Surfing Waves

Hi all

I have been surfing for a few months now and can pop up using my knees !!

My problem is that when i try and jump straight to my feet they end up in the wrong postion and i fall off! This is very fustrating as i want to start riding bigger waves but am afraid to as my pop is awful . Can you please advise me on what i am doing wrong and what i need to practise so i can procress.

Andy

Firstly if you are on a longboard don't be scared of catching bigger waves.....you should be able to catch say 3 - 4 ft waves ok and still have time to pop up if they are not too steep. The longboard should be able to catch them nice and early giving you plenty of time to pop up. I've seen lots of surfers with not the best pop up in the world catching plenty of waves...!

On the actual pop up itself, practice it on land until you get it right...I still do this every day if I'm not in the water as it keeps the muscle memory and flexibility honed. There is a good example on YouTube called real shortboard pop up. Note how his hands are right back to his lower rib.
When you say your feet are out of position...what do you mean exactly?

Hi Thanks for the quick reply


What i mean is my feet end up to close to each other and to far back on the board

By the way it is a 7'3 but i also have a 9'0 foamie which i could practise on.

I can pop up and surf waves 3-4ft using the wrong technique but am afraid to go any bigger using the wrong technique.

If your feet are too close together, chances are its a problem with your front foot - your back foot is probably more or less in the 'right' spot. So it may be as simple as focusing on getting your front foot further forward (my 'f' key broke after that sentence!). It could be, as jasedrummer mentioned, that your hands are too far forward, which means your hips dont get high enough and there isnt enough space/time for your front foot to go to the right spot.

A technique that works for me - although I have never seen it mentioned so maybe try it out and then abandon if it fails - is to put your right hand right down just near your hip bone and your left hand about a hands length further up your body (so around lower rib) - this is for a natural footer. This causes your body to twist a little bit as you pop up, opening up your hips and giving you a bit more space (you can also do this by rolling slightly onto your left thigh just before pop up).

do you put your hands on the deck on do you hold the rails when you pop up?

Thanks for the help guys I will give it ago puting my hands further down the rails but the other way around as i am goofy footed

And themathteacher i am puting my hands on the rails of the board.

Rowlly21 wrote:i am puting my hands on the rails of the board.

well then, don't

Put your hands on the deck of the board - if your hands are on the rails, they're too low and too wide apart. Put them firmly on the deck, at the bottom of your rib cage, and push straight up.

When i say holding on to the rails i mean with the palm of my hands on the deck with my fingers curling over the rails. is this worng ?

Thank you for your help

Rowlly21 wrote:When i say holding on to the rails i mean with the palm of my hands on the deck with my fingers curling over the rails. is this worng ?

Yup, thats not a good a habit. Put your hands flat on the deck - completely on the deck - with your fingers pointing forward. It makes your pop up quicker, gives you more room to get your legs under, and pops you up a little higher - and it all makes a big difference.

Like was said, practice loads at home, use a yoga mat or towel or something, its similar in length to the board and just keep practicing popping up in one movement and watch and improve how you land and are positioned when up, it's much easier on land also not sure what your fitness is like but doing some body exercises will help if your lacking the agility needed starting out, doing lunges, press-ups, bridges, burpee's and likes can only help, just google the exercises.

Good luck, keep practicing and you'll nail it in no time.

Rowlly21 wrote:When i say holding on to the rails i mean with the palm of my hands on the deck with my fingers curling over the rails. is this worng ?

Yes it is, for two reasons:

1) Think of doing a push up, is it easier on your nuckles or on your palms? Well, that is the position of your wrists. Which way sounds easier

2) When you pop up with hands on the rails they don't do it evenloy, especially as a begginer. This cause one side to tild more than another causing wobbles. Hands on the deck, even if you are off, still means a stable board.

There are a few guys that never knew it was bad form and now pop up with hands on rails, but there are way more that once they learn it is wrong they correct and have an easier time of it.

I also found it useful when practicing dryland popups to put some markers or a string/belt on the floor or on a mat to work towards getting your feet landing on the centre line and with the front foot far enough on the board. Once you can land with your feet aligned on land without thinking too much you will have a way better chance of doing it in the water.

I have got a camping mat, which is about 7 or 8 feet long, which I have stuck some electrical tape up the centre of and I practice on that.

If you have a longboard you definitely do not want to use the rails! I always pop up with my hands on the deck. The reason you should not use the rails is because your hands can slip, and its harder. If your on a shortboard then you could use the rails if you wanted too. And just keep practicing your pop up on dry land. Practice makes permanent!!