Popping Up

[NJSurfer973]

This may sound kind of stupid, but what part of the wave are you supposed to pop up on? because sometiems i feel like when i pop up to early, i miss the wave, then other times when i pop up very late, and i either pearl or just ride the wave as if im bodyboarding until i try to stand up. Then i try to do it i the middle, and the board is on an angle downwards and is much harder to stand up.


I also have problems with my feet, sometimes i put them litterally facing towards the nose right next to each other very far back. I think this has to do with when to pop up, becuase it feels like the board is going straight down, even on like 2 or 3 foot waves.

Im also paddling straight towards the beach or a little slanted, would paddling much more towards an angle help all of this?

Thanks.

[RJD]

https://surfing-waves.com/forum/view ... hp?t=12079

[justloafing]

What are you riding? Different ways to catch a wave on different boards.

[the.ronin]

I am no surf teaching guru, but I don’t know that there is necessarily a “right spot” on the wave to launch. Ultimately, you will not go anywhere if you are not hydroplaning. In other words, the wave is carrying you. On the other hand, you will be in for an abrupt drop if it takes you too long to hydroplane.

Watch other surfers. Particularly on mushy waves, you might notice them stop paddling but they are still moving – they’ve caught the wave and are hydroplaning.

Hydroplaning could occur on different spots of the wave. The ideal is to paddle in early and hydroplane well before the wave breaks. This gives you the time to launch and build up speed along the face so you can make the section before it breaks. Of course there will be times when you are a bit too deep and your timing and speed to launch will be critical – otherwise you will just go over the falls.

Over time, you will get a feel for when you are truly hydroplaning and you can stand up. Those barney situations where you stand and end up sinking while the wave passes you by will be fewer and farther between.

In a way, you don’t choose when and where to stand, the wave does.

Regarding angles, I think of it this way. If you paddle perfectly perpendicular to the wave (directly facing shore), you will be taking full advantage of the force of the wave. Now imagine paddling perfectly parallel to the wave (shore is perfectly to your side). I’ve yet to see anyone catch a wave like this. Somewhere in between these two angles is where you want to be. The trade-off is such that the more perpendicular you are, the more force you are able to harness from the wave. The more parallel you are, the quicker you will be to get on the face and be on your way (as opposed to bottom turning).

As with the question on where is the “right spot” to stand up on a wave, the angle of attack is different every time and also up to the wave rider’s preference.

Hope this helps.

[garbarrage]

paddling at too much of an angle and the wave will broad side you with horribe results as i'm sure you can imagine.. arch your backif it feels like the wave is going to pitch you or the nose is going to pearl... to me it feels like redistributing your weight to kind of fight gravity....

What are you riding? Different ways to catch a wave on different boards.

interested to hear your take on this as i've started to attempt a shorter board again.... first time was a complete disaster.. way too soon.

found that first couple of times out i was missing waves cos i was sitting out too wide as i would on a long board... soon figured out that the take off had to be a bit later and nearer the peak... starting to get it. also you've much less time to get to your feet.. which i'm happy to say is coming along nicely...

practice "popping up" on the beach, in your house, or anywhere you can until you can do it smoothly and quickly... really concentrate on your foot positioning and you'll be getting it in no time... don't forget to bend your knees..

[the.ronin]

In regards to the “right time” to launch, I do want to add that a lot of it has to do with your ability to maintain a balanced center of gravity.

Notice how people new to surfing tend to paddle very far back with the front of their board shooting straight out of the water. Consider their center of gravity (“C”) as such:

|---C-------------------->

This is a very inefficient way to paddle. You can just the drag being created by the extreme angle of their board to the water. Now look at more seasoned surfers and how far their nose sticks out – it is barely skimming the water. Consider their center of gravity as such:

|-------------C---------->

The fact that their board is much more level to the water means they are creating minimal drag as they paddle. The reason more seasoned surfers are better able to do this is because they have accustomed their back to bend very far. By doing so, they are able to paddle with their bodies further up on the board allowing a far more efficient center of gravity. Beginners who are not accustomed to bending their backs as far and move up on their boards simply pearl (nose dive) since they are not able to control their center of gravity and it moves to the extreme forward.

So what does this have to do with catching waves? Imagine an incline (the wave) and imagine a board trying to slide down the incline. A low center of gravity would suggest that the board is coming down the incline angled up. A balanced center of gravity would allow the board to face down the incline and harness the force of the wave – allowing the rider to hydroplane far far sooner.

That’s why learning to paddle correctly is so important. It forces your body to get accustomed to bending its back at a really extreme angle and therefore allowing the rider to maintain that balanced center of gravity.

Hope this helps.

[garbarrage]

definitely making sense there.... well used to arching my back as i'm quite fond of pushing it a bit and taking off as late as possible... whether i make it or not... usually do but much prefer something to "happen", as oppossed to just missing waves.

when i got my new board i found it weird not having so much board in front of me, but was well aware this was going to be the case. have the sweet spot on the board sussed... my nose on the D of the logo... as I'm paddling i have to keep my back arched and head up or the nose slowly sinks...
would there be any benefit of dropping my head a bit as i'm paddling for a wave right when its on me or is this just asking for it?
on the longer boards sometimes i kind of shift up the board a bit mid stroke if i feel i'm about to miss a wave.. sometimes even popping with my hands a little further forward pushing the nose down the face..

this kind of extreme action on the short board will spell disaster but is it simply a case of being a more delicate balance?

[the.ronin]

Again, I’m not sure there is really a formula to this. It depends on too many variables – your board, the wave, you. I really think it is just a matter of geting to know the physics and how your body can influence weight distribution. Over time, I guess, the ability to adapt across wave conditions, board specifications, and changes to your own body becomes second nature.

Come to think of it, I swear you could write a book about surfing and how it teaches life lessons.

[garbarrage]

sounds like it could be a nice little earner... why not give it a go?
can't count the amount of people i've met day to day who could do with a little bit surfology.

as for the second nature part - i think this wanting to drop my head a bit and force the issue is learning the physics of it or at least translating what i learned on the longer board to a shorty so gonna give it a go next time out... now fingers crossed for waves... been hit and miss the last few weeks...
i'll let ya know how i get on....

[pkbum]

In regards to the “right time” to launch, I do want to add that a lot of it has to do with your ability to maintain a balanced center of gravity.

Notice how people new to surfing tend to paddle very far back with the front of their board shooting straight out of the water. Consider their center of gravity (“C”) as such:

|---C-------------------->

This is a very inefficient way to paddle. You can just the drag being created by the extreme angle of their board to the water. Now look at more seasoned surfers and how far their nose sticks out – it is barely skimming the water. Consider their center of gravity as such:

|-------------C---------->

The fact that their board is much more level to the water means they are creating minimal drag as they paddle. The reason more seasoned surfers are better able to do this is because they have accustomed their back to bend very far. By doing so, they are able to paddle with their bodies further up on the board allowing a far more efficient center of gravity. Beginners who are not accustomed to bending their backs as far and move up on their boards simply pearl (nose dive) since they are not able to control their center of gravity and it moves to the extreme forward.

So what does this have to do with catching waves? Imagine an incline (the wave) and imagine a board trying to slide down the incline. A low center of gravity would suggest that the board is coming down the incline angled up. A balanced center of gravity would allow the board to face down the incline and harness the force of the wave – allowing the rider to hydroplane far far sooner.

That’s why learning to paddle correctly is so important. It forces your body to get accustomed to bending its back at a really extreme angle and therefore allowing the rider to maintain that balanced center of gravity.

Hope this helps.

Very good explanation!

[LOLRuss]

Lately I find that even if the nose of the board sinks a bit just before I catch the wave, that can be ok.