I see in the topic on Knee v ankle leashes one guys was criticised for riding his mal like a short board. This has happened to me, too. I've never ridden a short board (first mal from Joe Larkin in 1963) and I don't think my style has changed much except that todays lighter boards allow more radical manouvres for the same amount of effort.
Surfing is about personal expression and if you don't personally want to run up the nose all the time, that's your choice.
Let the board flow and if a snap turn seems right then do it!
Longboard Riding Styles
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I've been reading the Nat's Nat book and he relates even in the early sixties the big divide between power and functional surfing. I guess power surfing is more like modern performance surfing, and functional surfing is what some people now call "proper" longboarding.
Things don't seem to change. eh?
Things don't seem to change. eh?
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Troy_Cisco_Kid
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Freshie Boy
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I like surfing progressive in bigger surf but most of the time i feel really cruisy and do traditional stuff like Longygrom does, but i like to do a few sprays every now and then...on small waves i do fade take off, dropknee turns, noserides, cutback and then a floater or reo. (Thats on a long enough wave tho obviously)
Yeh ever since riding an old mal i try to surf traditional a lot but progressive when i feel like it or wen its appropriate.
On shorties i just try to maintian a lot of speed and do a boost or big layback cutty at the end of the wave. But if or when it sections i try to do nice big roundhouses or a big snap and try to slide the tail out...but trying to do airs is a lot of fun, but i try not to waste the wave wen i do airs cause people tend to get a bit devo.
Yeh ever since riding an old mal i try to surf traditional a lot but progressive when i feel like it or wen its appropriate.
On shorties i just try to maintian a lot of speed and do a boost or big layback cutty at the end of the wave. But if or when it sections i try to do nice big roundhouses or a big snap and try to slide the tail out...but trying to do airs is a lot of fun, but i try not to waste the wave wen i do airs cause people tend to get a bit devo.
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the kalakau kid
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how i ride depends on the board I'm riding and the waves.
A japanese friend of mine who makes his living as a pro snowboarder ( and is a great surfer too) once told me that he thinks the sign of a master is the ability to look comfortable and stylish in any conditions, at any speed, under any amount of stress, on any board.
Thats my goal.
A japanese friend of mine who makes his living as a pro snowboarder ( and is a great surfer too) once told me that he thinks the sign of a master is the ability to look comfortable and stylish in any conditions, at any speed, under any amount of stress, on any board.
Thats my goal.
Length of ride!
The ability to pick up a wave of any size, and find the straightline trim and speed to beat a loooooooong line of fast breaking wall, was once the considered BEST longboard manoeuvre.
Later, that same principle was used for very long and fast noserides ,.. then a few blokes found out that all the weight on the nose produced a stall on some boards and long distance on slow breaking waves was the new winner.
but what do I know,.. being just another greyhead from the 50's lookin' at kids surfing like kites.
laz
The ability to pick up a wave of any size, and find the straightline trim and speed to beat a loooooooong line of fast breaking wall, was once the considered BEST longboard manoeuvre.
Later, that same principle was used for very long and fast noserides ,.. then a few blokes found out that all the weight on the nose produced a stall on some boards and long distance on slow breaking waves was the new winner.
but what do I know,.. being just another greyhead from the 50's lookin' at kids surfing like kites.
laz
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Nino
The Core of it.
Your friends statement is 100% spot on. For shortboarders = Tom Curran,the kalakau kid wrote:how i ride depends on the board I'm riding and the waves.
A japanese friend of mine who makes his living as a pro snowboarder ( and is a great surfer too) once told me that he thinks the sign of a master is the ability to look comfortable and stylish in any conditions, at any speed, under any amount of stress, on any board.
Thats my goal.
Longboarders = Nat Young.
I believe you can actually take parts of both longboarding and shortboarding and combine them into a style thats smooth, flowing and with the right amount of power surfing when needed.
Longygrom - this one is for you!
Dear Longygrom, I have watched you surfing at Long Reef and l reckon you should add a few progressive moves to your repertoire....I reckon for someone in their mid teens to not include a few floaters is a bit weak - maybe it is that Keyo board you are riding mmmmm...... you have been watching too many of those old blokes with big beer guts doing the 'traditional' stuff - listen mate - you are not Lance Carsen - and Long Reef certainly ain't Malibu - if you want to win a few more comps then liven up the surfin a bit.......no more of those hang fives.....less of the glide hey?Bash the lip a bit - and a 360 wouldn't go astray mmmmmm
Happy surfing Bro - of course when school is out - l
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the kalakau kid
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Simple Ben
True bro but you know as well as anyone that longboards and heavy waves do not mix well. Maybe if your sponsored, otherwise you are soon going to be out of pocket.
Can't say I have seen anyone pulling off a quasimodo or cave man fire pose in a while. That kind of stuff is where it's at. So called "high performance longboarding" just looks ugly as far as I'm concerned (although there are some that do it well). It just looks like the rider would be able to so much better if they were on a little board, the mal then just becomes a handicap. This was the reason short boards were developed, it seems be a little backwards to try and do it all over again. If you are after high performance then go for a high performance board, i.e. one under 7ft in length. Leave the mals for the classic surfing they were designed for.
Can't say I have seen anyone pulling off a quasimodo or cave man fire pose in a while. That kind of stuff is where it's at. So called "high performance longboarding" just looks ugly as far as I'm concerned (although there are some that do it well). It just looks like the rider would be able to so much better if they were on a little board, the mal then just becomes a handicap. This was the reason short boards were developed, it seems be a little backwards to try and do it all over again. If you are after high performance then go for a high performance board, i.e. one under 7ft in length. Leave the mals for the classic surfing they were designed for.
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the kalakau kid
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Simple Ben
That would be nice but definetely easier on a smaller board in those kind of waves. It sure would be impressive pull something like that off on a mal on a big day at tree line though.
Oh well I have to forget about waves and start thinking about rock now as I'm heading out climbing after work.
Catch you later
Oh well I have to forget about waves and start thinking about rock now as I'm heading out climbing after work.
Catch you later
hangten- he is pretty f**king good man, traditional or not, he is a good longboarder. period.
if you like your progressive stuff in your groms, have a glance at the two young guys at manly who i have mentioned before. I saw them again on sunday in the big swell doing some crazy turns/ floaters etc. in some comp.
i respect what they are doing, but in my opinion, the best looking surfing is;
1) Traditional, flowing, smooth longboarding
2) shortboarders/lids getting crazy pits and airs
the two can mix, but they just dont look right to me, as tudor said in some mag... "if you are going to ride it like a shortboard....just ride a shortboard!"
if you like your progressive stuff in your groms, have a glance at the two young guys at manly who i have mentioned before. I saw them again on sunday in the big swell doing some crazy turns/ floaters etc. in some comp.
i respect what they are doing, but in my opinion, the best looking surfing is;
1) Traditional, flowing, smooth longboarding
2) shortboarders/lids getting crazy pits and airs
the two can mix, but they just dont look right to me, as tudor said in some mag... "if you are going to ride it like a shortboard....just ride a shortboard!"
I'm guessing though if Nat or Midget or Mickey Dora or even Phil Edwards could pull a 360 or a reo on a longboard in their day then they would. I think the flow issue is whether the turn is compatible with the wave, not whether the turn is "acceptable" or not.
The best move I saw on a longboard recently was by Manuel Talbot at North Steyne. It was a nice simple off the lip on a nice wave, but he did it so well and it matched the wave so beautifully it looked perfect, and inspiring. I've gotta say it was more interesting to me than a lot of cross stepping and nose trimming I saw from another very good longboarder this last weekend, and that isn't to criticise that legitimate style of riding, which can also be very beautiful.
Not that I can talk.
The best move I saw on a longboard recently was by Manuel Talbot at North Steyne. It was a nice simple off the lip on a nice wave, but he did it so well and it matched the wave so beautifully it looked perfect, and inspiring. I've gotta say it was more interesting to me than a lot of cross stepping and nose trimming I saw from another very good longboarder this last weekend, and that isn't to criticise that legitimate style of riding, which can also be very beautiful.
Not that I can talk.
Style has it all........
As 'Buzzy' indicates - watching this longboarder hit the lip looked beautiful.
I disagree with you 'Longygrom' - if the wave dictates that the longboard can 'hit the lip' then l reckon you should go for it - mixing traditional and progressive styles looks far more impressive (if done well) than just sticking to just the 'traditional' style.
I have watch so many good surfers on the Nothern beaches do the same bloody thing - cross step to the nose, hang five, back, drop knee, then up the to nose again - boring.........they are capable and talent surfers, but they all look the same....the same style.......looking from the beach l can't tell the difference who is who - I guess that is what the judges are looking for.....safe and conservative!
Buggar what Joel Tudor says - sure he likes the 'traditional' style and he does it brilliantly- but when he surfs a shortboard he surfs it like he still on the longboard only with his bum sticking out - doesn't look good.
I reckon a longboarder like Midget Farrelly surfs 'traditional' better than any one l have seen locally - his style is smooth and flowing but he adds embellishments to each manoeuvre - creating a little bit of tension -a little bit of difference that paints a ' unique picture'. These extra moves create 'good design' on the wave and is exciting to watch longboarding executed with style and flair!
Watch a horse do a 'flying change' in dressage - there was no obvious signal from the rider to the horse - but the energy and drama created from the move is all style and panache! Subtle and excting to witness!
Mix and match the styles (if the wave dictates) and make it look good Longygrom! Actually, lets call it 'surfing' rather than advocating one particular style.
I disagree with you 'Longygrom' - if the wave dictates that the longboard can 'hit the lip' then l reckon you should go for it - mixing traditional and progressive styles looks far more impressive (if done well) than just sticking to just the 'traditional' style.
I have watch so many good surfers on the Nothern beaches do the same bloody thing - cross step to the nose, hang five, back, drop knee, then up the to nose again - boring.........they are capable and talent surfers, but they all look the same....the same style.......looking from the beach l can't tell the difference who is who - I guess that is what the judges are looking for.....safe and conservative!
Buggar what Joel Tudor says - sure he likes the 'traditional' style and he does it brilliantly- but when he surfs a shortboard he surfs it like he still on the longboard only with his bum sticking out - doesn't look good.
I reckon a longboarder like Midget Farrelly surfs 'traditional' better than any one l have seen locally - his style is smooth and flowing but he adds embellishments to each manoeuvre - creating a little bit of tension -a little bit of difference that paints a ' unique picture'. These extra moves create 'good design' on the wave and is exciting to watch longboarding executed with style and flair!
Watch a horse do a 'flying change' in dressage - there was no obvious signal from the rider to the horse - but the energy and drama created from the move is all style and panache! Subtle and excting to witness!
Mix and match the styles (if the wave dictates) and make it look good Longygrom! Actually, lets call it 'surfing' rather than advocating one particular style.
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