Surfing Waves

hey everyone

My surf experience so far:

1) from 2010 - 2013 occasional surf, 1-2 times a month at most, absolute beginner lvl
2) from 2013 - 2017 often and more determined, used any opportunity to surf while living on the coast, probably progressed to somewhat of a decent intermediate surfer, used to ride mals mostly (9ft+)
3) 2017 - till present living far from the coast, no surfing at all apart from a few sessions when on holidays in 2019

3 weeks ago moved back to the coast (Sunshine Coast, QLD, AUS) and started my surf sessions again. So far I've done 7-9 sessions 1 hr each.

What I noticed is that I paddle ok and my paddling technique is alright (at least I hope so), also once I am on the wave it isn't too bad as well as I can do some basic bottom turns and even sort of cutbacks lol. At least I can ride the wave till it ends relatively ok.

My past knowledge and feeling also help me a lot as I position pretty good for the wave and etc.

However, what's really horrible is my pop up. I use my knee to pop up which was last I did when I used to learn to surf like 10+ years ago. As a result, I am too slow and wiped out on some of the waves. Even when I had random surf sessions during my holidays 2 years ago, it wasn't that bad at all.

Another problem is that currently, I am riding my old 8ft performance mal which was kept by a friend from the old times. Due to my financial situation, atm can't afford to buy a proper volume 9ft+ mal which I know will make things much easier

So would you guys have any thoughts on a popup training/improvement? something I can practice outside the water and not being a pain for locals when I am not riding those waves I am paddling for.

Thanks in advance!

You can practice your popup on land at home. I once made a cardboard cutout of my board and stored it under my bed, Took it out every day and practiced a very space specific popup until it was second nature. Took me about 2 months to change my popup. You need to make sure your form is correct then work on speed. No need for cutout probably for you. just lay down on the floor and practice

seeker wrote:However, what's really horrible is my pop up. I use my knee to pop up which was last I did when I used to learn to surf like 10+ years ago. As a result, I am too slow and wiped out on some of the waves.

So would you guys have any thoughts on a popup training/improvement? something I can practice outside the water and not being a pain for locals when I am not riding those waves I am paddling for.

However long it took you to CREATE the bad habit, will be how long it will take to BREAK that bad habit. So maybe another 10 years until you can get back to level.

That is why I never ever let my students do the one knee pop up.

waikikikichan wrote:
However long it took you to CREATE the bad habit, will be how long it will take to BREAK that bad habit.

oldmansurfer wrote:You can practice your popup on land at home.

Thanks guys for your input. I've been going for a surf pretty much 3-4 times a week for the last month and it did pay off! I just recently started noticing my pop-up isn't that bad anymore and I can paddle/pop-up right into the section I want (not always though). But that is on my old sort of a performance 8' without that much volume.

I just bought a proper 9'6 mal with fair bit of volume today and can't wait to test it (I am a relatively heavy/tall bloke), however, conditions are super bad with dead onshore now.

Had the same knee-pop after a few years off. What helped was 10 minutes a day on land: hands by lower ribs, eyes up, drive front knee to chest, land the back foot first. I taped lines on the floor as “rails” to dial stance.

In the water I stuck to soft shoulders, committing earlier so the board was gliding. On a 9'6, keep chest up with a bit more weight forward during the pop.

I had a hip replacement and gained weight during the rehab. Took me a year or so to stabilize and get back to normal. During that time and the 6months prior to the operation when it was hurting pretty bad I didn't do much surfing. When I finally started back I was overweight, out of shape and stiff and my pop up was awful. What helped me was to lose weight, do exercises for my upper body and chest to build them up again, general fitness improvement, and stretching, most important ones being asian squats, sit and hold and sitting indian style and stretching forward pushing knees to the ground. The better I got in all those areas the quicker and smoother my pop up got. I did a little dry land practice but mainly just improved my health, strength and flexibility and it came back like riding a bike.