I want to try surfing -- can I do it? Or will I kill myself??

Question

I am female.. 33... somewhat fit (5'6", 125 lbs). I am not athletic (I get injured easily) and I have pretty weak upper body strength (plus I have a RSI on my right wrist)... but I am dying to try surfing -- can I do it? Or will I kill myself??

Answer 1

Of course you can. Surfing is a great way to stay fit and have fun. You will want to take some lessons and make sure you learn on a longboard. Don't worry about being out of shape. Every time you go you will get stronger.

Have fun and good luck,

The Surfboard Man

http://www.thesurfboardman.com/

Answer 2

Find a local place to take lessons.  This way you will know how to do it the right way.

Answer 3

I would definetly tke a lot of surf lessons just to make sure you won't get hurt or drown :)  Surfing is a great experience, I've been there done that today!

Answer 4

sounds like you will hurt yourself

but

some risks are worth it

Answer 5

I"m like you....Ok my friend wanted to surf so we looked online and found easy cheap lessons

Answer 6

Hi lulu,

I think everyone can have a go at surfing. I would highly recommend getting a lesson though for your first few attempts. This way you can use their equipment and will have someone there to help you out with catching waves and how to stand.

If you have time before you go surfing, maybe spend some time in a pool and swim. In no time you will build some upper body strength and also feel more confident when out in the surf.

Good luck with it all. I am sure you will love it.

mesurf

www.mesurf.com.au

[e-mail]

Answer 7

find a local surf place and here is some tips!

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.

What you want to do when you lay on a surf board 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.

Mark The Balance Point

A good tip is to find this balance point is to lay on your board then make a mark right at your chin. This 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.

Pearling

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.

Corking

Too much weigh in the back and the board will cork. 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.

Paddle With The Crawl Stroke

Do not paddle with both arms simultaneously because this will cause the board to speed up and slow down in the water and you will not be able to maintain constant hull speed through the water. Always paddle with the crawl stroke...one arm and then the other alternatively. This will provide you with a constant speed so you can catch that wave.

Sitting On The Board

Ok, so now we know how to lie on the board and paddle the board. Now it's time to learn how to sit on the board. The first time try this you may be quite wobbly. The key to doing this well is being calm, or trying to be still. The less movement that you make, the easier you will find it is to do this. All the other skills of surfing will improve as you learn to be "calm" while surfing.

Standing On The Board

Now it's time to learn how to stand up. This is something you have been doing all your life. Lie on your chest, your head up, looking ahead. Put your hands on the board beside your shoulders, palms down like you were going to do a push up. Push your upper body up and at the same time sweep your feet under you. Make sure your feet are laying on the stringer, the line down the middle of the board. This move keeps your weight centered along the stringer.

When you come up, remember to keep low. If you stand erect you will fall. Assume a position of a sumo wrestler. Press your feet shoulder width apart and "grip the board in your feet", opposite of the way you would press your thighs together on a horse. Have your hands a bit higher than your waist and just in view of your vision. Always look up! If you look at your feet, you will fall down. I promise!

Practice This For Hours.

Have someone watch you and have them critique your performance. Practice jumping up without making a sound on the floor. Calm and controlled is the smoothest way to approach this...so practice doing it quietly. If you have a surfboard, lay it on a large bed or in the sand and do this exercise. This is a way for you to judge your ability to be controlled.

Safety:

Never have your board between yourself and the coming waves!

To avoid collision with others, keep a safe distance, say fifteen feet or the length of you, your leash and board combined.

Beginners should always wear a leash or leg rope tied to their surfboard.

Every beginner surfboard should also have a safety nose guard to prevent dangerous impacts with the surfboard nose.

Beginners should always surf with a buddy for safety, plus it is cool to share your surf experiences with someone else.

Never push your board through the water fin first. The fin or fins were made to keep the board pointing nose first. Pushing the board fins first can be quite dangerous because the board wants to go the other direction.

Beginner surfers should consider wearing a vest, rash guard or tee shirt to avoid the rubbed rash they will get on their stomach and chest.

When you fall off your board, cover the back of your head with your hands, with your wrists over your ears and your elbows together. Stay under water for a moment longer than necessary.

There are companies that make helmets and this is another alternative.

When you come up, try to be facing the oncoming waves and look for your board's location immediately. Loose boards, propelled by the strength of the ocean, are very dangerous objects for swimmers.

Surfing Etiquette

The first standing surfer that is closest to the breaking wave has the right of way on that wave. Anyone paddling for that wave must quit. There are natural repercussions to not following this rule that can be very dangerous.

Most known surf spots have locals who surf that spot every day and some believe that they "own the beach". We all know that this is not the case. Having said that, the stranger, no matter their ability, should endeavor to show some respect for these social dinosaurs.

The surfer riding the wave has the right of way and the paddlers who are paddling out must yield. This means that the paddlers must paddle out of the way whenever possible, even if it is into the breaking wave or behind the rider. If you are paddling for a wave and someone is paddling out toward you, make eye contact with that person and indicate your intentional direction in reference to them. A nod in the direction you are going can work.

sorry for such a long answer!

good luck xoxox

Answer 8

yeah surfing is more not-giving-up then anything else. try it. even if your not good, its nice being out in the ocean with some friends.

Answer 9

If you want to do it then do it but do it right!

Take lessons from the pros. You can find small classes on many beaches. Just don't jump in and do it without some proper training.

Good luck!

Answer 10

Well, some folks who frequent this site are going to gripe that I cut and pasted this answer. However, your question has come up quite a few times. I have too note, that you are more honest than most about your limitations.  It is only fair that you carefully consider that surfing is an ocean sport. before you decide to surf, decide to know and understand the ocean. Learn to be at home with its currents, rips, undertows and sometimes BIG waves. The original surfers were watermen (and women, both men and women surfed, but certain waves were reserved for royalty).

I don't just mean being good at swimming in a pool, the ocean can be very unforgiving. I have seen lots of really good pool swimmers have to get rescued. You have to learn surf etiquette (so the experienced surfers in the line up don't want to drown you), how to paddle and take off on a wave, and how to ride a wave.

Lessons are usually the best way to start, you are not an adolescent or young adult with lots of pals who surf who can teach you. Go to a real surf shop. The folks there can hook you up with lessons, and even rent you a board to learn on. Just work on your basics, and after you feel good, think about buying a board, but don't rush into anything. And, please don't waste your time (or money) buying something on line.

Be careful of what you read here on line. There are lots of really well meaning young folks who have neat answers about surfing, but at 56, I tend to classify anyone under 25 as a kid. After I found this site, I figured that I could answer a few questions, and spread the 'good news' of surfing. After you learn to swim and master the ocean, get your REAL advice from a surf shop, where industry professionals earn their rent money selling surfboards. However, if they think you are just a 'kook' tourist out to rent a board, you won't necessarily get the best attention.

I have been surfing since 1966, and I am always glad to see someone new want to start surfing. Be enthusiastic, but cautious too. Take time to learn the right way, and please don't buy anything until you have had a chance to try several different types of boards.

If you really want to try it, work on your ocean swimming skills first. Swim in the ocean, body surf,and boogie board for a while. When you feel comfortable in the ocean, get some lessons. If you still feel like you want to keep on surfing, you'll be surprised how hard you will work to improve your athleticism.

I have been surfing since 1966, and I think it's great that you want to try. take your time, and do it the right way, and you may be pleasantly surprised how well you can do. The RSI is probably because you spend too much time on one of these (computer) and none in the surf! Give it a try, be careful, be comfortable in the ocean first, and then go for it!

Answer 11

its not CAN you do it, its Di i want to do it, and you do so why not??? surfing is a great sport and it is so much fun once you get the hang of it!!!but im not going to ly to you and say that it is all fun and no work, it take alot of practice to get it right. plus there are many water risks many beginners get disapointed when they cant catcha wave, but with work, you can ride your wave in no time. i would adivse you to actually go to your local and find an instructor, if you cant find one, rent your own surfboard. What size???- the bigger the better for a beginner....try anything 8ft and up, it will be easier to ride....then go to a beach wich allows surfing and even though this ounds corny, try practicing your pop-ups on the beach........ there is a proper way to do this(you on your stomach and you want you body parellel with the board, then your gona want to put your hands right below the arm-pitts and your b***s....dont grab the rails- the pop-up is kinda like a sweeping of your leg move)... once you do this figur out wich foot is you back foot when you pop-up and put your lease on that foot....then walk out in to the water(dont try to paddle out yet)...just walk out and catch a few white water waves, but dont stand up yet...just boggy-board on your surfboard so you get the feel of the waves...once you done this a couple times, then try to catch your first mushy white water wave... once you see the wave you want,start to paddle and once you feel the wave pick you up and you start to go fast, pop up...try try try again till you get it

Answer 12

Find a soft top board and go on a calm day maybe find a friend who surfs who will take you

Answer 13

:)

Answer 14

it depends where you are

Answer 15

You can totally do it.  Practice, practice, practice and have the proper supervision.

Try scuba and skydiving lessons after that!

Answer 16

if u really want to try it u should do it with a surf instructor so you wont get hurt.

Answer 17

You can do anything remember you only live once !!!!!

Just don't work to hard =]

Answer 18

That avatar freaks me out. Learning at a small break would be a good idea. Your athletic abilities and upper body strength can be improved with surfing. You're not to old, and you shouldn't have regrets in life. Go for it.

Answer 19

please don't! too dangerous and one must be in super fit cxondition to surf!! riptides will kill you!!