If You’re Still Popping Up Like a Crab, Read This
Here’s the harsh truth:
Your pop-up might be locking you into bad surfing before you even get to your feet.
If you’re stuck in a side-on stance, stuck on your back foot, and stuck adjusting your feet every wave… it’s probably not your turns.
It’s your takeoff.
1. Stop Thinking “Pop-Up.” Start Thinking “Walk-Up.”
World champs like John John Florence and Carissa Moore don’t explode off the board. They step up:
– Back foot first
– Front foot follows
– Head stays still and stacked over the front foot
They’re balanced like a sprinter in the blocks – not windmilling into a 50/50 stance and hoping for control later.
2. Front Foot = Control
The front of the board has width, rocker, and lift – it’s built to generate speed and help you turn.
Get your head, shoulders, and hips aligned over it and you gain:
– Acceleration
– Stability
– The ability to compress/extend vertically without wobble
Back foot bias? You flatten the board, create drag, and kill speed before your ride even begins.
3. Crabby Pop-Ups Kill Flow
A side-on stance messes everything up:
– Your knees point opposite directions
– Your weight can’t transfer properly
– Your joints don’t stack
– Your balance point wobbles side to side (toe to heel) instead of forward and back
The result? You freeze, can’t move with the wave, and lose control when it steepens.
4. What the Best Surfers Do Differently
– Head is up before takeoff
– They create space
– They step up into a running stance
– Their knee kisses the chest – just like a sprinter
– Their front foot controls lift and rail angle
– The back foot is free to press rail, shift pressure, or adjust mid-turn
This isn’t preference. It’s mechanics.
5. Front Foot = Better Turns
With weight forward, you can:
– Engage rail earlier
– Use fin foil more effectively
– Get into a trim line faster
– Torque through turns from the hips (not flailing arms)
The more balanced you are off the takeoff, the more you can move with intent later in the wave.
How TRAX Helps You Break the Habit
TRAX measures:
– How early your weight shifts forward
– Where your feet land on the board
– When you stall, and why
It gives you hard data – not vibes –so you can fix the root problem, not just the symptom.
Related Reading:
→ Why Your Head Position Is Sabotaging Your Surf Pop-Up — Head over the front foot. Always.
→ Fix Your Surf Pop-Up — Explosive speed means nothing without control.
