If you’re new to surfing, one of the first things you need to learn is the pop-up. This is the movement you use to go from lying on your board to standing on your feet as the wave carries you.
It looks easy when experienced surfers do it, but getting the movement right can take a bit of practice. The good news is that you don’t need to be in the water to learn it.
What Is a Surfing Pop-Up?
The pop-up is the movement between lying on your stomach and standing on your surfboard.
The basic sequence is:
Paddle → Catch the wave → Push up → Bring your feet underneath you → Stand
The aim is to make this one smooth, quick movement rather than several separate steps.
When you’re learning, don’t worry about getting up incredibly quickly. Good technique is more important than speed.
1. Start on the Beach
Before trying your pop-up in the water, practise it on dry land.
You can use:
- Your surfboard
- A yoga mat
- A carpet
- A patch of grass
If you’re using your actual surfboard, make sure there is nothing underneath it that could damage the board or cause it to slide.
I find practising the movement on land is one of the easiest ways to understand what your body should be doing.
2. Get Into the Correct Position
Lie on your stomach as though you are paddling for a wave.
Your body should be roughly in the centre of the board.
Don’t lie too far forward because the nose of the board can start digging into the water.
Don’t lie too far back either, as the board can become difficult to paddle and may not catch the wave properly.
Your feet should be near the tail of the board, but don’t let them hang too far over the end.
3. Put Your Hands in the Right Place
When you’re ready to pop up, place your hands on the board around your chest.
Think about where you would put your hands if you were doing a push-up.
Your hands should be roughly beside your ribs/chest rather than way out in front of you.
This gives you the space you need to bring your feet underneath your body.
4. Push Your Upper Body Up
Now push your upper body away from the board.
Here’s an important point:
Don’t try to stand up immediately.
First, create enough space between your chest and the board for your legs to come underneath you.
Your arms help lift your upper body while your hips and legs start moving forward.
5. Bring Your Front Foot Forward
This is where the pop-up really happens.
As you push yourself up, bring your front foot forward underneath your body.
Your front foot should land roughly between your hands.
Try to place the whole foot on the board rather than landing on your toes.
If you’re naturally right-footed, you may find it easier to surf with your left foot forward.
If you’re left-footed, you may prefer your right foot forward.
These are called:
- Regular stance – left foot forward
- Goofy stance – right foot forward
There isn’t a “better” stance. Use whichever feels natural.
6. Bring Your Back Foot Underneath You
Once your front foot is in position, bring your back foot underneath your body.
You should finish with both feet on the board and your body facing roughly sideways to the direction you’re travelling.
Try not to stand with both feet pointing straight towards the nose of the board.
7. Don’t Stand Completely Upright
This is one of the biggest mistakes beginners make.
When you get to your feet, keep your knees bent.
Think about being in an athletic position.
Your:
- Knees should be bent
- Hips should be low
- Chest should be up
- Head should be looking forward
- Arms should be out for balance
You want to be relaxed rather than stiff.
8. Look Where You Want to Go
Once you’re standing, look towards where you want the board to go.
Don’t stare down at your feet.
It’s very tempting to look at the board when you’re learning, but this makes balancing much harder.
A simple rule I try to remember is:
Where your head goes, your body tends to follow.
Look down the wave rather than at your feet.
9. Keep Your Weight Low
Bending your knees gives you much more control.
Imagine you’re riding over a series of bumps.
If you stand completely upright with straight legs, every little movement of the board can throw you off.
With your knees bent, your legs act like suspension.
This becomes particularly important when you’re surfing steeper or choppier waves.
Practise the Pop-Up at Home
One of the best things about learning to pop up is that you can practise it almost anywhere.
Try doing 10–20 pop-ups every day.
Start slowly.
Practice 1 – Slow
Lie down → place hands → push up → move feet → stand.
Concentrate on getting your feet into the correct positions.
Practice 2 – Faster
Once the movement feels comfortable, try doing it in one smooth movement.
Practice 3 – Eyes Forward
Practise without looking at your feet.
This will help you develop the habit of looking where you’re going.
A Simple Pop-Up Drill
Here’s a drill I use to break the movement down.
Position 1
Lie on your stomach.
Position 2
Place your hands beside your chest.
Position 3
Push your upper body away from the board.
Position 4
Bring your front foot underneath you.
Position 5
Bring your back foot underneath you.
Position 6
Stand with your knees bent and arms out.
Repeat this several times.
Eventually, the individual movements should start becoming one smooth movement.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Looking at Your Feet
This is probably one of the most common mistakes.
Problem: You lose your balance.
Fix: Look towards the beach or down the wave.
Standing Too Early
If you try to stand before your feet are underneath you, you’re likely to fall.
Fix: Get your feet into position first, then rise into your surfing stance.
Putting Your Knees on the Board
A lot of beginners naturally go:
Stomach → knees → feet
This can work, but it isn’t the most effective pop-up technique.
Try to develop:
Stomach → feet
This will make it much easier to get to your feet quickly when you’re catching a wave.
Getting Your Feet Too Close Together
Your feet need enough space between them to give you stability.
Think about a comfortable athletic stance rather than standing with your feet together.
Standing Too Tall
Straight legs make it much easier to lose your balance.
Stay low and keep your knees bent.
Putting Your Hands Too Far Forward
If your hands are too far towards the nose, it becomes difficult to get your feet underneath you.
Try to position your hands around your chest.
Learning to Pop Up in the Water
Once you’re comfortable practising on land, you can start working on it in the water.
For your first attempts, choose small, gentle waves and an appropriate beginner surfboard.
A larger, stable board will generally make learning easier than a small performance board.
Don’t worry about catching big waves.
Your goal is simply:
Catch small wave → pop up → stay balanced → ride straight.
That’s it.
Don’t Rush the Pop-Up
One thing I would recommend to any beginner is don’t concentrate too much on how fast you can pop up.
You will see surfers popping up incredibly quickly and making it look effortless.
That’s because they’ve done it thousands of times.
When you’re learning, concentrate on:
- Getting your hands into position
- Getting your feet underneath you
- Keeping your knees bent
- Looking forward
- Staying relaxed
Speed will come naturally as the movement becomes automatic.
My Biggest Tip for Beginners
Practise your pop-up before you get in the water.
Even five or ten minutes at home can make a difference.
The less you have to think about the movement, the more attention you can give to the wave when you’re actually surfing.
Eventually you’ll catch a wave and your body will almost automatically go:
Paddle → pop → feet underneath → surf.
And that first clean pop-up onto a wave is one of the best feelings when you’re learning to surf.
Quick Pop-Up Checklist
Before you catch the wave:
☐ Lie in the correct position
☐ Paddle strongly
☐ Hands beside your chest
☐ Push your upper body up
☐ Bring your front foot forward
☐ Bring your back foot underneath you
☐ Keep your knees bent
☐ Look where you want to go
☐ Keep your arms out for balance
☐ Stay relaxed
Most importantly…
Don’t worry about falling.
You’re going to fall. Everyone does.
The more you practise, the more natural the pop-up becomes. Once you’ve got the basic movement nailed, you can start working on turning, trimming and riding along the face of the wave.
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