So I made it out yesterday (Super Bowl Sunday) for a fun session of clean, uncrowded chest high liners, clear blue water, sunny skies, a very fun and relaxing session until..... My leash on the zipper of my wetsuitte got caught under my hand when I went to take off, and for that split nano second where I almost figured out to lift my hand up, it was too late, my head was barely able to rise, and I ate it face first, like a hydro slide wipeout, my face was so close to the wave when I ate it that I ATE it. My neck still hurts. Luckily it was over a sandbar, it was a soft wave, not a reef barrel or I may be in traction right now. So after a couple drinks I began thinking....there is a lot going on in that short period of time between prone paddling and standing up. Depending on the speed of the wave, the steepness of the wave, how choppy it is, what kind of board is underyou, a lot of factors play in. You find out real fast how dialed in you are, by how fast you can get to your feet. Backside is a bit different than front side , it seems easier to pop up on a steep drop backside. I used to not think about it, but now am very aware, since I am getting slower to my feet. Yoga helps. So does surfing crappy waves. Any thoughts on the technical stuff could be helpful.
Getting olde does seem to slow a person down... 53 here. I do yoga twice a week and really think about surfing as I'm doing certain moves and poses, plus keeps me flexible and If it's the right class, visually stimulated... if you get my meaning...
practice practice practice front zip wet suit? get one that zips in the back back zip leash may be too long..
instinct and physics almost dictate a lower center of gravity backside...imo...put I'm always pig-doggin there's a wave around here that is way faster than most...I almost always eat it on the first couple to few attempts depending on where the tide is and how bad my bort selection is that day but it goes with the territory, makes the rest of the day better....luckily there aren't any real consequences aside from communing with a towel on le bottom.....if there are more serious consequences where you're ate, be more selective and more sure
Now, that's an interesting visual of your suite leashe. That's the kind of goofy thing I am very good at I propose a new SI tutorial on securing the wetsuite leashe. Am assuming it's a back zip up? Those are the ones with longer leashes, right? Do you tuck it inside the rashguard at the back of your neck?
A friend of mine once asked me before paddling out in some sizable surf if I use my feet or my knees when I duck dive. I honestly didn't know but I thought about as I paddled out and went to duck dive the first wave and got completely annihilated. It was thinking that did it. You've been dropping into all kinds of waves your whole life. Your body knows what to do when. Don't think. Just surf. IMO back zips suck.
I'm 50, and the speed of my pop-up defines the quality of my session. My lower back gets tweaky sometimes, and if I'm getting up slightly slower it causes a lot of missed sections, barrels, focks up everything, and makes for a crap session. If I'm sensing any trouble pre-session, I'll pop a couple of aleve, and that helps a lot. Oddly, taking off on a steeper wave helps where I can push my board down the face a bit, then do a half-popup, rather than a full pop-up from a prone position. I can see the day where a slower and slower pop-up will define the end of my surfing, but hopefully that is many days away.
front zip dude...not leash issue. I know what you mean about popping up in general. I do those squat to push up and back up things (can't think of what the kids call those) as a part of my exercises to help keep my "pop up" tight. I also fluctuate with weight on the occasion (+/-10lbs). That extra 10 (typically in the winter months with a suite on) kills me on the take off...especially on smaller weak days!!! and don't get me started with booties...Always have that one wave where I am a bit tired or just slacking and I drag booty toe getting up and totally kook out on the wave!!!
Take it from someone who is getting older and older, it doesn't have to end your surfing, it just changes it. And surfing like an old guy keeps you younger than not surfing at all. Do you stop running just because age slows you down?
I've had the wetsuite zipper pull get caught under my hand enough times that I'm now in the habit of stuffing it into the collar of my neck. It's very disconcerting to find I can only move my upper body a few inches during that crucial part of catching a wave. Beyond that I can't help much with pop ups. I feel it's one area that I'm really lacking in. I call it my scramble up cuz that's what it feels like to me. Being slow to my feet often keeps me from getting into steeper more critical waves. It's funny though, just yesterday I was out in some small waves and there was a young lady nearby who was surfing for only the third time. She issued a query to me seeking advise on how to perform a pop up. I adviced her that my pop ups are not good but she refused to believe me. I refered her to YouTube.
Work on strengthening your core. yoga is good, as are burpees (what Jay was referencing). sit ups help, squats help more. You can also practice on the floor (just don't use your toes), or hang your legs off the bed and pop up on that - preferably when the wife isn't home so she has one less thing to nag you about. fwiw, i did all of the above years ago when i was trying to break a lazy/slow popup habit -was getting to my knee first. Came to the conclusion a good popup is directly related to core strength.
yes...Burpees. They really help I think. Also the one in push up position when you bring your knees up one at a time to your chest like your climbing.
A few thoughts here. 1) i can't relate to you older dudes, no offense. But there really is allot going on during the pop up. Reading your post i thought to myself how it is funny....i never think when i pop up. I just do. I guess it just gets drilled into your brain. Yet there's so much going on. Which leads into.... 2) the pop up is so critical and sets you up for failure or success on the rest of the wave. I too goof my pop up at times. Usually during winter, maybe because of the extra rubber. But when i do, i usually dont have a great sesh. And like i stated above, i can't even correct it because i just do, not think. I try to pay attention and concentrate to clean the pop up up but it never works. 3) burpees and yoga definitely help. I'm only 27 and i need the yoga to keep loose. For you older guys, id think it's vital. I know it will be for me as i get older. 4) front zip is a good choice. I sometimes have a hand slip off a rail as i pop up. Sometimes i eat it. Sometimes I'm able to correct it without even thinking about it and still get a good wave. That's rewarding. My suggestion to you would to not think about the pop up like someone else mentioned. It's engraved in your brain. Just keep loose and keep stretching religiously. You'll be alright. Just for the love of all things holy.....DONT START RELYING ON YOUR KNEE. Please. If you think practising on dry land will help, do that. I honestly belive that's more for learning the motion. If you already know how and have been doing it for years, i don't see it helping much. Keeping in good flexible shape on the other hand should help
