Getting started

How do I pop up on a surfboard?

One smooth motion: chest up, front foot under your chest, back foot planted. Practice on land.

Lie flat, hands under your shoulders, then push up and slide your front foot under your body in one motion, not two. Feet land shoulder-width apart, roughly over the stringer, knees bent, eyes forward. Practice 20 pop-ups on the sand before every session for a month. Muscle memory in the driveway is muscle memory in the water.