New to skim online

[marcyman]

Hey guys. I'm having my mid-life crisis about 20 years early. At 34 years old I have taken up, strike that, tried taking up skim boarding. I've been lurking around here reading the site and advice you have given other people. Today was my first day on my Zap Pro Large. Wow, I envy you guys who can just slide that board across the water and hop right on. I busted my ass, ankle and a few other body parts... not too bad though. I'm not doing that well with getting on the board. I kind of wimp out sometimes when running up on the board at a sprint. I'm so stoked about doing this but along with the pussing out, my balance and coordination suck. I suppose the balance and coordination takes some time. Any of you guys skim board around Cocoa Beach, FL? I just need to get around you all who skim board a lot, hoping it rubs off. I plan on being around here a while and contributing to skim boarding in some way shape or form.

[Mapdash]

never too late. there are lots of skimmers up in the cocoa area. Stick with it and be careful......the injuries get worse as you age.

[idrathrbskimmin]

have you looked on the Media Center of skimonline. if not you should b/c there are a lot of really good videos that you can watch to help you understand what to do.

[kcskimkid]

yeah youll find all the information you could ever want and then some from this site.

[Jasen]

Wow, I envy you guys who can just slide that board across the water and hop right on. I busted my ass, ankle and a few other body parts...

dude, every single skimmer has had the same exact problem, they just loved the sport so much that they keep skimming. Balance in the begging sucks and is hard, so dont feel bad for yourself or quit. If skimming came with auto-sliding, and no falls, it would probally be more popular than surfing...

keep at it

[Jasen]

oo and you came at the perfect time in these forums, everone is a newbie now

[Rockporter9]

It takes a few days for things to kick in. Don't jump onto the board run onto it and commit. Just stick with it but be safe you'll pick it up after a few sessions. Good luck.

[marcyman]

yeah, idrathrbskimmin, I've seen some of the vids, I'll go back and made sure I've seen them all. I'm constantly watching other guys out by the pier. Just had a hell of a day trying it the first time.

Is waxing recommended for beginners as opposed to pads?

[Pack A Bowl]

if you are new, try to go at low tide to ride the flatter surfaces

[kcskimkid]

yeah vids are deff. the best way to watch and learn. and since your new, deff start out the correct way and learn how to one step when getting on your board. you will fall alot but youll thank me in a year.

[Chrith]

I live in the area. I usually skim new smyrna i know a group of people that skim the area. just keep skimming and you will progress

[marcyman]

I think maybe it would may be better for me if I had some moral support, well... more than my wife watching me bust my ass, :D

[kcskimkid]

moral support = bad. you want to go practice by yourself. no distractions and no pressure.

[BART]

first thing you learn to do is fall. seriously. once you learn how to fall correctly, it's won't hurt or phase you at all (except for a few falls a season where you'll just get rocked). i fall everytime i skim, everyone does. no big deal. at this point my body knows how to roll or fall flat, yours will soon too.

of course, it helps if you are only eating shit in the water, not on the sand

btw, a friend of mine started skimming when he was 38, there are a lot of guys in their 30's who rip. peluso must be 30 by now (hahaha).

[marcyman]

kcskimkid, yeah, you are right. I don't need the pressure. I got to find a spot with no one around. Damn old ladies keep walking back and forth.

BART, absolutely.. fall flat = no hurt wrists for me. It just natural at this point for me to want to catch myself with my hands even though I know not to. I know all of this in theory, just got to apply it. Brain has got to interpret the signal quicker. How is your 38 year old friend doing with the skim boarding?

[kcskimkid]

one thing you learn to do and is very important is learn to carry your momentum into the water. almost everytime i fall i manage to carry all my momentum into the water in just crash in the water. doesnt even hurt and it looks like you halfway meant to do it.

[BART]

BART, absolutely.. fall flat = no hurt wrists for me. It just natural at this point for me to want to catch myself with my hands even though I know not to.

totally, you'll get it. stick limbs out to try and brace your fall is why 'hey can i try your board' first timers get injured. you'll get it.


How is your 38 year old friend doing with the skim boarding?

he's 42 now and hasn't skimmed in a while. mostly a scheduling thing. i thought he picked up the basics pretty quickly though, even faster than i did when i was 12.

[veniceskim4]

I wouldn't start off running full speed either. Just get your form and the basics down and get comfortable with it before you start throwing other things in there.

[kcskimkid]

yeah if you go full speed at first you are going to be really f*cked.baby steps.

[marcyman]

So a slow jog instead of a sprint? That's what I did and it was like walking from dry land to ice... ass on ground feet in air, lol.

[veniceskim4]

You don't want to go to slow to the point of haveing no momentum. Make Also make sure your stepping one foot after another on. Just try different things until you hit something natural.

[kcskimkid]

one step is the most important though. how ever long it takes you to learn it. if you learn it right the first time, you wont have to worry about it later. plus it looks more natural.

[marcyman]

kcskimkid, I think I know what one step is but could you refresh my memory of what it is and tips on doing it more successfully.

[HandsomeJonneh]

sounds like a drop problem

just work on dry sand on dropping and stepping on, either back foot or front foot first

if theres a tide pool or something along those lines with a little deeper water, those might be good to work on dropping so when you do fall, you catch a little less impact

[Ryon Graf]

keeep with it, man. We all pay our dues. Then keep paying them. lol

[kcskimkid]

kcskimkid, I think I know what one step is but could you refresh my memory of what it is and tips on doing it more successfully.

heres the thing. most people including me started out running, throwing their board, running more and finally jumping on to the board. it works but its not as effective as one step

one step is when you can effectively take only one step after throwing down your board.Basically you run onto your board using your back foot to step on the back of the board first. if you watch good one steppers its like they literaly just ran onto their board as soon as they dropped it. thats what you want. you maximize the amount of distance you can reach and maximize the most speed transfer.

one important thing to remember is to throw your board down in front of you and not off to the side and throw it down hard so it goes where you want it to. once you master that youll be golden and well ahead of most skimboarders.

[marcyman]

I need to take some time and work on the drop like jonny suggested but I'll work on the one step. Thanks for the clarification kcskimkid. If that means I'm practicing dropping all day and nothing else I'm down with that.

I'm sooo sore from yesterday, lol.

[GLS-Nate]

[QUOTE=BART]

of course, it helps if you are only eating shit in the water, not on the sand

QUOTE]

QFT! Bloody knees, I say no thanks please.

[kcskimkid]

I need to take some time and work on the drop like jonny suggested but I'll work on the one step. Thanks for the clarification kcskimkid. If that means I'm practicing dropping all day and nothing else I'm down with that.

I'm sooo sore from yesterday, lol.

for sure man.you are gonna have more sore days to come.

[vicskim4406]

Def. a drop problem.

[marcyman]

drop problem as in, drop wrong, fall off all crazy like?

[SteveTaylor]

dude, every single skimmer has had the same exact problem, they just loved the sport so much that they keep skimming. Balance in the begging sucks and is hard, so dont feel bad for yourself or quit. If skimming came with auto-sliding, and no falls, it would probally be more popular than surfing...

keep at it


incorrect, i have never fallen once.

[marcyman]

never ever, ever ever...

[SteveTaylor]

haven't even almost lost balance.

[marcyman]

damn man, I gotta get some equilibrium like yours.

[marcyman]

Went out skimboarding today. Worked on some of the stuff you all suggested, rode it a few times and then... KABAM... the board gets knocked into my fuckin' shins. OUCH. I got some nice lumps, oh well, that's the price for the stoke. Thanks a million guys for all the tips and giving me a warm welcome.

[idrathrbskimmin]

np bro. Shins hurt so bad