Ask Carroll

[petulance]

OK Nick, this is more of a tour guide question. I should Google it up but what the heck ...

I'm not liking the surf forecast over the Easter weekend. Do you know of any non-secret breaks around the Port Stephens area that would suit a kook like me? Birubi Beach, Samurai Beach and One Mile Beach have been mentioned to me.

Shit petulance, you've kinda got me there. The best spot I know in that area for this weekend's conditions is probably gonna be a bit much for you by the sounds. The swell will be very groundswell from the ESE which is a pretty much direct hit on a lot of typical surf spots. Protected ones, I'm sure there's a few. It can be fun hunting out your own spot so I'll leave it to you this time.

I looked at a map and the swell direction and I think there will be a spot that will work for me. Good thing that there are breaks facing different directions so there should be something for me over the long weekend.

[spork]

How do you feel about your thread being hijacked by the fishing fraternity?

[Nick Carroll]

I try to suffer in silence spork.

[Yuke Hunt]

Nick ... I'm sure you too would revel in pursuits of a piscatorial nature. Angling one calls it ... a noble art indeed ... fly fishing doubly so.

Are you heading down for the tolling of the bell ... good waves possibly pumping is the prediction.

[bomboraa]

Surfing Life has little to worry about being stripped of a couple hundred grand by the courts for "apeish''. Read the words and phrase within the context of that story. That's key. That's what defamation hinges on. You can't be sued for squillions for an observation, a description, made without malice, in the context of that Surfing Life story about the bloke being different to first appearances.Smacks of desperation for a quick buck.
The mag does however deserve to be mightily punished for its current Travel Bible issue _ pathetically 50 per cent horrid inane advertorial by already well known resorts and boats owners. Astonishingly limited number of places on this planet also mentioned for a "Travel Bible'. Almost certainly the worst surf travel issue mag I've ever read. Was desperate for doctor's waiting room reading material.
And a surfer who does not fish is a lesser man. Or woman.

[bomboraa]

Many, maybe most, fly fishers suck.

[Yuke Hunt]

Many, maybe most, fly fishers suck.

Now now ... lets not be to harsh.

[Skipper]

I thought Endo nailed it re "The 'ape' jibe" and the whole shitstorm over Whatsi's names article.
Personally, I didn't think it was a racist remark. I'll conceived indeed.
But not racist.
There's more important issues to address.
Well, right now I don't know which, but Al's alluded to some, but I'm not inclined to take them up in general view I'm afraid.
But props to you caveman for stepping up.

[bomboraa]

Many, maybe most, fly fishers suck.

Now now ... lets not be to harsh.

OK, true, But still a decent percentage of elitist tools, who then rely on others to find them fish.

[steve shearer]

what do you do for a crust Bomby?

[Beanpole]

Surfing Life has little to worry about being stripped of a couple hundred grand by the courts for "apeish''. Read the words and phrase within the context of that story. That's key. That's what defamation hinges on. You can't be sued for squillions for an observation, a description, made without malice, in the context of that Surfing Life story about the bloke being different to first appearances.Smacks of desperation for a quick buck.
The mag does however deserve to be mightily punished for its current Travel Bible issue _ pathetically 50 per cent horrid inane advertorial by already well known resorts and boats owners. Astonishingly limited number of places on this planet also mentioned for a "Travel Bible'. Almost certainly the worst surf travel issue mag I've ever read. Was desperate for doctor's waiting room reading material.
And a surfer who does not fish is a lesser man. Or woman.

So I guess George Brandis is right on the money.
Good to see a bunch of white guys deciding its okay.

[Nick Carroll]

Yeah mate I'm at Bells, it's onshore and building, prolly surf this arv.

Carbon is stiff-feeling and snaps back into shape faster than wood. I don't think it strengthens the board much in the configuration you mention but it'd change how the board flexes a little bit.

I like the vanguard type Tomo as a thruster, it feels to me like that balances out the board's big down the line tendency, the Nano one seems great both ways. It's not set up like a Bruce in any way, it's set up to fit the outline.

Ha ha Bomby re fishing, flip the statement around! Fisherman is not a fisherman unless he surfs.

[rmb]

We work with the clumsiness and slowly get better but in the main, most of us never get beyond the initial style errors, which persist in an underlying sort of way for decades, building themselves into our surfing and limiting us in all sorts of ways, about which we're basically unaware. We know there's some higher levels of surfing, we vaguely sense them during our own experiences, but they never really take form. and after a long while, most of us just shrug our shoulders, or even become defensive about our skills, refusing to acknowledge anything else etc.

breaking down this stuff and establishing a new mastery of technique is a huge ask. even with top layer surfers, like elite pro level guys who understand their flaws and have every reason to eradicate 'em, it can be really arduous.

With some surfers, quick changes can be made, but a lot depends on the luck of timing and the available surf. the hard yards come later for such surfers as they try to hang on to and develop the changes they've so swiftly made.

Surfing has many layers, physical, emotional, habit-formed, even spinal - sort of reptile level. For a long established average surfer to be challenged on all these levels and make serious gains, it really is a massive call.

How much emphasis on coaching is put on fitness, excess body weight, posture and flexibility?
These physical attribute's or limitation's surely would contribute to a surfers technical flaw's. Would a surf coach look at a client and go time to loose some excess fat or do you they for the more volume in the board approach?

As for the emotional or mental limitation how does coaching help there is it simply a confidence building exercise?

[Nick Carroll]

How much emphasis on coaching is put on fitness, excess body weight, posture and flexibility?
These physical attribute's or limitation's surely would contribute to a surfers technical flaw's. Would a surf coach look at a client and go time to loose some excess fat or do you they for the more volume in the board approach?

As for the emotional or mental limitation how does coaching help there is it simply a confidence building exercise?

I can't really speak for other coaches on this first score. I think while there will sometimes be connections between a surfer's physical state and his/her technical flaws, the two are essentially separate – some of the most stylistically precise surfers I've seen have been big fat guys, and some of the ugliest have been muscly and super fit.

Emotional and mental limitations are black holes for a coach. It's foolish to go anywhere near them until you've spent a great deal of time with whoever it is you're coaching. You get much better results from working on what's visible and concrete. Very often someone's ideas about what they can or can't do, or their overall confidence, will lift simply by feeling the results of concrete work. I've really grown clear on this through coaching the surf racing squad; you can waste endless time nattering about something, or you can just focus on the skills and fitness and watch them turn the corners -- with a little bit of a nudge here and there. The best confidence builder in the world is feeling an improvement in your performance through your own efforts.

[MrMik]

Nick,
how important do you think is good eyesight for achieving surfing competence?

Do you know of any good surfers that have significant problems with near-sightedness or astigmatism?

Cheers, blind-as-a-bat Mik

[Nick Carroll]

Yes! But most of them have developed or had inflicted on them an eye condition after they became highly skilled surfers.

I dont know if you do other sports MrMik? I sort of imagine that if you're sighted well enough to drive then you'd be able to work on your surfing ok.

[rmb]

Do the fat fcuk's surf board's that suit their body type's?? What type of surfer's could they be if slim or did their body type suit their style??

How do the board rider's and developing pro's target their surf fit program??
I would imagine the most important aspect would be a fast paddle and pop up which would be aimed at utilising fast twitch muscle fibre's then a good stability would be required so core exercises are next then you would be targeting strong explosive movement's and stability which would require a strong range of motion's in the hips, ankles and shoulder's as well as a good lower back and hamstrings.

How does surfing Aus tailor their program's?

[bomboraa]

Surfing Life has little to worry about being stripped of a couple hundred grand by the courts for "apeish''. Read the words and phrase within the context of that story. That's key. That's what defamation hinges on. You can't be sued for squillions for an observation, a description, made without malice, in the context of that Surfing Life story about the bloke being different to first appearances.Smacks of desperation for a quick buck.
The mag does however deserve to be mightily punished for its current Travel Bible issue _ pathetically 50 per cent horrid inane advertorial by already well known resorts and boats owners. Astonishingly limited number of places on this planet also mentioned for a "Travel Bible'. Almost certainly the worst surf travel issue mag I've ever read. Was desperate for doctor's waiting room reading material.
And a surfer who does not fish is a lesser man. Or woman.

So I guess George Brandis is right on the money.
Good to see a bunch of white guys deciding its okay.

Brandis stupidly defended bigots. This was just poor expression. And I ain't all white.
SS have not worked this year, treading along recovery road from serious medical issue (ie one where as you are put under you think "F**k I don't have a will".) Before that humble servant of The Great Satan for three decades both here and OS. Nice toxic glow to the skin from long time exposure.