FEB 22, 2011 This is embarrassing and telling. I knew paddling was important. I know everyone yells "digg" and "dale" but i did not realize the significance of the paddle into the wave until someone randomly said to me "you need to paddle to catch up to the speed of the wave". Shit!!! I am so crazy (aka dumb) ....... I wondered why people didn't just sit and wait for the wave to break on them to catch it. Because you can not catch a wave if it simply breaks on you. You have to get in front of it - match the speed to ride it!!! Brilliant. As soon as this swell (picture above) passes thru i look forward to trying this new discovery. I still am having a blast surfing in Rincon Puerto Rico even doing it completely ass backwards!
FEB 19 2011 - I have more luck doing the Boarding House 'crawl' pop up (mentioned in a previous post). But, for me, surfing is the smallest of advances. To say i have more luck with the 'crawl' pop up means i can do the 1st of the many parts of it. I can get my feet on the board, but i can not balance. Even when i crawl pop up at home on the yoga mat (with ink markings on the mat to denote where my feet should land) or when i crawl pop up on the board on the bed - i fall over once my feet get to the board. I actually feel off the board/bed and landed on my ass once! However! getting my feet (the soles) on the board is a huge accomplishment for me. I have been able to catch waves in the Ocean. If i stay squatted i 'ride' them a bit. I actually dropped down the face of the wave the other day at Pistones (in between Maria's & Tres Palmas). But all in all, if the wave is over 2ft i chicken out. Getting some balls is definitely a surfing hurdle for me on my quest to surf in puerto rico.
I recommend trying to crawl pop up if you are having trouble popping up. Again, it was told to me by an experience and big wave surfer. I need to paddle out into the line up with him and watch him do it. Because I almost don't believe anymore experienced does a crawl pop up.
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FEB 11 2011 Still Trying
even though i haven't been posting i have most certainly been trying to surf. i am getting lots of encouragement from established surfers. just yesterday a surfer i have never seen before said "i have seen you out here before, you sure are dedicated" ... and then he proceeded to give me some tips. i have found nothing but generous and helpful surfers in the Rincon water. i'm sure if i was out on bigger days i might encounter some "out of the way" yells ... and they would be justified.
so my current situation is i have no issue paddling or catching a wave - my issue is with the popup. looking back on it, most of my instructors must have assumed i knew how to popup because no one took me thru the LAND POPUP EXERCISE you see so many doing.
i have gotten two popup techniques i need a few more times in the water to evaluate - and i imagine both will be helpful and depending on your muscles or lack of both work for different people
1st is from Surf787 and it is the 'arms under/beside shoulders - push chest up - feet on the board - popup with feet under you'
2nd is from The Boarding House and it is the 'arms under/beside shoulders - push chest up AT THE same time bring your back leg (leg leash is on) up to a frog position - using 2 hands and 1 leg/foot as 3 point stabilization on the board - putting the frog leg/foot where ever you feel needed for the size wave - popup with feet under you'
i'll let you know.
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