Definative pop up thread

[hcfkavh]

I hear mixed instructions when popping up on a shorter board. I just sized down to a 6'6, and I've been trying to pop up without the use of my feet. I'm a regular footer so when I pop up I sort of push down slightly with my left knee while still lying flat (I don't prop up and kneel) to give me some momentum to swing my legs. some say your knees are suppose to substitute your feet when popping up with a shortboard, others say no knees but I find it nearly impossible to do without putting a little pressure on my left knee before swinging my legs through. Weird thing happened during my session yesterday, I had trouble popping up on smaller waves (about knee to waist high). But on shoulder high wave I was fine. I thought it was my leash getting caught but I'm not sure. I'll try to post a video.

[dtc]

I'm a regular footer so when I pop up I sort of push down slightly with my left knee while still lying flat (I don't prop up and kneel) to give me some momentum to swing my legs. some say your knees are suppose to substitute your feet when popping up with a shortboard, others say no knees but I find it nearly impossible to do without putting a little pressure on my left knee before swinging my legs through. Weird thing happened during my session yesterday, I had trouble popping up on smaller waves (about knee to waist high). But on shoulder high wave I was fine. I thought it was my leash getting caught but I'm not sure. I'll try to post a video.

As far as I know, apart from hurting your knee and dinting the board, there is no real issue in using your knees as you describe. So long as its part of one movement (straight to feet) than two (knee to back foot to feet). You dont have to do it, but if you do and it works then whatever. But I have read that a lot of people believe they are doing one movement but are actually doing two when they use their knee - as always, if you can find someone to video you it might be worth it. (oddly, I would have thought that a regular footer would push off their right knee - you push off your right foot on a bigger board if you do that kind of pop up). But, as I said, if it works then it works.

In terms of popping up in bigger waves, most of the time the pop up is not like on dry land, where you are pushing your body up off a flat unmoving surface. Rather, you are pushing your body off (but not up and off) a board that is dropping down and all you need to do is move your feet to the right place in the gap created rather than push your body up. On smaller waves, the board doesnt drop as far and you may be turning much earlier; so - perhaps without even realising it - you are popping up just a bit earlier in the wave so you have time to turn and that means you are popping up when the board is flat (near the top of the wave) rather than dropping (part way down the wave).

[drowningbitbybit]

Back to this one...

what do you guy think about that technique ?

...I said I was going to try this out... and then there was a flat spell for 2 weeks

But there some nice surf this morning, so after a couple of waves, I had one of those "try stuff" sessions (basically I was too knackered after a couple of weeks of no surfing to surf properly and so played on the smaller inside break )

Anyway, this did make an immediate noticeable difference. I wasn't doing it to the level suggested in the youtube video, but I was making sure my right leg (back leg when standing) was bent before I even started the pop up...
lo and behold, my 'natural' landing position of my back foot had shifted backwards to land routinely on my tailpad (rather than 6" in front where I'd got into the habit of it landing)

Glad I read this thread and watched the video now

[Oswaldolo]

Back to this one...

what do you guy think about that technique ?

...I said I was going to try this out... and then there was a flat spell for 2 weeks

But there some nice surf this morning, so after a couple of waves, I had one of those "try stuff" sessions (basically I was too knackered after a couple of weeks of no surfing to surf properly and so played on the smaller inside break )

Anyway, this did make an immediate noticeable difference. I wasn't doing it to the level suggested in the youtube video, but I was making sure my right leg (back leg when standing) was bent before I even started the pop up...
lo and behold, my 'natural' landing position of my back foot had shifted backwards to land routinely on my tailpad (rather than 6" in front where I'd got into the habit of it landing)

Glad I read this thread and watched the video now

Sorry my english isnt the best , so would you say its a good technique and i improved your take off or not ? I was still just able to try it on my hometown lake cause i havent been surfing since watching the video, but it seems so much easier with that technique and when i do my standard pop up i constantly land to far foward with my backfoot and often not even on the pad ...

[drowningbitbybit]

Sorry my english isnt the best , so would you say its a good technique and i improved your take off or not ?

Yes, it did