

    You may find this useful

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zffdgcw19rs


  • #4
    punk_one82
    Registered Users Posts: 1,148 ✭✭✭punk_one82


    Thanks for the replies lads. I haven't had a chance to get out in the past week due to injuring my ribs, but as soon as I'm fit enough I'll be back out. One thing I had been trying anyway was angling my board whilst paddling in to the wave, just don't think I've gotten the hang of it yet.

    Looking forward to the feeling of gliding into the wave with an easy popup ahead of me :D


  • #5
    nick75
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭nick75


    look where you want to go.....down the line , at a slight angle.eg paddling into a left then you and your board are slightly facing left....good surfers make it look easy cos their timing is spot on , and wave selection is spot on and positioning ( under the peak not scratching into it on the shoulder).....dont over analyze it. it only comes with time spent in the water. and watch what good surfers are doing !!....its not luck that they are gliding easily into the best waves of the day


  • #6
    punk_one82
    Registered Users Posts: 1,148 ✭✭✭punk_one82


    nick75 wrote: »
    look where you want to go.....down the line , at a slight angle.eg paddling into a left then you and your board are slightly facing left....good surfers make it look easy cos their timing is spot on , and wave selection is spot on and positioning ( under the peak not scratching into it on the shoulder).....dont over analyze it. it only comes with time spent in the water. and watch what good surfers are doing !!....its not luck that they are gliding easily into the best waves of the day

    Thanks for the reply. I've definitely made some progress since I posted this. I've noticed a massive improvement in my surfing over the past 3 days.

    I think it was multiple factors causing me problems. Mental and physical. For a start I was trying to catch waves too far out on the shoulder like you said. I've started to position myself a bit further inside and it's helping an awful lot. I've also adjusted my body position on the board to get further forward. It seemed so counter intuitive initially and I had some sort of mental block trying it in case I'd pearl every time, but it's definitely helping me get into waves a bit easier. I also think my timing has improved a lot too, as well as hand position on the board whenever I feel like I've caught the wave. It's been months since I've gone shooting down the face. Starting to popup early and bottom turn.

    It feels like something has clicked because catching the wave, getting to my feet early and starting to bottom turn have all come at once.

    Progress! :)


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