Don't follow it anymore for that exact reasonAre you mentally exhausted from following all 38 pages of the "10 myths about lower back pain" thread?
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Don't follow it anymore for that exact reasonAre you mentally exhausted from following all 38 pages of the "10 myths about lower back pain" thread?
moving on to bigger boards and eventually doing nothing but longboarding is a common path for the aging surfer. However it's an interesting discussion point if paddling power is the most common reason.You have to be fit and a good paddler in order to get to the spot where timing/wave judgement, pop up reflexes, core-strength can kick in. This applies at most surf spots except for reefs and points where positioning is easy and obvious.
As I've gotten older and the shoulders have worn out this has become more and more clear. Many my age give up and go to the dark side of riding long boards because they can't do the paddling thing effectively enough.
I'm a dedicated shortboarder. I have longboards but quite honestly riding them does nothing for me. I mostly surf crowded beach breaks and current is often a factor. I've always resented people who use longboards for wave hogging and as a crutch to mask their lack of ability and I never want to be THAT guy.moving on to bigger boards and eventually doing nothing but longboarding is a common path for the aging surfer. However it's an interesting discussion point if paddling power is the most common reason.
Older surfers can have great wave judgement, I know some very competent longboarders who do big Bells and they are not short of paddling power. I think their difficulty with shorter boards is that they don't have the fine timing and pop up reflexes for that narrow take off window that short board confine us to. Plus they have lost (or never had) the reflexes to deal with the shortboard. Not able to generate speed on the HP shortboard.
We all face our individual limitations with getting older. I have never been a strong paddler. I consider myself to be fit, but don't have the raw grunt. My biggest challenge now at age 59 is losing the stamina of youth and the ability to recover overnight from hard paddling and surfing sessions.
I am not heading down the longboard path .. yet. 95% of the time I am on a HPSB 1" shorter than my height, due to my slight build it has easily enough volume and planing area to get me up and going. I am still comfortable with generating speed and feeling connected to it. So I cope with the loss of stamina and slower recovery by including enforced rest days and two short sessions in a day instead of one long one. Plus I have lost my appetite for taking on "big" waves which means I don't need step ups. So I'm operating on the use it or lose it with shortboards. About 15 years ago I had a Donald Takayama egg - wonderful board in point break, but after riding that for a few sessions in a row, it made the shortboard feel really squirrely.
This picture was yesterday evening and despite what I said a few extra inches of surfboard would not have been out of place. Pumping open ocean beachbreak, well overhead. Ferocious rip currents with water travelling in all directions - out in channels like freeways, sideways and in some patches towards the beach. I did not attempt the set waves on the outside, instead aimed to sit on the edge of a channel about 3/4 of the way out. Caught a few on my hp shorty, literally just a few. Those Inside ones still overhead and heavy, so happy with that. My daily driver fairly narrow, so nice and stable in the juice. The thing to avoid here is getting sucked out by a rip into a heaving wave crunching on an outer sandbar....Plus I have lost my appetite for taking on "big" waves which means I don't need step ups...
A couple of corrections.This subject came up in the "volume forward boards" thread and started to dominate the discussion, so posting as a separate thread here.
I've watched a few of Rob's YouTube videos, and it's been transformative for me. Finally understand the physics behind efficient paddling (Duh! And I studied engineering for a year!)
Main things I've been focusing on:
1. Not over-reaching, especially when sprint paddling. Focusing on instead entering the water not too far in front of my shoulders. The over-reaching was a constant mistake of mine, I now realize.
2. Keeping my elbow high when paddling, so entering the water at a more vertical angle. Also making a smoother entry.
3. Thinking of my hands and forearms like a canoe paddle.
3. Focusing on pushing BACK not DOWN. This is probably what made the biggest difference overall. Seems super obvious now, but I never really thought about it before (because dumb).
4. Head down close to deck when getting into a wave (I already did this, but more conscious of it now).
5. Keeping my belly lifted slightly off the deck while paddling. This was mainly to relieve new back pain I was experiencing (worked!), but also seems to speed up my paddling for some reason. Body more horizontal, so board more horizontal?
LInk to Rob Case's YouTube page, which is where I found the most useful videos:
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Rob Case
Catch More Waves, With Less Effort. Surfing Paddling Technique Expert and Coach with over 20 years of research. Learn how to paddle with less effort, how to ...www.youtube.com
Key videos that helped me the most:
BEST SIMPLE SUMMARY OF KEY TECHNIQUES:
NOT OVER-REACHING:
ELBOW POSITION/PROPER USE OF FORCE:
CREATING FORWARD PROPULSION:
BASIC PHYSICS BEHIND IT (KINDA DRY, BUT WORTHWHILE):![]()
Surfing Paddling
Surfing Paddling is dedicated to helping surfers catch more waves with less effort. Surfing Paddling Technique, Surf Technique and Training, and Surfing Fitness.www.surfingpaddling.com
All of this has made a huge difference. Catching way more waves, and MAKING more waves, instead of dropping in too late and falling behind. And this on a lower volume board than what I was riding before (only a liter less, but still). And my shoulders don't hurt after my sessions anymore!
Lohena and Maz pointed me towards this information, so want to thank them both
Curious if anyone else has gotten benefit from applying Rob's methods, or any other methods they've found that actually work to increase wave count.
I've been trying to use the "S" stroke, but not sure I'm doing it right. Feel pretty hit & miss on that still..
Swimming definitively helps if access to surf time is limited. When I was at my most willing to challenge myself in the surf I was confined to being a weekend warrior who supplemented with 2 mid week swims. Similar to your ideas I would train the back arched paddling position by swimming front crawl with my head out of the water and some kickboard (it is possible to do this with the stomach muscles preventing lower back arch, thus arching more from the mid back). Nowadays I just surf more.when I was like 30 years younger and had access to a pool. I would revert to my waterpolo training days and swim laps with a foamie stuck between my legs and dribbling a waterpolo ball up and down the lanes. This was followed by laps of butterfly/breast maybe a set of 400m-800m for each repeated as long as I could. Then when it was flat go down to ala moana park and paddle a kids board up and down the beach park without kicking as long as you can. It helps with maintaining the back arch with out shorting out your lower back as well as getting the lats , shoulders and core bigger. Situp/crunches for the lower back and twisting armbar pushups for the core and tri's.
But that was 30 years ago when I was in my 30's-40's and re-starting my surfing career.
Being able to stay in and swim in the open ocean currents forever without getting tired makes a big difference in your surfing
Sounds like we have reached some similar conclusions regarding not putting the hands too deep and getting the belly off the deck. What do you mean by "reach with your shoulders"?A couple of corrections.
1. Don't raise your elbow high, trying to grab deep. The proper arm motion, and why you don't over reach, is because if you enter the water, and reach forward, you are actually pushing yourself backwards. Your arm should be stroking back as it enters.
2. Reach with your shoulders. Not much but do it. Then you are using your lat muscles when you pull. Otherwise you are just using arm muscles.
3. Stomach crunches. Tighten your stomach muscles. If your back is arched, you are again pulling using arm muscles only. If you hunch your shoulders / crunch your stomach, you are pulling with your core muscles. This makes you put your weight onto your chest, and gets your belly off the deck. This will get you down the face.
Your shoulders aren't static and perpendicular to your spine. Right arm goes forward, you right shoulder goes forward. When you stroke, use your lats. Your spine is not rigidSounds like we have reached some similar conclusions regarding not putting the hands too deep and getting the belly off the deck. What do you mean by "reach with your shoulders"?
I hate swimming. Major PTSD after high school swimming/ water polo.Swimming definitively helps if access to surf time is limited. When I was at my most willing to challenge myself in the surf I was confined to being a weekend warrior who supplemented with 2 mid week swims. Similar to your ideas I would train the back arched paddling position by swimming front crawl with my head out of the water and some kickboard (it is possible to do this with the stomach muscles preventing lower back arch, thus arching more from the mid back). Nowadays I just surf more.
I experimented with this a little yesterday, however anything other than what my shoulders naturally wanted to do did not feel good. It doesn't mean that this is not a good tip for some people though, we are all different and have to work with our individual body characteristicsYour shoulders aren't static and perpendicular to your spine. Right arm goes forward, you right shoulder goes forward. When you stroke, use your lats. Your spine is not rigid
Yup, don't force it. It's a subtle extension. Ever watch a cat walk? That's about all it is.I experimented with this a little yesterday, however anything other than what my shoulders naturally wanted to do did not feel good. It doesn't mean that this is not a good tip for some people though, we are all different and have to work with our individual body characteristics
You were talking to GromsDad I believe. Longboards, kites, foils are all fine with me. The chaps I know who do big Bells on their longboards and guns are not using them as a crutch - they are out there on days when a shortboarder of average ability will balk at the size or fail to catch waves because it is a difficult wave to read what it is going to do. At my open ocean break the kites have a ball when it is strong sideshore and semi blown out for surfers.Dude, you’re definitely a THAT guy.
Longboard at will. it won’t hurt your rep.