If you’re struggling with a slow, off-balance, or clunky pop-up, one or more of three key errors may be the cause. Addressing these problems opens up a new world for your surfing by allowing you to pop up faster and position yourself better for true progression.
Key Takeaways & Tips
Correction Phase
After popping up, leave time for a correction phase while keeping your hands attached to the board. Check if the front foot is in the middle of the board and far enough forward. Correct the position while the hands (your “balance system”) are connected, then steadily stand up.
Front Knee to Chest Cue
Use the “front knee to chest” cue to force the front foot to come far enough forward. The goal is to drive the front foot up and land it right underneath the sternum or rib cage and in the middle of the board.
Elevate Hips Upward
When popping up, be attentive to ensuring your hips move up before the knee movement comes through. If the hips stay low, the knee often catches the board, resulting in inadvertent knee contact and insufficient space for the feet to move.
Look Where You are Going
Keep your eyes directed towards where you are going (looking down the line) and ensure they are up as you pop up. This maintains stability and prevents the body from closing off (chest and hips coming low), which otherwise hinders lower body clearance.
Repetition is Key
A sluggish pop-up is often not just a strength issue, but a problem with muscle memory. Consistent repetition of the correct activity and system will decrease hesitation and really increase your success rate.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Eyes Down
Keeping the eyes down closes the body off, leading to decreased stability and forcing the hips and chest low. This requires a much more forceful and quick movement to get the lower body through.
Front Foot to the Side
For beginner surfers, the front foot often lands too far back on the tail and to the side of the stringer. This destabilizes the pop-up and prevents proper body positioning for standing.
Leaving Hips Low
Not creating enough space underneath the body by leaving the hips really low. This is the number one culprit for people inadvertently putting their knee onto the board instead of landing straight onto their feet.
Correcting While Standing
Standing up before correcting the front foot position. This is like standing up on a wobbly, uneven surface, making the correction much more difficult and unstable.