Good to be wet and awake, as opposed to the usual wet and asleep. The kind of day when I second guess my vow not to ride the log until I figure out the fish. Knee high shorebreak with the super low tide. Some of them actually had some shape if you are a pygmy. Another day trying to unlearn my faulty log low-lunge pop up.
I was in the low lunge rut for a while, it's a slow pop up often resulting with my front foot point towards the nose of my board instead of the rail. (Disclaimer, I could be way off) What helped me break this habit was think of my arms and shoulders as a hinge, once I arched my back and locked out my elbows I just swing my body forward. Once you get used to this series of movements it becomes one smooth motion. You also generate forward momentum which helps push your board over the lip. I like visual aid so I included a picture.
Thanks @Yahguy. I'm attempting the long to short transition like @chezwhitey and would like to hear tips. I've had some success putting the hand of my leading foot side (goofy so right hand) further forward and with my hand at an angle inward rather than fingers forward. This seems to get my rotation started early and helps my front foot get further forward and turned more. Hope that's not a bad habit I'll have to unlearn but it seems to help.
I think I understand, Yahguy.
interesting point, parkside. that might help.
Mechanically, if I kneel on the floor with my right foot planted between my straightened arms, my knee is touching my chest. It's tucked into my armpit, nearly touching my collarbone. Makes it really difficult to swing the lead leg into place.
How are your arm to lower-leg ratios?
On dry land or with board on bed, I can manage a pop up in a very explosive, kinetic way, usually having to land without hands touching board. The softness of board on water makes that explosion tricky, shin to arm ratio notwithstanding.
Maybe i'll just shoot some video.
This is kind of hard to explain so check out how Kelly does it at 1:20 in the video below. He looks down the line and spots up where he wants to go, he extends his arms down and in one fluid motion, his feet fly forward and land with his toes pointing towards his front side rail. That is the basics of the movement, but how do you get your feet to fly forward (this is where it gets a little complicated)? Once match the speed of the wave and you are still in the prone position dig the bottoms of your toes into the tail of the board then push down on the board (thinks semi push up position), this give you the ability to push off with your toes and explode forward.
Other tips that might help:
When in the prone position move your hands further towards the tail.
Look down the line where you want to go on the wave before taking off. You tend to go where you look.
Rocking, once you catch the wave and you are still in the prone position dip your head down then extend your arms and pop up, it will create forward momentum.
A lot of it is feel and practice, I do 3 set x 7 reps of pop ups a few times a week. @parkside pointing your hand on your backside rail side inward sounds like it would get your shoulders running parallel to the rails quicker when you pop up. I take it you have to stick you elbow out away from you body to do this, does you elbow ever get caught up in the wave?
Got better as the day wore on and the tide came up. Tiny and soft, of course, but fun in a casual sort of way.
If you'd like to get to your feet in a quicker and smoother fashion, like Kelly Slater, start surfing when you're six years old and do it 5 or 6 days a week for 30+ years. Otherwise, you may always be stuck with that hitch in you giddyup:-)
@Yahguy, appreciate the time you're spending on this. A lot.
You do mention toes, though. That's my whole issue from longboard to shortboard: I'm 6'0, and my board is 5'11, so I'm trying to go from my knees, as my longboard popup uses my toes.
It can be done...i've done it, sometimes. not sure how it happened when it did. Or if it really did.
@Whitey - same as you on the ratio. My knee is in my pit if I keep my hands on the floor/board (I got some strange looks at the office doing this btw). And like you, my feet are off the board and I do not use them in my shortboard pop-up like I did on my longboard.
@Yahguy - my elbow definitely goes out. I have not noticed it getting caught in the wave, but it could be - lots of things getting in the way : ). It seems sort of like Slater has his forward hand a little further up like I'm talking about. Thanks again for the tips.
The pivotal moment for me was realizing it's not so much a "pop up" as it is a "push down" - as in, you push the board down onto the face, and unfold onto it (kinda like Kelly does in the video). This, coupled with looking/paddling in the direction you want, should do the trick. Good luck!
Ps: how much smaller did you go? I went from a 9'6" to a 7'6", then down to a 5'8". The last transition was brutal!
Thanks Felix. I went 9'0" to 7'6" to 6'4". I've been thinking my latest jump was too much so it's nice to see you bit off even more.
It may not be chill-time and coffee with GMAC, but surf school meets daily at south lot Linda...just sayin....like if you want to consult with a "certified surf instuctor". or somrthing.
@turd do you recommend the surf school based on personal experience? Was it odd being by far oldest member of your class?
Ha, got me, Yahguy. It was strange...yes. I couldn't cut it..."I was a surf school drop out".
