An indisputable truth about surfing: you never stop falling. Photo: @bumpsetsurf // @heyitswano
Falling right back into the water the moment you stand up is a universal frustration for beginner surfers. In fact, it’s one of the most common problems the people I teach to surf struggle with.
There is a lot going on for a beginner surfer trying to catch a wave; positioning for an incoming wave, paddling, catching that first “push” as a wave picks you up, keeping yourself from nosediving, getting to your feet quickly, and then, finally, trying to stay on the board.
This post is dedicated to (re)gaining that balance after standing up, so you can enjoy your hard-earned wave a little longer.
Here is what is happening when you try to stay up on a wave:
Photo: Gershon Borlai
Having full balance and control once you’re standing up is key to actually riding the waves you catch. This is an indisputable fact. But how do some surfers seem to have and keep those two things while others struggle? For beginners, the problem starts with trying to use their torso to find balance. The natural instinct is to put both arms out in front, forcing you to balance by moving your upper body front or back (or poking out your ass) to shift your center of gravity. As a result, your board will wobble and you’re most likely going to fall right back into the water as quickly as you got to your feet.
Luckily, there is a quick drill you can do at home to fix this.
Fight your natural instinct and surf like a monk…really. Instead of intuitively sticking your arms out to one side of your body, spread them out on each side of your body.
The solution is simple, young grasshopper: You want your arms spread out for balance on both sides. And that’s it. By consciously thinking about where your arms are you will instantly have greater balance and control. We call this the “monk posture”.
Photo: Gershon Borlai
The above small change in arm posture will do wonders for keeping you on your feet. To practice this at home, do the monk drill. It will help you arrive in a position that keeps you on the board and performing turns easier.
To help master this, I created a simple cheat sheet to track your pop up progress. It includes this drill and four others that will build your pop up foundation.
Do the drill in this sequence:
-Start between two chairs (high or low, doesn’t matter), with one on each side.
-Lie on the floor face down.
-Mimic a paddling motion.
-Place your arms in the chicken wing position.
-Push yourself up and pop up as if you just caught a wave.
-Place your arms on or above the two chairs at each side of you.
*If you find this too easy, do it in switch stance too.
Typical mistakes:
-Landing with your arms on one side.
-Chest is pointing to the side instead of pointing forward.
-Standing too tall right after landing in the surfer stance.
Yours,
