Angling your take off allows a surfer to drop in on waves that are steep. Popping Up with a slight angle will help you get the momentum you need to ride on the wave’s face, to either go right or left.
HOW TO ANGLE YOUR TAKE OFF
Step 1: Choose which way you are going to go – left or right.
Step 2: When you see the wave approaching, paddle into the best position for your take off.
Step 3: Get your board speed up by paddling perpendicular to the beach.
Step 4: In the last 3 strokes start to angle your board to where you want to go.
Step 5: Use the nose of the board as your guide and begin to mentally draw your line down the wave.
Step 6: As you prepare to pop up look in the direction of where you want to go.
Step 7: Place both hands on the deck and open both your shoulders.
Pro tip: Sometimes your outside hand is a little further up the board then your inside hand.
Step 8: Apply more pressure to your inside rail to help angle your board
Step 9: As you lift your chest up, bring your legs through. Place your back leg first on the tail pad and follow through with your front foot.
Step 10: Back foot 90-degree and front foo45-degree angle on the deck of your board.
Step 11: Keep your knees slightly bent and arms close to your body.
Step 12: Surf in the middle of the wave face. Draw an imaginary line that goes down the middle of the wave face.
Pro tip: If you feel like the wave is getting away from you, place your chin towards the board. This will give you extra paddle power and help title the board down the face.
MISTAKES
X If you paddle too much on an angle, you are going to come off the shoulder.
X Angle too little and you’ll drop straight down the wave and end up back in the white water.
X Don’t paddle into the wave and then begin to angle your board. The board won’t start turning until you start moving.
X Just leaning on the rails as you drop down the face won’t be enough to angle your board. Those last three paddles really help to encourage your board and body on the angle you wish to take on the shoulder.
X Planning to go down the “middle” of the height of the shoulder is only an indicator. In reality, you will want to draw your line a bit higher than the middle of the wave’s shoulder is breaking fast, and a bit lower when it’s breaking slowly.
X You might be surfing lower on the face than you think you are. Take note that most beginners think they are surfing higher on the wave than they actually are. The idea is to see yourself surfing for pictures and video to verify where you draw your lines.
X If your feet aren’t in the correct position your board will go in a different way to where your body is pointing.
X Looking down at your feet as you pop. There is a saying…”If you look down, you go down”. So look at the direction where you want your board to go.
X Arching you back too much. Your momentum needs to be moving forward. If you arch your back too much you are going to disrupt your forward motion.
LAUREN RINGER
Ex WQS warrior, and all-round frother – Loz is the technical coaching queen at the House of Surf.
She is also a mindset and life coach and has a habit of living in her van way too much.
