Surfing Waves

Hi all
I’ve struggled with my pop up for a few years. I’ve managed to break my knee habit but now I have a tendency for my front knee to get stuck outside and end up coming around my left arm instead of through . This ends up slowing things down and I end up in almost a crab position struggling to get that front foot through. I’ve tried practicing at home and I can get the knee through. I wonder if anyone else has this problem and can offer some insight. Is this just a bad habit or is there something else I’m missing

See attached iCloud link

Ps video is from Melbournes new wave pool!
Thanking you in advance

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0gTYeob ... ne_Airport

Sorry that link doesn’t work
https://vimeo.com/389915652
Password: Nulla

The thing about popups is if it works then it's okay. There are a variety of popups which work for a variety of people. I guess it's a bad habit if it is causing you problems now or later. The first link worked for me. All I can say is that when I wanted to make a change in my popup, I made a cardboard cutout of my surfboard and practiced on that. The obvious thing is that if you practice the wrong thing then that doesn't help. One of the things that helped me lately in my old age is to focus on getting may hands further back closer to my waist. Some people place their hands in slightly different positions (like Kelly Slater) front hand slightly more in front. Whatever works for you.

People have various limitations that affect their ability to surf. I read a book by an old man who started surfing at a very old age. He figured out a popup that he could do with various physical disabilities that he had. It was something like a three step popup but it worked for him and kept him surfing. (It's called "An Old Surfers Story") Took him a year or longer to learn to popup reliably . I think the experience that surfers go through varies greatly as does the level of surfing achieved but maybe the fun part is the same.

My wife happened to be looking over my shoulder while I was viewing your video.

She said " that person is holding on to the rail way too long " - Correct, you are trying to stabilize with your hand when it's the feet that controls the board. Being bent over that long cuts out the ability to properly stand up and move. Plus it's causes the "rocking of the boat".

She also noticed " the arms are moving but the body is not " - Correct , why are you trying to rip backside slashes when you are not even coming off the bottom and going up to the top ? You should progressively increase the angle of attack and line as you learn how to bottom turn and compress and extend the body thru the turn.

Looks to me like you are still facing frontwards with your body as (and after) you take off. That's making your leg swing in from the side. If you turn your body as you come up, your leg should come up through the centre of the board.

When you place your hands on the deck getting ready to go, put your left hand further up the board than your right. That will get your body twisting as you come up and you should land in a sideways stance.

Thanks everyone
Does the uneven hands technique also apply for going backhand?

Backhand or forehand isn’t that relevant. You still pop up to more or less the same position, although backhand maybe your twist your feet to be a bit more forward facing (rather than 1 o’clock front foot and 3 o’clock back, perhaps 12.15 front and 1.30 back). But do that after you pop up.

So try the uneven hands - put your right hand down near your hip and rotate around it. You are too front on when popping up and doing more of a burpee action

In addition to what others have said, your front foot is landing on the side of the board, and then you adjust your foot position as you stand up (at least in the 1 vid you posted.)

When you practice on land, pay attention to where your front foot is landing (make a cardboard cut out if necessary like oldmansurfer suggests), that is just as important as where your knee is going. In order to land your front foot cleanly on the centerline of the board, your knee has to go between your arms.

easy, you are trying to pop up like a pro. You need to walk your way up, not try to hop up. Here, check out this video, but use the 2nd example, much easier and eventually you get better at it:

I tried surfing first time in February this year. Stunning experience

LostAtSea wrote:When you place your hands on the deck getting ready to go, put your left hand further up the board than your right. That will get your body twisting as you come up and you should land in a sideways stance.

I'm a goofy, so would that mean my right hand ahead of my left?

Yep.

But it’s more move your left hand further down the board, towards your hips, than moving the right hand further up the board

dtc wrote:Yep.

But it’s more move your left hand further down the board, towards your hips, than moving the right hand further up the board

This made a world of a difference today and was up on my feet. I noticed that I was landing with my front knee outside of my right arm. Anything wrong w/ this? The mechanics of it works for me but don't want to go down a road which I'll have to fix later.

Is your front foot landing in the right place? are you balanced? Or so you stand up and need to shuffle around?

I tried it at home and it’s possible but I was a bit unbalanced (leaning forward) and had to swing my knee a bit wider than I liked (bit slower); and my main issue is that my front foot ended up maybe 6 inches further forward than I wanted.

But obviously I’m not used to this pop up technique. If it works for you then it works; but make sure it is actually working well - you don’t want a pop up that requires a lot of adjustment after you stand.

dtc wrote:Is your front foot landing in the right place? are you balanced? Or so you stand up and need to shuffle around?

I tried it at home and it’s possible but I was a bit unbalanced (leaning forward) and had to swing my knee a bit wider than I liked (bit slower); and my main issue is that my front foot ended up maybe 6 inches further forward than I wanted.

But obviously I’m not used to this pop up technique. If it works for you then it works; but make sure it is actually working well - you don’t want a pop up that requires a lot of adjustment after you stand.

I'll pay more attention tomorrow on where my front foot is landing. Yesterday I kept my left hand on the rail (goofy stance) to steady myself. The pop-up felt strong and smoother than my previous sessions. Before, when I would try to popup it felt like I was pushing the board away from me when I would try to bring my knees through. In the video below I would like to try and emulate Matt Wilkinson's style (3:24 min mark).

https://youtu.be/XYZ46bGfZ08

12ockSteady wrote: Yesterday I kept my left hand on the rail (goofy stance) to steady myself. The pop-up felt strong and smoother than my previous sessions. Before, when I would try to popup it felt like I was pushing the board away from me when I would try to bring my knees through.

Do you steady your skateboard with your hand ?
Do you steady your snowboard with your hand ?
Do you steady the log with your hand when you try to walk across of it ?
Do you control your surfboard with your feet or with your hand ?

Like I commented earlier, you are holding on to the rail way too long and bent over. You SHOULD be pushing off the deck to get your back upright and your head over your butt as soon as possible.

waikikikichan wrote:Like I commented earlier, you are holding on to the rail way too long and bent over. You SHOULD be pushing off the deck to get your back upright and your head over your butt as soon as possible.

I think you were commenting on the OP's video, but I'll take advice this is for me as well.

12ockSteady wrote:I think you were commenting on the OP's video, but I'll take advice this is for me as well.

Sorry, my bad, thought it was the same person chiming back in. But I think you may be having the same symptoms and problems as the OP. Take a look at the video you linked with pros popping up. Notice the time from from when their feet land and their hand releases it's grip. Almost instantaneously.

waikikikichan wrote:

12ockSteady wrote:I think you were commenting on the OP's video, but I'll take advice this is for me as well.

Sorry, my bad, thought it was the same person chiming back in. But I think you may be having the same symptoms and problems as the OP. Take a look at the video you linked with pros popping up. Notice the time from from when their feet land and their hand releases it's grip. Almost instantaneously.

nah no worries no offense taken...