This is where I add interesting things and answer your questions.
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Watch this. It’s epic. Lego man surfing
Hi,
Have a quick question. If I’m free surfing at a very competitive break like Lower Trestles I notice
some guys are out not to surf but obstruct my surfing is there a way to overcome this athletically/tactically?
Also, what if these kooks start working together to block waves, is there competative surf strategies that help overcome these
“surfers” so I can focus more on my surfing. I did try surfing less know waves but noticed it is very hard to practice good technique
on 2- 5 second close out waves that come rarely.
Surfing with crowds can be very annoying.
Hi,
Being a faster paddler is great and means you can get more waves.
Taking off and sitting deeper on the peak is good to get the inside. It’s a good idea not to go for every set that comes, let the others paddle for a set and move yourself up the line up or deeper on the peak while they’re looking at the set.
I don’t think dropping is a good idea, but sometimes if you go for a wave and look like you’re going to go no matter what(even if you won’t if someone is on it) people tend to pull back and let you go.
Watch the waves, see where it’s breaking consistently and go there, try not to follow the crowd, a lot of people sit where others are sitting because they think that others must be in the best spot but it’s not always the case.
Good luck with the waves
Cheers
Christo
Christo! Nice to meet you. If your taking off on a steep wave with a ten foot face or bigger what is the technique? Do you have to set your rail right away? Or do you put a lot of weight on your front foot? Can you help me because I have a hard time when waves get about 4-5 foot. Thanks a bunch!
Hi Chad,
Thanks for your email.
I’m putting together a lot of new lessons at the moment and they should be on the site in a couple of weeks. I’ll make sure there’s some good lessons on making the drop on bigger and steeper waves.
In brief. The way to make the drop better on bigger and steeper waves is to make sure you paddle very hard, to keep you in front of the wave as it breaks and keep you under the lip, keep your focus down the wave, always look down at the bottom of the wave. Keep your weight on your front foot.
The most important thing is making the drop and once you are comfortably up and riding, then set your rail.
If you paddle slow or don’t focus on the bottom of the waves. Thats when you get pitched and go over the falls.
I hope this is helpful.
Happy Surfing
Christo
hey,
I am having a lot of trubble getting my cut backs good because I always seem to not get a good amount of speed, can you think I could try anything… I am on a 6’1 short board
thanks
Hey Sonnie,
Check out my vid on cutbacks and I am in the process of making another vid on cutbacks with some examples, they will be very helpful.
Make sure you have speed before you start the cutback. Stay close to the break/foam, don’t go too wide, often people lose too much speed before they start their cutbacks because they start the cutback too late and they’re out on the face too wide. All the speed and power on the wave is close to the breaking part/pocket.
Get low as you go into the turn, look where you want to go and use your front arm to point where you want to go, this helps you get your whole body in the right position.
1. Stay close to the break.
2. Setup with a bottom turn.
3. Get low.
4. Look where you want to go and point with your front arm.
5. Keep your board turning all the time. When you watch a pro surfer they’re always going from one turn straight into the next. This keeps your speed.
Hope this has been helpful.
Have fun
Christo
Love the vids Christo! This last one is cool because I wanted to be able to hold my breathe longer. I have a fear of surfing when the waves get bigger that Ill get held down and cant hold my breath long enough. Now I feel I can practice this and charge harder. Right on and mahalo!
Hi Christo,
Thanks for the first free lesson. I received this one on Sunday and this morning was the first time in the water since watching the video. I really like the way you provide a visual using the bank to demonstrate what you mean. I found that I was turning later and in the steeper part of the wave this morning rather than being too high up and projecting out the face of the wave. It gave me more speed and felt good.
At the moment I am balancing kids, work and X-Mass but aim to be in the water heaps more after X-Mass when I have 4 weeks off.
Thanks for the tips in this first Vid.
Scotty
Hi Christo!
How’s it going? is the ocean pumping?
It was very welcome your last tip about breathing. To be honest I had no idea about it. Nice one!
I’d like to ask you about how to manage the peak properly.
See, althought I’ve seen all kind of waves in my local beach
such as fast barrels, spilling waves, dumping waves etc…
what we generally get are mushy waves. I mean not very steep waves.
Those waves required a very tiring strong paddling in order to catch them.
Besides I have to deal with annoying longboarders.
My question is Could you give any advice about how to manage the peak?
or how can I place myself in order to catch more waves saving energy?
I would appreciate some advice. sometimes I struggle with those fluffy waves.
I hope you do understand my ( Spanglish) explanation otherwise please let me know it.
David Vega. Cantabria. Spain
Thanks a lot.
Hi David,
Thanks for your email.
When the waves are soft, it’s best to take off a bit deeper on the waves than you would normally. This will help you catch them easier too.
When it’s crowded and there’s a lot of long boarders it can be tricky to get waves because they can get on to them earlier than you if you’re on a short board.
Try to sit deep on the peak, so you will have the inside position when a set wave comes.
Let me know how you go.
Thanks
Christo