What you need to know to improve your take off: biomechanical analysis
Tired of finding the typical phrase on the internet: “to improve your take off, when getting up, your feet should be positioned according to the width of your shoulders”, we have decided to go one step further. That is why, at Flysurf we offer you a new tip to improve your surf and perfect your technique from the take offWith this approach, we aim to help every surfer, from beginners to advanced, take their level to the next step and enjoy every wave to the fullest.
Because of this, we have dedicated ourselves to channeling the experience in surfing, with biomechanical, neuroscientific analysis y basic knowledge of Yoga and motor skills to try to explain what the fundamental problem is when getting up in the take off and offer clear solutions to improve this technique. Our goal is to help you perfect your surf from a comprehensive approach, enhancing your performance in each wave.
Improving take off in surfing: what are the problems that can happen?
Get up in the surf, or do the pop-up, is a process that can be slow, difficult and, above all, imprecise, which represents the main problem for many surfers. At the end of a pop-up complicated, it is common to discover that your feet are anywhere in the surfboard, except in the right place. The ideal position should be with the rear foot the rear keels and front foot approximately in the center of the board, always well centered and pointing to one side to maintain balance and control.
What can cause problems during take off?
1. Position: Position is a crucial aspect in the surf, especially that of the front leg. During the take off, it is essential to ensure that the front foot is placed correctly, approximately in the center of the surfboard, to ensure optimal balance. Good foot placement not only facilitates stability, but also improves your technique and control while surfing. This detail is key to carrying your surfing to the next level.
2. Speed: Speed has a direct relationship with the agility and explosion that we apply to the pop-upThe faster and more explosive your movement, the better your lift in the surf. Work on your reaction speed and in the execution of pop-up will help you to make a take off more effective and therefore improve your performance in the water.
What could be the solutions?
According to various investigations in the fields of physical education, the pedagogy and the neuroscience, we know that the most effective way to "educate" the brain to remember the positioning of a body part (kinesthesia) is through the use of points of reference. Rather than relying solely on verbal instructions, the brain processes and retains information better when it is provided with reference points in relation to other parts of its own body. This technique is key to improving precision and control in movements such as take off in surfing.
What is the correct starting position for rowing? For surf effective, the initial position is key. You must lie on the surfboard "face down", with both hands flat placed on either side of the chest. It is essential to pay attention to the position of the hands, as they will become your main reference point during take offBy adopting this position correctly, you will not only make the process of getting up easier, but you will also improve your technique and control when surfing.
To remember where the hands in the surf, we suggest a simple trick: extend both arms along your body and locate the position of your elbows. That is the exact point where you should place your hands when pushing and lifting during the take off. This reference not only makes the movement easier, but also improves your technique, helping you achieve a pop-up more effective and controlled.
This location is probably slightly lower than where you normally place your hands, but it is precisely in this position where the maximum efficiency of the movement is achieved. By positioning them correctly, you will be able to perform a pop-up more fluid and with less effort, which not only improves your technique surf, but also helps you master the waves more effectively and with greater control.
Tips to improve take off in surfing
If you place your hands too far forward, close to your shoulders, the mechanical efficiency of the movement during the take off is greatly reduced. This is similar to trying to get up by doing a push-up, which makes it difficult to pop-up fluid and effective. To improve your technique surf and to make the most of each wave, it is crucial to position your hands correctly. This way, you will facilitate a take off more efficient, improving your control and performance in the water.
What we really look for with a pop-up correct is to achieve the effect "rocker". This involves taking the fixed point, in this case the hands on the board, closer to the center of gravity, which is located in the pelvis. By correctly positioning the center of gravity, by pushing and lifting your body, the lower part (pelvis and legs) tends naturally and effortlessly to go forward, achieving an optimal standing position for surfing. This technique improves your control y stability on surfboard, allowing you to make the most of each wave and perfect your technique.
Try it right now on the floor of your house to improve your take off:
Step 1:
Try to stand up in the classic push-up positionYou will notice that it is very difficult, and that the lower part of the body (from the navel down) tends to remain static. Without additional effort from your muscles, it will be difficult to bring the lower part forward when trying to perform a pop-up.
Step 2:
Repeat the exercise in the same position, but this time place your hands a few centimeters above the navel. By pushing from this position, you will observe how the seesaw effect. The lower body, including the legs, tend to move forward almost effortlessly, thus facilitating a pop-up more efficient and fluid.
Magic! you have already improved your pop-up.
Conclusions
Now, with this in mind, it is time to provide our brain with the points of reference necessary for the correct location of the front foot when you stand on the surfboard. Usually the rear foot finds its position naturally, as it does not tend to move during the pop-upHowever, the precise location of the front foot is key to ensuring a take off efficient and a balanced posture on the board, which improves your control and performance on every wave.
Visualize your initial position on the surfboard like a triangle: each hand represents a vertex and both feet, located at the tail of the board, form the tip of the triangle. Got it? Now, when you get up during the pop-up, you rear foot must remain very close to its initial position, that is, at the tail of the board, between the two front fins. The front foot, instead, should be placed right in the middle of the imaginary line that joins your two hands. Focus your attention especially on this last detail to achieve a take off more precise and balanced, thus improving your surfing technique.
Important! When you get up, both feet must touch the board at the same time to achieve a pop-up experience.
The most common mistake in initial and intermediate stages is "falling short"
This means that when you stand up, both feet are very close to each other. This front foot offset It is not enough to achieve a good positioning and distribution of the weight on the board, which marks the beginning of all subsequent problems in your surfing.
Extra Tip! You can keep your hands on the board while standing; this will give you a low position and very stable, ideal for the initial stages of surfing. Once you are stable, you can take your hands off the board, but always keep a low position. This will allow you to move more easily on the wave and start enjoying the ride 🙂
What better way to practice your take off than with one of our incredible surfboards de Flysurfing?
