Master Your POP UP Technique With This Strategy tutorial by Kale Brock

Master Your POP UP Technique With This Strategy

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This tutorial addresses the pop-up as the trickiest hurdle in early surfing life, arguing that a poor takeoff can ruin a wave and stagnate progression. Coach Kale Brock helps correct the most common mistakes by focusing on front-leg priority and landing in a low, coiled-spring position.

Key Takeaways & Tips

Front Leg First [2:28]
The back foot often lands first, causing many issues. The prescription is to focus on the **front leg first**, pulling the leading leg under you to land that foot on the board first. This ensures the front foot lands forward of the hips, pulling the back hip into a good position [2:44].

Hip Alignment [1:22]
When the back leg lands first, it locks the hips toward the beach, which is not the direction of travel. Focusing on the front leg first ensures the hips open up in the correct direction and creates space to swing the leading leg through [2:44].

Pop Up Straight [3:30] The board can be traveling at a 45-degree angle, but you must pop up **straight above the board**. Preempting the wave by tilting to the side or leaning back disconnects you from the board and is often a result of nerves or lack of commitment [3:44].

Head Position [7:23]
The bum should be **lower than the head** when the feet hit the deck. This low position enables a clear view of the wave and allows you to find a strong, coiled, spring-loaded position to start your ride [7:31].

Avoid the High Bum Position [6:15]
Popping up with the head very low and the bum very high is a difficult situation. It forces a hinge (dead lift) movement to stand up, and looking down means all your weight is driven onto the upper body, making it hard to reverse the pressure [7:02].

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Back Foot Priority [1:16]
Focusing on landing the back foot first locks the hips into a “ski position,” restricts the space available to swing the front leg through, and traps the surfer on the top of the wave [2:07].

Tilting/Leaning Too Early [3:51]
Trying to tilt or lean across the board too early causes you to disconnect from your surfboard. The board wants to travel straight, and tilting early causes the board to stall and the surfer to topple over [4:43].

Rushing the Takeoff [4:35]
Rushing to get away from the steep part of the wave causes surfers to tilt and topple. The core advice is to simply **commit to taking the drop itself** and land straight over the board [4:55].

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