A good surf pop-up can significantly improve your level of surfing, setting you up for a smooth and fluid ride (most of the time!) - and allowing you to take off on bigger, steeper waves with ease. It can take surfers years to develop a fast and reactive pop-up, but once they do, it’ll start to feel effortless, and their pop-ups will come naturally without overthinking, like second nature.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or an intermediate surfer looking to improve your pop-up, our blog will give you the guidance you need on how to improve your pop-up technique - so you can start shredding!
WHAT WE’LL COVER IN THIS GUIDE:
- How to Pop-up on a Surfboard for Beginners
- The Slide-up Technique for Beginners
- The Pop-up Technique Explained
- Tips to Improve Your Surf Pop-up
Having a good pop-up does mean having a certain amount of flexibility, and there are many exercises you can do to help you with this, which we’ll talk about later. But, if you’re trying to perfect your pop-up during winter, it can often feel more challenging as you must wear a thickener wetsuit - which can feel more restrictive than a summer one.
But, at Wetsuit Centre, we stock a large range of winter wetsuits with the latest neoprene technology, so you don’t have to sacrifice freedom of movement for warmth!
HOW TO POP-UP ON A SURFBOARD FOR BEGINNERS
If you’re relatively new to surfing, then don’t expect yourself to be popping up like an advanced surfer right away - it will take time! You’re most likely learning to get to your feet whilst catching the white water, which is a vital step in your surfing journey, as you need to nail the basics. In fact, it’s inevitable to go through this stage if you want to progress!
For beginners, we recommend following the ‘slide-up’ technique. Before we explain this, the first step is determining your surf stance, whether you’re regular-footed (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward). Neither is better, so follow what comes naturally and feels most comfortable! But once you know, it’s helpful to stick to that surf stance because if you keep switching, you’ll only delay your progress, and it’ll be harder to program the sequence of movements into your mind.
WHAT’S THE SLIDE-UP TECHNIQUE?
Many beginner surfers try to pop-up way too quickly, as this is what they’ve seen other advanced and intermediate surfers do. But remember, they’ve been perfecting their pop-up for years, so no wonder it looks seamless and quick (don’t worry, you’ll get there).
If you watch most surfers in slow motion, you’ll see that their back foot lands on the tail of their surfboard first, followed by their front foot landing on the middle/front of their board.
This often looks like one movement in real-time, but it’s actually a series of movements broken down, which is what the slide-up technique will help you to understand. Plus, with practice, the better you get at it, the more it will look like a smooth pop-up.
HOW TO DO THE SLIDE-UP TECHNIQUE FOR BEGINNERS
If you’re a beginner surfer, you’re most likely riding a board long enough to place your toes on the tail of your board. So, this technique will differ from the more explosive pop-up but will give you the guidance you need for this stage of your surfing journey.
1. Arch your back and paddle for the wave. Make sure your board is perpendicular to the wave.
2. Once you feel the white water pick you up, do two more paddle strokes to ensure you’re on the wave.
3. Look where you want to go and place both hands flat underneath your pectorals. Tuck your toes on the tail of your board.
4. Do a push-up with your arms, creating the space you need between your body and the board.
5. Slide your back foot forward and position it in line with your opposite knee.
6. Now, slide your front foot forward and position it below your chest and in between your hands.
7. Make sure you always keep your hands on the board until now. Lifting them off sooner will make you lose balance and fall off. Keeping your hands on also stabilises the board.
8. Once you feel your feet are in the correct position, lift your hands from the board and slowly stand up, keeping your knees bent.
The pop-up is more of an explosive movement and differs slightly from the slide-up. The main difference is that you won’t start with your toes placed on the tail of your board, especially if you’re riding a shortboard, as it won’t be long enough.
HOW TO POP-UP ON A SURFBOARD
1. Paddle for the wave and look down the line.
2. Once you feel the wave pick you up, place your hands flat on the deck of your board below your pectorals and push up.
3. Push off of your knees and swing both knees up and forward. Try to avoid them dragging on your surfboard!
4. Your back foot should land on the tail of your board.
5. Push your body up more to create more space, and bring your front foot forward. Do this by throwing your front towards your chest; your foot should land below your chest, between your hands, and over the stringer.
6. Now that both feet are in the correct position, lift your hands off your surfboard. Keep your knees bent and stand up slowly to avoid losing balance.
Here are 7 tips to improve your surf pop-up:
TIP 1: LOOK DOWN THE LINE (WHERE YOU WANT TO GO)
Often, when you look straight towards the beach when popping-up, it can be more daunting as you can see the wave's steepness - especially when popping on a shortboard!
We recommend looking down the line if you’re surfing the face of the wave. Looking in the direction you want to go allows your body to naturally follow through, making it easier to turn your board and head in the right direction.
If you look straight ahead, it might throw you off and slow down your pop-up. Remember, where you look, you go!
TIP 2: ANGLE YOUR TAKE-OFF
Angle your board slightly when taking off on the wave. By doing this, you’ll already be trimming down the face of the wave once you’ve popped up. It can also make it easier to pop up, as you’ll give yourself a little more time. If riding a particularly long surfboard, angling your board will also decrease the likelihood of nose-diving.
TIP 3: PRACTICE AT HOME
But how can you practise if you’re not in the water? You don’t need to be in the water to practice your pop-up! You can practice on dry land; that means in your garden, in your bedroom, or on the sand. Simply go through all the movements/steps over and over until you have it drilled in. But remember to practise without your feet initially on the ground, as you won’t be able to push off from your feet when popping up on a shortboard.
If you want to go a step further, remove the fins from your surfboard and practise on your board. Just ensure the ground beneath it is soft; otherwise, you risk damaging your board. Placing a big cushion beneath it will do the trick.
TIP 4: BUILD UP YOUR STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY
Working on your strength, especially your upper body strength, will make it easier to push your body up and pop-up on your surfboard. It’s also a good idea to work on your flexibility, as having a good pop-up means being able to throw your feet underneath you and engage your body.
Here are a few exercises that can help improve your pop-up:
- Yoga.
- Push-ups and pull-ups.
- Core strengthening (sit-ups, v-sits, crunches).
- Squats (to improve leg strength).
TIP 5: DON’T STAND UP TOO QUICKLY
Standing up too fast can make you lose your balance and fall off before you’ve even started! Once you’ve placed both feet in the proper position, standing up slowly and keeping those knees bent for extra stability is essential.
TIP 6: DON’T TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF UNTIL BOTH FEET HAVE LANDED
Don’t take your hands off the deck of your board until both feet have landed. Taking your hands off sooner can destabilise the board, making it feel more wobbly!
TIP 7: VISUALISE YOUR POP-UP
Visualising your pop-up right before the take-off can help you carry out the necessary movements in a fluid and fast motion. Believe it or not, this will help to improve your surf pop-up and get you riding those glassy blue faces!
Perfecting your pop-up will take time, so be patient with yourself and enjoy the process.
If you have any questions about improving your pop-up, don’t hesitate to contact us! We’re a community of surfers and would be more than happy to answer any questions you have.