Fucking Awesome!!! I'm the Guy!!! (Classic Old Surfer , Jan 29th, 2014 had Micro Decompression Back Surgery, working in Afghanistan no Daily Surfing :( My session with Cris was exactly as video shows but also had a personal physical evaluation. After doing the foam roller, the tennis ball w/pin & stretch, my ability to get to the "Full On Deep Squat" had almost improved 100% NOT PerFect but in as little as 30 minutes "Improvement" was apparent. People get off your ass & just give some of this at least a try!!! Thanks Cris for professional & informative advice! My video 'Rocks'!!!
rick, you're a legend man! let us know how you go with the progression of things. once you start re-gaining the necessary mobility and core/hip control, start working on actual pop-ups. I have no doubt you'll get there. cheers buddy
Excellent video! I've been suffering from bad hip mobility for some time and spent squillions with many an 'expert''. My surfing has been suffering and it messes with the head ! Yet after only 3 weeks of trying your program I've made in roads on flexibility, hip movement n strength, and focus (even found some zen again). Sincerely appreciate your efforts and for sharing your knowledge Chris. Cheers
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've had some foam rollers for a couple of years now but thought they were only for sore muscles, they are a total game changer for flexibility, getting this knowledge from you literally could change my life I feel so much better after rolling out my quads even just walking. I am 53 and have given up on surfing over the years but held onto my boards, I fully believe this will get me back in the water!
mate I have surfed for so many years....yet after coming back from a big injury and dealing with the so called experts in rehab.....you are on the money with the best I have dealt with. Plus a few more exercises that only a surfer could show.I dont generally write or thank peeps,bad me...Yet this is a great clip. Thanks heaps mate
Great video, broke both tibia and fibula completely in half almost two years ago skateboarding. Now the proud owner of a large piece of titanium from knee to ankle. Just now starting to surf again. Paddle strength came back fast, but man am I having a hard time with the pop ups. Being 44 bones don't heal quite as fast. Going to start these exercises today. Thanks so much for taking the time to make video.
+Foody Picker cheers man.. if you run into issues, get in touch or find a good practitioner in your area. a bit of insight can really speed up the process and give some clarity to what you should focus on. best of luck. stay diligent.
Thanks so much. I took pop ups for granted for 40+ years - now I notice they have pooped out! Gradually my front foot has not gotten as far forward as it needs to be. Sucks on late take offs! I have hurt my ankle, knee, hip on the front side but plan to work on this. Still stoked!!
At 53 (in two days) my pop ups suck ass. My 17 yr old and I just discovered this vid. This is awesome. 👍 “do it right...none of this shit....or this shit” 😂 Now following on RUclips and Igram 🤙
It's already been said, but I'll say it again...This is a great video! I recently strained my quads on my pop up. I had really worked them hard doing some new sports and my quads were fatigued going in to surfing the next day. I didn't stretch or prep my body before going out, and on my pop up on the first wave, I blew out my quad. I've been resting for about a week and now I'm ready to start working on the stretches and drills you taught me in this video. Cheers!
Thank you for taking the time to make such a helpful video. This will keep me schralping my short board til I'm 90. Seriously, really helpful in building strenght, flexibility, technique, and preventing injury. Keep up the good work.
Appreciated Bud..excellent Vid and very useful...I'm still relatively new to the world of Surfing , and am in that stage of catching waves no prob's , but popping up is wipe out city ...Had many tell me to try this , try that , but still no joy ...Your vid explains it bang on and i now know exactly where i need to improve to win that pop up and surf like the pros...Your a legend !!! thank you
Yay.. So I can do push up and a bit flexible so all I need is to experience how it is like to surf and go back home! I can't wait to be back to Philippines and learn surfing 🏄
Thanks bro getting back in surfing after about 20 years have had the same problem in my pops sometimes i get it right other times not so right will try do this every morning hopefully it will loosen me up
get moving!... or there goes the mobility in the surf. move it or lose it buddy. Check out the website, as there is a huge amount of info there on stretching / flexibility
kia ora .Thanks really needed this vid. I learnt to surf tonight in New Zealand and absolutely loved it. I didnt manage to stand for long but your video is helping me. I just want to pop up quickly and get on with it ! I guess its just practice.
Thank you....I, a 57yo female can now squat for first time in 10 years after just 3 stretch sessions. Working on pushups... goal is to get to perfect strong popupl
This is great. Sounds like I have a similar problem as the guy you referenced. However, one thing you may want to factor is as well is body structure. I have a shorter torso and long legs so to be able to bring my legs up has always been harder whereas you have a longer torso relative to you shorter legs which definitely makes it easier to pop up. At 54 I've been surfing since high school and wish I had this info all these years. I'm definitely going to try all of your recommendations here and really appreciate the lesson.
Great video mate I will be working on a lot of those exercises you show in the vid 'I'm so stiff and sore from a fucked back i brokebmy leg in four places and my lower back been hit by a car doing a 100klms an hour while at work ' it fuck my surfing up 'once I get to my feet I can do anything on the wave ' i was almost ready to go to a Stand up paddle board 'but I bought a hard foam roll today and will do all these exercises ' cheers
+Pat Finnegan sure thing man. I consult with a lot of guys specifically for pop up issues. just yesterday i was talking with a guy who's technique coach kept telling him his foot position was wrong when trying to pop up. the issue was that he actually didn't have the ankle range of motion to get into the position his technique coach was recommending. have to mesh the biomechanics of it with the skill. make sure the movement capacity is there, and then work on strength --> skill
It is a critical part of surfing and I like your way of breaking the biomechanics down and looking for specific problems. I have been working with my daughter who is a 3 sport high school varsity athlete but really having trouble with a clean pop-up. I am looking forward to showing her some of your material.
great stuff. You have to have strong toes and feet, and flexibility in the big toes and ankle in order to be able to deep squat like that. I'm rehabbing a 16 year old broken big toe, and I'm learning so much. I am not able to deep squat yet. You have some seriously good flexibility and strength bro.
check out some videos on intrinsic foot strength by andreo spina on youtube. get that big toe moving. then take it into whats called a tripod foot stance. do the foot work, then work on the deep squat.
Thanks Cris, My problem is my knees. They've been hammered over the years doing sports and I'm struggling with the pop up. My left is my leading leg which is the worst. Any advice would be awesome.
Thank you for posting this video. I am getting older and I am blowing my take offs. I think my foot isn't getting forward enough like you described. I'm going to use your tips to improve my flexibility in my hips + hamstrings. thanks for the advice :)
Really great and done to earth video. Im going to do this the next two weeks once a day. because lately im having a lot of pain after surfing in the lower back and groinz (inguinal) Already been doing yoga for the last three months. any way thanks for making this video!! Greetings from the Netherlands Oz
Brilliant video, great coaching. I'll get back to you on how I progress. I'm a novice and I've got into the bad habit of using my knees (aaargh!!!). Thanks for the guidance. This woman isn't quite as flexible as she used to be, but with the assistance of the unicorns and butterflies and sht, I think I should be popping properly sooner than expected.
ha!! yeah, the unicorns and butterflies.. they'll lend a hand. often the back knee drop is just bad habit. takes repetition to break that pattern. stick with it
So, update on the last post by the 45 year old noob. I had confidence to work on avoiding my knees on the water. Discovered a few things.Positive points -- using my knees to get up as a total beginner really helped in ensuring I understood how I wanted to feel to ride in (balance point).- unbelievable how much more balance awareness popping straight up appears to have given me. I really think I can feel the board better and am more in control of turning than when I used my knees.- incredible how quickly I got used to moving/repositioning my feet, something I never did in those knee ridden daysNegative points- Admit to not doing enough of Cris' flexibility exercises to get my front foot placement right where I want it yet (hence the foot movements). More work to do!!!- Felt old when my daughter (11) got it within 5 attempts and it took me a good few hours on the water to get comfortable! Old dogs can learn new tricks, they just have to be a little more determined!
I've found the perfect exercise !!!! I thought long and hard, what is the opposite of paddling? Because that's exactly what you need, get out of that really tense dynamic, of holding your body straight, using your stomach, PLUS paddling like mad, it's so unnatural. So, on your back...and your head lower than your body, and pulling!!! Down!!! Pulling on a rope, or cable. So l use a sit up bench, l lay on it, all the way down, while pulling on a rope with a weight attached, over a bar. SOOOO relaxing...after 12 years of insomnia, l'm final,y totally relaxed !! It feels so good. Im gonna make a video of it.
Hey Chris really appreciating the videos, love being nice and flexible so I can surf whenever the waves are on. Just wondering if you knew of any good books that basically list a whole heap of exercises and stretches for surfers. Something to take on the road with me. Cheers man, keep up the good work!
Great video, so i totally understand the necessity to deep squat and be comfortable doing it and even the froggers workout. But in the surfing stance, doesnt the back knee face more inward than outward? - my knees used to face outward during my pop ups initially , almost like i was squating on the surfboard to handle big drops and to remain compressed but getting that changed took me some time. If possible can you make a video on a good stance and posture while surfing. Thanks!
Sweet video, as a snowboarder I stupidly thought I'd pick up surfing quick on my first trip. Since then I learned I'm super tight, particularly in the ankles so I have been blasting deep squatting mobility. I'm curious if quad dominance and struggling to recruit the posterior chain in the squatting movements would also have a negative impact on surf performance similarly to poor mobility?
poor mobility has a huge detriment to the body of a surfer, especially when it comes to durability. as for quad dominance etc, it can certainly limit power output potential, and again, limit durability. it comes down to joint mechanics. a stronger posterior chain is always a good thing for just about any athlete.
Dude, on small boards you cannot use your toes to pop up. Only the knees and thighs. Transfer the momentum from the chest to the knees in a way that makes the knees pop up is much more demanding. Any more hints for that one ?
so you've got to break down the movement. where are you lacking? is it ankle limitation? hip range of motion limitation? could be a combination of things. or it's just a bad habit. find where you're limited, improve it, and then you have to go back to work on the "skill" of the movement
hey man, love your video's just discovered you , i have had a hip resurface and 4 years ago i have had a knee replacement on one knee and a bunch of ops on the other so i cannot deep squat, i,m trying your jackknifes and fitball routines to see if i can get more core strength, it has been 2 years since i paddled out due to hip problems but now 6 months since op and can go surfing as doc has oked the xray, but i went out on my 8ft 6" mal and man i struggled to get up at all, i did get to one foot a couple of times ...... what can you suggest for me as i can never deep squat agian but still want to surf ps i can sup surf no probs but we all know its not the same hey thxs in advance and im sure your vids will get me there , also im 55 years old so want to keep on keeping on and liv ing life
the only problem about those pop up exercises is that while on the wave the water gives you an impulse already so the point is not just to have strength wile stable, the point is how to land with control being at 45 degrees.
i don't disagree with you. the landing isn't generally the problem with intermediate surfers, it's the actual pop up and range of motion. for new surfers, yes, it's the landing, and the motor control for foot placement. if the limiter is landing absorption and foot placement, then yes train it. that however isn't what this video addresses.
Hi, nice video! Quick question: I'm in a country where I can't get that equipment. Are just the two stretches that you did without them enough or are there any others stretches that don't require them?
Rad, thank you. Cute beard. I need to get that deep squat thing down. Super stiff and painful. Is most important aspect heels to the floor and straight spine (i.e. even if I am leaning back at 35 degrees or so?). Aloha.
thanks for the beard love. be cautious if the movement causes pain. heels off the floor or extreme rounding of the spine are both symptoms of inability to move somewhere else in the body, likely your ankles and hips. since you're lacking adequate range through the ankle and hips, you're forced into spinal flexion and heels coming off the ground to compensate when lowering. aim to correct both of those issues with some specific stretches or tissue releases around the stiff joints
enjoyed your video hopefully this will help me to stop dragging back foot once i start to get tired. one question is that just 2 tennis balls taped together?
Not sure if this is too old for you to respond to but Thankyou so much for the video, I've had my suspicions about my flexibility stopping my pop up and haven't found anything like this. How often do you recommend doing the exercises in this video providing a bit of progressive overload is used until I reach a level of flexibility which I'm happy with?
glad you found it helpful. lack of flexibility can essentially ruin surfing, and destroy a pop up. 3 times a week should be sufficient stimulus. if you're interested, I have a full Fix Your Pop Up program available to members of my Ocean Sports Performance website. It goes through more in depth assessment, joint mobilization, and then up to 2 months of training specific to pop ups. members.surfstrengthcoach.com/osp
thanks for the video! what would you suggest to get rid of a sort of pinching on the hip/hip flexor (I guess, only one side) when going into that deep squat?
Hi Chris, Thanks for all your posts - they're so good. Quick question mate, what size size swiss ball are you using in the video as I'm looking to get one? Cheers
Hi Chris - great videos and really good help. I have been working on both the strength and flexibility aspects for some time and surf 2-3 times a week. The problem i am still having is being able to land in one motion on the back foot particularly in smaller waves with less vertical to pull your legs under. As a result i am clipping my rear large toe quite a lot and leading to "stubbing" which is then causing issues more broadly in my feet. My pop up has become somewhat subconsious and therefore hard to alter. Any tips on how to bring this backfoot up without hitting toe and rotating it to land flat? Looks easy on videos but not as simple with my flexibility challenges. Thanks Leah
it's tough to give movement specific advice without actually seeing you move. could be some ankle stiffness, maybe a knee or hip... or the technique is just wrong. perhaps more of a "chicken wing" with the back leg is more appropriate for you. or you just gotta get a long board or soft top and just drill the movement over and over to change the habit. all make sense?
Hey Chris thanks man. U help a lot. One question do balance board help ur balance skill in surfing? If yes do you have any tips for balance board workOut
yep, definitely use them. they're fun. Indo boards are legit. the key is to not confuse whether you're training for balance, strength, or power. don't try to get overly "functional"
thank you, by the way the surfer training sound fine but if sometimes you have idea for replace some training material by casual house material, i'll take it :)
hey chris great video thanks...ive progressed from a longboard to a 6'4 shortboard over a few months...i have been surfing for 7 yrs...when i popup on the shortboard my feet are too close together...on my popup how can i ensure i spread my feet further apart the first time on the popup...adjusting feet position once im up is not ideal and takes long
+Ryan The Rock repetition and practice. your'e asking how to improve the "skill".... that's done through repetition and practice, not an exercise. put some marks on the floor... popup over and over. hope that it carries over to the water. you're trying to produce a motor engram, a repeatable movement complex by the brain,. it takes time and repetition.
Hi man. Thanks for this video. I can get easy to the deep crouch position. but after some sec I fall back. which stratches should I do so I whould feel comfortable staying in this position?
go through the stretches i demonstrate. see which improves your ability to stay in that bottom position. i've never seen you move, or seen your deep squat, so I have no idea where your limitation lies. if you need more insight check out my full flexibility program. stretchesforsurfers.com
Ankle flexion, I ain't got it. I can barely bend my knees before my heels come of the ground. Consequently when I jump up, I'm on my toes, not flat on my feet. I used to be better but at 66 I'm getting more inflexible. I do yoga everyday, for about 20 minutes although it is easy more breathing (butterflies and unicorns) than work out. But I do a hatha class twice a week. But what can I do for my ankle flexion? Have you had any experience or knowledge about deep, deep deep micro facia manipulation. I did rolfing some years ago, too painful so I don't know its effectiveness if you kept at it.
+Greg Sharp ankles could be bony restriction, or tight muscles, maybe fascia like you mention. google these words, watch the vid. it'll give you some starting points "Surfing Workouts- Lower Body Joint Health, Ankle Stretches, and Joint Stability Training " you may need to see a good physio or chiro to manipulate the tissue or joints
i am normally very flexible but told by doc not to do any pounding (like) running or no pounding pressure on heel ... dropping in has .........been a dud been doing calf stretches i have SAME roller ....plantar after the tendon tear is Almost gone now
that's a difficult question to answer since I've never assessed you. If a disc issue is rehabbed and healed properly, then yes, unloaded spinal flexion in a deep squat position should be ok… but everyone is quite different in their individual responses and healing processes. look to improve your hip mobility as much as possible to limit the necessary flexion in the lumbar spine. proceed with caution and find someone experienced to help guide you along the way
when i did the deep squat i felt kinda tight on my back, mid spine dude, i haven't surfed for while, does that effect it?can you give some advice to loose tension on my back dude.
yeah, lack of proper spinal motions could definitely effect it. it could be lack of thoracic spine mobility. go through some of my videos of upper body tissue mobility, release the anterior chest tissue and lats, and work on thoracic mobility. there's a couple of thoracic mobility videos or check some recent blog posts on my website. message me on Facebook and I can lead you in the right direction… or check out the blog.
if the upper body is your weak point, then you need to train to bring up upper body stability. pushups, more straight arm isometrics, planche tuck positions, parallete bar holds. have a look into gymnastics straight arm strength positions to bring up your deficits.
work on it. if it's a flexibility problem, improve your joint mobility. if it's a strength issue, get stronger. the process is no different considering age, it's still a human body. the timeframes may be a bit slower, but it's still completely feasible. so no magic, just diligence.
Fucking Awesome!!! I'm the Guy!!! (Classic Old Surfer , Jan 29th, 2014 had Micro Decompression Back Surgery, working in Afghanistan no Daily Surfing :( My session with Cris was exactly as video shows but also had a personal physical evaluation. After doing the foam roller, the tennis ball w/pin & stretch, my ability to get to the "Full On Deep Squat" had almost improved 100% NOT PerFect but in as little as 30 minutes "Improvement" was apparent. People get off your ass & just give some of this at least a try!!! Thanks Cris for professional & informative advice! My video 'Rocks'!!!
rick, you're a legend man! let us know how you go with the progression of things. once you start re-gaining the necessary mobility and core/hip control, start working on actual pop-ups. I have no doubt you'll get there. cheers buddy
Excellent video! I've been suffering from bad hip mobility for some time and spent squillions with many an 'expert''. My surfing has been suffering and it messes with the head ! Yet after only 3 weeks of trying your program I've made in roads on flexibility, hip movement n strength, and focus (even found some zen again). Sincerely appreciate your efforts and for sharing your knowledge Chris. Cheers
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've had some foam rollers for a couple of years now but thought they were only for sore muscles, they are a total game changer for flexibility, getting this knowledge from you literally could change my life I feel so much better after rolling out my quads even just walking.
I am 53 and have given up on surfing over the years but held onto my boards, I fully believe this will get me back in the water!
Just discovered this site - great advice - age 66 - - just getting back into surfing - very stiff- this should make a huge difference - cheers bro 😉😁😎
mate I have surfed for so many years....yet after coming back from a big injury and dealing with the so called experts in rehab.....you are on the money with the best I have dealt with. Plus a few more exercises that only a surfer could show.I dont generally write or thank peeps,bad me...Yet this is a great clip. Thanks heaps mate
+chris kolozsi thanks man, much appreciated. glad you got some benefit!
chris kolozsi x
This is an extremely helpful video, especially for people who has serious lumbar issues yet want to remain active in water sports like surfing.
Recently started surfing. Thanks for taking the time, to do these videos. Very informative.
no worries and thank you! that's an old vid... I reckon it needs a revamp.
Great video, broke both tibia and fibula completely in half almost two years ago skateboarding. Now the proud owner of a large piece of titanium from knee to ankle. Just now starting to surf again. Paddle strength came back fast, but man am I having a hard time with the pop ups. Being 44 bones don't heal quite as fast. Going to start these exercises today. Thanks so much for taking the time to make video.
+Foody Picker cheers man.. if you run into issues, get in touch or find a good practitioner in your area. a bit of insight can really speed up the process and give some clarity to what you should focus on. best of luck. stay diligent.
One of your best videos yet, extremely useful, packed full of relevant info, love the casual single take format. Keep it up!
cheers man. refining my video skillssssssss!
Yep I really liked it too, and of course the Byron location :)
"That's kooky" and I was dead with laughter! Thanks for the awesome videos man.
Best video and trust this guys advice. I will swear on my hand it helped me with more than surfing
epic comment! thanks very much for taking the time to post that.
Thanks so much. I took pop ups for granted for 40+ years - now I notice they have pooped out! Gradually my front foot has not gotten as far forward as it needs to be. Sucks on late take offs! I have hurt my ankle, knee, hip on the front side but plan to work on this. Still stoked!!
Bajapalm that's what tends to happen... take it for granted until it's lost or limiting! work on the flexibility, keep surfing.
Thanks mate! I have the same flexibility problem and no surf coach EVER gave me advice or exercises to help. This was exactly what I needed to know.
At 53 (in two days) my pop ups suck ass. My 17 yr old and I just discovered this vid. This is awesome. 👍 “do it right...none of this shit....or this shit” 😂 Now following on RUclips and Igram 🤙
It's already been said, but I'll say it again...This is a great video! I recently strained my quads on my pop up. I had really worked them hard doing some new sports and my quads were fatigued going in to surfing the next day. I didn't stretch or prep my body before going out, and on my pop up on the first wave, I blew out my quad. I've been resting for about a week and now I'm ready to start working on the stretches and drills you taught me in this video. Cheers!
Thank you for taking the time to make such a helpful video. This will keep me schralping my short board til I'm 90. Seriously, really helpful in building strenght, flexibility, technique, and preventing injury. Keep up the good work.
Appreciated Bud..excellent Vid and very useful...I'm still relatively new to the world of Surfing , and am in that stage of catching waves no prob's , but popping up is wipe out city ...Had many tell me to try this , try that , but still no joy ...Your vid explains it bang on and i now know exactly where i need to improve to win that pop up and surf like the pros...Your a legend !!! thank you
Yay.. So I can do push up and a bit flexible so all I need is to experience how it is like to surf and go back home!
I can't wait to be back to Philippines and learn surfing 🏄
Thanks bro getting back in surfing after about 20 years have had the same problem in my pops sometimes i get it right other times not so right will try do this every morning hopefully it will loosen me up
Thanks so much for this. Lifetime surfer, now 42 and stiff as a board! Can’t wait to start with this!
get moving!... or there goes the mobility in the surf. move it or lose it buddy. Check out the website, as there is a huge amount of info there on stretching / flexibility
kia ora .Thanks really needed this vid. I learnt to surf tonight in New Zealand and absolutely loved it. I didnt manage to stand for long but your video is helping me. I just want to pop up quickly and get on with it ! I guess its just practice.
I like this guy...
"Don't give me any shit..." Hahahaha
Thank you....I, a 57yo female can now squat for first time in 10 years after just 3 stretch sessions. Working on pushups... goal is to get to perfect strong popupl
This is great. Sounds like I have a similar problem as the guy you referenced. However, one thing you may want to factor is as well is body structure. I have a shorter torso and long legs so to be able to bring my legs up has always been harder whereas you have a longer torso relative to you shorter legs which definitely makes it easier to pop up. At 54 I've been surfing since high school and wish I had this info all these years. I'm definitely going to try all of your recommendations here and really appreciate the lesson.
Great video mate I will be working on a lot of those exercises you show in the vid 'I'm so stiff and sore from a fucked back i brokebmy leg in four places and my lower back been hit by a car doing a 100klms an hour while at work ' it fuck my surfing up 'once I get to my feet I can do anything on the wave ' i was almost ready to go to a Stand up paddle board 'but I bought a hard foam roll today and will do all these exercises ' cheers
Chris, this is the best video I've seen yet for addressing specific pop up issues. Thanks for posting.
+Pat Finnegan sure thing man. I consult with a lot of guys specifically for pop up issues. just yesterday i was talking with a guy who's technique coach kept telling him his foot position was wrong when trying to pop up. the issue was that he actually didn't have the ankle range of motion to get into the position his technique coach was recommending. have to mesh the biomechanics of it with the skill. make sure the movement capacity is there, and then work on strength --> skill
It is a critical part of surfing and I like your way of breaking the biomechanics down and looking for specific problems. I have been working with my daughter who is a 3 sport high school varsity athlete but really having trouble with a clean pop-up. I am looking forward to showing her some of your material.
Pat Finnegan good stuff man. if you run into any issues, get in touch
+Cris Mills Thanks Chris. I will.
Thank you very much! Always liking your videos!
The way you explain man, its just the best.
I'm so glad I found this video. This is exactly what I've been needing to see.
F’in awesome man, thank you so much from an old guy recovering from injury and getting back on the waves.
great stuff. You have to have strong toes and feet, and flexibility in the big toes and ankle in order to be able to deep squat like that. I'm rehabbing a 16 year old broken big toe, and I'm learning so much. I am not able to deep squat yet. You have some seriously good flexibility and strength bro.
check out some videos on intrinsic foot strength by andreo spina on youtube. get that big toe moving. then take it into whats called a tripod foot stance. do the foot work, then work on the deep squat.
At first, I thought you were arrogant, but you are actually good!
Thank you very much, my father will love the video, he is a massage therapist and does yoga therapy, thanks you once agian
I'm 44 and just started surfing. Awesome video think you can really help me. Ive subscribed. Brett UK
glad to hear it brett. check the website, there's a lot more info on there
Thanks Cris, My problem is my knees. They've been hammered over the years doing sports and I'm struggling with the pop up. My left is my leading leg which is the worst. Any advice would be awesome.
Thanks. This is So helpful. Finally I have a place to start and an order of operations to get where I'd like to be.
This is what I have been looking for - thanks Chris
Thank you for posting this video. I am getting older and I am blowing my take offs. I think my foot isn't getting forward enough like you described. I'm going to use your tips to improve my flexibility in my hips + hamstrings. thanks for the advice :)
Great video! Thanks for posting. This is very useful
B R thanks. hope you get some good use out of it
Another great training video. Thanks!
Flexibility is the key to success! Super stretch exercises to get to the deep squad. Thx Chris ;)
cheers man! find what's limiting, improve it, and then reassess the deep squat movement.
This guy knows his shit!!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. Awesome stuff!
Extremely cool video. Thank :)
It’s still a great video in 2020!
great video , great channel !! keep it going man greetings from germany
Really great and done to earth video. Im going to do this the next two weeks once a day. because lately im having a lot of pain after surfing in the lower back and groinz (inguinal) Already been doing yoga for the last three months. any way thanks for making this video!!
Greetings from the Netherlands
Oz
Brilliant video, great coaching. I'll get back to you on how I progress. I'm a novice and I've got into the bad habit of using my knees (aaargh!!!). Thanks for the guidance. This woman isn't quite as flexible as she used to be, but with the assistance of the unicorns and butterflies and sht, I think I should be popping properly sooner than expected.
ha!! yeah, the unicorns and butterflies.. they'll lend a hand. often the back knee drop is just bad habit. takes repetition to break that pattern. stick with it
So, update on the last post by the 45 year old noob. I had confidence to work on avoiding my knees on the water. Discovered a few things.Positive points -- using my knees to get up as a total beginner really helped in ensuring I understood how I wanted to feel to ride in (balance point).- unbelievable how much more balance awareness popping straight up appears to have given me. I really think I can feel the board better and am more in control of turning than when I used my knees.- incredible how quickly I got used to moving/repositioning my feet, something I never did in those knee ridden daysNegative points- Admit to not doing enough of Cris' flexibility exercises to get my front foot placement right where I want it yet (hence the foot movements). More work to do!!!- Felt old when my daughter (11) got it within 5 attempts and it took me a good few hours on the water to get comfortable! Old dogs can learn new tricks, they just have to be a little more determined!
Brilliant cobber! And inspiring. Thanks man!
Dope video brah
Nice one mate thanks very much.
Great video mate! I'm learning to surf and this just made a lot of sense. Thanks
+jumpintriples cool. i've got a full exercise for popups vid too. check that out
Actually did some of your shoulder, paddling exercises as part of my normal workout yesterday. Thanks mate, I'm working my way through all your vids.
Awesome guy , flexibility unbelievable , helped me pop up cool
awesome video- THANK YOU!
Very helpful, thanks so very much
so helpful! thanks a lot
I love the double knee cracks at 1:21. Like pistol shots .
Brett Curtis
Brett Curtis haha I was just gonna comment the same thing
SO AWESOME!!! Lucky i found this
Thanks for this. this really helped me!
this is exactly my problem! I cannot even do the squad thing you talk about at the start! I am so unflexible
immobile joints.....they bring problems
I've found the perfect exercise !!!! I thought long and hard, what is the opposite of paddling? Because that's exactly what you need, get out of that really tense dynamic, of holding your body straight, using your stomach, PLUS paddling like mad, it's so unnatural.
So, on your back...and your head lower than your body, and pulling!!! Down!!! Pulling on a rope, or cable.
So l use a sit up bench, l lay on it, all the way down, while pulling on a rope with a weight attached, over a bar. SOOOO relaxing...after 12 years of insomnia, l'm final,y totally relaxed !! It feels so good. Im gonna make a video of it.
you rock. thanks for all the help.
this video is gold
EMBRACE THE WIND
acceptance....
@@SurfStrengthCoach nice enthusiasm 🤣🤣🤙
Hey Chris really appreciating the videos, love being nice and flexible so I can surf whenever the waves are on. Just wondering if you knew of any good books that basically list a whole heap of exercises and stretches for surfers. Something to take on the road with me. Cheers man, keep up the good work!
Buy this one www.amazon.com/Advanced-Surf-Fitness-Performance-Surfing/dp/0956789390
Great video, so i totally understand the necessity to deep squat and be comfortable doing it and even the froggers workout. But in the surfing stance, doesnt the back knee face more inward than outward? - my knees used to face outward during my pop ups initially , almost like i was squating on the surfboard to handle big drops and to remain compressed but getting that changed took me some time. If possible can you make a video on a good stance and posture while surfing. Thanks!
Sweet video, as a snowboarder I stupidly thought I'd pick up surfing quick on my first trip. Since then I learned I'm super tight, particularly in the ankles so I have been blasting deep squatting mobility. I'm curious if quad dominance and struggling to recruit the posterior chain in the squatting movements would also have a negative impact on surf performance similarly to poor mobility?
poor mobility has a huge detriment to the body of a surfer, especially when it comes to durability. as for quad dominance etc, it can certainly limit power output potential, and again, limit durability. it comes down to joint mechanics. a stronger posterior chain is always a good thing for just about any athlete.
Dude, on small boards you cannot use your toes to pop up. Only the knees and thighs. Transfer the momentum from the chest to the knees in a way that makes the knees pop up is much more demanding. Any more hints for that one ?
I have the same problem, i get stuck in a crunch position. I use the knee method but then I'm stuck with soft top boards
so you've got to break down the movement. where are you lacking? is it ankle limitation? hip range of motion limitation? could be a combination of things. or it's just a bad habit. find where you're limited, improve it, and then you have to go back to work on the "skill" of the movement
Thanks - that was extremely helpful! Do you have any suggestions for improving ankle flexibility?
a few weeks ago i posted a video called Lower Body Joint health and Ankle Stretches. that'll sort you out
Nice video!!
Would it be more useful to use the TRX instead of the stability ball??
hey man, love your video's just discovered you , i have had a hip resurface and 4 years ago i have had a knee replacement on one knee and a bunch of ops on the other so i cannot deep squat, i,m trying your jackknifes and fitball routines to see if i can get more core strength, it has been 2 years since i paddled out due to hip problems but now 6 months since op and can go surfing as doc has oked the xray, but i went out on my 8ft 6" mal and man i struggled to get up at all, i did get to one foot a couple of times ...... what can you suggest for me as i can never deep squat agian but still want to surf
ps i can sup surf no probs but we all know its not the same hey
thxs in advance and im sure your vids will get me there , also im 55 years old so want to keep on keeping on and liv ing life
the only problem about those pop up exercises is that while on the wave the water gives you an impulse already so the point is not just to have strength wile stable, the point is how to land with control being at 45 degrees.
i don't disagree with you. the landing isn't generally the problem with intermediate surfers, it's the actual pop up and range of motion. for new surfers, yes, it's the landing, and the motor control for foot placement. if the limiter is landing absorption and foot placement, then yes train it. that however isn't what this video addresses.
Think about butterflies 🦋 and unicorns 🦄 wasn’t expecting that lol
Hi, nice video! Quick question: I'm in a country where I can't get that equipment. Are just the two stretches that you did without them enough or are there any others stretches that don't require them?
Rad, thank you. Cute beard. I need to get that deep squat thing down. Super stiff and painful. Is most important aspect heels to the floor and straight spine (i.e. even if I am leaning back at 35 degrees or so?). Aloha.
thanks for the beard love. be cautious if the movement causes pain. heels off the floor or extreme rounding of the spine are both symptoms of inability to move somewhere else in the body, likely your ankles and hips. since you're lacking adequate range through the ankle and hips, you're forced into spinal flexion and heels coming off the ground to compensate when lowering. aim to correct both of those issues with some specific stretches or tissue releases around the stiff joints
I never seen the 2 tennis balls, but I have a roller.
enjoyed your video hopefully this will help me to stop dragging back foot once i start to get tired. one question is that just 2 tennis balls taped together?
James Tansey yeah buddy. duct tape works a treat. easy and simple
Not sure if this is too old for you to respond to but Thankyou so much for the video, I've had my suspicions about my flexibility stopping my pop up and haven't found anything like this.
How often do you recommend doing the exercises in this video providing a bit of progressive overload is used until I reach a level of flexibility which I'm happy with?
glad you found it helpful. lack of flexibility can essentially ruin surfing, and destroy a pop up. 3 times a week should be sufficient stimulus. if you're interested, I have a full Fix Your Pop Up program available to members of my Ocean Sports Performance website. It goes through more in depth assessment, joint mobilization, and then up to 2 months of training specific to pop ups. members.surfstrengthcoach.com/osp
thanks for the video! what would you suggest to get rid of a sort of pinching on the hip/hip flexor (I guess, only one side) when going into that deep squat?
Hi Chris,
Thanks for all your posts - they're so good. Quick question mate, what size size swiss ball are you using in the video as I'm looking to get one?
Cheers
65cm ball. pretty standard size for most guys
Hi Chris - great videos and really good help. I have been working on both the strength and flexibility aspects for some time and surf 2-3 times a week. The problem i am still having is being able to land in one motion on the back foot particularly in smaller waves with less vertical to pull your legs under. As a result i am clipping my rear large toe quite a lot and leading to "stubbing" which is then causing issues more broadly in my feet. My pop up has become somewhat subconsious and therefore hard to alter. Any tips on how to bring this backfoot up without hitting toe and rotating it to land flat? Looks easy on videos but not as simple with my flexibility challenges.
Thanks Leah
it's tough to give movement specific advice without actually seeing you move. could be some ankle stiffness, maybe a knee or hip... or the technique is just wrong. perhaps more of a "chicken wing" with the back leg is more appropriate for you. or you just gotta get a long board or soft top and just drill the movement over and over to change the habit. all make sense?
Hey Chris thanks man. U help a lot. One question do balance board help ur balance skill in surfing? If yes do you have any tips for balance board workOut
yep, definitely use them. they're fun. Indo boards are legit. the key is to not confuse whether you're training for balance, strength, or power. don't try to get overly "functional"
I fucking laughed so hard you went angry drill sergeant mode: none of this sagging bullshit
Hi,
Sorry to ask but can we use a table or something to replace the big ball or chair?
sure. or a couch... whatever
thank you, by the way the surfer training sound fine but if sometimes you have idea for replace some training material by casual house material, i'll take it :)
Is deep squat bad for the knee or helps pop ups for a bad front leg knee?
Cool.
hey chris great video thanks...ive progressed from a longboard to a 6'4 shortboard over a few months...i have been surfing for 7 yrs...when i popup on the shortboard my feet are too close together...on my popup how can i ensure i spread my feet further apart the first time on the popup...adjusting feet position once im up is not ideal and takes long
+Ryan The Rock repetition and practice. your'e asking how to improve the "skill".... that's done through repetition and practice, not an exercise. put some marks on the floor... popup over and over. hope that it carries over to the water. you're trying to produce a motor engram, a repeatable movement complex by the brain,. it takes time and repetition.
Hi man. Thanks for this video.
I can get easy to the deep crouch position. but after some sec I fall back. which stratches should I do so I whould feel comfortable staying in this position?
go through the stretches i demonstrate. see which improves your ability to stay in that bottom position. i've never seen you move, or seen your deep squat, so I have no idea where your limitation lies. if you need more insight check out my full flexibility program. stretchesforsurfers.com
I just love you
If the wind 💨 makes noises don’t give me shit 😂
Ankle flexion, I ain't got it. I can barely bend my knees before my heels come of the ground. Consequently when I jump up, I'm on my toes, not flat on my feet. I used to be better but at 66 I'm getting more inflexible. I do yoga everyday, for about 20 minutes although it is easy more breathing (butterflies and unicorns) than work out. But I do a hatha class twice a week. But what can I do for my ankle flexion? Have you had any experience or knowledge about deep, deep deep micro facia manipulation. I did rolfing some years ago, too painful so I don't know its effectiveness if you kept at it.
+Greg Sharp ankles could be bony restriction, or tight muscles, maybe fascia like you mention. google these words, watch the vid. it'll give you some starting points "Surfing Workouts- Lower Body Joint Health, Ankle Stretches, and Joint Stability Training " you may need to see a good physio or chiro to manipulate the tissue or joints
small tear in tendon . by . ankle...
ANY help would be appreciated ..
any exercises please post
i am normally very flexible
but told by doc not to do any
pounding (like) running or no pounding pressure on heel ...
dropping in has .........been a dud
been doing calf stretches i have SAME roller ....plantar after the tendon tear is Almost gone now
He second stretch- please elaborate
I struggle popping up on a shortboard, do I need more upper body strength?
Hey Cris, i had a slipped disc in my lumbar, I can still do a deep squat. Does these exercises help me strengthen my back? Cheers!
that's a difficult question to answer since I've never assessed you. If a disc issue is rehabbed and healed properly, then yes, unloaded spinal flexion in a deep squat position should be ok… but everyone is quite different in their individual responses and healing processes. look to improve your hip mobility as much as possible to limit the necessary flexion in the lumbar spine. proceed with caution and find someone experienced to help guide you along the way
Cool! I would say it is about 90%. Thanks man! Hope to see you, when you come back to Sydney! Cheers!!!
when i did the deep squat i felt kinda tight on my back, mid spine dude, i haven't surfed for while, does that effect it?can you give some advice to loose tension on my back dude.
yeah, lack of proper spinal motions could definitely effect it. it could be lack of thoracic spine mobility. go through some of my videos of upper body tissue mobility, release the anterior chest tissue and lats, and work on thoracic mobility. there's a couple of thoracic mobility videos or check some recent blog posts on my website. message me on Facebook and I can lead you in the right direction… or check out the blog.
hahah love how u talk.
boy he's so funny
When im working on the jackknife i tire out in the upper arm and shoulders way before my core... how do i fix this?
if the upper body is your weak point, then you need to train to bring up upper body stability. pushups, more straight arm isometrics, planche tuck positions, parallete bar holds. have a look into gymnastics straight arm strength positions to bring up your deficits.
@@SurfStrengthCoach Thanks,
do you have any magic for old guys? who are challenged by the popup.
and young is guys with a metal rod in my L leg?...
work on it. if it's a flexibility problem, improve your joint mobility. if it's a strength issue, get stronger. the process is no different considering age, it's still a human body. the timeframes may be a bit slower, but it's still completely feasible. so no magic, just diligence.
Are you in Bali?
at the moment yes