Knee pop up

[martski]

Am stuck on one a one knee pop up. Everything I read tells you to avoid getting into the trap as it results in a two stage pop up with time delays and stability issues. I agree completely! Unfortunately I am well and truly stuck in it and I can't progress. Once I am up then I am away but it it getting there that is the problem.

On land can do a pop up, have practised and practised and can get front foot up fluidly, however, as soon as I am in the water though I revert to type. Anyone got any tips on how to get out of it as I don't think I can progress beyond it and am getting really frustrated with myself....

[Chris F]

stick drawing pins in the knees of your wetsuit.

[CaliSurfer]

Can you give us a little more background on yourself? It'll help determine what you should work on.

Somethings like, how long have you been surfing? Dimensions of your board?

Some ways you can work on your pop ups is by doing some exercises on the shore to strengthen your core and upper body strentgh. Muscle memory is the best way to work on your form. The more your body is use to a movement, the more natural it will become in the water. Eventually you won't even think about your pop up anymore because it will be so natural.

[martski]

Can you give us a little more background on yourself? It'll help determine what you should work on.

Somethings like, how long have you been surfing? Dimensions of your board?

Aged 40, been learning for 18 months, approx once a week, probably less in winter.

Weight 200 pounds, height 6 ft 2.

Board 8'6, 22, 2 3/4....




Thanks for the drawing pin advice, not a bad idea but may replace pin with pebble....

[Jasedrummer]

I used to have pop up issues in the beginning, mainly because I could pop up using my feet on land, but when I was on my board my feet were hanging over the edge off the back....ended up having to learn the shortboard pop up, which is the best if you can nail it....there is a vid on YouTube called real shortboard popup.
A few other things I found helped was getting my hands right back to my lower rib, practicing on land a lot (I still do this everyday) and if you are in the whitewater take your time. Wait for the board to stabilise before popping up.
Don't give up you will get there.....

[dhand62362]

if you can popup on land not using your knees, but when in the water you automatically use a knee then you need to train this out of your muscle memory.

To create the effect of being in the water try popping up on your bed, the platform is unstable just like being on your board in the water. If you use your knee, just keep training over an over gain until you do not use your knee, then try it back in the water.

Worse case use a two step approach, anything to get away from using your knee.

[skimmer2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsWPoSd9TOM - might help....

[martski]

Thanks people, some really good tips there. Will let you know how I get on....

[CaliSurfer]

I completely agree with what Jasedrummer said. Putting your hands closer to your ribs vice your neck will help balance your body weight when you move to your stance. Your arms will act as the point of balance while your feet take time to sweep under your body. If your hands are to close towards your head, your weight is now centered to far towards your feet causing you to use your knee before you get completely upright.