The Journey Towards Having More FUN Surfing

Which provides more propulsion when paddling - a straight hand or a cupped hand?

In this Paddling Mythbusting episode, I share a simple experiment I conducted to determine whether a cupped hand or a straight hand provides more propulsive force.  

Let me know if you have any questions.  

Until then, I'll see you in the water!

Learn more paddling technique in the Level 1 online course or come visit me for the full Level 1 or Level 2 paddling technique courses. 

Back again with another Paddling Mythbusting episode.  Today, we’re going to investigate whether pushing water up at the end of the stroke is helpful or not. 

I know, it definitely sounds and feels like it does something.  But does it really?  Let's find out...

Thank you so much for watching and I hope this helps. 

If you like this, check out the Level 1 online course or come visit me for the full Level 1 or Level 2 paddling technique courses. 

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One of our very own Surfing Paddling community members paddled the Catalina Classic (again) this month.  And boy, was this year a tough one.  That crossing is a difficult paddle even in the best of conditions, but this year’s race was particularly challenging. 

Here is Brian’s story of perseverance and sheer grit from his own first-person account:

This August I had the great privilege to compete in my 3rd Catalina Classic 32 Mile Paddle Board Race (https://catalinaclassicpaddleboardrace.com/). This race has a long and storied history, dating back to Tom Blake and two others paddling from Palos Verdes to Catalina Island in 1932. The current form of the race started in 1955, lead by Bob Hogan, and would start on the isthmus (Two Harbors) on Catalina and end on the south side of the Manhattan Beach Pier. This year, 2021, saw the 44th edition of the race in this format.

After the race, I wrote up about 5 pages on this year's...

I’ve heard a common complaint from surfers that has something to do with elbow pain.  Many ask if there is a certain paddling technique that aggravates a discomfort they might feel in the elbow. 

There are a few incorrect paddling movements that might be the cause of the pain.  And there are a few activities that have nothing to do with paddling which are more often a primary cause of the pain in the elbow.

This video investigates elbow pain when paddling. Where could it come from? And how to prevent/recover from it.

Enjoy!

How well do you rotate along your long axis, from your head to your feet, when paddling?  It's such a subtle technique, but as you'll see in this video, critical to reducing drag, increasing propulsion, and reducing potential injury when paddling. 

Hope you enjoy!  Let me know if you have any questions!  

Want to help another surfer?  Become a Paddling SUPPORTER for only $3/month!  Your contribution helps keep these resources free for those that can't afford the more personal and customized training.  When more surfers are using better paddling technique, there is less fatigue, and therefore less frustration in the lineup.  Win-win for everyone!  

Ever been told that you should enter the water with your thumb first to cut drag?  Did you ever wonder if that was okay?

In this paddling technique Mythbusting episode, we break down whether or not there's an advantage to entering thumb first or not. We discuss impacts to shoulder injuries and efficiency of movement of one paddling technique over another.

Hope you enjoy.

If you did, and you think this might help a friend of yours, please feel free to share it.

I hate to say this, but unless you experience the Kelly Slater Surf Ranch yourself, it’s hard to imagine the spectrum of emotions, thoughts and feelings that drive you to share your experience with everyone you meet. I’ve coached there five times now, and have had the opportunity to surf it twice, and can attest that there is something special about the experience.

The night before you get to surf the wave for the first time, your heart pounds faster than a drum roll. You then attempt to calm it through a variety of breathing and meditation techniques. The effect is negligible before you begin again to imagine yourself blowing the wave, or not making the barrel, or not being able to catch it, and your heart rate goes up again. And this is all the night before you arrive.

Upon arrival, with little to no deep sleep, the roller coaster begins again with your heart rate as you try your hardest to understand where you’re supposed to sit in the basin, how to decipher...

An interesting question was asked recently.  How do I judge skill level for surfers.  It was mostly interesting because I don’t think I’m qualified to judge anyone’s surfing ability.  And the more I thought about it, I judge my own surfing a little differently than one might think.  Check out this video on how I judge my own surfing skill level, and also to learn a sneaky side-effect of looking at your skill level from this perspective (you actually progress your surfing faster this way). 

 For information on the Level 1 and Level 2 paddling courses, to help you gain confidence in the above video's philosophy, feel free to contact me to have a chat about how to get started.  

The other day I was asked by a client about something he had heard from another surfer.  He said the surfer told him to enter wide and then pull into the centerline of the body, then push back, kind of like a "Y" motion.  He wanted to know what I thought.  

In this surfing paddling mythbusting, we investigate whether or not entering the hands wide is a good thing; or whether it's a myth.  

Hope you enjoy.  Please feel free to reach out with questions.  I'm only an email or phone call away.  

Take a Level 1 or Level 2 Paddling Technique Course in person, one-on-one.  

OR

Check out the Level 1 Online Course or Virtual Coaching

OR

Come have some fun riding for minutes at a time on your board with our Boat Surfing program - The Keys Surf Club.  

Adding more power to your paddling doesn’t involve pushing harder most of the time.  It’s simply using the tools at your disposal. 

In this quick video, we investigate one of the often overlooked tools you have ready and able to use in order to gain more power in your paddling.  

If you've ever felt like you should move faster when you paddle, or felt like waves pass you right by, then this video is a must watch.  

Let me know if you have any questions!  I'm here to help and am stoked to have a chat.  

If you haven't taken the Level 1 Paddling Technique Course, I highly recommend it.  Learn more here (online and in-person training).  

Cheers!

Rob