how to catch and stick unbroken “green” waves
This post will provide you with some fundamental knowledge on how to properly position yourself to catch green waves. There are basic instructions on how to paddle into an unbroken wave and how to “stick” on these “green waves” without nose diving, passing over the wave, or becoming caught on top of it included.
Keep in mind that learning to surf is one of the most challenging things a beginner surfer can master. Nothing can take the place of actual practice. The more time you spend in the water, the more waves you attempt to catch, and the more waves you catch, the better you will become.
The theory presented in this article will supplement your practice and, in most cases, will expedite your development while saving you a great deal of time and stress.
Positioning
How to locate and position oneself in order to catch a continuous wave
1. Recognize the many phases of a wave’s evolution.
Stage A: This is the first stage of the process. Stage B: This is the second stage of the process.
The wave is little more than a bump. At this point, it is difficult to keep up with the current. Essentially, this bulge is an indicator that a wave is on its way.
Stage B consists of the following steps:
This is where you want to be if you want to catch a “green wave.” This wave form is unbroken and offers the appropriate amount of force and steepness for you to paddle in. You will not be able to catch Point A because it is too forceful and steep, and Step C is too vertical for you to make the drop.
Stage C: This is the last stage of the process.
The crest of the wave has been reached. Even as I write this, the lip is beginning to tumble down towards the flat ocean. At this point, the wave is too big and steep to catch, particularly for beginning surfers, so they should avoid trying.
Stage D consists of the following steps:
Because of the breaking wave, it has transformed into a white water wave.
2. Prepare for a Green Wave by positioning yourself.
Keep your distance from the bulk of the breaking waves at 4 to 5 metres (approximately 15 feet) or more out to sea. Why?
The reason for this is because if you are waiting at a certain location where a large number of waves are breaking, the instant you turn around and paddle for a wave, you will either be catching a whitewater wave that has already broken, or you will be receiving the wave crashing on top of you.
Can you tell me how far the more experienced surfers have traveled? Most likely, they are more knowledgeable about where to seat in the line up than you are.
This does not imply that you should sit close next to them and race to catch their swells, however. It’s just there to give you an idea of how far out you should paddle in a general direction.
Beginner surfers are sometimes seen sitting much farther out from the shoreline than more experienced surfers are. No sense can be made out of this situation! There are either no waves breaking as far out on that day or there aren’t any waves breaking at all during that day.
In other words, if you see waves breaking a long distance away from where the expert surfers are sitting, this indicates that it is a “unusual” and larger set of waves (ones that you would most likely not want to catch as a beginning surfer!)
Look for lumps on the horizon to locate. A “Stage A” wave that will later convert into a “Stage B” wave roughly 3 to 5 metres behind you is what you’re looking for in this situation.
Make your way to the top of a wave, spin around, and paddle with a minimum of eight powerful strokes. While the wave is transitioning from “Stage A” to “Stage B,” you want to be paddling hard enough to keep up with the wave’s speed.
Suggestions for Improvement
When you’re paddling for a wave, keep an eye out for it. Looking behind you is the only way to determine if you need to paddle more, paddle less, or even stop paddling for a short period of time depending on the form of the wave.
It also prevents you from “dropping in” on other individuals (for further information on what a drop in is, see “Surf Ethics”) when surfing. You’ll be able to tell if the wave was too steep (Stage C), too weak (Stage A), or just right (Stage B) if you check behind you.
You’ll also be able to figure out why you failed or succeeded in catching an unbroken wave if you keep an eye out behind you.
When beginners are learning how to surf, it is common for them to forget to glance back at the wave and so mistime their paddling. Either the wave crashes over them or they are caught in a white water squall.. Without looking back and understanding what occurred, you will never be able to learn from your errors.
The greater the size of your board, the simpler it will be to catch waves that are not broken. The key to catching “green waves” is to paddle as quickly as possible in order to keep up with the wave’s pace..
The sooner you are able to “capture the momentum” of a wave, the sooner you will be able to jump up and surf it effectively. Due to the fact that huge boards paddle more quicker than small boards, they make it simpler to catch green waves on a large board.
Due of their increased movement, better surfers grab and hold onto more waves. In the event that you see a lump in the horizon, ask yourself if it is a larger wave that will break farther out to sea or a smaller wave that will break closer to shore.
The more experience you have in reading waves, the more proactive you will be, and the simpler it will be for you to paddle about and position yourself to catch unbroken waves the more you will progress. The section “How to Read Waves” has further information on wave reading..
Take advantage of a continuous wave and “stick” to it.
The following is the difference between white water waves and unbroken waves:
Pushes you forward with the power of the whitewater wave You can find yourself catching whitewater waves during your first few sessions of surfing if you are just getting started.
White water waves are relatively easy to catch because the power of the broken white water wave pushes you forward as you try to catch up with them. The majority of whitewater waves might be caught without even paddling in the water.
Gravity is the driving factor behind a continuous “Green” water wave. What you need to understand about catching and “sticking” on green waves is that there is no “push forward” from the white water when you do so.
In order for you to ride the wave, gravity must be activated. It’s necessary to envision oneself paddling down a “slope” that is always going ahead to succeed.
How to “stick” to the unbroken wave without being swept away by it
Long, forceful, and deep strokes are used to paddle. This is particularly critical when catching waves that are not broken. When paddling, you must give all you have, especially when you feel your surfboard’s tail rise: this is a critical time to “Stick” to it.
The way you stand on your surfboard is quite important. The perfect paddling technique, as we saw in the How to Paddle article, is achieved not only via the use of accurate paddle strokes, but also through the proper placement of your body on the surfboard.
When your chest is exactly centred on the width of the surfboard and you are at the proper height, you are in the correct position on the surfboard. Place your body high enough on the surfboard so that the nose of the board is out of the water around 3-6 cm (1-2 inches), while maintaining your head up (as if there is a soccer ball between your chin and the surfboard).
Surfer A is a surfer who likes to ride the waves.
Long, powerful, deep strokes are used by Surfer A to paddle his surfboard, and he is appropriately positioned on it, with his nose approximately 1 inch off of the wave. Surfer A had been carried up onto the wave’s face in less than two seconds. When a wave “lifts” him out of the water, it would ordinarily create greater space between his nose and the surface of the water.
Surfer A, on the other hand, maintains a low profile during this critical period, shifting more weight to the front of his surfboard. This weight makes the difference between “sticking” to the green wave and going over it.
Surfer B is a surfer who grew up in a little town in southern California.
As a result of positioning himself too far back on his surfboard, Surfer B’s nose pops out dramatically.
Surfer B gets carried up onto the wave’s face two seconds later. As he climbs further up the wave, the distance between his nose and the water becomes increasingly wider.
Surfer B is sitting much too far back on his surfboard and fails to move his head down closer to his board at this vital time in the game of surfing. He will not be able to “stick” to this wave, and he will be carried away by it.
Perhaps as much as 45 pounds (20 kilograms) or more rests on your head and upper area of your shoulders! Consider the difference it may make when you drop your head and move it closer to your surfboard while being pushed up by a wave.
This is essentially what allows you to grab, hold on to, and eventually descend this “slope” that is going ahead.
A large number of kids get used to being pushed by their trainers into continuous waves, which is excellent practice. When you’re being pushed, you don’t always have to pull your head down to put weight on the front of your surfboard, but you should.
If you’re feeling discouraged because it’s difficult to catch green waves without the assistance of a surf instructor, remember that shifting your weight towards your surfboard is the key to catching unbroken waves on your own.
You should do your pop up at around two-thirds of the wave’s height. Put your hands on the board next to your pectorals, arch your back, and take off as soon as you feel your tail lift and you have gained enough momentum to glide with the wave.
There will be a point when you will need to pop up. Do not hesitate to jump up when you are satisfied that you have captured the wave’s rhythm and have given those two more strokes.
A typical error is to continue paddling down the face of a wave until the whole wave has been dumped. Arching your back will assist you avoid nose dives and will also allow you to slow down your pace so that you don’t end up riding the whole wave on your belly.
Prepare to take off.
Avoid paddling too quickly with short strokes. Continue to make extended, full-range movements with your hand and arms, and dive deep below with your hand and arms for best propulsion.
Avoid paddling at an excessive angle in the wave. For the initial few strokes, you want to be paddling perpendicular to the wave, with your back to the shore. This is the quickest and most efficient method of catching green waves.
Only when you have become quite comfortable paddling into unbroken waves should you begin paddling with a small angle to assist you in moving left or right on a wave.
I don’t believe you did enough paddling. If you’re ever in question about whether or not you’ve paddled enough for a wave, simply add those two more paddle strokes before popping up.
Never be frightened to take a plunge. Because you paddled with too much efficiency, you were unable to do nose diving. In fact, it is more likely to occur when you pause, do not paddle hard enough, lose your speed, and are forced forward by the wave.
When you are paddling too high on your surfboard and your nose is already sinking into the water before you even start paddling for a wave, this may happen. Finally, you may find yourself nose diving because you are attempting to catch the wave at the incorrect “Stage.”
Instead of paddling into a “Stage B” wave, you attempt to paddle into a “Stage C” wave that is excessively steep, causing your surfboard to be thrown forward and your nose to plunge into the water.
It’s the last thing you want to do while you’re surfing since your surfboard is always nose diving. It is possible that you are nose diving because you are paddling with poor technique (too slowly) or because you are at the incorrect wave “Stage” (Stage C).
Getting back on your board will simply slow you down even more and increase your chances of nose diving.
Make sure you are paying attention to how your surf coach is positioning you into a “Step B” wave. This is a really essential one. It is a significant part of your surf coach’s duty to position you properly on the “Stage B” of a wave so that you may catch it.
If a larger wave comes in, he may decide to push you farther out to sea, or he may decide to pull you closer to land if the wave is less. He does this for you in order to ensure that you are in the greatest possible position to catch the wave (Stage “B”).
This is fantastic for having fun and improving your surfing skills at the same time, but you must understand where and why he is positioned you in the water. Take a mental image of yourself riding an unbroken wave when your coach positions you in it precisely.
This is the sort of wave you will be yearning for when your surf lessons are complete!
