FIrst experience..and question

[lbisurfer]

So i went surfing for the first time today. the first wave out there was too big for me, and of course i tried to take it. i caught it, tried to stand, and the board pearled and i nose dived. most of the waves were too big for me (the whitewash was in too shallow water to surf), i couldnt sit on the board for more than a couple of minutes without flipping over, there was a descently strong curent and i got sore and tired, i didnt ride a single wave, almost stood a handful of times after 2+ hours...and with all that said i loved it lol. i'll be out there again tomorrow. sorry, end of rant, i just had to let some surfin people know im officially hooked.

anyway, so question about popping up. i surf in nj, the waves are very shrot rides so you have to get up quick. i know that i grabbed the rails to pop-up which is a no-no for many, i'll work on that. but anyway my question is about the lower body. my feet hang off the board a little and its a swallow tail, i feel like my feet were hitting the board on the way up. should you have your knees very close together and kind of use them to pop-up since my feet arent on the board? thanks for any help

[IB_Surfer]

Actually, you are trying to run before you learn to crawl. It doesn't do you any good to go out to the lineup and catch a wave if you don't have your pop-up down.

What you need to do is practice your popup a bunch of times in waist high surf. Here is what you do:

1) Forget paddling, learn that after you learn your popup.
2) Walk out with your board next to you until you are waist+ deep and wait for some white-wash that looks like it has some push.
3) Aim the board towards the beach and wait for it to get to you. Right before it does, push your board towards the beach and throw yourself on top of it, make sure you have momentum going or you won't ride it. Don't just plop onto your board, push it towards the beach and then get on it.
4) Now, pop-up, if you can, try. Watch some popup videos from youtube if you are not sure how, but keep trying.
5) Do this over and over, don't even bother going to the lineup, just keep practicing your pop-ups.
6) Ride the wave a couple of seconds but watch out you don't go too shallow and hurt your board.Also, be carefull not to hurt yourself in shallow water.
7) Repeat, repeat, repeat. If you can stand up 8 times in a row then you are ready to start paddling, but don't waste your time paddling and going to the linup if you can't stand up.

This has two purposeses: a) you'll be ready for a wave once you can stand up consistently and b) you'll have fun being a kook in shallow water, I had a blast!. Took me a solid month to really get my popup down, but I had a blast learning, so will you

[lbisurfer]

Yeah i understand what youre saying, and agree. The only problem is that day the whitewash was too weak and shallow to practice popping up. I did it a couple of times, and hit the board on the bottom one of the times. Guess i'll just have to try adn be patient and find some descent whitewash or at least small waves, which means possibly giving up some days which arent good for me..

[BlondieChick]

......

anyway, so question about popping up. i surf in nj, the waves are very shrot rides so you have to get up quick. i know that i grabbed the rails to pop-up which is a no-no for many, i'll work on that. but anyway my question is about the lower body. my feet hang off the board a little and its a swallow tail, i feel like my feet were hitting the board on the way up. should you have your knees very close together and kind of use them to pop-up since my feet arent on the board? thanks for any help[/quote]



I actually have the same query as you regarding the pop-up..I have been surfing a 7'6 Minimal where my toes are on the end of the board and I use them to help me spring up when popping up. Now I have just bought a 6'10 swallow-tail board and I am wondering how does one pop-up? Is it down to the individual to devise their own method or is there a 'this is THE way to do it' method?? I tried bending the knee of the back leg out to the side and hooking the back foot up onto the board and then springing up using the back foot to place the front foot down, if that makes any sense? But should I be able to do a 'normal' pop-up- as I do on a board where my toes are on the end of the board- on this 6'10?? And if so, how?

[uglystick]

slide your back foot up until you back foot is level with your knee, keep your toes pointed out. Then use the back foot to lever your body up and swing your front foot under your chest aiming to land your front foot between your hands. You also need to rotate your shoulders towards your back foot.

Otherwise simply push up and 'jump' to your feet. Takes a bit of practice to land your feet in the right spot, but if done properly is the best way to get to your feet. May take alot of practice on the carpet at home to build up enough strength.

[lbisurfer]

alright, a little update and a couple more questions. so i've been surfing a good bit, trying to go almost everyday. i can see a little bit of a difference. popping up is still the main thing im working on. my problem is that i find waves easier to pop up on thatn whitewash. the whitewash seems to rock the board, water comes down on top of you, and its not great in this area. so ive been catching small waves, which seem much mroe stable to pop up on. ive been able to ride a couple small ones so far. since most people say ride whitewash first am i still trying to run before i crawl, or should i just go with whatever works? i havent completely abandoned whitewash yet. also, with wetsuits, is just running the shower over it enough, or do you actually let it soak in like a tub and then hang it up to dry?

[IB_Surfer]

Sounds like you are having fun either way. As to the wetsuit, I usually throw some fresh water on me and my suit when I'm at the beach then hang it when I get home, I really don't soak it at all, but for sure do a fresh water rinse after every go out.

[Rogue_Shadow]

On the lines of wetsuit care
I take my wetsuit off and leave in inside out
take it home and wash it down using the hose, turn it outside in (so its back to normal) give it another quick water blast and sorted
sorted

Ohh and leave it to drip dry, hang it from the waist! Otherwise it will stretch the Shoulders

[travel]

if u want to really take good care of ur wetsuit, u can buy the wetsuit shampoo (available in most surf shops)... fill water to a tub, and then add shampoo, dump ur suit in and soak a few mins.. the shampoo is supposed to soften ur suit so u can get in easily next time.

and yes, hang dry, but do it inside out for faster drying...

[IB_Surfer]

Oh, lastly, I hang my suit down the middle, not from the arms, so it won't stretch out the shoulders

[lbisurfer]

thanks for the replies, the wetsuit has kept up nice and is always dry the next day for going out. and ive been hanging it around the waist so shoulders dont stretch. now a couple surfing related things..

im finally actually riding waves, you can really feel the difference when you get in a wave. as ive found the more you keep your head up and arch your back the easier the popup is, but where exactly are you looking when riding the wave? how far in front or to the side? ive noticed i end up looking like right in front of the nose. also, i think i may start stretching a little bit before i go out. my groin has been hurting a little during the pop-up, and there's been some pain in my shoulder and elbow too. do you guys stretch or warm up at all before you head out and really paddle around and ride?