I have over the last couple of weeks been catching unbroken waves. been much better just due to timing the wave, positioning and arching my back more. anyway i'm catching my fair share of unbroken waves on some 2-3 footers i've managed to practice on.
at the moment i'm catching the wave and pretty much going straight forward. i'd like to learn to turn and move along the line, but so far havent really managed it.
The advice ive read on the internet is a bit confusing; ive read "the best is turning the board before catching the wave", "the best is the bottom turn once you reach the bottom of wave", "turn as soon as you jump up" ...
also, when i do try to turn ive read that you've basically look where you want to go and point your front hand towards that section.
I thought you guys may be able to point me in the right direction. any advice would be much appreciated and thanks for the advice given to date guys.
What ya can do as your paddling in, angle the board in the direction that you want to go. Then as you drop down the wave in the direction that you want to go try and work from the top to the bottom of the wave. <<That bit might come a bit later but you get the idea?
I would strongly suggest that you start learning to compress and then extend as you come out of turns. Watch youtubes of master craftsman like Parko and how he compresses his legs and then extends them as he comes out of turns. This is the secret to getting good speed and drive. Watch him in slow motion - he is the master.
Stage 2 is buy expensive board shorts and a cool brand really small surfboard.......
Just kidding.
Doggie and Ted have hit the nail squarely.
P.S I'll do this for you Doggie.
X3 for what doggie says.
Just keep doing your bottom turns for now, but eventually you'll naturally learn to start paddling in the direction you want to go in.
I remember as clear as day the first wave I ever weaved up and down on.
I was on my old mans 6'10 Strapper, Red railed and bottom, yellow decked pin tail single fin. I was 11 and about 30kgs.
I turned up the wave and back down, compressed and gained speed. I thought I was ripping. Then I hit the beach, ran home and told my Mum. Hahah.
no one taught me .. yeh wah wah
... but this is my fav pic ever of my then 9 yr old 2 yrs ago... im the happiest old guy ever behind him
newbie best advice i got was just practice practice.. its slowly working for me :)
Thanks for the advice guys, i'll give it a go with angling the take off and see how i get on.
I've had some luck with the turns at times but just seems to be one of those things i cant pinpoint what ive done right. A couple of times my upper body and lower body seems to try and counteract each other in terms of balancing one way or the other and i end up in a position where the board turns on to its side under me and flips up
I'll give it a go this weekend if i can find a quiet spot