New Surfer....

That's part of the beauty of surfing Dan - it's bloody hard. Which means it's all the more rewarding once you nail it. Keep on trying! 

If you haven't already, you should also consider a couple of surf lessons - in the early stages this could fast track some of the learning curve that you'd otherwise struggle with on your own.

Practice practice practice, then perseverance, perseverance perseverance

Body boarding since 89, standup surfing since 93 (
minus about a year or two from stupid things like work or loss of mojo and or drinking habit.) Still learning though.
One 10 kilo weight is enough to do many fitness routines which will keep you paddle fit. The biggest part.

Can kick on a short enough board but i don't think it adds much. Focus on building momentum before the wave gets to you and keep your head down low to help the board onto the waves "slope"

Paddle with whole arms, not just your hands, by pulling through with your shoulder muscles. Check some freestyle swimming techniques to learn a few other tricks. Momentum, momentum, momentum.

Good luck.

groundswell wrote:

One 10 kilo weight is enough to do many fitness routines which will keep you paddle fit. The biggest part.

What exercises would you suggest with the 10kg weight?

Just look up a well rounded resistance program on YouTube, its a good way to be able to watch the techniques done correctly and there is loads of info out there. GS is right you don't need to use a lot of weight and there are many ways to do a routinewith no equipment at all, look into the callisthenics movement. Don'tforget your legs and core, balance and pop up as well as maneuvers while you up all depend on good strength in your legs and core. Another option for paddle fitness as well as general fitness are resistance bands, cheap, portable and suitable for whole body workouts.

For paddling - http://www.ebay.com/itm/StretchCordz-with-Paddles-DRY-LAND-Pool-Swim-Swi...

Or better still for overall - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ONE-HEAVY-DUTY-RESISTANCE-BAND-POWER-HOME-GYM...

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/OZ-Latex-Resistance-Bands-Exercise-Yoga-Home-...

Like surfing the key is consistency and nothing beats the specificity of the actual exercise so get out as much as you can.

Reverse shoulder rolls are good, not using a dumbell just the 10kg weight,
Do heaps equal amount each arm,
Not sure of all the names of techniques but another is using the weight as a dumbbell,
Another is slowly moving arm over head and behind neck stretching tris and biceps. This might also be good for your shoulders and upper back.
Situps holding the weight
Squats and those lunges although more weight is better.
Raising arms sideways from hip to above head heaps of others you could think of but that's about all I stick with.

And not 12 eggs a day but 60.

Haha GS.
Where is the old boy, I miss him;)

Fuck the gym shit ... just warm up on the beach and surf more. You need time in the water, paddling, sitting, catching waves, trying to stand up, falling off, etc. It's time in the water that helps you progress.

If you're land locked and only surf weekends, go do a few laps in the local pool a few times a week to keep the arms and shoulders moving, and maybe some street cruising skateboarding (to get the feel and sensation of moving forward while body turned 90 degrees to your forward motion, and then sense the use of heels and toe movement to turn the board).

If ya got week arms, a few push ups every day will help you on getting to ya feet easier.

Otherwise, just surf. Lessons will help you get past the basics and would be well worth the investment if ya really keen. Do a lesson a week as long as you can practice in the meantime. You'll get the most out of your lessons if you can surf at least a 5 times between each lesson. Get the surf coach to assess your board, the right board will have you surfing a LOT sooner.

Time in the water, surfing, paddling, catching waves, trying to stand up ... that's the key. That's where most of us learned how to surf, albeit when we were young. It takes time, it's not easy, but the reward is lifelong.

wingnut2443 wrote:

If you're land locked and only surf weekends...

Yep, that is my problem. Also I don't really get into swimming laps in pools. I know it would be beneficial but still can't find the motivation for it. I'm going to try some of those resistance bands.

Hey Dan11, I'm right there with you. Here are a couple of my thoughts on taking up the sport as an older recruit. YMMV.

Started with surfing lessons not quite a year ago for my 40th. I've become obsessed, but surfing has given me an outlet. I'm a happier person now and I think (hope?) those around me benefit from that.

I live close to the water and a small variety of breaks, which has been key. Since i brought home my first board last July I try to get out 4 or 5 times a week whenever possible. Not that it shows in the water. ;-)
I can't get into training in a gym or pool, but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt.

I had wanted to surf for a few years before, but an acquaintance had told me to start at my age, I would need to commit to going out every day, no matter the conditions, for one year. Looking back, I should have given it a go earlier. But 'everyday, one year' is good advice for managing expectations. When my life was at a point where I could put in the time, I made it a priority.

A couple surprises from my learning period:
-Surfing will get you fit. Bonus!
-Surfing is difficult, don't let some ripping 10-yr old tell you any different.
-If you aren't the instant gratification type, the loooooong, slow learning curve is addictive. I still have a 'greatest wave ever' about once a week. A stable pop-up, a smoother turn, a linked turn frontside, backside, a steeper drop. Little tiny, pathetic baby steps. The first time I managed to 'pump' on a wave and build some speed I was so excited I just about cried.

Things I wish I had done more:
-Taken more lessons on a big fat foam board to build fundamentals.
-Taken more trips to good beginner waves. A couple sessions in bad conditions at the Pass in Byron were landmarks in my advancement.
-Spent more time and money choosing the right board. I was a little impatient and ended up with a few boards which have served me OK. I probably should have bought a cheap soft board for the first 2 months, then invested the $$$ to buy a good long board and a good funboard shape which would have taken me to about now in my progression.

df,sounds like your hooked.Reading your post bought back memories of my first tube ride that i made and it was in front of a few swimmers and one lady commented that it looked fantastic,haha probably looked shite but was i so pumped after,couldnt get enough.That was along time ago.
All i can say to you is remember the golden rules of Dont drop in,always look behind you to make sure no one is in the way if you duck dive or bail your board,dont paddle out in front of other surfers respect others and most importantly have fun.Good luck.