Where should my feet be while paddling?

[Fire Ball]

I was riding a shortboard today for the first time and I didn't really know if I should have my feet off the tail or right on the edge of the tail or what. I had my feet right off the end of the tail, but the waves were too big for me today so I didn't get many rides, so I couldn't experiment much.
Also, on the pop-up, I have my hands on the rails when I pop-up, but I'm not sure if I should have my hands on the top of the board. Is it easier or faster to get up that way?

[IB_Surfer]

The feet should be off the board, pointed, feet together. Your thighs should be on the board, but not your knees or your feet.

On your pop-up, the hands should be on the deck, not the rails,thumbs pointed to the stringer. Your hand will have a tendency to slip if you hold the board by the rails.

[uglystick]

dont worry about where your feet are, that will depend on the board and your body size. Concentrate on having your body positioned in a spot which makes paddling easier. The nose of your board in general will be an inch or so above the water, agin depending on the board. Been to far forward on your board will result in the nose of the board tending to go under water which slows your down. To far back results in the nose of you board sticking to far out of the water which also slows you down. Just find the spot which feels like your board is flowing through the water with minimal effort.

As for where your hands go when you push up, where ever you feel comfortable putting them.

[Fire Ball]

Thanks. I think I need to wax the rails a little if I am going to continue popping up the same way I am now. I think having my feet just off the end is the best place for me.

[Sar]

Ive heard that hands on the rails thing is a negative habit to develop. But having just been surfing this weekend Ive also found that I pop up better with my hands on the rails - unless on a much wider board.

Just remember that bad habits, once developed are difficult to break. I try to keep my feet out of the water - knees bent and ankles together.

[Fire Ball]

Ive heard that hands on the rails thing is a negative habit to develop. But having just been surfing this weekend Ive also found that I pop up better with my hands on the rails - unless on a much wider board.

Just remember that bad habits, once developed are difficult to break. I try to keep my feet out of the water - knees bent and ankles together.

I will try to put my hands on the deck when I am surfing next time. I will try to practice on the floor at home with my hands closer to my body to emulate popping up with my hands on the deck.

[nightwing]

Hi. I just started surfing about a year ago. Right now, I can pop up pretty decent, as long as I'm well positioned.

And my pop up started getting better when I changed from popping up from holding rails to hands on deck. So
I think that would really matter.

[twerked]

i don't know what my legs do. on a longboard, they're usually up in the air. but when i'm on my shortboard they're usually in the water. i dunno, it's whatever feels comfortable.

as to hands for the pop-up, on my longboard my palms are flat on the deck. but my shortboard, they're kind of on the rails. not grabbing them, but near them. it seems to go that way because if i put my hands flat on the deck i feel like i don't have enough room to get my legs under me.

the whole, 'don't touch the rails thing' i go over on my surf lessons because if you tell people to grab onto the rails, they forget to let go sometimes when they stand up. so i just tell em, palms flat on the deck. i don't really know why it's a 'bad habit'

[nightwing]

One thing I've noticed when you're holding the rails, if you're not smooth enough during pop up, which most of us beginners tend
to do, your board wobbles and standing on it seems unstable.

I'm telling this out of my experience, but I still think "whatever works for you" is the bottom line to all this.

Some surfers I know, who has been surfing for years think holding the rails or hands on deck won't matter. I think this is
because popping up has become 2nd nature to them. But to beginners, it matters because it's not yet 2nd nature. We tend
to over-analyze our moves that we forget it doesn't matter really. Just pop up and enjoy.

As for feet(which this topic is about. hehe.), I think mine is in the water. I'm using a 6'5" and I'm 5'7.

[hotdog.]

is it bad to paddle with your feet, when im paddeling my short board into a wave i tend to kick a little, it adds a little speed boost into smaller waves

[nightwing]

is it bad to paddle with your feet, when im paddeling my short board into a wave i tend to kick a little, it adds a little speed boost into smaller waves

I know some people who do that, and yeah they do surf better than me. They get the smaller waves more often.

[twerked]

is it bad to paddle with your feet, when im paddeling my short board into a wave i tend to kick a little, it adds a little speed boost into smaller waves

yeah, i usually give a few kicks for a little boost. but try not to make it a habit, especially if you're switching back and forth between short and longboards. you're shins will thank you (i never have done that, but i know people who have)

[surferdude_scarborough]

your feet should be on the end of your legs where you left them...