How to stand up on a surfboard – Popular mistakes that pop up for beginners

Surfing is one of the most popular water sports in the world. It’s a great way to enjoy the sun, the waves, and your friends. But before you can get up on your board and start riding, there are a few things you need to know.

So How to stand up on a surfboard? Popular mistakes that pop up for beginners?

In this article, the author James Nedock will walk you through the basics of standing up on a surfboard so that you can start enjoying this sport right away!

How to stand up on a surfboard?

Stand up Paddle Surfing-An Aerobic Workout and Balance Training

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/

Using the proper method

Get in position on land

Begin by positioning your toes atop the tail of the board. Instead of interlocking your fingers at the sides of your palms, spread them outward. Place your hands near your chest and lift your posture by using your hands. Don’t permit yourself a glance downward; instead, focus on upwards so as not to become apprehensive or unbalanced.

Practice your take off

When you start this move, your arms will be stretched out on the ground next to your body, and your elbows will be bent. Then, one must push up onto their chest and stand up while keeping their feet apart and making sure that their backside or best side is facing forward, whichever feels most comfortable.

To excel at paddling into waves, you have to be highly proficient at taking off on the ground. When you enter a wave and feel it push you forward while also tilting you down, you need to quickly rise up. Keep your body in an upright squat position with your knees bent.

Use the 3-step method

Here you should adopt a kneeling position interspersed between reclining on the board and rising. Raise your left foot back to where it was, and then raise your right leg (inside out) until it’s shoulder-width apart in the middle of the surface. This is like taking an unorthodox stance while twisting your hips to get into a standing position.

Give your hands the famous flourish that movies have made famous. Once you’re in a swaying position, your balance will eventually return to normal. All it takes is one quick move: kneeling up as far as you can while bringing your knees closer to chest level. Don’t slouch when you’re on your knees!

Entering the water

Use a foam surfboard for beginners

A foam surfboard will be effortless to maneuver and lightweight, making it an ideal choice for beginners. Make sure you go to a beach where the waves break far out, not right at the shore. These are the best conditions for surfing.

Ensure that you are aware of the weather conditions, too. If the weather is bad, you could get hurt, and you should also stay away from any shoreline with sharp rocks, which is a recipe for disaster.

Get board and jump in the water

If you have a leash, secure it around your ankle. This precautionary measure will ensure that your surfboard remains at the forefront of your mind when in the ocean. Once on all fours and beginning to paddle with one arm while alternating with another, take care, as they are still only mere ripples!

When you are ready, rotate your board around and begin paddling forward. There is a good chance that a wave will come barreling at you. If this happens, grab the rail with both hands and lift your body up until your feet are in a stable position. Start in a low crouch and slowly rise to a standing position while extending your arms for balance. This must be practiced until you reach the shore.

Paddle to catch wave

Raise your torso and put both arms next to your board so you’re ready for the avalanche to start as soon as one or all of its slopes rise above you. If you are a right-handed surfer, put your left foot forward and use it to lift up your right foot. This will allow you to ride the wave out of control, no matter which way it crashes.

As your prowess on the surfboard improves, you may experience a setback: being swept away by the ocean. Don’t despair! Each time you venture into the water, it is only to fine-tune what needs to be done in order for success. This should be viewed as an expected part of development—nothing more or less than that!

Ride the wave

To craft a solid foundation for your ride, mix these factors into a potent cocktail. This will ensure that you remain steadfast and maximize the potential of the wave.

Set your front foot firmly on the chest line and steer in an arc across the deck, letting your back leg be slightly wider than shoulder-width.

Maintain an upright stance at all times. This posture will lower your center of gravity and assist in maintaining balance on the surfboard. To make it more comfortable, slightly dip your back leg while pushing out with your hips to transfer weight onto the front leg.

Maintain a steady, upright posture, especially with your front arm. Extend it outward so that you may reach for the nose of the surfboard; likewise, let go of any excessive concern with your back arm.

Position your cranium up front and gaze at the horizon. If your outstretched arm is pointing forward, watch where it’s going. This will help you get the most out of your surfing.

Keep your momentum going

When you catch a wave, it’s important that your hands are about halfway along the length of the board and that your head is about 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) from the front of the board.

To stay in “surfer position” while riding, keep your arms up and keep your direction as you use your arms to put force or extra weight on your front foot. This will let you steer through any situation!

Position your dominant foot squarely on the center of the board, while maintaining an impressive 2-3 feet (0.6–9 m) distance from its rear end. This placement will help ensure that you are properly balanced during your ride!

Becoming a professional

Break some waves near coast

Venture out to the ocean and intercept a jagged curl in choppier, shallower waters near shore.

Take time to master sitting on your board, too. While you’re practicing this, be sure to remain facing the ocean. Never turn your back on something that could end up seriously injuring you. Whenever you’re anticipating a wave coming in, always keep an eye out towards the horizon and stay vigilant!

Master the art of duck diving

This is a good way for surfers to avoid getting hit by crashing waves every time they go out on their boards. There are several options available when choosing between short and long boards:

As you approach the crest of a short board, accelerate to gain speed. Grab the edges around 2 feet (0.6 m) before you touch the water and use them to bring your nose under the surfboard until that edge is on top of your body. Then, drop down and submerge yourself in the water in just a few seconds!

For those seeking long boards, it is essential to rise up and let the surf pass over your body before initiating any movement. For the shoot-and-scoot technique, you sit on the back of your board and put the tail into the water. Then, you grab both edges in the middle of your board to lift it above any waves.

Begin angling your board

You don’t want to just ride a wave to the shore. Instead, you want to have the most exciting and epic ride possible by riding it parallel to the shore for as long as you can. By maximizing your speed and duration of travel, you’ll be able to arrive in style while enjoying every moment along the way!

To attain an ideal low center of gravity, bend your knees and gently lean your body weight toward the face of the wave. Through this maneuver, you will be able to coax a rail-cutting keel into being that propels your surfboard forward with force.

On a long board, utilize the rear section of your deck to execute turns. If you lean too far in that direction though, then the rail will start biting, and before you know it, you are off like a shot!

Study the waves

It will take some time to master the art of predicting wave behavior, but with perseverance and observation, it is within your grasp. Observe those waves as they swash in and out, eventually recognizing the one that is just right—Goldilocks’ medium-sized beach wave! Once you’ve identified a prime specimen, devise an appropriate course of action accordingly.

Popular mistakes that pop up for beginners

The pop-up is one explosive movement executed to stand up quickly on the surfboard. This movement defines the transition from the horizontal to vertical phase of surfing. After paddling the hands are supported in parallel on the surfboard, under the chest. An extension of the arms is held to promote a strong impulse to take-off, the feet are guided to the back deck and front deck of the surfboard, after that stabilize the body.

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/

Even though popping up is a pretty easy move, it takes some practice to get good at it. Here are a few mistakes that new surfers often make when they are learning how to pop up.

Looking down

Your mind is full. If your head is down when you stand up, you will lose your balance. When you pop up, keep your head up and face forward.

Incorrect wave practice

You should practice standing up on small waves of whitewater. When you are learning to pop up, don’t try to surf the face of a wave.

Taking hold of the rails

Your hands should be flat on the top of the board and near your chest or ribcage. When you pop up, don’t grab the sides of the board. This will make you lose your balance and make the board go slower.

Using your knees

Don’t get up on your knees or use your knees to move from lying down to standing up. Move quickly from your chest to your feet when you pop up.

Taking the “poo-poo” stance

Don’t squat or stick your butt out when you stand up on the board. This can throw you off your feet. Hold your body straight.

Standing too soon

To catch a wave, you don’t have to pop up. Before you try to stand up, make sure you have caught the wave all the way.

Popping backwards

Stand on a surfboard with your front foot toward the vertical center. Avoid reentering the board. After popping up, the board will slow down, and the tail will sink if you are not far enough ahead.

Tips for standing up on a surfboard

– Maintain a respectable distance from the rear of the board; 23 feet (0.6-9m) should do the trick!

– Position your dominant foot squarely on the center of the board. This will help you steer through any given circumstance!

– Break some waves near the coast and venture out to the ocean and intercept a jagged curl in choppier, shallower waters near shore. Take time to master sitting on your board, too.

– Remain facing the ocean; never turn your back on something that could end up seriously injuring you. Whenever you’re anticipating a wave coming in, always keep an eye out towards the horizon and stay vigilant!

– Learn how to duck dive so you can avoid getting hit by crashing waves instead of having to deal with them every time you go out on a board.

FAQs How to stand up on a surfboard

On a surfboard, how long does it take to stand up?

Surfing requires between two hours and one month-long period of training. If you persistently struggle for more than two months to get up on the wave, then there’s something off with your routine!

When do you go up on your surfboard?

When you first see your surfboard curling down the face of a wave, it’s a sign that gravity and the speed of the wave are starting to wear you down. Once this sensation occurs, it’s time to begin or start popping up!

Why can’t I just go surfing?

Conclusion

In conclusion, when standing up on a surfboard, it is important to remember to keep your balance, avoid smashing into the rocks, and be patient. Be sure to also study the waves to expect their behavior and make the most of your time in the water. Guymac.co.nz hopes this post provide you with many useful details, and thanks for reading!