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same, i've realized that some days you're on while other days a you feel like a kook
Once I get that new driver ....You sound like most of the golfers I know.
I feel this way these days. I'm finally at a spot in my life where I can pretty much prioritize every swell and have all full array of gear I'm very happy with, only problem is the frequency of surf. Last summer was brutal; this spring has been brutal as well and its only going to get worse. Since April 1st I think I've had one good day of surf, two days where the waves were mushy and maybe waist high, and then there might have been a morning or two micro days for the longboarders that I didn't bother with. I'm fairly certain I didn't miss any other potential days (East Coast...). I'd love to surf 2-3 times per week. Hell, I'd love to surf at least once a week. I can clearly see improvements when we get a winter run of 2-3 weeks with solid surf, but without the frequency its so hard to continue with any noticeable improvement.
It is entirely dependent on how often you surf. Normally surfers decline in performance with age. That is because they go less often. They are waiting for the perfect swell and fail to practice in shitty surf. Before you know it you lose your pop up. The pop up is the first to go. That is when you start using the chicken wing, 2-step pop up. First plant your rear foot, then step 2 is bring your front knee up under your chin. Just be diligent practicing pop ups in your back yard on an old board. Do push ups until it is easy to do 10 pushups quickly.
Fitness is a must, but as with most anything, you're only going to get better doing the activity multiple times a week. If you want to improve you need to increase the frequency, and also push yourself to try things you currently cant do, and keep trying until you succeed. That sets your comfort zone at a higher level and becomes your new normal.
I sometimes think that if I lived further from the surf I'd actually surf more. Strange as that may sound. I'm so set in my ways that I only want to surf the spots that are within bicycle distance of my house. Those also happen to be some of the most crowded waves on the East Coast in that two mile stretch of beach Its easy to get bummed out when every peak in your zone is packed. If I lived 15 miles inland my cone of travel would be much larger likely extending from Brigantine to Avalon and anywhere in between.......and if that were the case I'd probably never surf the places near where I live now.
You're old and fit and destroy double overhead waves on a 6'4" with the fins in wrong. You and your hyper-idealized surf life can suck it.
I have several longboards but I honestly don't get much enjoyment out of longboarding. Perhaps its 20 years of resentment against people using longboards as a crutch to snake waves. I'd rather take pictures of shortboarders than paddle out on a longboard. I do have some spots I'll escape to when I want to surf. You'll only find me on a longboard when its 90 degrees out and the waves are too small for a shortboard.
Agreed about the pop-up but would add that the paddling speed to get into the wave with substantial forward momentum is also key. Same idea, though - everything is easier if you're not trying to constantly play catchup on the wave.
This dumb grom at my local made fun of this middle aged dude on a 10'0. Said something like "going to get a smaller board and stop surfing that boat?"