When just beginning on a surf board whats better long or short board, im very athletic and snowboard(i know its way different) but l catch on to things really fast and like to push it to the limit. Long boards look like they jsut ride straight l wanna make cuts and go crazy. and any tips of the differences between riding a long or short board, getting up, etc?
best answer will go to someone l jsut really want some info.

You're definitely gonna want to hit up the short board. It is easier to pick up, and id say that its overall more fun. Plus it allows you to do all those turns and cuts that you want to do. And on the subject of getting up and etc., it is all just based on experience.

l started on a long board and found it WAYY easier but it all depends on what style you want. Longboard is more relaxed while shortboards can do more tricks and are faster. Have fun surfing =]

There r good things about both long & short boards. l ride both (one at a time , of course). In the mid sixties, like almost everybody else, l started on a longboard. l went shorter & shorter every summer, during the 'short board revolution.' After getting out of the service, l had afew years of sporadic surfing, before l got back to surfing as much as possibly could. (I've driven 650 miles to go surfing!). l found some days that were just too small anything but a longboard. Just riding one size board is very limiting, conditions change daily in most places.

l am old, & fat & slow, so even my shortboard is 7'6''. My 6'4'' is a collectors' item now. Not every break has ripper, head high waves every day. A longboard is great for plenty of glide in that knee high stuff. One more reason to surf every chance l can.

You need a board that will float u well enough for u to take off (paddle & catch a wave). Most people learn best on long boards, although l have seen lots of surfers start on a short board & master it. Long boards r ideal for learners. There r also good internediate length boards to learn on, funshapes, mini-mals & some hybrids. You can always trade in a board & buy a new one when u r ready for a change (or keep ur long board. l bought a new long board about 6/7 years ago, and, like l said, there r some days that it is the perfect board for the conditions).

There r no RULES for learning how to surf. Go to a good local surf shop & talk to the surfers there. They will give u good advice for what works in the local breaks u will be riding.

Learning to surf is more than just standing up on a surfboard. If u r going to surf, u should be a competent ocean swimmer. Not just good in a pool, but able to swim in the surf, & when the undertow & rips r strong. l have seen lots of good pool swimmers get rescued.

Once u get that far, l would recommend some surf lessons. Go to a REAL surf shop (not a bathing suit store that sells some surfboards). The folks there will rent u a board & hook u up with some lessons. If u r fairly athletic with okay balance, u will learn how to stand up fairly easily. Much more important, is for u to learn surf etiquette. A good instructor will make sure u understand the ''rules'' so that everybody else in the water does not want to kill u before u get good at surfing.

As far as snowboarding compares to surfing, both activities require some good balance & flexibility. Beyond that, they r apples & oranges.

Surfing is an ocean sport, & athletically speaking, u need to catch the wave, as opposed to having gravity start u off down hill. Catching the wave can be one of the hardest things to learn.

With all that said, snowboarding must be really cool (not for me, however, snow is something l only like to see on Christmas cards), & l am sure that the conditioning & balance skills developed snowboarding sure can not hurt.

It is not hard to learn to surf, but it is important to learn all the elements. Learn how to handle yourself in the ocean. We do not want the beach patrol & Coast Guard searching for ur body. Learn the mechanics of surfing, & most importantly learn surf etiquette.

l have been surfing for over forty years, & some days, l am not a good as l used to be, but it is the greatest stoke there is.