In the previous article we explained the board itself, its parts and how to carry it correctly to and in the water. Since a board is made to be stood on, this lesson explains how to stand up in a few simple steps. To stand up, we first need to know how to position ourselves correctly lying down. Only then can we catch a wave on our own or with a coach and practice the pop-up.
How to lie on the board correctly
If you have ever surfed or just tried to lie on a board and stay balanced, you know it is harder than it looks. A few small tips make it simpler, or at least more conscious.
Boards are usually symmetrical lengthwise: if you cut the board in two along its length, the right side matches the left. Across its width, however, the nose and tail are not symmetrical. Why does it matter? To stay balanced, we need to place our body exactly in the center of the board. Most boards have a wooden stringer running down the middle. If yours does not, imagine a line running the full length of the board, dividing it into two equal halves. When lying on the board, keep your body as straight and as centered over the stringer as possible.
Along the length of the board, lie so that your toes touch the tail. If you lay exactly in the middle lengthwise, the nose would sink and stop you moving forward as you paddle. If you lie too far back and your toes hang past the tail, the back of the board sinks and creates drag that makes paddling hard.
How to stand up on the board
Step 1 – push up with your arms
When you are positioned on the board and want to stand, place your hands flat under your chest. Your hands should let you lift your body with relative ease. Hands placed in front of or behind your chest will limit your ability to push up and create leverage. The position is similar to a push-up.
Tip: unlike dry practice on the sand, water is a less stable surface. There is a tendency to grab the rails when trying to lift up instead of placing your hands flat on the deck. Gripping the rails makes the board wobble from side to side and hurts your stability, making it harder to straighten your arms and stand. Placing your hands flat under your chest creates more contact with the center of the board and more stability as you try to stand.
Step 2 – bring your back leg in to 90 degrees
After pushing up with your arms, bend your back leg so there is a 90-degree angle between your shin and thigh. Another way to check you are doing it right: feel the inside of your foot lying fully on the deck.
Tip: when you bend the leg and place your back foot on the board, it should be more or less on the center line of the board – remember the line we talked about when lying down? If your foot is not centered as you stand, the board may turn and you will lose balance before you are steady.
Step 3 – bring your front foot between your hands
The third step is almost natural. With your arms straight and your back foot in place, complete the pop-up by bringing your front foot forward between your hands. At first it may be hard to get your foot right between your hands, but that should be the goal.
Once your foot is between your hands, you are standing. Both feet are on the board and your hands will automatically come off. Now lift your body a little so you are not too hunched, but keep your knees bent – never locked.
Tip: practice step 3 on dry land. A good way to do it, even at home, is to remove the fins so they do not break and put the board directly on the floor. Check that your front foot lands close to between your hands. If your foot does not go far enough, your stance will be too narrow and your feet too far back on the board, which quickly leads to losing balance. Too far forward creates a stance that is too wide and limits your movement. To check you are landing in the right spot, put a string across the board in line with your hands.
How to keep a good stance
- Knees always bent – in surfing you never lock your knees. Locked knees turn you into a stiff mast and kill the flexibility of your whole lower body.
- Straight back – keep your body over the board, always. Your back should be fairly upright, with shoulders in line with knees and hips in line with ankles. Leaning your body out of the board (forward or back instead of bending your knees) leads to losing balance.
- Front hand points the way – your front arm should point straight to where you want to go. At first you will usually point it in the same direction as the nose of the board.
- Your eyes lead – as in other sports, in surfing your gaze leads the movement. Where you look is where you go. Lift your head and look at the horizon; looking at your feet makes you unstable.
Now that you know how to lie on the board correctly and the three simple steps to stand up, you can practice at home, on the beach or in the water. Work on foot placement during the pop-up, the speed of the pop-up (steps 1+2+3) and your stability once you are up.
Want to learn with a coach? Join one of our surf camps.
