Surfing tip: hands on the rails

Disclaimer: This post contains no pithy observations or photos. It is intended to document and clarify my insights into surfing technique for my own benefit more than for yours.


The following is something I came up with that has dramatically improved my board-handling skills and the consistency of my popups over the last couple of weeks:

Step 1: Find the correct spot to grab the rails.

First lie in the correct place on the board (this assumes you have already figured out where that is), then put your hands on the rails so that the bottom edge of your hands lines up with the bottom of your rib cage. You should already be grabbing the board here when you pop up - if you aren't, you're doing it wrong!

Step 2: Whenever you aren't paddling, grab the rails.

Whether you're sitting up, lying down, doing a turtle roll, scooting back to spin the board around, scooting forward to sit up, popping up, whatever - grab the rails at the spot you found in step 1. Imagine that there are elastic bands connecting your hands to those spots on the rails. When your hands aren't busy, they should snap right back to that spot.

Step 3: Make it unconscious.

Practice consciously putting your hands in the right spot until it becomes an unconscious habit. When you're waiting for waves, paddle a couple strokes, then put your hands on the rails, sit up, scoot back, scoot forward, and lie back down without taking your hands off the rails. Do this over and over and over. Eventually you will find that when you are ready to pop up your hands will magically already be in the right place without you having to think about it.