Popping Up…Surfing For Beginners
One of my greatest hurdles is the pop-up, popping up for the new surfers reading this blog is when you go from laying on your surfboard to being on your feet surfing a wave. This transition requires an amount of flexibility and a lot of technique to master popping up quickly and smoothly onto a wave.
For me personally, I can ride a wave no problem but the pop-up I am re-learning after not consistently surfing through motherhood and building confidence after a setback a few years ago.
I feel women surf differently than men, our weight distribution is different and strength due to naturally less muscle mass has to be overcome by technique (that’s if you don’t go to the gym and surf every day). Of course building muscle mass by weight exercises and regular surfing will do wonders. Yoga and flexibility exercises especially for the lower back will help greatly so practicing pop-ups on your bedroom floor and doing regular yoga builds flexibility and strength.
I personally love Gaia Yoga online with a great range of Yoga classes that can be done at home from 15 minutes to an hour plus they have great documentaries, films, and other exercises such as belly dancing which is always fun!
On YouTube, I found Helen Bowditch this lady is so funny, she is a surfing instructor who I found on Youtube a few years ago. She has such a great way of teaching women surfers the pop-up that it will stick in your mind. In this clip below you will learn the easiest way to pop up with two techniques to choose from.
Below are some great tips to help you pop up, one of my issues is looking down. I find regularly viewing these videos is really good to refine your pop-up, just viewing these now I reminded myself not to look down when popping up.
If you live in Mangawhai Heads we regularly post what the surf is up to on our TikTok so follow us @oceangypsynz
