Improving Surf Paddling

After surfing for many weeks at famous surfing spots in Laguna Beach: Thalia Street, Rockpile Beach, Newport Beach, San Clemente, and Trestles, I realized that my surf paddling could use improvement. 

I discovered Rob, a local surf trainer, teaches proper surf paddling techniques. He runs a website called surfpaddling.com. He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and offers online and private lessons.

I contacted Rob and discussed various training options, selecting the Level-1 Paddling Technique 4-session bundle.

4 sessions (~3 hrs each): Pool, Ocean 1, Pool/Lagoon, Ocean 2

Included:

• Level 1 Paddling Technique Lessons and Coaching
• Before/After Paddling Analysis
• LIFETIME Access to the Surfing Paddling Academy Level 1 Online Course. Begins a ter the last session.
• Guided Drill and Practice
• Breathing for Paddling
• Commentary and Practice Assignments for Continued Practice
• Two Ocean Application Sessions
• One additional Level 1 Technique Coaching Session

I purchased it on October 21, 2020. I look forward to improving my training in the upcoming sessions.
My first surf paddling session has been scheduled for Sunday, October 25, 2020, from 1:30pm to 5:00pm in Novato, CA.

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Assignments:

• Watch the beginning 3 videos in Module 1 in the Online Course to get an overview (Discover the Fundamentals, The MAP REVEALED!, Muscle Memory Method Overview).
• Module 1 –
• Watch Step 1: Get Horizontal
• Visual Cue:  Keep the nose of the board at the surface of the water on average to cut the frontal drag. 
• Once positioned in the sweet spot range of the board, practice using the other techniques to modify horizontal balance while you paddle (head, feet/legs, chest press). This is supercritical. If the nose rises more than an inch above the surface, use these techniques to drive it back down. Use these techniques to bring the nose back up if it is below the water's surface more than an inch. The goal will be to keep it at the water's surface to an inch above average. 
• Practice -  Step 1 Drill 1: Horizontal Balance Drill Dryland out of the water on an exercise ball.
• Practice - Step 1 Drill 3: Horiz. Balance Advanced Dryland
• Practice – attached thoracic spine exercises to 1. Increase mobility in your thoracic range. 2. Increase endurance 
• Feel free to contact Jim Cegelnik, DPT, with any questions about these exercises. Just mention you are taking the Level 1 course from me, and he can provide some assistance. 
• Watch Step 2: Keep It Together
• Practice – feet together, using the lower back and glutes to control lateral balance control.
• Module 2 –
• Watch Step 3: It's All About The Entry
• Good hand entry form. Continue to slice the water, and make sure the fingers enter first. 
• Practice Entry Point – 8-12 inches in front of your face. Mindful practice for now. Use tape or a sticker at that location to remind your brain subconsciously. 
• Practice Entry Angle - 10-15 degrees for shortboards using the efficiency stroke. This angle is the water's surface to your elbow (with no broken wrist). Elevate the elbow and drive it forward underwater to break frontal drag. Slice through the water!
• Watch Step 4: Making Magic Happen
• Practice Drill: Catch-Up - Enter and extend. Be streamlined. 
• Progress from a 2-second pause between strokes to a 1-second pause to simply replace the hand in front with the other.
• Work on moving between the various "gears" (1-3 for efficiency stroke) like on a car. 
• Module 3 –
• Watch Step 5: The Clock We Need To Be Able to Understand – we will cover this more in the next session. 
• WATCH Dryland Underwater Armstroke Drill SPECIAL. We will cover this in the next session.
• Watch Breathing For Paddling Mini Course (it is one of the Bonuses in the Online course):
• Exhaling slows the heart rate
• The belly breathes from the diaphragm. 
• Meter your exhale, like blowing out through a straw, controlled. 
• Practice 2 counts inhale, 6 counts exhale on land.
• Practice land activities such as walking, jogging, rowing, etc., and maintain 2 in, 6 out. Progress to 2 in 4  t when under more exertion and 2 into 2 out at max exertion. 
• Practice land activity – medium to high exertion, go to the ground on the stomach, and practice slowing the heart rate down while in the paddling position. 
• Practice while paddling the above rhythm in sync with paddling strokes
• Try to exhale when applying force and inhale in between.
• Relaxation pattern (when waiting for waves, at home, not moving):
• 2:00 total (or longer if you like)
• 2 sec inhale
• 2-sec hold
• 10 sec (or longer) exhale
• Relax into this

NEXT SESSION: Sunday, November 15, 2020. Meet at 8:00am.  Lo tion: The Hook, anta Cruz. Based on conditions, it will be somewhere in between us. I'll tell you a few days before or even the night before via text and email. In this session, we will focus on applying the above techniques to the ocean, on energy conservation, and introducing concepts for the next Pool/Lagoon Session. 

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Great day today. Surfing with you was a lot of fun. Here's a summary of  what we discussed, as well as assignments for next time:

• Horizontal balance is coming along. What was really great to see was that your horizontal balance looked better at the end than at the beginning, which means you made unconscious adjustments. Remember, we want to nose between an inch below and above the water for that board, averaging at the water. Today was lumpy, so you would have liked it closer to an inch above the water, and in the second half of our session, I saw that more often.  
• Practice 20 minutes with your shortboard every session and catch waves on your longboard for the rest. Continue this every session to get hose repetitions on the shortboard, paddling around and paddling for waves. Then, after about 20-30 minutes, switch onto your longboard and practice the longboard technique of catching waves. Consistency will be critical.  
• Focus on the four techniques we've worked on so far:
• Horizontal Balance
• Lateral Balance
• Entry
• Lengthening the Vessel
• In this order. Balance is the foundation for everything.  
• You can practice transitioning to the power paddle stroke (sprint) between waves during a lull. Or, in between waves, you can practice any of the above techniques.

New Paddling Links

• Surf Pro Techniques - Chapin Kreuter 
• BONUS - Helpful Tips From My Surf Coach Friends 
• Salty PT - Jim Cegelnik DPT 
• Surf Body Connection - Shane Carpenter DPT 
• Surf Simply - Costa Rica