Many intermediate or beginners who are not progressing have to learn How Surfers Correct Bad Habits. 95% of the intermediate surfers that visit me and beginners who are struggling on their own suffer from the same two problems. They have a problem with the pop up and their stance.
An incorrect stance on the surfboard causes the surfer to fall. The incorrect stance is having the buttocks over one rail instead of over the center of the board. The incorrect pop up is usually responsible for putting the surfer in the incorrect stance.
How the Surfboard is Designed
The surfboard is designed so the surfers weight is equal on both sides of the center stringer. When a surfer puts pressure on one rail, the surfboard is designed to carve. When a surfer puts their butt on one rail like a snowboarder or skateboarder, it puts the weight on their heels. Now their butt and heels are pressuring one side of the board. This causes the board to tip over.
I show people this logic and they get it. The problem is correcting their muscle memory. It is not easy. Snowboarders and skateboarders come to surfing with a heavy investment in the incorrect stance. I often can’t get them to get their butt in the middle of the board so the correction is to get the hand opposite their front foot in front of their body instead of letting it trail.
The next step for them is to learn to twist their hips a few inches so their hips and shoulders are square to the beach. I call the correct stance “pushing the box”. Imagine a tall box in front of you that you want to push ten feet. You put your hands on it and your legs are separated and you push.
Getting the Pop Up Correct
The most important correction would be to get the pop up correct so adjustments or compensations don’t have to be made. I teach beginners to place one foot on the board at a time. They paddle to catch the wave and then put their hands in a man’s push up position next to their rib cage. They rest here for a few seconds to gather their poise. Then they push up and put one foot flat on the board under their butt so they can stand on it. Standing releases their hands so they can place the other foot in front of their body near the nose.
I give them a count to say out loud so they can eventually over ride their bad habits. The count is paddle, stop and glide, push, back foot, stand up, front foot. If they say this out lout, they start popping into the correct stance. Most people’s instincts are to paddle and throw their hands in front of their shoulders in an already pushed up position. This causes all sorts of problems including pearling. Advanced surfers always go to the push up position.
Once surfers get the pop up and stance correct, they are surfing like pros.
Read Other Posts:
Beginner Surfers Learn on Soft Tops
5 Steps to Improve Surfing Performance
3 Ways to Catch Real Surfing Waves
Training to Ride the Surfing Short Board
Short Board Surfing Techniques
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