so, I'm off to Costa Rica in 3 weeks, to surf, hang out on the beach, and basically, do nothing.

I was just curious if any of you know how to surf and if you could offer some pointers.

I fully expect this post to go surf board, but you never know.

You need to be strong to really ride a real wave. Popping up against real gusts of water took FOREVER!!!

I like a wider board because I feel more stable, and I like the foam boards because they're more bouncy. Helps when you're trying to get up.

is it trying to spring away from you? what do you mean by strong?? is it hard to keep balance? is it bobbing?

That's why having your feet planted correctly is so important because the board is bigger than you. You have to be situated in a way that you can navigate it.

Well when your paddling out, your arms can get really tired. And you're on your stomach or your knees. When a wave comes you literally have to pop up or jump up so that you can catch the momentum of the wave before it's gone. It feels similar to doing a burpee.

i'm going to practice burpee's for the next 3 weeks and a lot of swimming to build up some arm strength

Having control of your core will help you balance.

based on your posts anyway...

***
I'm tryna be better off, not better than...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj1boCpJUVg

Asian dude in my band used to walk around the bar snatching up people's drinks when they turned their head or walked away...

he called it surfing.

shit was disgusting.

My brothers both surf and I used to occasionally as a teenager... was a always a much better skateboarder and snowboarder though.

Longboards are great for starting as they've got a bit more buoyancy... much more forgiving than a regular board.

Don't put pressure on yourself - have fun with it. The tenser you get, the less you'll get it. Surfing's a lot like skating or skiing/snowboarding I find... it's all feel. Keep your knees loose to absorb the ups and downs and your head up so you don't plow into anyone! :)

If you're getting nowhere, get a bodyboard for a couple of hours and have some fun. There's no shame in it if you've got a smile on your face!

>
>Don't put pressure on yourself - have fun with it. The tenser
>you get, the less you'll get it. Surfing's a lot like skating
>or skiing/snowboarding I find... it's all feel. Keep your
>knees loose to absorb the ups and downs and your head up so
>you don't plow into anyone! :)

first time out snowboarding i was able to hit black diamond runs, it came naturally to me, and mostly because i wasn't afraid to fall, so i am hoping to have similar results in the water, thanks for the advise!

>
>If you're getting nowhere, get a bodyboard for a couple of
>hours and have some fun. There's no shame in it if you've got
>a smile on your face!

yeahhh!!