Surfing Waves

Just got a slightly shorter board and find that I don't have the length to rest the toes on the back of the board and therefore springing up using the toes doesn't seem to be an option. How do you pop up not using your toes!!!!

Hey mate
The pop up is all about getting to your feet in one swift fast motion. It really does help if you practice on the beach a few times to understand the motion you need to go through.
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Hope this helps, happy surfing!

I guess using your toes is a longboard thing. For shortboarders the thigs rest on the board and the knees barely touch, usually my feet are behind me pointed and out of the water.

If I understand right, you are having prloblems getting your feet under you. Might suprise you to know that the popup is actually two steps, first the back then the front. Not slowly, almost at the same time, but if you try it in the living room it's easier than trying to bring up both feet.

Google shortboard popup on youtube and find the videos on it.

Thanks - some of the techniques I've seen on you tube are bad practice...so others tell me....but in any case it seems to be sorting itself out and yesterday was pretty good. You are right in that it was a longboard thing....just a case of re-programming yourself a bit!

If you're nimble enough, you could try popping up like one would on a shortboard:

1. Hands flat on the deck under your shoulders
2. Pushing up with full arm extension (you should be slightly airborne)
3. Milliseconds after pushing up, swing your lead leg between your arms onto the board. Your back leg should land near the tail. The positioning of your legs naturally makes you twist and assume a surfer's stance.

2 and 3 should virtually be one fluid movement. A friend of mine has been struggling with his pop-up, and I suggested this method. He has quite a belly, and it seems impossible for him to swing his lead foot forward. If only he could push himself up higher...

i find myself doing a spiderman crouch then to full upright. So like as i catch the wave i put my right hand in the middle of the board and kinda pop up fast with forward pressure from my right hand. it works well in fast breaking waves. except i'm not like the picture, i'm alreayd with my feet to the sides in place my hand in the front mid end of hte board and my body parralell with the wave.



kinda like that with my goofy footed ness GOING LEFT ALWAYS!