Extreme Sports

Surfing is a whole other world. You have to be in it to understand it completely. Surfers have a brotherhood that ties them together for life. If surfing has got you interested and you want to know more about it, let’s take you through the process and common terms.

On large open surfaces of water, swells are created in particular weather conditions. They occur several miles into the sea and make their way towards the shoreline, creating big waves that are ideal for surfing. Wind conditions affect the waves immensely. It is the tail end of the waves that all surfers love. Moderately strong offshore winds that blow into the front portion of the wave like a tube or hollow barrel are ideal for surfing. Swell conditions vary across the world and change with different weather conditions. For surfing you need a good surf board, wetsuit to protect you from the sun, wax for the board, a leash and fins. While learning to surf, catching the first wave to take you further is the most difficult. In fact, catching a good wave is a sign of a great surfer. A surfer catches the wave then stands on the board and rides the wave to the best of his ability with some common sense and some signature moves. To understand surfing better, here is glossary of terms.  Read more...

STAND UP PADDLE BOARD SURFING

Stand Up Paddle Board Surfing or “SUP’S” for short, is fast becoming a global sport that in some areas are shouting as the New Global Surfing Phenomenon.

Stand Up paddle Boards became quite popular but, it seems only in Hawaii, as the rest of the world was not overly impressed, and as the ’60′s moved to the ’70′s the “Sups” were all but pushed aside by the “short board” era, and a bunch of Aussie’s reaping havoc on the world, by winning surfing titles galore, and in Hawaii’s own back yard, did not sit well with the Hawaiians.

“SUPS”

The Stand Up Paddle Board or “Sups” as it is called originated in Polynesia, but the Hawaiians took it on as their own and developed it in the ’60′s. They began with it to instruct large groups of learners and the higher stance gave them a better viewpoint, to sight the pending swells way out the back. The Stand Up Paddle Board used a single paddle with a long handle that was used to great effect to propel them forward, and not much has changed today. However, today pushing 2010, “Sups” have again grabbed a spot in Global popularity and has been suggested by athletes as the total work out fun machine that you can do standing up. In effect it gives you a strong “core’ work out. You can do it on still water anywhere, or as a supplement to surfing by Paddle Boarding the surf.

WHAT IS A STAND UP PADDLE BOARD?  Read more...

There’s no doubt about it. Surfing is one of the most exciting and exhilarating sports on the planet. Any time you’re moving in unison with one of nature’s forces, there’s going to be something thrilling about it. One of the extra bonuses about surfing is that you will also join a family-like setting. There’s a special kind of bond between surfers that doesn’t exist in other sports. While all of this might sound great, there are some things you need to know prior to heading out to catch a few breaks. They won’t only make your time more enjoyable, but these simple tips might also save your life. The first thing you need to do prior to surfing is assess your swimming ability. For instance, are you a casual swimmer that has only swam in pools and lakes? Or are you someone who has been swimming in the ocean often and is just now taking an interest in surfing? If it’s the latter, then you probably have a decent understanding of the strength of the ocean, as well as currents and riptides. If it’s the former, then you should seriously consider getting used to swimming in the ocean prior to surfing. If you think you’re ready to begin surfing, make sure your board has a safety leash. This can help in many ways. One of those ways is in case you get stuck in a current and need to swim along the shore to get out of it. Having your board will help avoid fatigue. If you hit a rock or reef below the surface and go unconscious, having the board attached to your body will also help others spot you. This is also a good reason not to swim alone. Having a partner will always increase your odds of survival if something goes wrong. Watch out for the slow killer, which is the sun. Always wear sun block as well as a full body wetsuit if possible. If you’re like most surfers, you’re going to be out there for hours, not minutes. It’s important to be protected. For more tips and technique advice on surfing, check out your local surfing magazine. If there is no local surfing magazine, you can always find one online.  Read more...

Surfing may seem to appear as a sporting event whose value is commensurate to the fun it gives. However, since the late 50′s, it has become a serious sport event for many people. As a matter of fact, it can never be related to beach bums just like before. Now you hear of professional surfers who earn millions just by riding on beautiful waves. Because of this, you would find men and women who are taking a surf lesson with the intent of a senior college student. You can enroll simply by merely going to a popular surfing spot. However, you have to carefully select your surfing school. Consider only those that have lessons for pros.

You should make sure, if the surf school you are in is duly recognized by professional surfing organizations. If it isn’t accredited, you are running the risk of being given a substandard surf lesson. This will be such a huge waste of time and money. Worse thing is that you are to end up being a little better than what you were. The pros will only shrug off your surfing as that of a first time surfer on his surf board. One major guarantee you can have is to hire a popular surfing pro as your instructor. Season count and location matter a lot to those that are high quality surf schools. Thus, you must not consider at all of enrolling at a surfing school at the beaches that don’t offer a good surf. If you aim to develop professional surfing skills in due time then don’t be satisfied with those unchallenging waves. Enroll yourself in a surf school that can truly bring out the professional surfer in you by allowing you to try more challenging waves like the dumpers. Of course, you should try at first the smaller rolling waves but as soon as you have honed your skills with it then you should venture off into more difficult ones.  Read more...

When you go surfing, no matter how expert you are there are fundamental things you have to think of all the time. Below are five things that you must know when you go surf wave:

Always be cordial to the local surfers- Many of us are passionate about the hobby and would like to spread this knowledge. This goes for any hobby but most especially for those with tight knit communities. Many surfers are more than willing to teach you the ins-and-outs of surfing, the tides of your local beach, how to paddle out without being pounded to a sandbar and the courtesy involved with the sport. If you are a starter, ask for help.

Buy the right board for your area – if your area has extremely small surf wave, don’t buy short boards. Short boards have the tendency to plow through the water which makes it hard for you to catch small waves. Small boards often feature a stomp pad on the back which is used in extremely tight maneuvers such as cutbacks. When you are unsure about the board you must get, ask the surf-shop employees of your local shop.

Make use of wax that’s suitable to your conditions- This is significant. One of the most frustrating things is to be out in the water and start slipping off the board because you used the wrong wax. Typically, there are two types of wax. Cold water wax can be softer and stickier than wax for the warm water. If your water is cold enough that this type of wax will not melt in the sun, use it. Warm weather can pose a problem to the cold water wax because of its low melting point and it will run off the board which makes your fiberglass board slippery making you fall off the board every time you try to stand on it.  Read more...