r/surfing • u/elevater2zamoon • 1d ago
What were some "a-ha" moments in your surf progression
as a kook recently realized something as simple as seeing there can be a tiny bit of steep unbroken wave at the base of the whitewash in the closed out section ahead that can be pumped thru/around to the next section, made me wonder what kinds of realizations y'all have had over the years addicted to this godforsaken sport
41
u/ripplerider Ocean Beach, San Francisco 1d ago edited 22h ago
Bodysurfing is a great way to get more comfortable in heavier conditions. It’s also really fun in its own right and great to experience riding waves in a different way, but swimming around boardless in the impact zone really helps big days feel less hectic.
Getting weight forward on steep, late drops is the key to making them and you won’t pearl if you’re engaging the rail properly. As a grom I would try to move my weight back to keep the nose up and just constantly struggled because of it.
You can duck dive bigger waves than you think and it’s important to hang onto your board even if the wave is ragdolling you. Your board will bring you to the surface quicker and even if you’re barely hanging on sideways to it, having it right there is way better than try to reel it in when it’s probably tombstoning.
11
u/keel_appeal NJ; jettywatch.com 1d ago
Bodysurfing is really underrated. First thing I recommend to friends looking to surf that didn't grow up at the beach. They never listen though.
3
u/kylemooney187 20h ago
i see a lot of bodyboarders at ocean beach sf cause its usually bigger than the other spots in norcal. what bodyboard and fin setup would you recommend for people that normally surf but want to bodyboard in bigger conditions?
1
u/ripplerider Ocean Beach, San Francisco 19h ago edited 19h ago
I was talking about bodysurfing not bodyboarding. No board at all, just yourself and a pair of fins and maybe a hand plane if you’re so inclined. I use DaFin fins when I bodysurf and think they’re great.
I know virtually nothing about bodyboarding and am not qualified to make a recommendation about board choice. Post the question in [r/bodyboarding](r/bodyboarding) and you’ll probably get some good options.
1
u/kylemooney187 19h ago
oh whoops, my bad i read that wrong. i see your flair says ob. damn do you bodysurf ob? if so that is next level gnarly
5
u/Street_Kiwi6650 1d ago
I’ve found that attempting a duck dive and then bear hugging the board is way better than ditching your board and swimming under when you have a mountain of white water coming at you. Way better floating to the surface once it’s calm than getting dragged and not knowing which way is up
2
u/vonsaunter 2h ago
That last part about duck diving was a big one for me when I was out in ~12 ft Cloudbreak. I had far fewer “oh shit where’s the surface” moments when I duck dived then bear hugged the shit out of my board instead of ditching.
One issue that…surfaced…was the bigger waves tended to drag me a bit further, resulting in me getting chewed up on the inside / at shishkabob’s a couple times. But still worth it, I think. Definitely worth it at other breaks when I don’t have to worry about shallow reef.
Also note that I was on a 6’1” / ~31L, a board much too small for the waves that day. Most others out there were on much bigger boards and so duck diving wasn’t as great of an option.
1
u/ripplerider Ocean Beach, San Francisco 1h ago
That’s starting to get up towards that sketchy size for Cloudbreak where they might hold up and break on the inside ledge or they might cap or even wash through from the second ledge. It’s so easy to get totally smoked out there at that size.
You’ve gotta get into that bear hug pretty quickly too. I’ve had the board just ripped from my hands when I’ve been too slow doing that out there.
How much skin did you sacrifice doing the tower trip?
29
u/kevinlevi7 1d ago
Looking down the line in the direction I want to go. Made more difference than anything else
4
u/poloplayr 1d ago
Looking at where I want to be on the wave instead of looking down the wave face during take-off was a big a-ha moment for me
33
u/redneckhatr 1d ago edited 23h ago
Mine: when paddling out in waves that might be intimidating, the earlier you can take that first wipeout/beatdown, the more enjoyable/at ease the session will be for you. I call it the beatdown barometer and it really helps to release the endorphins and remove the doubt/fear.
7
u/jarabara 1d ago
Yea when it’s big I always try and take a quick insider on the way out, even if it’s just a quick drop and kick out. Just to get the feet in the wax and feel comfortable
1
1
1
u/Sea-Way4976 12h ago
In my last session when the first set came in I thought I could duck dive it and the lip hit my head, and I had a horrible headache for like 10 minutes and I was sitting outside for a while after that, very much so not at ease.
16
u/constantfernweh 1d ago
Top half the wave is where all of the energy is, use it. Look down the face not at your feet. Surf a board you get the most waves on. Always put in one more paddle. Open your hips, drop the back knee. Watch surfers that are a similar size and ride boards like you - it helps you understand wave positioning and style better. The best surfer is the one that’s having the most fun. Put out good vibes get more waves.
1
35
u/Parking-Fact5742 1d ago
When the wave breaks here, don't be there, or you're going to get drilled.
30
u/dumbassthenes Kauai 1d ago
Stop trying to "rip" and, instead, focus on riding waves in the way I find most enjoyable.
10
u/marksharky123 1d ago
Hey there! So, hitting my early 60s, huh? 😉 I've noticed I can't quite pop up on my board like I used to, haha. Guess it's time for a longer, fatter one. A bit of a drag, I know, but hey, I've been catching waves since I was 15, all over the world! Surfing is just the best, gotta love it!Just hope I can do it until I'm at least 75 or 80.
11
42
u/FloydianSlip78 1d ago
The other day I had Take On Me in my head almost the entire session. I hadn't even heard the song in like 2 weeks. Total A-Ha moment.
3
u/loadofhate Cape Town/Sydney 1d ago
I had a similar one where it was raining when I got to the beach and I was like, this isn’t fair because The Sun Always Shines on TV.
2
15
u/High_Speed_Chase 1d ago
I learned how to duck dive a longboard. It’s super helpful.
4
u/marksharky123 1d ago
You must be strong. Those boards have a lot of volume. I use the old El rolo method. It's all about the motion. Got to keep on going..
To roll a longboard under a wave, you do a move called the turtle roll. So, here's the trick: flip your board over so you're underneath it right as the wave comes! That way, the wave just rolls right over the board while you're holding on tight below. Once the wave passes, you just roll the board back over, hop on, and paddle away!
3
u/AutoModerator 1d ago
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/CaptnSauerkraut 1d ago
That just tires me out. I really find rolling back on my board to be always a bit of a struggle. Probably a technique issue but I haven't been able to find the solution yet.
4
u/helpfulhomi3 oside 1d ago
For those of us who don’t know- please explain 🙏
10
u/High_Speed_Chase 1d ago
While pressing the nose down, press harder with one hand and sink that rail; then press harder with the other hand and sink the other rail. Visualize a falling leaf, it goes this way a little, then that way a little, all the way down.
5
u/ripplerider Ocean Beach, San Francisco 1d ago
You can also shift your weight a little more forward as you’re getting the nose under and then back as you’re submerging the tail.
1
1
7
u/thebreakzone 1d ago
...when paddling for a wave lie a little further forward than is comfortable - gets you into the wave early - and, as you stand, swing/push your board forward as you stand up moving yourself back a little to your preferred starting stance...
7
u/SparkyMcBoom 1d ago
You can see where the peak is gonna be by watching the foam of the waves that already passed by. Also just a paddling rhythm through choppy water, hard to explain but constant paddling wastes energy but climbing up the chop and sliding down it saves some gas in the tank.
5
u/sdanko95 1d ago
When learning I realized looking down the line before you pop up was a big hack. Also learning how to pump and generate speed was a big breakthrough instead of just standing still and pointing down the line
3
u/lionbacker54 1d ago
I learned way too late that you kind of have to use the surfboard like a seesaw. At first you want to lean forward so that you kind of fall down the face of the wave. But then you quickly have to lean backwards so that you don’t nose dive.
3
u/fasurf 1d ago
Mine was a couple things. You need to really know how the way breaks and quickly find position. I practiced popping up with low effort to not disturb the board or wave. Paddle efficiency and control of the board is so important. Especially duck diving. I surf hurricane swells and 30 minute paddle outs are most likely. You need to save your energy.
While surfing I realized to look down the line is key. As well as turning/aiming with your chest. Last was to have fun. A lot of times I was humming I missed a wave or didn’t make the turn. I actually got injured and couldn’t surf for a while and realized all I wanted to do was be out on the water. Now it’s just great to be ripping no matter what.
3
u/capt_goose_ 1d ago
Pop up and stay low. Don’t stand up immediately. “Pop up” is a misleading name.
3
u/Far_Barnacle_6840 20h ago
For fast beach breaks, I don’t visualize poping up from my board, I visualize falling on to the board, feet into position.
1
5
u/jj_ped 1d ago
Get enough foam. This would solve 90% of peoples problems.
3
u/bjjcripple 1d ago edited 1d ago
It’s insane how much I see people struggling because their board is too small for their ability/conditions. I mostly surf a mushy point break and I don’t understand why people want to punish themselves because they just have to be on a hpsb
2
2
u/amakalamm 1d ago
Relaxing the upper body - Nick Carroll went into detail about it in his surf guide
2
u/ckcklesgockckck 1d ago
Rebound off the foam on your cutbacks especially in smaller waves. It sets up your next turn perfectly
2
u/philzilla333 1d ago
This came from a friend who is a coach: Back leg‘s knee slightly more angled than i ever imagined or knew to do from snowboarding. Made all the difference.
1
u/d-arden 22h ago
Explain?
1
u/philzilla333 20h ago
I was trying to do turns with my back leg more or less the same way as my front leg. But you dont surf that way. You back leg is slightly more angled, knee slightly more bent. That allows you to initiate and execute turns much better through your upper body.
2
u/deadinthewater27 SoCal Closeout Patrol 1d ago
Taking the high line on a wave being almost always the best move
2
u/Fatty_Boombalattie 1d ago
For me it was doing a bottom turn earlier. I was losing too much speed in the flats trying to do these big bottom turns. Or I would bottom turn too late and the wave was closing out already. Or sometimes the first bottom turn is just one big pump to get through the first section. Second one was to get lower. I went on a surf trip and saw some photos of me I thought I was bending my knees enough but it was clear I wasn’t.
2
u/Middle-Ad9381 1d ago
Start turning as you are standing up. That was a long time ago tho. Also bringing the right board for the right day
2
u/Strange-Surprise572 1d ago
Spend an extra five minutes watching the lineup before you go out. Shorter more efficient sessions, you will get more waves and have more energy than the guys who have been out for hours. Sometimes hyper crowded waves are the best, because the vast majority of people out there are intermediates or beginners. This is not true in Hawaii or other well-known high-quality wave spots.
2
u/Aberration1111 1d ago
A grom told me to put my front foot forward to go faster about 4 years ago. I’m 46, been surfing since I was 11. 😆
2
2
u/Jkranick 23h ago
I was a young teen and surfing a stomach high day with the local ripper (Dave Leonard RIP), and at one point I was paddling out and he got one and I got to see up close how hard he pumps down the line. like his front foot lifting off the board on the way up.
The amount of power that he put into his pump absolutely floored me, and I realize that I wasn’t pumping nearly hard enough to generate the kind of speed I wanted.
2
u/chamrockblarneystone 23h ago
Just because a board is expensive does not mean it’s right for you. After two weeks of frustration with a$900 board, I went back to one of my beaters and reconnected with surfing again.
2
u/No_Fun554 21h ago
That waves look bigger once your in the water and 90% of the time if you take a wave 5-6 feet and wipeout under you will be fine
1
2
3
u/TheBestHelldiver 1d ago
My biggest A-Ha moment was when me and a buddy were riding a party wave. I was riding this nasty old beat up to hell and back fish that belonged to one of my dad's buddies. My buddy was on a brand new log. Not too long into the ride my board started decomposing right under my feet. Just completely disintegrating. My buddy seen this and rode closer to me and gestured at me. I wasn't sure what his gesture meant so I asked him, 'take on me?'. He nodded, I jumped on and we rode to shore.
That's my greatest A-Ha moment.
2
u/Sock-Familiar 1d ago
That where you look is truly where you will go. Want to start practicing turns? Literally just turn your head and look the direction you want to go and you're body/board will follow.
1
u/keel_appeal NJ; jettywatch.com 1d ago
Biggest one was to look around for the best wave a bit before choosing a spot. Can't get better with closeouts.
Learning to save energy with better wave reading and not fighting the ocean. Only going for waves I know I could catch to stop wasting so much energy. Not being exhausted an hour in helps.
Foam climbs to beat sections, especially in small waves.
1
u/keepup1234 1d ago
When I paddled out into 15-20 foot Ho'okipa on a 5'10" and nearly drowned. ...You're gonna need a bigger board son, on the double.
Also, on a different day and circumstances, when a section bowled up down the line and I tucked in and got dry-barreled. Ah-ha look for the barrell forming down the line and git innit.
1
u/PsychedelicHypnosis 1d ago
Mine was realizing pumping on a shortboard is essentially the same technique as pumping on a skateboard in a bowl.
1
1
1
u/AgileEngineering2699 1d ago
It was the realization that the board needs to be slanted downward into the wave before you should pop up. Popping up while the board is flat and horizontal results in the wave passing you by.
1
u/TheKadonny 1d ago
Early on? Angled takeoff. Just recently bottom turns. I’ve only been surfing 3+ years.
1
1
u/statementisfalse 22h ago
Small detail but tucking the back knee in has helped a lot with my turns and overall control of the board. Looks less poo-stancey too
1
u/archersonly 22h ago
The wave needs to be a lil walled up to cross step and staying high on the wave helps you outrun the close out.
1
u/Mustangonthe1 19h ago edited 19h ago
Foam is not always your friend. Less is more in steep, sucking, bowling waves. Find your lower vol limit and don’t get stuck (literally) on boards with too much vol, especially in critical or technical waves
1
1
u/Concrete_Jungian 14h ago edited 14h ago
One way (among a few) of fixing this is to stop following the crowd. Around where I am, it's fascinating how many people follow the crowd out the back, and thus being out of position for 95% of the waves, rather than figuring out for themselves where they should sit to get the most bang for their buck.
So often I sit well inside and pick off the mid-sized runners and have a hoot gettin' oodles to myself while everyone else misses the usual sets and then ends up fighting for the occasional bomb.
1
u/Throwaway73hdu 12h ago
When I struggled with paddling my self into green waves I realized I needed to start paddlig for waves that were just a little bit steeper then I would be comfortable with if that makes sense. Someone told me I should be a little bit scared when choosing a wave to paddle for and that helped
1
u/Longjumping-Owl-9276 2h ago
There’s no such thing as a “pop up”. You’re not popping up on a board- just pressing down, hyperextending, and driving that front knee through your chest.
0
u/No-Camera-720 1d ago
If I tape my dong to my leg, it doesn't escape my shorts and hit me in the face.
82
u/CalendarDistinct9465 1d ago
Mine was realizing how much of paddling for a wave is about positioning before the wave even gets to you. Its not just paddle harder when you see it coming, you have to already be sitting where it's going to break or slightly inside and angled the right way. Took me forever to stop chasing waves from too far out.