tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5351683.post5958956601098640809..comments2009-12-29T08:03:05.449-08:00Manabu Tokunagahttps://profiles.google.com/110096954126778198377noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5351683.post-46476486271287544992009-06-01T10:37:53.145-07:002009-06-01T10:37:53.145-07:00Hey Manabu, speaking of paddling, I'm here in Hawaii right now, and I've been surfing at Waikiki, which has been good, but really crowded. There are people on long boards, fun boards, short boards, boogie boards, SUP's, and outrigger canoes! The waves have been mostly pretty mushy and slow. Yesterday two local guys came out on short boards and just blew everyone away. They were catching waves at will, and just tearin' it up, generating WAY more speed than any long boarders, doing cutbacks, and smacking the lip multiple times on tiny little crappy waves. I watched them to see what they were doing. First, they took off very late. Second, they kicked with their feet in addition to paddling. I have seen so many good surfers do this that it's hard to think that it is bad. Third, they did not even start paddling until the wave was almost on top of them, and then they took off in a burst of speed instead of trying to slowly get a long board moving to gain momentum. This was an eye opener for me cuz I don't usually surf right next to people this good. I don't know why they were surfing with all of the tourist geeks, but they didn't seem to care. They just picked off waves out of nowhere. I do think you are right about putting thumbs in first. I have seen many good surfers do this. I don't know why it should be more efficient though, except that maybe it puts less strain on your shoulders as your hands go into the water. Most of the breaks here are pretty far out. A lot of them are like starting at Cowells and paddling to First Peak. Thank God for massages!! <br />:-)Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12276869842598066911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5351683.post-18502359253587824082009-05-13T14:42:00.000-07:002009-05-13T14:42:00.000-07:00That's an interesting point about putting the thumb in first and bringing the palm closer to the center of the board. I basically suck as a paddler. I'll give it a try next time.<br /><br />Hey, I've been thinking about paddling too and wondering how much of the advantage is due to wave knowledge and how much is due to paddling technique. Even when paddling back out to the lineup, it seems like the better surfers <br />often make it to the shoulder of the wave before it crashes down on them.Craig Odahttp://socialmediasurfer.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5351683.post-73696019438074520902009-05-10T17:58:00.000-07:002009-05-10T17:58:00.000-07:00The good surfers paddle using their back muscles rather than just the shoulder muscles as beginners tend to do.Ramsnakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047024701261814380noreply@blogger.com