having trouble standing on my surfboard

[nz girl]

hey
i've been trying to learn to surf but i have heaps of trouble with the pop up, i'm not really strong enough to do it in one move, is there an easier way in the mean time? i've been out about 6 or 7 times and have only got up properly once which is very frustrating and downheartening, also i'm the only girl out there which makes me a bit self consious - at what point should i just give it up as a lost cause?

[vitopilot]

Never give up!!! I know sometimes it is hard to get something right the first few times out but you'd be surprised how one day it will all come together. I know they say it may not be for everyone but I believe you can do anything, because I personally know what it's like when they do that.

Everyone here can give you great advise, I have never seen a better site full of talented people.

I know on the main page surfpatrol has some tips on how to get up and they worked for me.

For being the only girl don't worry.

Hope I helped.

Good luck. Let us know how everything goes.

Vito

[freaky_welsh_chick]

yeh im with vitopilot, don't ever give up! surfing can be a frustrating thing, believe me, i know, i've been working on duckdives for like 2 months now and aint got it down yet :( but once you get it its the best feeling ever, and you'll be glad you didn't give up so easily. im the only girl surfer too, and it can be hard, but make friends with the guys, which im starting to do, and its not so bad, theyre sure to get you up to scratch too, and help you along :)

[leolivi]

I had problem trying to stand up for some time, but i got some advice that made all the diference for me, hope it helps you too.

First of all, before trying to stand up make sure the wave is carrying you. You will feel when it hapens, you wont have to padle anymore and the board will rise above the water.

After the wave caught you, start pushing up, but instead of placing both feet on the board at the same time, first place the back foot on the board and then push up and place the other foot.

Try this without the board, on the floor.

As i said, worked for me, hope it helps.

As the others said, there is no time to give up, think of it as going into the see and enjoying yourself, learning about the waves, geting in touch wih nature. You can enjoy yourself even if the surf itself was not great. And i think even when the surf is great you will enjoy it even more when you see all the beuty there is to the whole thing.

[nz girl]

thanks for all the encouragement guys,
i went out again today, it was pouring down with rain so i had the whole beach to myself and i actally managed to stand up! so maybe it does just click after a while!

[leolivi]

for me Weather conditions, being away from the crowd, and having the right kind of waves makes a realy huge diference...

[def]

i gotta got with everyone here, the worst thing you could do is give up. the pop-up is prolly the hardest thing to do, specially for a girl, (im not being sexist but the upper body and chest is usually way weaker on a female, unfortunately tho it is, i know you all agree) prolly the second easiest way is going to one knee then quickly to ur feet. try that :)

[25thID_Hawaii]

Good job on your accomplishment :o

[Duncs]

Take one for the team! Yeah "go girl" :does mexican dance wave thing:

[nz girl]

just an update
since my having trouble getting up crisis, I have learnt to stand really well, now go to the beach religiously, am on nodding and "catch any good waves?" terms with half a dozen locals, and have even started working at the local surf school to get other girls and newbies out in the water. I'm sure my beginners efforts at surfing no doubt lack much in the way of style, but i'm working on that! i just wanted to say thanks to everyone who wrote with such positive messages, it totally encouraged me to keep trying. cheers!

[sinistapenguin]

Hi All

This is my little bit of advice as posted in another discussion:

...
This is probably the hardest part of surfing to nail. It's also the hardest to describe accurately.

When you are learning, it is very difficult to get the 'pop' right. This is partly because the board is flat. As you progress and start taking off in the steeper part of the wave, the process becomes easier, because gravity plays its part.

It is actually worth practicing the 'pop' at home on the floor (although I still have problems doing it here).

To directly answer your question. If your board is long enough for you to push off your feet, then I would do it. If you are watching the majority of surf videos then they are on shortboards and will pop up from their knees.

Unfortunately it is one of those things that only comes with practise. What I would do is go for a 'mid point' of popping up so that your front foot is in place and your back knee is down, then push off your front leg to get off the back knee.

It is hard, but you'll know when you start to get it.

When you've got the hang of this you'll have to try and tackle 'duck diving' which is the absolute hardest thing to get right because you need decent sized waves to practice properly, but that makes it worse when you get it wrong.

Basically, just stick at it and you will get the hang of getting to your feet!
...

As for the comments about duckdiving, I've been trying to practise this for about 3 years and finally cracked it this year. The key is "just go for it" if you worry about wiping out, you will!!

Good luck

Sinista

[beeichbum]

I am totally with everyone on this don't give up; try on the beach with your board, or it you have a skate board or whatever. Once you get the hang of it it is the best thing you could ever hope to expirence. As for the dudes, When I started I was 7 and a girl and the youngest and only girl. Guys are starting to apperciate having chicks in the line up and if you give up they will just have it in their mind that this is a sport chicks just should not do. At first they will be butt-holes but then as they see you really trying they will start to respect you. After a while they if they ar the locals that come religiously they will be your tightest family. Any issue with anything and you would have from a few to a group of guys to "protect you" help ya with whatever. Trust me it is totally worth it.