Opening up for comments. Newbie, 6'4", using a Surftech August What I Ride 10'. When popping up I am getting caught with both feet too far back on the board. Been at this a bit longer that I'd like to admit. Trying to avoid going the SUP route, prefer to paddle. Not a fan of SUP, but love the ocean. Lining up schedule for lessons has been a challenge. Located in the Northeast. Any tips would be appreciated. Reasonably fit, no problems with pushups. Thanks
just keep doing it, the only way to get better is practice... repetition. know your limits and just have.
Try positioning yourself further up on the board, and when you are popping up try to bring your feet forward underneath you. It seems your not moving your feet when you pop up at all, so when you attempt to get up on the wave, how ever far back they are on the board is where you end up standing and thus sinking the tail and losing the wave. Take a look at this video on how to pop up, see how he brings his front foot way up? hope this helps a little http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwLfd_fwGfY
Sounds like you're pushing yourself up to the back of the board instead of pushing your chest off the board and bringing your feet underneath you...........Keep practicing........and watch oldsouls video.....
Do pop ups everyday on the ground. 3 sets of 10 minimum. I know it looks corny but this helped a buddy of mine that just started. http://nohosurf.com/
Another option... First of all, I agree with everything above and if that works for you, great. But if not, position yourself a bit further forward as OldSoul suggests and try coming up first with just your left leg and foot (if regular footed) and then pivoting onto your right food. You should be able to do this on a 10 foot board. I have taught a number of people to surf this way and based it on a wrestling maneuver called the inside leg stand up. I wrestled for years (high school, college, etc.) and really only picked up surfing at the age of 39 after spinal surgery from a wrestling injury. After practicing standing up like this, eventually you will get the pop up. The attached video is a wrestling demonstrationof the inside leg stand up. Good luck! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FzqIM9Or-8
The rule of thumb I use to get into the paddling/popping up sweet spot on a longboard is to position myself so the tip of the nose is only about an inch above the water when paddling. The nose will plow through chop, so if it's choppy keep this in mind. The video by surfer23451 looks spot on for practicing popping up. Once you get the hang of that you can try trickier stuff like dragging your back foot in the wave face as a pivot point (meaning you only have your front foot on your board). Classic. Or do a headstand instead of standing up, that's pretty cool too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suYP9Q_lSaA&NR=1 You didn't say if your regular or goofy but doesn't make any difference, view the above clip, its more than than just doing push up's, adjust your hands for your height and lifting weight to your chest, position your hands to obtain the most/best lift, are your toes flat or toes pointed on the tail (?) are you using your toes to spring upward/forward ? Since your practicing on the ground or floor concentrate bringing your lead foot forward first to balance your weight on the board, forcing the board down the wave upon take off so not to fall off the tail, back leg will naturally follow your lead leg. You may also try poping up bringing your lead leg forward with back leg down on the board then using the down leg hand to push upward too until its all fluid motion. Standing up is more than just push ups add "core" exercises to your routine too. Since your on a 10 footer sounds like you're too far back on the board, find the sweet spot to glide the board over pushing the water under the nose.
Thanks Thanks to all for your generosity of suggestions. I am a goofy footer and and am on my toes. I am going to invest time in applying the suggestions on dry land before my next session. If nothing else I am stubborn in terms of my commitment to learn, so I know the advice is going to lead to success. Thanks again, I will pay it forward.
This post is giving me flashbacks man.. Everyone remember when it was super fun to just pop up and ride a wave straight into shore. I used to rave about sessions where all I did was catch 2 or 3 waves like that. Now I gotta do 2 or three snaps down the face to even make it worth it.... Ahhhh the good ole days
instead of doing that why not just paddle around with your board in the water - just go from jetty to jetty, however much time you have or until you're gassed, if there are any waves no matter how small, maybe try to catch a few. That will help you overcome your problem better then any video watching, visualizing, cross-training etc. I know its not really the shortcut-ish "is there an app for that" or "I'll just Google it" mentality that seems to pervade surfing nowadays and its a pain in the ass and you may feel dumb being the only person out there but its assured to work
surfing happens in about a second. That is how much time you have to get from your belly to your feet. You can read all of the books and posts in the world but nothing will each you how to act during that second except surfing. Go out and try to catch everything. Every wave you attempt is another wave under your belt and another wave towards being a proficient surfer. I say it all of the time but "you can only eat sh*t so many times before you figure out how to not eat sh*t any more. It's human nature"
When I first started I laid my board on the rug in the living room floor. I found the places on the board that I wanted my feet to end up on. I then place two pieces of masking tape on the rug where I wanted my feet to go and one piece of tape right under my head (so I knew where to lay on my stomach on the rug). I then did what was said before. Usually three sets of ten pop ups every day. Each time trying to get my feet to land right on the pieces of tape and along a center line in the rug (which would be the stringer). That helped me out a lot. Plus, after skinning both of my knees and the tops of my feet on the rug, it taught me how to pop up without dragging knees and toes. Do that and just keep surfing as much as possible and you'll get it.
Dedication man! That and what Lee posted about Human Nature. Like the poster at your local surf shop will say, "I like surfing because no one can tell me how to do it" (give or take word or two).
P.S. - Avoid crowded breaks as well! I'm sure that's what most folks did when they started and many still do
Yeah, I just started about a 2 years ago and struggled and struggled for a year and then my wife surprised me with a surf lesson and man it was so worth it. That day I surfed a 10' soft top in knee high shore break and must have gotten to pop-up a dozen or so times. The repetition really helped out. Now I'm in the "If I catch 3 waves and maybe get the line on one of them it was a good day." And I also second surfing with friends because they get to laugh when you screw up, but they can give you some great tips.
YES I DO! That was last summer. It's amazing how fast it fades.....8 months ago I was SOOOO stoked to just pop-up and ride.....I didn't care if it was white water......now I just feel shame when I take the white water. I have my first ride to the beach on video and though recreating it doesn't stoke me, watching it does
O' yeah....7176....don't give up. I'm thousands of nose dives and wipe outs in.....at this time last year I called myself "Queen Nose Dive of the Clan Flounder About!" This past week, I've really gotten dialed in and only need 10 feet to catch the wave (down from 50 feet of paddling).....it's taken a lot to get here and I still have far to go.....just don't give up....you can do it.
