How do pros pop up on electric surfboard?

Professional surfers, or "pros," use a technique known as the "pop-up" to quickly transition from lying on their stomachs to standing on their electric surfboards. This technique is essential for catching waves and riding them. While the pop-up on an electric surfboard is similar to that on a traditional surfboard, there are some nuances due to the electric propulsion system. Here's how pros typically pop up on electric surfboards:

Starting Position

• Lying Down: Pros start by lying flat on their stomachs, centered on the electric surfboard, with their feet pointed towards the tail and their hands positioned slightly in front of their shoulders.

The Pop-Up

• Core Activation: To pop up, pros engage their core muscles to lift their upper body off the board.
• Hand Placement: They place their hands flat on the board, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, to support their weight as they push up.
• Legs and Feet: As they push up with their arms, pros simultaneously bring their knees under their body and place their feet flat on the board, shoulder-width apart, for balance.
• Rapid Movement: The pop-up is a quick, fluid motion. Pros move from lying down to standing in one swift, continuous movement to catch the wave.

Electric Surfboard Considerations

• Motor Activation: Pros must time the pop-up to coincide with the activation of the electric surfboard's motor. They need to be standing and ready to control the board as it starts moving.
• Balance and Stability: Electric surfboards can have different balance points than traditional surfboards due to their motor and battery placement. Pros must quickly adapt to these differences to maintain balance.
• Wave Positioning: Pros must also be aware of their position relative to the wave. They need to pop up at the right moment to catch the wave and use the electric motor to maintain speed and control.

Practice and Experience

• Repetition: Like any skill, the pop-up on an electric surfboard requires practice. Pros spend a lot of time practicing this technique to make it second nature.
• Adaptation: Pros must adapt their pop-up technique to the specific characteristics of electric surfboards, which may include different weight distributions and motor responses.

Conclusion

The pop-up on an electric surfboard is a critical skill that pros master to catch waves and ride them effectively. While the basic mechanics of the pop-up are similar to those on traditional surfboards, electric surfboards require pros to adapt to their unique characteristics, such as motor activation timing and balance. With practice and experience, pros can seamlessly transition from lying down to standing on their electric surfboards, ready to ride the waves with the help of electric propulsion.