Author Topic: How to simply attain a standing position on short boards - Colas' tips.  (Read 3662 times)

Wetstuff

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I was defeated by a 7-0 x 27", with similarly marginal results with an 7-6 x 32 in moving water. I am crouching over the handle (center point) with too much mass forward and the nose wanted to sink before I got to my feet.  Understand, I am a poor imitation of a 20yr old, but I want to use a smaller board for my little shorebreak conditions.  Creek has been helpful because I have a secondary issue of a bum leg..

But any of you who have seen Colas on 6' boards (YouTube - Cooolas) has to appreciate the skill of this ample fellow.  I simply had to PM him...   

His reply:

Here is the tips I can give you:

- first, give some speed to the board while paddling prone: the board is stabler with some speed

- try to not stand up fully, but rather stop mi-course, so go from prone to a flexed knee position

- the movement is quite similar to a prone surfboard take off: hands flat on board (I often just let the paddle rest across the front of the board), weight totally on the hands, move your front foot inside the hands, rear foot 1' - 2' aft...

- standing up after going over a (non-breaking) wave is easier, as the board is going down with the water

- on short boards, you must keep the nose more up than on a long board: the nose should be 2" - 4" above the water, for the balance, and also because it will dive more when you paddle. so you must stand a tad more aft than you are used to

- you should avoid putting your weight on your heels. always keep your weight on the balls of your feet, a bit like tennis players waiting for a ball. The weight on the heels will lock your legs and you will fall backwards

- moving your rear foot aft slightly (1/2 - 1') will help a lot. It does not feel natural, you should force this position at first

Just practice... and be sure I fall often on standing up when tired, this is where the balance is the most delicate.


I watched all his videos in those junky little waves in the Mediterranean Sea ..but never saw him before he got to his feet. Now I have something to try.  I'd thought I'd share - I'm sure I'm not the only one who looks to improve.

Jim

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coldsup

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This website is gold.....especially if you paddle smaller boards. Loads of good tips. I follow in FBook so I get all the posts as they come out.

I think you will find this useful.....even a small vid in there too for you.

http://paddlewoo.com/day-1-popping-up-on-a-small-paddle-board/
« Last Edit: June 30, 2016, 02:23:19 PM by coldsup »

supthecreek

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Getting up on small boards is what defeats me if the board is small.... definitely a tough move when the board barely floats you.
The reason I can do it on the wide nose boards is that the nose doesn't sink when I leave my kneeling position.

I am glad you found some good advice to share.... thanks colas and wetstuff  :)

PonoBill

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Won't do me much good, if I was that flexible I might have a prayer.  I have to three-step the getup. First, I come up on one knee with one foot forward. I grab my ankle and slide it forward to the spot it needs to occupy. I lurch forward, straightening my front leg, and sliding my back leg forward, while keeping my knees bent, back bent, but head tipped back to see a trace of the horizon, weight on the back leg mostly to keep the nose from pitching. Straighten up, paddle like crazy until I achieve something like calm stability. Look for waves. 7-0 by 27? Yeah, right.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

SlatchJim

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A good comparison would be to see what the difference in buoyancy and size preferred between the young (Zane, Mo, Georgio) and the not-so-young (Carroll, Lopez, er...Laird even though he's technically younger than me).  We could call this the "Geezer Float Curve" or the "Age Expansion Index"....

Interesting to see how an old pro like Mark Richards got into SUP
http://markrichardssurfboards.com/blog/2012/04/c4-mr-model/
« Last Edit: July 01, 2016, 08:39:02 AM by SlatchJim »

comeu

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surfcowboy

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Jim, I can totally see that difference. I'm playing around with it while I'm still middle aged. I suspect it will change but Gerry Lopez and others have convinced me that flexibility is probably key to staying on a board into older years.

I'll share an prone anecdote. I built that 6'5" prone board (haterade thread) and when I went to paddle it, no luck. I just plowed my body through the water and couldn't have any fun or catch waves. I let it go and while the weather was bad resolved to go back to a long board and work on my fitness. I put 2 pulleys in a tree where I attempt pull ups ;) and did a few reps a week, nothing crazy and practiced my pop up in the living room. I mostly worked on the flex that Pono mentions, getting that front foot in between my hands. When the weather got a little better I went out on my Wavestorm 8' and like magic I was paddling into every wave and popped up all day.

In the end, I probably did a couple of hours of work over maybe 2 months. Nothing crazy at all but it put me over the edge and got me onto that board. I'm now starting to think about that 6'5". Patience a very little strength and some flexibility made a big difference for me.

But I'll tell you, there's a joy in a large board for me too. I'm really thinking that weight is key. Lairds boards don't weigh much at all for their size, that's what you can't see in a pic. I'm going to dig deeper into the alt materials after this next board stabilizes my quiver and do some test panels with innegra, carbon and more. A 9'6" is a very different board at 18 lbs vs 30 lbs.

anonsurfer

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Those are good tips.  For me, the toughest part of riding a short narrow board (6-10 x 27) is the ability to quickly go from prone to standing after getting smashed by a wave during the paddle out.  An extra 1 or 2 seconds can make the difference between making it outside or getting caught inside for a bit. 

The keys for me are having the paddle in a good position so I can take a couple of quick strokes after standing and "popping up" on the right position of the board.  My stand up process is similar to Colas. 

1. with paddle positioned across the board in front of me (handle on left side) I do a push up into crouched flexed knee position with hands still on board (hands on or next to paddle)
2. grab the paddle, fully stand and take a couple of strokes while standing to get some momentum
3. adjust feet position.  If I pop up on the right position on the board this is not necessary.  If my positioning is off too much I'll fall (fortunately this does not happen too often). 

Once standing and paddling I am good to go. 
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SlatchJim

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Cowboy: you're spot on with weight, flexibility, shape, all things that come far easier to a younger person.  Way to go on the pop up work out!  (kind of kicking myself for not doing likewise)

As a corollary to effectively getting up and using a small SUP board; I only know a few people that regularly use boards in that size range and they all have more skill than I do. Yet it seems to be acceptable that some of the best surfers in the world ride sup boards with noticeably more float and larger dimensions.  I agree with Mark Richards when he says "ride what you enjoy." I'd add that we aren't all the same and that Avanti may feel like a shortboard to the offensive lineman paddling next to you.  ;D

(p.s. my 9-6 is about 19 pounds...love that lightness so much!)

Wetstuff

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Cowboy.. 'flexibility'.  Che'it! I never really needed it.  S'why proning 30yrs ago was pretty marginal for me in 6sec short-period shorebreak.  'Kited for 11yrs.. didn't need it much there.  Sure do now!  ..when it's nearly irretrievable.  I'll type Bill's instructions and see how his works..   But this guy has something I've never see here..    Thanks Chilly for the link - this guy knows how to talk you thru it too...   Looks like he has a SUP outfit in CR?  Hmmmmm...  If it not in some 2-airplane+car rental location, it might be worth looking into.



1000% on heavy boards.  I've gone thru a batch. Was never willing to spring for carbon but these Sunnovas.. are wonderfully light and actually seem to move forward on the first stroke when you paddle them. Thanks all for the extra tips.   

Jim

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sup_surf_giant

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I'm 20lbs heavier (240lbs) than my last session on my 7'11 Infinity Blurr @ 113liters. Even then it was a challenging board to stand up and go on in anything less than glass.

Now that I'm pudgier I'm mentally prepping for the sheer gravitas needed to get back on this sinking horse.

I find that staring at the horizon along with paddling before you feel stable to really help the process. Those two things added to falling off and getting back on about 2k times will really get me back in the saddle as it were.
Taller than most, shorter than others.

surfinJ

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I'm basically doing the two step Colas describes. Thought I was just being old and slow but it works.
Eyes to the horizon also helps a bunch as the just over the nose focus point seems to lead quickly to another fall.

The biggest change I had to make though was a shorter paddle. My longer big board paddle unbalances me immediately.  I've got a shorter paddle, about forehead height.

 


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