The pop up is the most practised move in surfing and also the most commonly done wrong. The bad news: if you've been surfing for a while with poor technique, your brain has already automated the wrong movement. The good news: you can still fix it, especially if you practise on land.
The four most common mistakes we see at our lessons:
1. Using your knees. Getting to your feet by pushing off your knees is slower, less controlled, and puts your weight in completely the wrong place. It also means your feet land differently every single time. One explosive movement from chest to feet, that's the goal.
2. Looking down. Where your eyes go, your body follows. If you're staring at the deck of your board, your weight shifts forward and you fall over the front. Lock your eyes on the shoulder of the wave the moment you start to stand.
3. Not creating space. You need room to bring your feet through. Arms locked out, chest up, create a gap between your body and the board so your legs have somewhere to go.
4. Back foot too far forward. This is the one that catches intermediate surfers for years. If your back foot lands near the middle of the board, you've got no leverage for turns. It needs to be over or just in front of the fins.
The fix: practise it on the sand before every session. Seriously. Even five pop ups on the beach at Sumner before you paddle out will have a noticeable effect in the water. Your brain doesn't know the difference between a pop up on dry land and one on a wave, it's building the same movement patterns either way.
