Better backside takeoffs in small, quick waves

[justin]

I’ve got a theory for better, smoother backside take offs in quick waves:

1. Paddle smoother, not harder, pressure on the chest.
2. Don’t be in a rush to pop-up.
3. Get the board gliding down the line, setting the inside rail with your chest.
4. Once you decide you are going, do not look back to see if somebody is coming. Instead, if you’re concerned, just try to take a higher line. If you look back as you are taking off on a quick backside wave, that takes the head and shoulders to point straight down the wave as opposed to along the wave, resulting you getting hung up on the lip. So if somebody is coming behind you, you’ll crash into them if you do get the wave. The key is to have the head, hands, shoulders, and hips moving toward the front of the board and down the line, not pointing straight down the wave.

And I think #3 is the really key step!

Thoughts? Anybody else feel like they set the rail with the chest gliding into the wave?

[Matt_Brown]

The other secret is to leap forward as you get up giving your board thrust down the line as your weight is shifted forward and yes your shoulders should be square to the front of your board and your eyes focused on where you are heading. If you think you might cut someone off don’t paddle for the wave there’s always another wave!