One of the most common problems beginning surfers struggle with is falling back into the water within seconds of standing up. There is so much going on for a beginner surfer when trying to catch a wave: paddling, catching the wave, avoiding the nosedive, standing up, and finally, trying to stay on the board.
So how do you focus on and master that final key piece once you’ve put in the work to get on that hard-earned wave? To help demonstrate, we have The Monk to teach us.
Quick analysis: Why you are not a “monk” in the water instinctively.
Here is what is happening when you are trying to stay up on your freshly caught wave:
– Having a stable balance after standing up is key to riding the waves longer.
– Once they’ve stood up, beginners typically use their torso for balancing instead of their arms.
– The natural instinct is to put both arms in front of you on one side. This leaves you to balance by moving your upper body front or back (or poke out your ass) to shift your center of gravity.
– Your board will wobble and are likely to fall into the water within a few seconds.
Luckily, there is a quick drill you can do at home to fix this. Fight your natural instincts and be more like a monk. What you need to do is fight the urge to put both arms in front of you on one side and instead spread your arms on both sides.
The conclusion is simple, young grasshopper. You want your arms spread out for balance on the sides. And that’s your solution. By consciously thinking about where you are putting your arms after popping up, you will instantly have greater balance and ability to recover it. We call this the “monk posture.”
You can do this simple exercise at home as a drill.
1. Lie down in a push-up position on the floor.
Place two chairs (high or low, doesn’t matter) on both sides. Exaggerate the movement of placing your hands right below your lower ribs. Stick your elbows up in the air (aka the “Chicken Wings”).
2. Push yourself up in a pop up motion.
As you push up yourself, slide your leading leg underneath you into a pop-up position.
3. Place your arms on the two chairs.
It seems easy, but you will not do this instinctively unless you commit it to muscle memory.
Additional tips for better turns and more control:
– Your leading hand must be outside your heel/rail edge of your board (see above picture).
– You leading arm should never cross over your body and your board.
– Whether you are trying to do a turn or shifting your bodyweight forward (to get some speed), or backward (to slow yourself down), your arms should always stay on the sides
– Pay attention to your upper body (chest pointing the direction where you want to go with your surfboard, which is forward)
– During turns , use your front (leading arm) where you want to go and your body will follow you.
Now don’t just read this and click on the next link . Lie down on the floor and do the above exercise five times. Then repeat it for 15 consecutive days before your next surf trip and your muscles will remember it instinctively.
Using this simple drill, you will ride more waves and have more fun surfing. And having fun is what matters most.
Enjoy and let me know if this was helpful.
Yours,
Gershon
