Surfing is Timing and Rhythm. When beginners start their first day, it is difficult to get them into the smooth timing and rhythm that makes surfing look easy in the movies. Most people come into the water with nerves and expectations.
It takes a few rides for most people to calm their minds to listen and focus on what they are supposed to do. The count I give beginners for catching waves and popping up is supposed to be a substitute for thinking and them acting on their instincts.
The Basics of Surfing Timing and Rhythm
The surfer first has to catch the wave and then they can progress to standing up on the surfboard. In the beginners mind, these two concepts are not really separated and they push them together as one. With this thought in mind, observe any surfer on film catching a wave and you will see that he first catches the wave and then he puts his hands on the surfboard. So there is paddling first and hands on the board second.
I have new students paddle until they feel the nose of the surfboard come up and start to plain on smooth water. In reality, a few strong paddles will give the board the momentum to plain and then the surfer can put their hands on the board. The problem is many new surfers cannot paddle hard enough or don’t take to heart the need to paddle hard to get in front of the wave .
Once they grasp this concept, the board is always in front of the wave and they learn to put their hands on the board when it is going fastest. This makes getting to a stance easier. The next things surfers must do is put their hands in a man’s push up position next to the chest. In their hurry, new students put their hands out in front of the shoulders. This is the end of the ride. They can’t recover.
Another important detail is putting the foot flat on the board in the beginner pop up. I have students paddle, put their hands on the board in a man’s push up position, then push and follow putting the back foot flat on the board under their butt. Most students are in such a hurry, they don’t put their foot flat, but rush to put their front foot on the board while their hands are still on the board. When the nose is in front of the front foot, off the board they go.
Once again, this is about slowing down the mind and body to do the right steps. Once students start slowing down to put their foot flat on the board, the pop up is easy and they will do it every time. So what sounds easy on paper and what is explained clearly in the dry land lesson is ignored in the water.
The process doesn’t not have to be fast. It has to be smooth. The surfer can’t leave out any steps.
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