Getting Front Foot to Where Your Hands Are
Getting back into surfing, I've found I no longer have the flexibility and strength to get my front foot all the way up to where my hands are when popping up. Most videos say this is essential. For example:
https://youtu.be/LCqlQvO6t60?t=98
But I find that most videos of longboard surfers show that the front foot doesn't have to go that far forward. For example:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHu0EhDDxF_ ... 9qflgw1qb3
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CHvuW9fj ... i3pk0tjvrb
https://www.instagram.com/p/CG-6tAynXN_ ... e2rhh4i9gx
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGq8azGD_kz ... 2wpnx1ledw
Maybe those boards are extra long??
I've found that even though I can't get my foot up to my hands in the living room, my popups work okay on the water. OTOH, sometimes I end up with my feet too close to one another.
Chicken Wing Popup (AKA Australian or Back Foot Popup)
Using the chicken-wing popup I can get my feet up far enough. Last time I tried that on the water, I decided it was too slow, but I'm going to work on that some more. I'm thinking it will be more reliable and more likely to result in a wider stance.
https://youtu.be/J8YshKx2BB0?t=200
If you're in the same boat, perhaps that will help.