Surfing Waves

Hey guys,

So for the last 2 months I been surfing a 6'3 shortboard but I've been having a few problems with popping up. Every time I go to pop up on the board my feet end up being to close together making me fall straight off. Also when popping up on green waves I catch the wave but I have trouble getting up on the board until I get to the bottom of the wave as I feel like I am going to nose dive. Where and when I surf the waves can be around anywhere from 3 to 6ft.

The 6'3 is the only board I have right now as a mate sold it cheap to me and I can't afford to buy a fun board or something with more volume at the moment meaning I can't learn in whitewater I understand that learning on shortboard is crazy hard but I guess a few tips would help (I have searched the web quite a bit too) . I have skateboarded for 7 years but surfing to me is way different.

Cheers.

Try to practice a while on dry land, focusing on keeping your foot positioning right and wide apart (front foot should be around the middle of the board).
Sometimes the fear of pearling makes you hesitate on the pop up, which only increases the chance of actually pearling. If you feel your positioning on the wave is good, as soon as it takes you pop up. Try to do it on a fast fluid motion.
Are the waves you surf hollow? It can make learning more difficult.

how many surf session over the past 2 months? Really it is just a matter of keeping at it and falling a lot at first. It helps to be more flexible and in shape. You can make a cardboard cutout of your board and practice popping up on your floor. The popup should be quick so if it is taking too long then you aren't doing it right. If you are on whitewater try to turn the board while you are lying down and get on to the green part of the wave then popup but mostly just try on green waves.

surfer1994 wrote:Every time I go to pop up on the board my feet end up being to close together making me fall straight off.

If you're feet are landing too closely together, you're probably popping forward rather than up.
Popping up on a shortboard is partly up and partly a pivot around the back foot - there is very little forward motion, and so the back foot should stay in more or less the place it started. Try bending your right knee (assuming you're natural - reverse if you're goofy) before you pop up, the so-called 'chicken wing' pop up. It forces you to pivot around your back foot and only put your front foot forward.

And keep low. Don't stand straight up.

surfer1994 wrote:Also when popping up on green waves I catch the wave but I have trouble getting up on the board until I get to the bottom of the wave as I feel like I am going to nose dive.

You won't nose dive if you're standing up. When you're lying prone, you can do very little to control where the weight on the board is. When you're standing, you can weight the back foot if necessary to avoid pearling - and you probably won't need to anyway because once you're moving, that's when the board starts to plane.

No magic answer to this - just bite the bullet and pop up as soon as you've caught the wave. You'll soon work out whether you've got it right or not

like most people who try to surf a shortboard too soon, You are putting the cart before the horse. The problems are happening before your feet even touch the board. If you can't paddle a shortboard ( low volume, not enough core strength to hold the board under your chest and stomach, paddling technique, etc. ) you are not catching the wave. the WAVE is catching you. Thus you are getting pitched out and over. You can't utilize/correct your feet and stance because you are at the whim of the wave. Once you take control of that moment , then you can start popping up. Until then, it don't matter how your feet are lined up.

Hey, thanks so much for your help! Its looking quite good out today where I live so I will take your advice "on board".

It really depends, but the waves vary and are normally "barreling" but quickly, which I can find quite scary to learn on.

I normally try go out at-least 3 to 4 times a week, as long as it doesn't look to big or dangerous. Last night I took the fins off my board and started practicing the pop up and I find that my front foot just sucks at getting center on the board however when I have my body a bit more forward I can get both my feet more centered.

I do use the pivot technique with the back foot, should your knee's ever touch the board when popping up or only your feet? But I am obviously doing it wrong haha

Yes, I do find I need to work on my strength as I can definitely feel my arms getting sore after paddling for awhile.

I am new to the forum not sure how to reply properly but this is kinda a reply to each person that replied!
Thanks guys!

be careful practicing your pop up on your board on land - the water will give a bit, land doesn't and your board might get squished a bit. Put it on some towels or blankets or a yoga matter etc, or better yet just create a chalk outline or cloth outline of your board on the floor.

Otherwise, have a go just focusing on getting your front foot under and to the right place. Your back foot will follow (wont be exactly where it should be but that's easier to fix than not standing at all)