ALTHOUGH OUR LOVELY warm spell may sadly be over, you can’t help notice that the summer is quickly approaching on us.
This means that a lot of novice surfers will be dusting off their surfboards and seeing what condition their wet suits are in after they spent the winter hibernating in the attic.
I don’t blame anybody for not wanting to face our cold winter waters but it means that there are many guys and gals in the line-up who may need a brush up on some of their skills.
So I thought this would be a good time to look at one of the most difficult aspects of surfing – the pop.
Some say that pop should be like an explosive push-up while other would have you break it down into smaller movements. However the truth is, it should be one fluid movement.
There is no point putting massive amounts of power into your pop if it ends up all jagged and stiff. Here’s my simple guide to the perfect pop-up:
- Paddle as hard as you can into a wave then arch your back and hold for a second to make sure you have caught the wave.
- In a fluid motion give a slight push and swing your legs forward and slightly to the side. Use your arms to create a pendulum for your body.
- Try to avoid going onto your knees as it’ll only cause you to become unbalanced. Also use the face of the board not the rails as they are easier to slip from.
- Remember to twist your torso as you jump into the standing position.
- Be fast, but remain smooth through the entire motion.
Practicing your pop on dry land may look silly, but trust me every professional surfer has spent hours doing it in their time. It’s a difficult process to master, but one that will vastly increase your surfing if you take the time to do so.
Good waves everybody.
Weather Overview
Shiver me timbers, it’s windy out there! Two stonking great lows in the Atlantic are going to be messing everything up this weekend.
Plenty of swell for the southwest of the country, but very strong prevailing southerlies will just mash everything into oblivion. Sorry guys.
The north – Too windy.
Co Donegal/Sligo – Too windy.
Co Clare – Too windy – are you spotting a pattern yet?
Dingle Peninsula – Too windy.
Cork & the south – You guessed it… too windy.
Disclaimer – These weather reports are intended as a general overview of swell running in that area. These are predictions and actual wave size may vary. Do not enter the water alone or without adequate equipment and do not enter surf that is too large for your abilities. We cannot be held responsible for any decisions you make based on this information. For daily weather information follow @dinglesurf on Twitter.com.
