Gliding and Planing

When your board transitions from pushing water to riding on it, drag drops and the board starts to glide. That release is your best timing cue for the final strokes and pop-up.

What Planing Feels Like

Use this somatic checklist. You don’t need all of them at once — 2–3 together is enough to commit.

• Nose “lightens” and stops burying; water sheeting over the deck decreases
• Subtle lift under the sternum/chest as the wave picks up your board
• Sound changes from slosh to a quieter hiss; wake behind your board cleans up
• Stroke “purchase” increases — your hands feel more solid water to push against
• Micro‑acceleration pulses with the wave’s slope; speed arrives without extra effort
• Tail “sits” with pressure while rails peel water cleanly instead of it wrapping

These sensations signal that the wave is doing work for you. Don’t rush before this release; don’t hesitate after it.

Timing Your Last Strokes and Pop‑Up

Think of takeoff as three beats:

1. Match: build entry speed with relaxed, efficient strokes (paddling)
2. Feel: wait for the release into glide (signals above)
3. Commit: add 1–2 strong strokes, micro‑cobra to keep the nose free, then pop‑up (cobra pose → pop-up)

Guidelines:

• Start paddling a little earlier than you think; finish with 1–2 committed strokes after you feel lift
• Keep your chin up; a slight chest lift (micro‑cobra) shifts weight back without losing position (avoid pearling)
• Don’t stop paddling the instant you feel lift; translate that free speed into a clean, stable pop-up
• On steeper waves, shorten the “feel” window; on softer rollers, lengthen the match phase and angle early (angling)

Board and Wave Nuance

• Longboards/logs: earlier release, longer “feel” window; be gentle with weight forward and micro‑cobra sooner
• Funboards/mids: moderate window; small stance changes have big effect
• Shortboards: later, sharper release; keep speed through the last stroke and pop decisively
• Weak waves: exaggerate entry speed and angle; feel for the first hint of glide and commit
• Steep beachbreak: the window is short; feel → one stroke → pop

Common Mistakes

• Sprinting late; missing the release entirely
• Popping during push (before release) — board still plowing, unstable deck
• Pressing the nose down while paddling; kills early glide
• Head down eyes down the face; robs you of balance and timing cues

Drills to Build Feel

• Prone‑glide reps: on small peelers, catch and ride prone for 2–3 seconds to memorize the planing feel before standing
• Silent‑stroke sets: focus on clean hand entry and high‑elbow catch; let the wave add speed rather than splashing
• Nose‑light drill: mark sweet spot with wax; practice micro‑cobra as lift appears to keep the nose free
• No‑pop rides: purposely skip the pop on a few waves; feel how stable the deck becomes after release
• Angle‑from‑prone: as you feel glide, begin slight push/pull to set direction, then stand (angling)

Mastering the sensation of glide turns guesswork into timing. Feel the release, add two honest strokes, keep the nose free, then stand with confidence.