Why do I suck

[surfnpoppy]

You know sometimes you have sh*t day. Last Saturday was the best day I have had my new 9' board everything workin great, was able to rip some waves. Then last Sunday there was some sideswell chop that made it a challenge.. I was hating the little board by hour 3. Today... I sucked. I will put down to being cold cold cold, all my mechanics were just off I was falling off just paddling along...... caught only 5 waves in a 2 hour session. Please tell me it gets better as I have only been doing this SUP thing for 6 months.

[crtraveler]

It took me a solid year to really feel like I was able to surf my SUP at a reasonable level.  I had 10 years plus riding longboards etc.....SUP is whole different animal as you know.  Give it time....remember, you can only perform as much as the waves allow - If it's a bad day wave wise, don't expect much.  Bigger board is better on bad days, maybe the 9' should stay home on days like that.

[Strand Leper]

Poppy,

I have been at this for over two years now... I still have days when I think that I am the biggest freaking kook ever...

But even on those days... I tend to try to remember the critical floater... the nice speed turn... or just the clean smooth ride...

Froth on!

Tim

[crtraveler]

Also remember how much worse it would be as a crawler......you wouldn't even be out on half the days you are now

[Rocket66]

Poppy..Gets much better..It took me a couple of months to take my C4 Subvector out on choppy days..Surfed all my life....Turned to SUPin and rode an 11 footer and even the battleship seemed impossible..then all of a sudden, no problem even on sloppy days. Moved to my 9/3 Subvector...FRUSTRATION!!! Now I'm good in almost all conditions...except when mother nature wants to be left alone. Keep Sweeping find a good all around board and have fun...keep the Stoke.

[surfnpoppy]

It took me a solid year to really feel like I was able to surf my SUP at a reasonable level.  I had 10 years plus riding longboards etc.....SUP is whole different animal as you know.  Give it time....remember, you can only perform as much as the waves allow - If it's a bad day wave wise, don't expect much. 

Today was not a bad waves day, just the opposite O'side jetties was plain goin off..... chest to overhead with some tube rides by short boarders here and there. The waves were steep and had power. As usual I was the only SUP in the lineup...... but with a 39 degree dawn patrol and "offshore winds" I got so friggin cold I just could not do anything right. It's hard to concentrate when you are so cold that the hands don't work right.

Strand u r right and as a SUP surfer I can kook out with the best of them in the lineup, but have always had moments where it all works and can put together some great waves during the session. but today was total poop.

[raf]

Today's poop will be tomorrow's chocolate cake!  er...well...u know what I mean.  Today you paid the piper, tomorrow the piper will pay you!!  Hmm, that's not right either. 

Next time will be better!!   

[SoCalSupper]

well i could say blame it on the board but since you and i are Nectar zealots that wont work-i can say the cold really affects me!-nothing works when im freezin-just wait till it warms up a little-get a little pre-sup music goin on your way down from inland-maybe get some coffee goin-you will b back to old form in no time!
Been supping almost five years-have those "i freakin suck" days all the time-but more so when-1.  There is someone watching i want to impress.  2.  Dawn patrol freezing off shores  3.  Too much to eat before session. 4. Leper or WB snakes me! 5. My son is paddling back out and i want to pull some insane maneuver in front of him so he knows the old man still has it!. 6. I actually do just still suck!!
Keep it up Pops!

[adios pantalones]

I know what you mean, I had a day where I was just falling off paddling in a straight line, I was super frustrated. When I got in I yawned and my ear wouldn't pop? Earache in the morning, hell, that's all it was... a little sinus/ear thing. Screwed my balance big time!

HANG IN THERE!

[Rocket66]

Dude with no pants..didn't need to see that!!! As for the cold..we here on the East coast get to see that all day everyday all winter and I can definitely tell you it does affect the performance. Your not as flexible and reaction seems to slow. It's like golf though..you have a hideous round going and then, all of a sudden, on the 18th hole you put it all together and make Par or birdie..now you want to play every day. Get yourself a GoPro..film yourself and keep the good waves footage.. and review and pick out what you may be doing wrong in the bad wave footage..you'll be stoked and ready to hit it to fix it..even if you have to break the ice to get into the water...Been there done that!!! Keep pushing and yes saw the Surfcam of my old home town Orange County, going off...it was lake Atlantic here..be happy you got waves...

[surfnpoppy]

Socal says: ....blame it on the board....

I thought about blaming the board, mainly because it is an inanimate object and will take the verbal abuse without giving me attitude back.
But alas I know it was me that sucked today. I am still pretty new at this and it requires concentration on fundamentals to work well. As a prone surfer of multiple decades I did not have to concentrate anymore it was all on automatic pilot just surf and enjoy.... SUP surfing is a humbling sport. I hope that someday my SUP surfing is easy and on automatic pilot.

[Glider]

Even the pros have stated one of the appealing aspects of this sport is the challenge.  That it is.  Day to day sometimes hr to hr.  Its the journey not the destination !  Enjoy the ride ! Last week we were out at a spot that was so back washy/chopy it was like being in an elevator that didn't know which way to go.  Today light offshore/glassy and smooth.  Somedays we all suck /somedays are just to good to even describe !

Keep paddlin !

[PonoBill]

Gee, I don't remember starting this thread.

[stoneaxe]

If I had a dollar for every time I've thought that I'd be on Maui right now... I suck most of the time but sometimes its much worse than others and sometimes, somehow it all comes together and you feel like you have it wired....right about then is when you get caught too deep when a big set comes through and get pounded.

[crtraveler]

As a prone surfer of multiple decades I did not have to concentrate anymore it was all on automatic pilot just surf and enjoy.... SUP surfing is a humbling sport. I hope that someday my SUP surfing is easy and on automatic pilot.

I love the challenge, its what keeps me coming back for more and keeps it interesting.  It is great to see yourself progress ---- never downplay how much you've progressed so far, focus on the big picture not the day to day ups and downs.