A year ago, after being away from surfing for 35 yrs, I bought a 10’ weber performer and, after a few months of practice, couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t stand up. Or, rather, why I could stand up the first 2 or 3 times I tried in a session and then not stand after that. Finally, I ended up at the neurologists and learned that I have a kind of muscular dystrophy that’s attacking my calf muscles and irretrievably (and progressively) damaging them such that they give up on me after popping up 2 or 3 times on the board.
Okay, so I can’t go from prone to standing. My thought now is to learn how to knee paddle and try standing from that position. The weber doesn’t seem to be stable enuf for that or, in fact, the right shape. But my first question is, how difficult is it going to be to (re)learn how to surf from the kneeing position?
And, then, any thoughts, about an off-the-rack board that might work in my situation? I’m hoping for something that’d knee paddle easily and well and that’d be pretty darn stable both when I’m rising and when I’m standing. What about the 11’ or 12’ Munoz softtop? Other thoughts? My town’s got a pretty great shaper who could possibly make me something if I knew what to tell him; but if I can find a suitable production board, that’d suit me better.
Is there any kinda physical therepy that might make a difference? I got Spinal Stenosis that comes and goes…but it is treated often successfully with PT. Will popping up from kneeling make that much of a difference? Consider knee riding and belly riding on your long board as a fun alternative to stand up riding on waves up to head high. With the right board(not sure about the Webber)…you may find standing in small waves is overrated!
Hi- I have degenrated disks in my lower back and when I am not doing well I knee ride my longboard and have statisfiying surfs.
The most fun I have knee riding is on a softop 11’ rescue board. I use the handles to “pigdog” sections/white water and cannot beleive the speed I get on this board- pure fun. If you cannot get one of the softop rescue boards (I think they only sell them to agencies) get the 11" munoz and have the surftech repair center put handles on. The handles make the board easier to carry- the thing is a beast. I didn’t really like the 12’ much. Have fun and be careful.
Roger: PT makes some difference but not enough to make popping up from prone a realistic option for me. That said, I don’t really know how I’d do popping up from kneeling, but another of the problems I have coming up from prone is even getting my rear leg is in the right position under my body; it tends to flop down wherever it wants, which is rarely where I want it to flop down; and after that, it’s off the side I go. My hope is that, rising from kneeling, my rear foot can stay pretty much where it is and not have to find a better position right off the bat. Popping up from knees on my living room carpet shows this to be the case, pretty much, but it may be far different in practice in the water. What do you think?
I hear you about knee riding and belly riding; but I’m determined to stand up if it’s at all possible, so I guess I’ll try to exhaust all those options first.
Steiny: is the 11’ rescue board about the same shape as the 11’ Munoz? And, what didn’t you like about the 12’ Munoz?
I find the softop option appealing as something to try, but I wonder how it is as a knee paddler and whether, in that regard specifically, the 12’ model might work out better – ie be the better knee paddling machine though other aspects of the board might not be as good. Thoughts?
You may be a candidate for SUP surfing, if there is not an issue of leg fatigue from prolonged standing. Several Sway’s have considerable experience with the design. Good luck to you.
The 11’ rescue board is the same shape as the 11’ munoz but because of the construction the rail is a little different. The 12’ munoz seemed to be more rockered and more beastly, I didn’t like it as much. It does catch anything. The 10’6" Munoz also didn’t work as well for me. My opinion is that the 11’ is the one.The softops are more comfy as knee paddlers due to the padded deck but if you live someplace warm enough to surf in trunks you’ll need to protect your knees from abrasion. As the softops gets older the rubber coating degrades and gets a bit rough. The 12’ is so wide that smaller people might have a hard time paddling them. Where are your located? I think the Surftech website has all the dimensions to these boards. The Cowell’s Beach shop in Santa Cruz has the 11’ for rent and they might have a 12’. Remember, its all a matter of personal taste and circumstance- check out your options, rent and borrow boards. belly ride, knee ride,- try it all.
If you are in Northern California I have a 11’ Munoz(epoxy) you can borrow. There is a woman is town who only knee paddles into waves and she glued a paddleboard deck pad onto her glass board- maybe this would work for your Weber.
Try and look up some video/photos of uncle Grant Kauhane.
I think you’ll find some in Buffalo Keaulana’s Surf Contest footage.
Uncle Grant has a unique style that has actually been adopted into Buff’s contest.
Grant’s maybe 80 going on 90 or maybe younger and has a adopted a style to fit his elder physique which is basically getting up to one knee during take off and with hands out to the aside pushing off the one knee stance to vertical in a two step process. Grant is like Woody Brown looks like uyou could snap him in half with your finger but he still goes for it.
It’s actually a very difficult move taking the drop on one knee and probably where RussK folks invented their classic knee drag tube style which is actually a derivative of Uncle Grant’s move and Alan Panteleon’s hand on the nose one leg to the sky signature move.
If you paddle with bad legs I’d get a softtop or pad your deck.
I have the same problem with my bad knees I refuse to take care of and every now and then my legs will collapse under me because they get stuck with a torn miniscus flappinfg around inside and refuse to fold up under me as I push up. Unfortunately I’ve run over several friends because of my inability to get my board under control during take off in a crowd. Nothing like falling flat on your face after pushing off during take off on a head high wave while the guys on the inside scramble to get out of the way. A big board to get in early is a key and a staggered approach to get to vertical.
sorry to hear about the dystrophy. you could get a standup paddle board and use the paddle to get into waves then pop to your feet. and seeing how talented riders like Carve Nalu are at whipping the board around you won’t be stuck with big clunky longboard templates(I classic longboard and shortboard so thats not a stab at longboarders).
I’m sorry to hear about your muscular problem, that’s bad news. If physical therapy and the various tricks and alternate board designs don’t work for you, you might consider kneeboarding in addition to the SUP route. I’ve seen several kneeboarders at quality breaks during good swells get some of the best waves of the day and rip them to shreds-leaving the rest of the pack watching in awe. With a kneeboard you would only have to get to your knees, not stand up, and with a combination of paddling and kicking with fins, you would probably be able to motor along just fine even if your calves were giving you trouble. Just a thought-I’m not a kneeboarder or a physical therapist. The important thing is to keep catching waves, however you do it!
Jasperson - sorry to hear of your dilemma, hopefully the new year will bring something positive to your situation. As for a board, my thinking is a standard length longboard, a little wider with a FLAT bottom for stability. Something that will be a more stable platform as you change positions. As far as jumping up goes, many people , when they go to jump up, have weight on their toes, which means as they get up, they are using their calves to help them. You might try, on your floor, as you are lying down, to have your ankles extended out , so that as you go to get up you’re pushing off extended arms and thighs, jumping up and pulling your legs up under you, so you’re not really using your calves until you are up. Hope I’ve explained this clearly. Good luck.
The most fun I have knee riding is on a softop 11’ rescue board. I use the handles to “pigdog” sections/white water and cannot beleive the speed I get on this board- pure fun.
I neglected to read this last night, but steiny which model are you riding of the rescue boards, the 4 inch thick more paddleboardesque ones or the thinner more longboardesque ones? I am a lifeguard and have ridden both. Since we arn’t allowed to standup on these boards we kneeboard them, and holy crap they are a blast. You won’t be able to do cut backs but in trim they are great.
Congrat’s on your determination to not let this thing keep you out of the surf. There are all sorts of ways to enjoy surfing, prone, kneeling, and of course standing, but nothing beats the magic carpet ride of standing near the front in full trim. Keep trying to get there.
The softop sounds like a good quick solution to get a fairly bouyant, padded board underneath you. The suggestion to try a rental is a great one. Even if it’s just to check out sizes.
If your knees aren’t young, and after 35 years out of the water I’m guessing they’re not, you may find that the padding on the softop is not quite enough. There are all sorts of deck pads you could add to help, but once you decide to add your own padding, you might as well go for a hard board because it opens up your options, and besides, you only really need the padding in the knee area anyway.
Deciding size and shape for any person has to do with many things. Why don’t you tell the people here your height, weight, the type of waves you expect to surf, what you want to be able to do on them, and how often you be able to get in the water. That might help them get more specific. Also, your location so you might get directed to a shop.
Don’t get discouraged. Remember Greenough was a kneeboarder.
We are using the longboard-like rescue boards. We are not standing on them when we are doing our safety paddle gig. I find that if you lean back hard on 'em they turn surprisingly well. Our surf club bought a Bennet type softy for the JGs but I never heard a report about how it works. Check the photos here for an idea of how we knee ride the rescue boards: www.rideawave.org
Congrat’s on your determination to not let this thing keep you out of the surf. There are all sorts of ways to enjoy surfing, prone, kneeling, and of course standing, but nothing beats the magic carpet ride of standing near the front in full trim. Keep trying to get there.
– I think you’re right, which is why, though I like the idea of kneeboards, I think I’ll try to solve the standing riddle first, if i can.
The softop sounds like a good quick solution to get a fairly bouyant, padded board underneath you. The suggestion to try a rental is a great one. Even if it’s just to check out sizes.
If your knees aren’t young, and after 35 years out of the water I’m guessing they’re not, you may find that the padding on the softop is not quite enough. There are all sorts of deck pads you could add to help, but once you decide to add your own padding, you might as well go for a hard board because it opens up your options, and besides, you only really need the padding in the knee area anyway.
– Right you are about my knees. They’re not in bad shape but not in great shape either. The need for extra padding is something I hadn’t thought about…
Deciding size and shape for any person has to do with many things. Why don’t you tell the people here your height, weight, the type of waves you expect to surf, what you want to be able to do on them, and how often you be able to get in the water. That might help them get more specific. Also, your location so you might get directed to a shop.
– Good idea! So, let’s see: 6’-0, 185 lbs. I’m in RI, and the waves here (that I’m likely to ride) are mainly of the easy-going leisurely variety. What I want to do on the wave is, at this point, pretty basic – just get up and go. I’d like to nose ride, of course, but if that’s going to happen, it’s going to happen a ways down the road. Now, I’d just settle for cruising. I don’t plan on riding waves over 4’ or so. And I’d be able to get in the water just about any time the conditions are right; i.e., I don’t have a 9 to 5 job holding me back.
Ideally, I’d like to get ahold of a Munoz softop to try out but as far as I can tell none of the shops around here carry them or are likely to have loaners, which presents a small problem, and I doubt a used one is going to pop up any time soon; all of which sort of leaves me in the position of trying to gather as much info as I can about what is most likely to work in my case and then trying to decide whether or not to plunk down the dough blindly. Maybe some other option will present itself, but that’s where I stand at the moment.
Meanwhile, I’ll keep looking into some of the other ideas and thoughts presented by everyone here and see what develops. It’s all be very helpful so far. Again, thanks, everyone!
