Off the Lip - Throwing Buckets – Steps to Creating a Fan Spray

There’s an oozing sensation brewing in your belly.  You’re a little tired paddling back out in the midst of a set, you’re trying to make it under each next up and coming wave, and you’re doing your best to watch, and watch out for on coming shredders throwing buckets out of each turn down the line as they approach you.  As you barely make it over another set wave, a surfer in perfect flow drifts and fades low to the bottom of the wave, letting him/herself get right behind the foam ball.  As you crest over the wave they’re on as you continue to paddle out, the surfer goes out of site for a few seconds…  You look back, and woosh, splitter, gcrash! Buckets of water are hucked out the back of the wave, leaving you drenched, enamored, and longing to someday be that guy or girl who throws those buckets yourself.

If you know that feeling, Then here’s a few basic steps you’ll need to hurl yourself as the new bucket slinger in town:

*  Yes, yes, yes, speed is the key.  The faster you go, the more spray potential…but we all knew this.  Ok, lets begin.

**   Visualization-  Have you ever noticed in surf videos that most surfers who are hitting the lip right in the crease between the foam ball and the lip, began the entire turn from behind the foam ball.  Basically, what you need to do when you’re going down the line, pumping and getting your speed, is think about the fact that you need to get to the bottom of the wave, behind the foam by fading the wave, so that you can then come from behind it with speed and really eye up the section you want to hit.

1.  The idea is that you need to fade your bottom turn behind the wave, behind the foam ball, so that you can see the corner pocket of the section you want to hit.  When you can see the pocket curling down the line, then you just practice, over and over, getting your timing down so that you can come straight up and get it.

2.  When you get to the corner pocket, rotate with your arms, then push as hard as can with your back leg;  this is how you throw buckets!

3.  Don’t celebrate too early, the wave is not over.  Fade your bottom turn behind the foam ball again, always keeping your eyes on the corner pocket that your going to time and come back up and hit again all the way down the line!

Surfboards

Let's start with the obvious: Surfboards are made to float on the water. They have a natural center of gravity. If you were to lay any surfboard in a swimming pool, it would come to rest the same way every time. This is what we want to do when you lay on a surf board. That is to have the board remain in the same relation to the water as it was without your weight on it, just a bit lower in the water. A good tip is to find this balance point and lay on your board then make, a mark right at your chin. This is a spot is best made with a bit of wax or a magic marker. It is a reference point that enables you to put your chin on the same spot every time so the board will react to your weight the same way every time.

If the board's nose digs into the water it is called pearling and you must move the location of "your chin" back. To adjust, just slide back an inch from the mark and make a mental note.

Too much weight in the back and the board will cork the board. This is a common mistake amongst beginners. You cannot catch a wave if you are corking your board. Move up an inch at a time till the board lies in the water naturally. This will provide you with the maximum hull speed and minimum drag from the water displacement that you are causing with your weight.

Warm-Up and Workout Fitness Exercises

Surf Training: Warm-Up and Workout Fitness Exercises

Try this fitness exercises for your surfing and pre-surfing workouts. Remember that you could improve 30% of your surfing fitness if you simply add two workout sessions, twice a week, at home or in your local gym. Surfing is a very complete sport. It requires swimming skills, sense of balance, decision taking and constant muscle interactions. Before hitting waves, try these physical warm up fitness schemes to avoid injuries: 1. Go for a light jogging during four minutes. You body will start engines and increase your heart rate, breathing and blood circulation. 2. Swing your legs and arms. 3. Slowly try to reach your fingers to your feet. 4. Swing your leg backwards and forwards. 5. Stretch your leg muscles. 6. Rotate your head and neck. 7. Gently rotate your heel to exercise the whole foot articulation. 8. Inhale deeply and exhale vigorously a few times. 9. Make very quick and short runs back and forth. 10. Elevate your arms and join the palm of your hand above your head, as higher as you can. Watch some surf fitness exercises that you can do at home, HERE. Also, check the best yoga poses for surfers, HERE. Now, you're ready to hit the surf. Print these 10 surfing warm-up tips and keep it next to your surfboard. Surf Injuries & Physical Limitations The main surf injuries and physical limitations of the average surfer are: * Shoulders get easily tired after and during a surfing session * Lungs do not respond to your paddle needs * Arms are slower in take-off mode * Ankle and hips do not respond in backside snaps and off-the-lips * Duck dives aren't efficient * Body cannot stand a three hour session or a two/three daily sessions * Back pain following a surfing session * Neck pain following a surfing session * Body cramps while surfing Surf Food and Sports Nutrition A balanced diet is the perfect choice for surfers: * A smoothie a day is a fantastic way to to keep fit * Enjoy orange juice, carrots, tomatoes and ground flax seeds * Add vegetables to your meat or fish daily dishes * Eat many small meals a day * Reduce the number of hamburgers you're having every week * Drink two litres of water every day * Eat two bananas before surfing: you'll gain energy and will avoid cramps * If you enjoy a beer in the after-surf, drink a small bottle of water before it

How to prevent going over the falls - nose diving

We've all done it many times over! here's a few tips:-

1. you might be too far forward on the board, move 1 inch at a time further back to a more central position, note the front of the board shouldn't be pointing up!
2. if you're paddling with your legs up, just before you go lower your legs.
3. timing, try to catch the wave as early as possible. paddle hard todo this.
4. keep a check by looking back on where the wave is - timing has to be near perfect.
5. if you feel yourself nose diving move slightly back on the board to recover it.

Rip currents, how to use them.

In heavy larger surf rips are are used to get out BUT they can also sweep your out to sea if you're not careful, make sure once you get near to where you want to go, paddle across just behind the breaking waves.

do not try to paddle back against a rip, if you feel out of your comfort zone paddle across and lay on the board and get the next wave in to shore.   if you surf near a rip they can be very handy as it takes you less time to get back out. note: don't ever get off your board in a rip.

Improving your popup

A few ways to improve your popup:-

1. keep your legs together, this helps you with a clean popup.
2. keep your hands laid flat on the board when popping up, don't grab the sides. (rails), this will stop the wobble effect.
3. keep your hands underneath you
4. if you have problems getting your legs under put one hand slightly in front of the other. (1 inch), this will help you pivot your hips to get up cleaner into it.
5. get up in one quick motion, don't kneel. speed is key, don't take your time.
6. practice your popup's at home
7. get someone to video you in the surf and play it back - you'll spot problems, i.e. slow or trailing back leg etc.
8. do pressup's, try to do 20 or more 4 times a week, this will increase your strength.

Big Drops - how to make them easier

Everyone thinks about bigger and bigger waves in surfing, developing your larger wave surfing has it's problems, main one is the drop! the drop is more critical as it's bigger and faster but if you angle the board more across the wave like in the above photo it gives you more time and makes the drop less steep, it's like in skiing you don't ski directly down the hill (unless your an Olympic skier) you traverse across the ski slope to one side, the principle is the same in surfing and you will have a better wave ride. practice in smaller waves before tackling larger waves.