How to Start Surfing: A Guide for Beginner Surfers

The Pop-Up Explained

Many factors play into the sport of surfing and it can be overwhelming when you’re first starting. You may be wondering, where do I start, and what do I need to know?

You must master the pop-up because it is the most vital step into getting yourself up and riding on a wave! Essentially, the pop-up is an explosive push-up on the surfboard.

Continue reading to discover what surfing etiquette is and the pop-up steps to riding a wave.

To start surfing you’ve got to be a powerful swimmer and know to never turn your back on the ocean. Keep in mind this:

Ultimately, that saying is to protect you and the other people in the water.

Here are some basic rules of surfing etiquette to follow: Click the arrow on the right to flip to the next page of the post

Now that we’ve covered the basics, you’ve got to know how to pop up on your surfboard!

You can practice the pop-up pretty much anywhere.

Before you start to pop up on the board you will need to determine what surfing stance you prefer. Play around with what feels best and the most comfortable. A “goofy” stance surfer will have their left foot towards the back of the board and the right foot closer to the middle of the board. If they are “regular” stance it will be the exact opposite. One isn’t better than the other, it is completely based on your preference.

Next, find where to position yourself on the board to maintain balance. You want to find the “sweet spot” on your surfboard. If you have more weight on the front it will increase your chance of nose-diving, which means wiping out.

Having your weight on the back of the board towards the tail is going to make it difficult to catch waves and you won’t make good forward progress when paddling.

Laying in the middle of the board is where you want to be. It is where you will find the “sweet spot” and have the most balance. In this spot, you can paddle efficiently while maintaining speed and maneuverability.

Try several pop-ups on land every day because practice will help you master the pop-up for when you try it in the water.

Try these steps to pop-up on the surfboard and ride a wave:

• The first step is to lay in the middle of your surfboard with your arms at a 90-degree angle and your hands flat just below your chest.

• Next, you are going to enter the pushup position when you are raised from the ground.

• Then, get your front foot between your hands and your back foot should land shoulder width from your front foot.

• Keep your eyes forward and use your arms to help with balancing. If you lean on your back foot it will help initiate a turn and maintain balance or lean on your front foot to go faster.

• If you try this and it isn’t working out, don’t give up! While in the pop-up position instead of bringing both feet up at the same time, try it with one knee up first, and then with more and more practice, you will get both feet.

Good luck and comment below any questions you have!

If you need a visual demonstration watch this video below.