The Journey Towards Having More FUN Surfing
Surfing means different things to different people, but should always remain at its core
Fun
Lack of progression and fatigue leads to frustration which then leads to an unpleasant lineup. Nobody wants that. The first step in thwarting this downward spiral is to improve your entire surfing experience, from the pre-surf ritual, paddling out, deciding on a spot to surf, making adjustments, choosing the wave for you, riding with flow, kicking out, sharing with others, and finally exiting the water to talk story with others afterwards. At its root, to have more fun means to improve. It doesn't matter where you start in this journey of progression, from novice to pro, you can always improve and enjoy the experience of surfing just a little ... bit ... more.
Surf Simply Podcast
Surf Simply Podcast Surfing Paddling Technique
One of the most fun things I get to do is work with surfers on improving their surfing paddling technique, which in turn helps with their energy efficiency, power, and overall surfing experience.
In this surf simply podcast, I had the opportunity to share a few nuggets of information on paddling technique as well as nerd out on the technical side of paddling a surfboard.
Hope you enjoy and learn something new...
Cheers,
Rob
Learn to Paddle Like World Champion John John Florence
John john Florence Sprint Paddling Technique
John John Florence is a great example of a strong paddler. In this video, John John Florence Sprint Paddling Technique, we investigate some key elements of a sprint paddling technique, which is slightly different than a regular paddling stroke. When do we sprint? Catching a wave, avoiding getting caught inside, or battling for priority in a competition.
Even though we spend less than 5% of our paddling time sprinting, it's a pretty important aspect to our arsenal!
The video goes more into detail of the following John John Florence Sprint Paddling Technique. Here is a summary:
- Entry angle is steeper. When sprinting as opposed to regular paddling, the Lift phase (or the first phase) of the underwater armstroke is shortened because in this scenario, we’re really focused on getting our hand and forearm to the front propulsive phase of the stroke which is the second phase of the underwater...
The Most Common Surfing Paddling Fallacy
Every once in a while I hear someone provide a paddling technique which I would consider the most common mistaken belief. How many of you have been told this exact thing?Check it out...
Surf Mastery Podcast
If you haven't listened to the Surf Mastery Podcast, you are missing out on a wealth of information.
I had the honor of speaking with Michael Frampton, the creator of the Surf Mastery Podcast, and couldn't have had a better time sharing a few of the topics I discuss in my Surfing Paddling Academy Camps, Workshops, and Online course.
In this podcast, you'll learn about some fundamental, yet often overlooked, paddling techniques that will extend your surf session duration, increase your wave count, and decrease the probability of shoulder injury through incorrect mechanics.
Listen to or download the podcast here.
As always, if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
Learn to Paddle on a Surfboard - Part 6 of 6 Knee Paddling on a Paddleboard
In this last section in the series on paddling, we investigate the techniques used when knee paddling on a paddleboard. While this is rarely used in the surfing world, by understanding how the mechanics work and why, we gain further insight into the mechanics of the previous situations we've already covered.
Learn to Paddle on a Surfboard - Part 5 of 6 Paddling Prone on a Paddleboard
On to the last type of craft we're covering in this series on paddling. Prone paddleboards.
Prone paddleboards obviously have the highest design advantage, so it is even more critical we use that advantage when we paddle. There are some subtle techniques used that differ from the other crafts we've covered so take a look...
Learn to Paddle on a Surfboard - Part 4 of 6 Catching a Wave on a LongBoard
Like I said in the other Longboard post, there are distinct advantages that Longboards have naturally. But one can hinder those advantages when paddling casually as well as when catching waves. This video will outline the general guideline for paddling technique when catching a wave or sprinting. Hope you enjoy!
Lessons from Mark Healey
During one of my Q&A sessions, I used a clip from Mark Healey paddling to point out some paddling techniques he uses and why or why not we might want to avoid those techniques.
