How pro surfers pop up on a surfboard

Whenever you watch pro surf comps, you get to see all the acrobatics, but very rarely can you observe a pro paddling and popping up in slow mo. So you never reall know how pro surfers pop up!

Thankfully, thanks to Brent Rose, a filmmaker and producer for Wired and Discovery, we can now study the best—frame by frame—and steal a few of their secrets.

Brent filmed a bunch of the world’s best surfers in slow motion at the Kelly Slater Surf Ranch. It’s unique because, unlike in the ocean, in a wave pool they all start in the very same spot. He caught everything—pop-ups, foot placement, hand positioning—and unpacked the details. Here’s what we’ve learned from this exercise.

???? Everyone pops up differently

First of all, what do pros do that’s different? The short version: it’s not all one way.

Some drop both feet at once (Kelly Slater, John John Florence). Others plant their back foot first, then swing the front one through (Carissa Moore, Steph Gilmore, Jordy Smith). Some twist their chest toward the wave before they even pop up. Others stay square until they’re already flying.

What does this tell us, and why does it matter? There’s more than one “correct” way—but there are some patterns worth learning from.

???? Hand placement matters

Almost all the pros had their hands planted near their waist or lower ribs—not up near their chest. That lower placement gives you better lift and keeps your chest low.

Bonus: many had their inside hand slightly behind the other. This opens your chest toward the wave and helps create space for your front foot to land cleanly. And here I thought staggered hands were a beginner crutch—yet so many pros do it.

???? Back foot first, then front

Now, about the feetsies. It’s mostly back foot first, then front. So forget the idea that both feet need to land at the exact same time in the explosive pop-up.

Most pros did a three-step pop-up:
Hands down.
Back foot lands.
Front foot swings through.

The gap is small, but it’s there—and intentional. That back foot helps create drive and sets your base before your front foot commits. If this sounds like blasphemy, yeah, you might’ve been taught to focus on your front foot first instead.

???? Look where you’re going

We’ve talked about the importance of looking in surfing many times before. You really should be looking down the line before you pop up. Most pros are already looking down the line before their feet even hit the board. They’re committed to the direction, and their body just follows. Note to self: get your eyes right, everything else follows.

????‍♀️ No knees. Ever.

This is a no-brainer, but obviously not one pro popped up using their knees. Not one. We know this is the slowest way of popping up—unavoidable at times when you’re learning—but if you’re trying to progress, the knee-pop is a dead-end habit. Rip it off like a wax job gone wrong as soon as you can!

???? Compression = Control

In other news, Steph Gilmore and Felipe Toledo both showed how much compression matters. They start low and spring out of it—like a loaded coil. You don’t need to be an Olympian, but that low, fast pop-up gives you more control and flow into your first turn.

???? Kelly Slater’s flutter kicks

Finally, there’s a lot of chat about Kelly Slater’s little flutter kicks before his pop-up. And no, it’s not just for propulsion. He’s keeping the board planed—so the tail doesn’t sink and the nose doesn’t lift. Translation: he’s kicking downward to keep the board level, not forward to paddle. It’s finesse. And probably not something you need to worry about yet unless you’re already riding shortboards and chasing perfect trim.

But fun to know. Hope this helps to inspire you to do some land practice!