Popping UP !

And I personally like North Beach... around 45th st... less people ;).

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Originally Posted by KillaKiel

Haha I thought the thread said "Pooping Up".
VA Beach? I feel ya. Paddle every day and pay attention to your surroundings (that's at least 80% of the game). Find a sandbar that is not 1st Street. Surfing uses "long muscles". Power lifting at the gym does not help (from what I hear and personal experience). Use a board no shorter than 8' assuming you aren't short or little kid. Do this religiously. Before long, you will use different boards. Then you won't post on this forum forever until the flatness drives you insane. Then you respond to these posts. You can try this at home. You can be just like me.

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Getting from your belly to your feet is easy. Do it on the ground. Do a push up but follow through and plant our front foot directly under your shoulders. position your weight on the FRONT FOOT as you bring the back foot into position, yes trac pads help this. That part is easy. Dont even tell me this is your problem. The problem is probably that you are in an awkward part of the wave and/or do not have enough momentum entering the take off. Understanding the ocean is 90% of this. The other half is mental. F*ck burpees and sprints and weird too cool for the YMCA rock carrying exercises. Just spend more time on your surfboard. Catching 1 footers will teach you everything you need to know. Big waves are easy just make sure to COMMIT.

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Originally Posted by purpleheadedyogurtslinger

F*ck burpees and sprints and weird too cool for the YMCA rock carrying exercises. Just spend more time on your surfboard.

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^^^ Classic!

Buy the book "The Surfers Code" It sums up rules and edicate that ALL surfers should live by.

http://www.kooksguide.com/

I found this to be the best book for beginners.

The Surfers Code is a really good book but lacks the technical points.

If you're falling to fast, you're probably standing too tall, it will be harder to keep your balance.

KEEP LOW! If you bend your knees and keep yourself very low, your center of gravity will be lower, and it will be way easier to keep your balance.

Always remember this, don't keep your feet too close together, and keep low.

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Originally Posted by brukuns

If you're falling to fast, you're probably standing too tall, it will be harder to keep your balance.

KEEP LOW! If you bend your knees and keep yourself very low, your center of gravity will be lower, and it will be way easier to keep your balance.

Always remember this, don't keep your feet too close together, and keep low.

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Skateboarding when I was younger really helped with the balance and staying low and using feet placement and weight distribution to make turns and such. Now a days, having the SUP has increased my balance more than anything i've ever done, it's the cure IMO

being physically fit is important, but the best way to learn to surf is to surf... ALOT. use your unemployment as an advantage. you got time. Don't wait for optimum conditions either 1 ft windslop? go surfing. 3ft shore break? try to surf that too. when you are in the water stay in the water as long as you can. try and get a wetsuit. (maybe your uncle has one?) to surf longer per session and to surf into fall and winter. the more time you surf the better you'll get i promise.

good luck. finding a job and surfing i mean

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Originally Posted by mickey1982va

Hello All ! So I started surfing this year around April. Of course Va Beach isn't really the greatest place to learn, but I work with what i can. I HAVE surfed or at least tried to the last few years with my cousin and uncle when a swell comes in at the OBX. But, i was just trying to wing it ! The truth is, I suck ! I have got up a couple of times, but usually fall off within a few seconds. I have been able to get on one knee and grab the side of the board with my hand, but I don't really count that !

Any tips is helpful. Usually when I push down to pop up, the board goes out from under me, or if I am able to get my feet up on it, that's when I'll fall off soon after ! :p

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So... it's been a few months, any progress with getting to your feet more often? Was just curious, nobody seems to talk about surfing anymore, thought i'd dig up a thread that does that...

Yeah brother try to find yourself a little bitt bigger board, a 6 8 is probably a little to small if your still working on pop UPS and is probably your issue. Try something in the 7 or 8 foot range, maybe something even bigger, and you will really feel a difference in your stability oand balance once you stand up on your board. when you get that down make sure your catching waves that are not too big but strong enough to give you a chance to practice but manage and steadily push yourself. When you can confidently paddle out and work you board in the surf and lineup your ready to jump back on that 6 8 and have fun! Hope this helps.
Good luck