Why can I not popup?

MadDog1999

I have a foam board and I have been out surfing at least 4 times now and I still cannot popup. What am I doing wrong? I go to do the popup but can only get to my knees and stay there for a little while before I fall. When I try to actually stand up I either fall or the board stops moving and feels like it's going to sink. I am getting pretty frustrated now and I need help.

endacl

You can't do it till you can do it.

That's it really. Stick at it. Fall with panache!

FishOnABike

MadDog1999 wrote: »

I have a foam board and I have been out surfing at least 4 times now and I still cannot popup. What am I doing wrong? I go to do the popup but can only get to my knees and stay there for a little while before I fall. When I try to actually stand up I either fall or the board stops moving and feels like it's going to sink. I am getting pretty frustrated now and I need help.

Weight possibly too far back on the board when you stand up ?

Low Pockets

Surfing is probably more frustrating then riding a bike, but its a very similar idea.
Once you get it down, it becomes 2nd nature but getting it down is just a matter of putting in the hours.

Its all about mussel memory. Lie on your bed & practise popping up on that (I say your bed as it a surface that will give under you, like a board would bob)
Another one I have found great over the years is visitation. I had broken a toe on my right foot and it was killing me to pop up going back side, so I though popping up switch might help, so every night when I was going to sleep, I would go through the motions in my head over and over again (even doing it in my head felt SO SO strange) but, when the time came, I wont say it felt 2nd nature, but once I didnt think about, I could do it. If I thought about it, I uset get tangled up

This might help you visualise things, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrzVrUqr8nY
Again, it sounds strange the your not so much as jumping up, as pulling your legs in under you at the board falls away?

It may be a little far off yet, but another tip I remember getting was to look where you want to be. As in, dont be looking towards the shoreline, be looking at the shoulder of the wave

MadDog1999

Thanks for the replies guys I am going again Sunday was in there today and have to go again, I have been bitten by the bug! I am getting there each time and practice popping up on the ground every night before bed but scared bed would be too noisy! I might hit my head off the roof top my roof is pretty low😂

spaceHopper

The board will get a rush of speed when you catch the wave, if you delay the pop up it will get infront of the wave and slow down as you pop up.

Put you hands closer to you middle than you chest when poping up and then don't stand up straight when you pop up you will over balance. Look for a few youtube videos.

Mickeroo

Don't let it put you off, it's by far the hardest/most annoying part of learning to surf imo. Once you have it down everything else will come quicker.

MadDog1999

I tried the chicken wing popup method as I saw an iSurftribe YouTube video about how to stop going to the knees and it has come more natural to me than the other pop up I tried practicing on land. Now to just try it on Sunday. It stopped me starting with knees on land anyway.