Improving my take off

Perfecting your take off is one of the hardest things to master in surfing. Constant practice when you are not surfing is really important. Practice your pop up 10 times a day on the ground or on your bed as your bed can simulate the unsteady feeling of the ocean.  falling off during the take off is a common problem, you need to spend as little time as possible in the period between lying down(prone)and standing up which is why we always teach the pop up. paddling hard and fast will ensure you are moving at the same speed as the wave and wont have to drop in to late. not paddling fast enough or mis timing your pop up are common problems for missing waves. always keep an eye on the wave you are catching as waves are constantly changing we need to change with them, if the wave is approaching slowly or starting to fade then we must increase our paddling in order to catch it and take off,if the wave is starting to pitch and throw already then we need to either paddle further out to the shoulder to a safer spot or decide to pull back.by keeping an eye on the wave you catch u can start to identify which waves are offering you the best rides for your abilitly or which ones are challenging for you. study the break you are about to surf and see where the waves are breaking so you can get in the best position to catch them u can also use landmarks once in the line up to help you line up with the best take off spot. remember if you fall on the take off and are caught on the inside always paddle into the whietwash and not into the path of the next surfer.