5 Surfing POP UP Exercises Which ACTUALLY WORK

Popping up on a surfboard is one of the most challenging topics you'll ever discuss in surfing, especially within the beginner-intermediate surfing crowd. I have had a huge amount of clients lately who are struggling with their pop up and the number of waves they get in a session can't hope to allow them to progress.

Thus, we need to find controllable environments to practice in and these exercises here are what I believe to be the best movements to improve the take off without actually doing it in the water!

Consider these excellent resources here for further surf exploration

[KalesBroccoli]

Join over 6000 students smashing their surfing goals today 🙏🏽

[Carlosferreira]

One tip while doing that exercise, put an object at the left (and right) so you train your eyes to be lookig to the right place, aka never look down!

[xyzct]

A couple of added pointers:
1) Do all of your push-up related exercises with your hands the same distance apart as they'd be on your board.
2) When you actually push up on your board, don't grab the rails! Keep your hands flat on the deck.

[MuraliKrishnaDevarakonda]

0:40 Push up with knee and foot tuck
1:35 Rings push up with knee and foot tuck
2:13 Push up take off with arrow draw
2:44 Jack Knife
3:18 Downward Dog Transition

[joshmoulton]

This is really solid advice and well-conceived exercise progression. I'm a retired strength athlete and long-time snowboarder. The transition from laying to standing has been a huge obstacle to transitioning my snowboarding experience to the water. The issue has been hip mobility and pelvic control. These exercises are really good for addressing these issues (along with some soft tissues work and stretching for the hips).

[AviatorRider]

Thank you kale. After 51 years without surfing I bought a nice classic Gordon & Smith longboard. It's been a struggle to pop up due to aging and weight. It's taking me longer than I expected to stand up. So, it's hard to keep balance during the transition. When I did it feels like home again and I'm back to late 60's when I was 11 years old. I'll try these exercises for sure.

[nottherealmccoy]

I'm 65, just bought a Firewire Seaside & I'm struggling! Perfect timing! :)

[lavapix]

I've been searching for the right workouts to do for pop-ups since both of my hips were replaced and I think these are the ones. Now I just need my bad shoulder to cooperate.

[gabrielhamoui]

Amazing vid. Love the short, straight-to-the-point format

[narnar]

tough getting old. i herniated disk with back leg S1 nerve loss (calve and foot function). real tough to pop up surf. ok on longboard chummies but on big days i now kneesurf on a kneeboard. still so much fun and enjoyable. energy is great.

[alan]

I was having pain in my upper right leg, where it meets me pelvis. Some stretching helped, but this leg tuck really hits that spot. I instantly felt relief! Gonna do it lots and get my popup going! Thanks Kale!

[jistone]

Holy shit, I have been STRUGGLING with getting stuck in a crouched position with a raised heel on my back foot but I felt the way this knee exercise forced me to plant my feet flat and then the next step of leaning back crouched, I felt an immediate difference on land and I can't wait to practice on the water tomorrow!

[alexshewan]

A full workout routine for surfing pop-ups. Who knew? This is great!

[a_fortiori_]

Amazing advice. Tried Surfing this week for first time and struggled with pop up part of manoeuvre.

[brendanmathews]

Kale,
Very much enjoy your video series. I am a retired guy just returning to surfing after a 40 year break. Love the ocean but life steered me in a different direction. Just picked up a long board and will be heading out for first outing today. I live in north county San Diego. Lots of considerations for rediscovering the ocean. Will continue to check in with your series. I really respect your lifestyle choices.

[jparko]

Great scientific overview! I taught myself as a grommie by watching others (long learning curve, few have perfected), and since have been perplexed by surf school academia teaching on the 'flat' sand. When taking off, and you feel that pivot point shift, you don't do a 'push-up', you 'push down'. On a decent sized wave at the apex it feels like you're throwing the board downwards beneath your contracting legs. Practice at least should be on an incline. In saying that, like you would agree I assume, learning to read breaking waves is 80% of learning to stand up. Then cutting trim, and then the rest:)

[patrickenglish]

getting older and stiffer and clearly had poor technique engrained as struggling of late-especially as it gets colder in UK winter. These look like exercises i can really use-thank you

[garysmith]

I’m a largely land locked 56 year old. Love the chances I get in the summer to get to Cornwall and Devon and recently got down to the Wave in Bristol, which is great and will hopefully reopen in a couple of weeks. I struggle with stand up. Once I’m up I’m fine, did a lot of skateboarding as a nipper and played a lot of sport generally. It’s the wretched getting up, so this is a great vid. Many thx.

[nicholasolsen]

All your videos have been amazing! They are truly helping me progress in my surfing, I started a month ago or so and have really made outstanding progress! I still have a ways to go, on stronger waves I notice I grab the rails sometime so I’m working on that now lol. Trying some various push up techniques to wire it in my brain lol

[jackd]

This is an excellent exercise and I have never seen something like this demonstrated on video! The angling of the knee as you bring the lead foot thru naturally rotates your hips to the correct stance. Cannot wait to try it out in real time in the surf. I have always brought the knee up straight so my lead foot is in between my hands as I rise up I rotate or pivot the lead foot. I loose about second doing this. Thanks for the information!