Grandmas Gone Surfing
Let's go to the videotape
Sunday was a nice sunny day with little waves. I., who I've just met, was kind enough to make a videotape of me trying to surf. I just watched it it in stop action, allowing me to see exactly how I look out there in painful detail.
It made me tired just to watch it, and to think I've gone through this a thousand times.
Other than how ugly I am and how stupid I look in a wetsuit, I learned about how I'm trying to surf. I am going to break it down for you in painful detail, because though I can describe what I'm doing, I'm still not sure what I'm doing wrong. Hopefully some of you can help.
1) I begin paddling into the wave, in perfect time to catch it. Contrary to what I thought, my feet are not together on the board but seem to be hanging off the sides, meaning I am not, as I was taught to do, using my toes to push up.
2) Having caught the wave, I start to push up with my arms. My elbows are not yet fully extended. At this point my butt is still down.
3) As I push up and fully extend my arms, my butt goes up in the air. Presumably this means I am now on both knees.
4) I bring my right knee forward underneath my chest, foot and knee facing forward, weight still on my left knee.
5) Still leaning forward onto my arms and holding on with my hands, I lift up my left knee.
6) Hands still on the rails, with my right knee still facing forward, I start to slide my left foot up. As has been pointed out to me, I look just like a runner about to start a race.
7) I fall.
8) All of this takes place in 68 seconds.
Help!
posted by Grandma @ 6/11/2006 09:36:00 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
I don't know how to get the video onto the computer, let alone this blog.
But I really appreciate your comments---I had a feeling it was the butt, the minute I saw it.
Your back foot's already on the board, no? From the time you start the paddle? It's a matter of turning it and putting your weight on it, but it doesn't move very far from where it starts out---I think.
The wonder is that I ever, accidentally, do it right---but I don't have a video of that. To top things off, I have a bad back too.
We need to see the video. Sign on to youtube.com and put it on there. Then give us a link to it so we can watch.
Hey, Grandma!! Have you ever had a time when you were down on the floor (for whatever reason) and saw something that you wanted to get away from? I bet you jumped up off the floor and fast! Think of your pop-up in the same way. You have to make it quick. And you have to stop over-thinking it. Still, we need to see the vid.
My two cents...
I see this a lot with folks who have trouble taking off, and it sounds like the same from your description: both feet should be hitting the board at the same time. The drag-the-back-leg-up method is not conducive to quickly gaining control of the board when moving from prone to a standing position. You will be more than likely leaning over the rail as you pull your second foot forward. In fact, you can test this out by standing on the ground and simulating. When you have one leg under your chest between your two extended arms, and your other leg extended behind you (as you would be getting up in a two stage motion as you described), where is all your weight going? Probably to one arm or the other. This is a pretty effective way to dump yourself off the board. Work on "popping" up from prone to standing in one motion. This doesn't necessarily mean you need to go from chest on the board to on your feet all at once. Often time I will sight the waves direction by pushing my chest off the board, so that my arms are at full extension, and my thighs and lower legs are still flat on the board, back arched. When I'm ready, I move from there to both feet on the board, which incorporates doing a half-down/ back up to full pushup that shoves the board down the face a little further, which allows me to also gain some momentum into standing position. It sounds like a lot, but it becomes second nature if you practice, and don't let yourself be lazy in moving both legs together... good luck!
Alan M, if you're still here, I'd like your comments. I do think I am doing the dragging the back leg up. In fact I have spent time making another video on land, watching it in stop motion, to determine if, in fact, my back foot ever comes up off the board or not! It is very difficult to tell, either from doing it or watching the video. I think mostly the back foot stays on the board the whole time, in the same position (on my board I am just tall enough so that my toes rest on the end of the board as I am paddling) and all I do is pivot it so it faces the side instead of the back. However, at times it seems my heel is up and my toes are in the air, so the back foot may be making a little hop.
After reading your comment, I tried to consciously lift both legs up at the same time. I was able to do it, however: all my weight is still on my right arm! (I am goofy foot,) I don't see how you can do this without all of your weight being on that arm, because the arm is the only thing holding you up at that point, before your feet get on the board and you get balanced! What are you saying I should do?If all my weight should be distributed evenly between both arms, then I cannot do the "twist" or pivot that gets my body from facing the front of the board to facing the side. Are you saying all of my weight should transfer from my arm to my feet instantaneously, so that it's only on the one arm for a second? Is that it? Because I don't see how your weight can not be on one arm for at least a split second.
Hi again! - It is difficult, but to maintain equal weight across both arms is what you are trying to achieve. When you push up, you want to feel your "center" around your chest area, and you pull your legs up underneath this "center". It is also important to feel that your "center" is around on the center balance point of the board too. I'm sorry, but I have trouble explaining body mechanics... anyway... have you ever stood up in a small rowboat or canoe? It's similar, in that a lower center of gravity and keeping your weight evenly distributed helps you from rocking the boat (excuse the pun).
Another analogy that may help: think of your shoulders and chest as the bar on a swingset,and your lower body is the chains and seat. The bar remains stationary, but the weight of your lower body swings from behind the bar to underneath the bar. Of course your legs have to bend, but the weight shift is the same in relation to the "bar". It takes practice, and that is really what will help in the long run. Repeated attempts will help your muscle memory kick in so that eventually you won't be thinking about how you're getting to your feet. You will be reacting to where you want to go on the wave as you're getting to your feet. Practice at home on the floor. Try to get up as smoothly and quickly as possible. Over time in the water, uou will learn to absorb bumps and rolls of the water against the board. You needn't be stiff, you want to be able to absorb shocks. Think modern dance, think graceful. Let me know if I can be clearer. Oh yeah, also try watching other surfers live, or better yet, on video do it. I recommend "Longer" by J. Brother. It features Joel Tudor in all size waves and types of boards. You see how in each segment lots of great footage from take-off to kickout. Slow it down and disect. I've learned a lot from videos over the years... good luck!
Here is a simple, proven, and effective way to improve your pop-up:
Do 10 pop-ups on your bed every night. In your head try to keep a mental picture of a good, clean pop-up.
That's it.
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