Surf Coaching

[Havoc]

Seems to be getting popular. Just finished podcast with Clayton nienaber and it was insightful. His program is expensive so outta my range. Any of u du’s try any surf coaching? I did the Martin Dunn program like a decade ago but it wasn’t as insightful as the amanzi surf one seems to be.

 

[LifeOnMars]

as a middle age average OC kook coaching ain't going to help, keep your $ and take some trips to uncrowded waves instead. best advice would be to watch good surfing (not your own) and try to absorb as much as possible, technique and repetition are important but most of what you need can be found out there for free. maybe get a soloshot and camp out at trestles for the day with the other middle aged "someday" rippers

 

[GromsDad]

There is a guy I know who coaches. Doubt he's properly insured or is insured at all. Someday some kid is going to get hurt during a coaching session and that kids parents will wind up owning his house.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

The funny thing about surf coaching is it's pretty easy to analyze what someone is doing wrong and the major errors fall into very few categoris, so now anyone who has a few junior comps on their resume or surfed a few WQS events can be a "coach."

 

[teeroi]

@Havoc. Brah if you lived here and were a local at any decent spot, one of the Uncles will tell you everything you’re doing wrong in the way you surf. If not to you he’ll tell every other regular there. It’ll be really specific too. When you find out, you may want to quit surfing. Don’t. Just have a good cry on the inside. The ocean will hide your tears. Uncle won’t tell you how to fix your flaws but it’ll be a great starting point. Haha.

 

[surfadelphia]

There is a guy I know who coaches. Doubt he's properly insured or is insured at all. Someday some kid is going to get hurt during a coaching session and that kids parents will wind up owning his house.

NJ surf coach a homeowner...I'm calling bullshit on this one

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

Why?

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Why not just go straight?

 

[ghostshaper]

Too late. Too old. Better to just learn how to deal w your ego and be happy to be out. I'll coach you how.

 

[Lohena]

Here's a great quote from Clayton he said on a podcast:

"As we get older, we don’t want to fall, which means we don’t learn. Only when you make a mistake can you learn from it. But if you’re not making any mistakes you’re just going to plateau out and you’re eventually going to get worse.”
- Clayton Nienaber

I don't think you can ever be too old or bad to get better at surfing. This is particularly true for those who do not have a solid technical foundation. For whatever reason the surf culture rejects learning technique, coaching, etc.. That's fine, most are happy being intermediate as ignorance is bliss. I regret getting caught in that mentality myself now though. I have more fun surfing when trying to get better and setting goals, and have decided recently to focus on it.

BTW, I just rejoined Martin Dunn's site and he has updated everything and added a ton of new stuff. I find his teaching approach vey useful and the best out there. Also Noel Salas has a patreon page now where he has surfing technique videos with skating drills. Also good.

Next step for me is to get videos of my bad technique and cry. I'll eventually probably send in a video to someone for coaching when I get stuck on something.

 

[kool-aid]

Shane Herring was doing a week-long coaching session at HTs resort which I thought was very compelling.

It was scheduled for this past May and I seriously looked into it. Unfortunately, it ran over my GFs bday and she wasn't too excited about the idea. Then the pandemic came along and it got canceled anyway.

I would totally do something like that. Not sure how useful it really would be but it certainly can't hurt.

 

[TheEl]

Replace ski with surf and youre good to go. You can venmo me later.

 

[oeste858]

just start by getting someone to video you on a few waves or surfline rewind cam. No doubt you will spot some bad technique yourself. otherwise, plenty of ex-pros doin this in soCal. I've considered it too... but the ego/shame has stopped me. Alex Gray comes down to Huntington (and books Mex surf trips), and Duran Barr works in Oside https://www.northcountysurfacademy.com are two that I know of. I think Beschen even comes home to San Clemente a couple times a year and does it.

 

[sdsrfr]

surfing your best while someone is watching you is harder than one would think.

maybe a coach will only teach you how to do that.

 

[jkb]

Dad? Is that you?

 

[ANIMA]

Here's a great quote from Clayton he said on a podcast:

"As we get older, we don’t want to fall, which means we don’t learn. Only when you make a mistake can you learn from it. But if you’re not making any mistakes you’re just going to plateau out and you’re eventually going to get worse.”
- Clayton Nienaber

I don't think you can ever be too old or bad to get better at surfing. This is particularly true for those who do not have a solid technical foundation. For whatever reason the surf culture rejects learning technique, coaching, etc.. That's fine, most are happy being intermediate as ignorance is bliss. I regret getting caught in that mentality myself now though. I have more fun surfing when trying to get better and setting goals, and have decided recently to focus on it.

BTW, I just rejoined Martin Dunn's site and he has updated everything and added a ton of new stuff. I find his teaching approach vey useful and the best out there. Also Noel Salas has a patreon page now where he has surfing technique videos with skating drills. Also good.

Next step for me is to get videos of my bad technique and cry. I'll eventually probably send in a video to someone for coaching when I get stuck on something.

That is a great quote.

I'm an adult learner... with a full time job and family. I am always trying to improve on my surfing. I've never paid for coaching, but thought about it plenty of times.

Sean Mattison is someone i would pay for advice. There are also some other more extensive coaches that make a full 8 hour day of it for under $200 dollars -- coffee, board review, video you surfing, go to the gym for an hour, teach you techniques, review footage and give advice. 1 or 2 of those and you could probably see substantial improvement, but only a few people actually have the drive to do it or keep at it.

If you have a burning desire to improve and make it an obsession... you will, without a doubt, improve.

 

[racer1]

"As we get older, we don’t want to fall, which means we don’t learn. Only when you make a mistake can you learn from it. But if you’re not making any mistakes you’re just going to plateau out and you’re eventually going to get worse.”
- Clayton Nienaber

Trying to get consistent at airs at 40 years old, I appreciate this. I blow so many waves.

 

[Lohena]

Trying to get consistent at airs at 40 years old, I appreciate this. I blow so many waves.

Ha, that's inspiring!

 

[Chile Verde]

Trying to get consistent at airs at 40 years old, I appreciate this. I blow so many waves.
[/QUOTE]

I hear ya, Ive got a couple years on you and can vividly remember the 3 proper ones I have stuck in my life. They were all staright airs though, maybe that counts for something?

 

[racer1]

I can land about 1 in 30 now.

They are so memorable and addicting. Kinda like hitting that sandwedge into the hole. You can replay it vividly.

My advice:
- You HAVE to go into the flats (or at least launch it into the flats, the wave will catch up). It's scary but not as bad as you think.
- Straight airs are the easiest.
- You have to move your feet up on the board, like the pros do. Like you would for skating, get over the bolts.
- How I move my feet up is how you move on longboard if you don't know cross stepping. Bunny hop up as you're hitting the lip.
- Get your 8 pound head, and your momentum, over the rail and towards the flats.
- Show your board who's boss and stomp that landing. Don't bitch out after doing everything right and crumble on the landing.