What's a matter?

[joedirtcb]

Okay, i have been reading alot of topics just like this one, and i havent found out what's a matter yet. What im having a problem with is standing fully up on my board. Sometimes i can get up right away, and other times i just get up on my knee's ( 60% on knees, and 40% all the way up ). I have been putting my board on my bed every night and practicing getting up, and i have been surfing for about 5 months now. I have a 6'1. and befor i had a 6'2. But on both i could stand up..well only if i was lucky.
Even my friends say they dont know whats wrong. I get enough speed mostly everytime, the waves are perfect and i still usually get up to my knees, and when im on my knees i try to jump up, but then i fall, i just get so pissed and i just wanna quit. But im sure ill get the hang of it sooner or later, just if anyone has any suggestions i'd like to hear them.

Thanks.

[Otter]

Whatever you do, don't go "to your knees" during your take off. You've already decided you want that wave, why mess with it and go half way during the most critical part of the wave? Lay prone on the floor, and practice your take offs without using your knees. Lift your torso off the ground and pull your legs up underneath you, landing on your feet. It sounds tough, and it may seem awkward the first few times you try it, but it will cure you of the nasty knees habit. Going to your knees is probably depriving you of catching many waves you would otherwise have gotten.

[Johnny B]

I think I am beggining to see a pattern of threads on this forum .

Did I read that you're on a 6'1" board?? Is that your first board? If so allow me to be the first to point out that that is the source of your problems. It is soooo much easier to learn to pop-up on a (mini-) mal! Once you have yer technique down on a longer board only then would I suggest even thinking about a shortboard.

[justloafing]

No knees, absolutely no knees. It sounds like your getting up some on a shorter board but at least a mini mal I would think would be a starting place for you. I would take heed to the posts above.

IMHO if that frustration is setting in then your not having fun. Start doing the pop up like Otter said and get a bigger board to take care of that frustration. When you have it down in a year or so then think about smaller boards.

[eastcoastsurfshop]

Try a bigger board dude. The 6'1" doesn't have the right stability for your ability. A bigger board like a minimal will get you into the wave earlier which is a much easier place to pop up on & it will be a sturdy platform & quite forgiving if you don't get it right 1st time.

As a grom I learnt on a 6'3" which wasn't the smartest move. 16 years down the line, I keep thinking if I started on a bigger board I would have learnt a hell of a lot quicker!

ECS

[rich r]

First, you'll eventually destroy your board by popping up on it on dry land, bed or no bed.

Second, the bed ain't moving.

You don't give any indication if the board is shooting out from under you of what else is going on.

I don't proscribe to the 'the board is too short' crowd. I'd tend to agree with the lack of commitment/thinking about going to your knees first.

[joedirtcb]

Okay thanks, but the 6'1 is my second board. I had a 6'2 and i rode my older brothers 7'4 for about a month. That was easy! But i went surfing today and i got quite a few waves in, and only got on my knees a few times. So let me just continue surfing this brand new 6'1. And in a few months i dont get better, ill probally get a bigger board.

thanks again.

-joe

[BLADE HAG]

1 No Knees!!!!!!!!!!
2 Dont put you board on your bed!!!!
3 Lay on the floor, push your upper half of body up then SPRING to the feet!!!! The key is in the spring.

Like a butterfly hatching from a coocoon!!!