I am an intermediate longboard surfer, I experimented with this technique today in the surf. What I am feeling is that as soon as you feel the lift of the wave you lift up by arching back and focusing your weight into a single point on the board at your stomach/pelvic region. This sets up the glide and entry into the wave, a very nice feeling. I felt I had time to pop up. I had been trying to sink my board into the lift of the wave to get in front of it, as I was paddling. But this resulted in getting into the wave pretty late and having to quickly scramble to get into the side of the wave and down the line. Thanks for the tip. I think I am understanding what you are saying. Cheers from NZ.
Average "Joe" here (but female - a 66 year old frothing grom 😉) This technique may seem counterintuitive at first, but it really DOES work! Since learning it I have caught SO many more waves and even been able to ride shorter boards with lower volume. I struggle with my popup, the Oreo helps that too b/c it is much easier to get up from the arched back position than from weighting the front of your board with your chin down on the deck. 😉
The technique works well but you need to position yourself like a pro surfer at the peak, as an intermediate surfer it's very hard for me to be exactly at the perfect spot all the time. Also I feel that this video shows a perfect wave as example but in real life we have to deal with many different waves which makes it much harder. It would be great to have more examples of this technique with different conditions and different people, like average joes, because experienced surfers make it seem easy. Love the content btw!
@Facundo Pedrazzini I understand what you are saying but some waves have more energy than others no matter the size and those with more can push easier.
This video is a bit B.s. I've been surfing for years and hopefully the following insights are helpful: --gravity is what "pushes" you on an unbroken wave. Thus you need to angle the board down the wave to catch it, especially mushy waves. --you can keep your chest up and push the nose of the board down with your arms as the surfer in this video does. This is easy with a short board and difficult with a long board. You also don't want to get too much drop in speed on a hollow wave like this, and thus keeping your chest very lifted is especially useful in conditions like this. --Sometimes you need to put your head down to barely catch a difficult wave. But you want to pop up by arching your back. Arching your back is proper pop up technique, otherwise your bend at the waste. --As you mentioned, the amount of paddling is more a factor of paddling technique, being in position on the wave, and type of waves. --It is possible to catch a wave without even paddling. It has nothing to do with cookies and pastries. You actually just shift the nose down rapidly to point the board down the wave. You obviously need to be in the proper spot and good conditions.
To reiterate what alot of people have said, it took me quite a while to get my head around this, but now i understand it it really has helped. This only works in conjunction with positioning. You kind of want to be a bit further in, and take the wave a little steeper then you may be used to. You arch your back as it hits you and this both gives you lift lower down the face and also creates a stable platform to pop up on. So you're catching it later but can pop ealier. If you find yourself too wide on the shoulder you will have to drop your head to the deck at the right time to get you in still.
i *always* keep my head down in my last 3 paddles, thinking that was the right technique, usually when I'm further on the shoulder of the wave, but I coudn't figure out why I'd nosedive in peaky-er sections, now I know why!!
Brah… I’ve been surfing around the planet for decades and my home break is a world class outer island wave, but I’m not really sure if I understood any of that?
Lots of stressed people in the comments 🤣 and lots of experts with varying opinions, this technique is brilliant and that's how it should be done and most pros do it, not all I understand. It is a very efficient way to catch waves with little effort, whilst positioning is important, the technique is forgiving. Some people talking about mushy waves, same thing, it works just fine. Waves push you more efficiently from the back of the board and not under the board, gravity does the rest, is not just gravity like some experts in the comments are saying.
This is basically a late takeoff in good conditions with good wave energy. The arching and shifting weight back is to put the brakes on. Yes it's efficient, very little paddling needed, but it certainly requires you to be in the perfect spot for it.
Doesn't arching your back set your center of mass back on the board, leading to less speed? I've always caught more waves by putting my head down as the wave picks me up.
@@ombesurf Coming back to this video, I realized this applies specifically to shortboards on steep waves - this technique is suboptimal for funboards and longboards trying to catch slow rolling waves early. I'm still a beginner so that's my scenario for the time being.
I find that when I'm taking off late or taking off on the steeper part of the wave I'll tend to arch my back more to take advantage of the lift effect, this also helps me get my feet quicker as I'm already starting to pop up essentially. Conversely, I tend to lean forward with head down when I'm paddling on a flatter section to put weight forward and prevent myself from falling off the back. Taking off becomes much easier and is much more fun (IMO) when you're taking off in steeper sections, but it's not always possible so you have to adjust to the conditions. Like the others say, you'll develop this experience with every wave you surf.
When you catch the push of the wave, arch, plane, up. It's best used if you're in position already, so you barely have to paddle. It's perfect for point breaks or steep beach breaks. It's a more advanced technique, because you have to be able to pop up fast.
This doesn't make any sense to me. More weight on the tail doesnt make the board plane faster. On the contrary.My board catches waves way after if my weight is forward. Makes me slide down the wave faster as the tail relatively light and gets picked up by the waves easier. The only reason the un-manned board in the video travelled smoother with the weight on the tail is because its over the fins, making it track better. No?
FWIW, If the weight was in front of the board the wave would go under and not be pushed forward nearly as far. It’s not about planing, it’s about effectively using the wave energy. Fins or no fins the board will be sent forwards. That being said, (without human input) the board will track fairly straight with fins. If you are at the right spot, you have to paddle very little if any. The sequence goes…the waves energy gives you the initial push in the Oreo position. THEN you can shift your weight forward to use gravity if you need to. I’ve missed a lot of waves and pearled plenty of times. This was a AHA moment for me. YMMV
Agreed. Something doesn’t feel right about the nose pointing upward with weight shifted back. I’m my experience I want my nose pointed down to match the angle of the wave face, hence weight forward. I can’t picture this working but I’ll have to give it a shot tmrw morning!
You don't need to go faster because you can't compete with the speed of the wave. It will catch you if you're at the right spot. Paddle towards the wave and turn at the last minute towards the beach. With only 2 strokes and the Oreo biscuit technique you'll catch plenty of waves without draining your energy.
So good thinking about surfing like this. The theory really helps. Weight forward makes for a more difficult take off. Use that only when you need it. Skilled surfers do that all the time. What the video is saying is that leaning back propels you and puts you in a far better position to take off. Chest up, good vision, better paddle posture. The board with us on it is actually about 75kg for the average person. The back of board is sitting quite deep in the wave. I think you’re underestimating the force coming behind you. The faster the wave the less you have to do. You do not want to be leaning forward on a fast reef break so the same logic applies for small waves. It’s more that if you have to lean forward, there was likely a better take off point than where you are. Why put your weight forward when you never had to? Pro surfers only do that when the are paddling close to max to get into a wave. Again, you don’t stand up from a forward position- you lean back once the wave starts moving you, and plane for a bit before standing.
I don't get this technique at all. I feel like it's poorly explained. All the really good surfers I observe are not leaning back in cobra position when they take off. They're trying to get their weight forward, often with their head down. The only exception I've found is when a really good surfer is trying to stall before taking off to let the next section build more.
I don’t think you’re describing the physics accurately on this one brother. Although if you just like to catch waves late, then yeah you pretty much have to lean back and won’t have to paddle much. Maybe rename your video ‘how to not go over the handlebar when you’re positioned late’.
It’s not. It changes everything. Especially if you’re currently one of those ridiculous people who paddle with their feet, too. Or you already do this automatically and that’s why it’s not new.
@@angelinadobler79 okay, please explain how it’s not then? Is it not just putting yourself into position to do a late take off, instead of catching the wave behind it? And to call people ridiculous for kicking while paddling is pretty arrogant of you. Pro’s do it all the time. Have you been in a busy line up where you have to sit deep in order to get priority on the wave? You have to scratch, claw, and kick like mad to catch the wave. I get it, you’re an ombe fan girl (I’ve been a consumer of their content for a long while too), but you gotta get off your high horse. IMO it’s a late take off technique that’s great at conserving energy and catching the waves, granted you’d need the ideal wave and lineup for it. However it’s not the end all be all of wave catching.
This is complete garbage. As a surfer with 30 years experience and someone with a B. Sc. degree, I can assure you this is not right at all. Firstly as to the science. The board slides down the slope of the wave. The closer the board is to the angle of the slope of the wave, without digging the nose in, the less resistance there is to the slide and the more speed the board will gain. The more the board is tilted up, the more the tail is creating drag in the slide. Now to the surfing. There are several factors to take into account, all related to angling the board along the slope or not, and two phases. The first factor is to position yourself on the board so that with your head right down the tip of the nose of the board is just digging in under the water by an inch, or less if you are amateur, but if you arch your back the nose lifts up by an inch. This allows you max flexibility in deciding the board angle. The first phase is catching the wave, i.e. you need to add energy by paddling or bouncing. At this stage you definitely need to keep the board as close to the angle of the slope as possible for maximum speed gain. Now a second of the factors comes into play, how powerful is the wave. If it is slow, this stage lasts some time, and you will want to position yourself so that the tip of your board is just nudging the water until you have caught the wave. (I usually start paddling for difficult slow waves with my back arched just to keep the nose out of the water, I am so far forward, and as the board picks up speed and the nose lifts I drop forward to keep the nose right down and the accelerator to the floor.) But if the wave is quickly accelerating, this stage can be very quick, as in the video, and you can catch the wave with just one or two strokes or even just a bounce. The second phase is once you have caught the wave and are already planing. For slow waves the angle is not steep so you can just stand up. For quick waves which get steep you have plenty of energy to spare, so now your problem shifts to slowing down the catching of the wave to give yourself time to stand up before you are pointing too far down and sliding too fast, so you arch your back to balance the acceleration and the board into an easy take off position. As you stand up you will then also usually throw the board down the face of the wave in the same motion, and if it is very steep you might want to turn yourself and the board sideways to hold more of the wave under the board than just the tail for more stability. In NONE of these cases is arching the back giving you speed, it is giving you braking and precise angle positioning and an easier popup.
Here's a perfect example of Nathan Florence leaning forward to add acceleration, once he's caught the wave he arches his back to balance for take off. (Unfortunately he can't quite get enough acceleration to avoid a late take off.) th-cam.com/video/Ham9tZO6HSI/w-d-xo.html
Here's an example of Kale well worth watching as it's very instructive, because a) in slow motion it shows you perfectly how the timing of catching a wave works in the shift from paddling to catch it, into the balance point where you have caught it and want to popup and let the nose down the slope, and b) because the wave is perfectly between weak and strong and so does the balance work for the surfer, which is very informative to watch. It's using my above-mentioned technique of being positioned so far forward while catching slow waves that if I were to put my head down the nose would go under, so I actually paddle with my back arched just to keep the nose above water until I need more acceleration. It definitely makes it easier to catch weaker waves. In this case, the waves are strong enough for Kale not to need more acceleration, so he paddles with his back arched the whole time. But don't be confused, this is not the 'Oreo technique'! Watch the nose! It remains as close to the waterline as it can get, until Kale has caught the wave, and the wave is powering and hollowing underneath him, naturally exposing more of the nose to the air. At this point Kale does not need to drop his head forward for more acceleration because he has already reached phase 2, the moment of balance and popup. As his back is already arched, he just needs to popup. The wave's change in increased power delivered is perfectly in synch with Kale's reaching the balance point so Kale never needs to change his back's angle. If the wave were weaker, he'd drop his head forward during phase 1. If it were much stronger, he may position himself a touch further back when he paddles around so that when he arches his back he will get more deceleration, a more powerful slowdown to get to balance point. Alternatively, he may just rely on being very quick to popup, if he prefers. th-cam.com/video/vp604iMYyh8/w-d-xo.html Turn the sound off and change the speed to 0.25. Watch two wave catches and keep your eye on the nose of the board.
Here's a very instructive angle of the take off showing clearly the nose down paddle, then the arch and popup followed by the nose down again to get down the face in time. th-cam.com/video/R7HjkU-nCTQ/w-d-xo.html
I am an intermediate longboard surfer, I experimented with this technique today in the surf. What I am feeling is that as soon as you feel the lift of the wave you lift up by arching back and focusing your weight into a single point on the board at your stomach/pelvic region. This sets up the glide and entry into the wave, a very nice feeling. I felt I had time to pop up. I had been trying to sink my board into the lift of the wave to get in front of it, as I was paddling. But this resulted in getting into the wave pretty late and having to quickly scramble to get into the side of the wave and down the line. Thanks for the tip. I think I am understanding what you are saying. Cheers from NZ.
I agree.
I struggled for years until I was told to imagine myself as an Oreo biscuit.. I haven't missed a wave in 3 years since that moment.
lol
Average "Joe" here (but female - a 66 year old frothing grom 😉) This technique may seem counterintuitive at first, but it really DOES work! Since learning it I have caught SO many more waves and even been able to ride shorter boards with lower volume. I struggle with my popup, the Oreo helps that too b/c it is much easier to get up from the arched back position than from weighting the front of your board with your chin down on the deck. 😉
The technique works well but you need to position yourself like a pro surfer at the peak, as an intermediate surfer it's very hard for me to be exactly at the perfect spot all the time. Also I feel that this video shows a perfect wave as example but in real life we have to deal with many different waves which makes it much harder. It would be great to have more examples of this technique with different conditions and different people, like average joes, because experienced surfers make it seem easy. Love the content btw!
The surfboard with the weight at the tail wasn't at the peak and it caught the wave.
@Facundo Pedrazzini I understand what you are saying but some waves have more energy than others no matter the size and those with more can push easier.
This video is a bit B.s. I've been surfing for years and hopefully the following insights are helpful:
--gravity is what "pushes" you on an unbroken wave. Thus you need to angle the board down the wave to catch it, especially mushy waves.
--you can keep your chest up and push the nose of the board down with your arms as the surfer in this video does. This is easy with a short board and difficult with a long board. You also don't want to get too much drop in speed on a hollow wave like this, and thus keeping your chest very lifted is especially useful in conditions like this.
--Sometimes you need to put your head down to barely catch a difficult wave. But you want to pop up by arching your back. Arching your back is proper pop up technique, otherwise your bend at the waste.
--As you mentioned, the amount of paddling is more a factor of paddling technique, being in position on the wave, and type of waves.
--It is possible to catch a wave without even paddling. It has nothing to do with cookies and pastries. You actually just shift the nose down rapidly to point the board down the wave. You obviously need to be in the proper spot and good conditions.
and add the crowd
Gold technique. It really works. Tried it several times and now always aiming to do it this way.
Knowledge is power. Now you know!
To reiterate what alot of people have said, it took me quite a while to get my head around this, but now i understand it it really has helped.
This only works in conjunction with positioning. You kind of want to be a bit further in, and take the wave a little steeper then you may be used to. You arch your back as it hits you and this both gives you lift lower down the face and also creates a stable platform to pop up on. So you're catching it later but can pop ealier.
If you find yourself too wide on the shoulder you will have to drop your head to the deck at the right time to get you in still.
i *always* keep my head down in my last 3 paddles, thinking that was the right technique, usually when I'm further on the shoulder of the wave, but I coudn't figure out why I'd nosedive in peaky-er sections, now I know why!!
I get it! It’s probably a more advanced technique. You have to have good wave energy sensitivity to understand.
Thanks that’s really helpful to understand!
Glad it was helpful!
Brilliant advice!
Longboarders have known about the back half of the board for years.
Brah… I’ve been surfing around the planet for decades and my home break is a world class outer island wave, but I’m not really sure if I understood any of that?
Me too. I have a B. Sc. and can assure you it's complete garbage.
He basically means push down on the tail with your legs but I think you would only wanna do that when taking off late on a steep wave…
Glad it wasn’t just me.. he’s basically breaking down a late take off but calling it Oreo to make it sound less serious.
Never heard of an Oreo biscuit but I’m interested
Lots of stressed people in the comments 🤣 and lots of experts with varying opinions, this technique is brilliant and that's how it should be done and most pros do it, not all I understand. It is a very efficient way to catch waves with little effort, whilst positioning is important, the technique is forgiving. Some people talking about mushy waves, same thing, it works just fine. Waves push you more efficiently from the back of the board and not under the board, gravity does the rest, is not just gravity like some experts in the comments are saying.
Oh now I get it, biscuit is how you say cookie in britain
Wow, great job! Cheers
This is basically a late takeoff in good conditions with good wave energy. The arching and shifting weight back is to put the brakes on. Yes it's efficient, very little paddling needed, but it certainly requires you to be in the perfect spot for it.
Yes, exactly
How does that work for catching the bus then ?
Doesn't arching your back set your center of mass back on the board, leading to less speed? I've always caught more waves by putting my head down as the wave picks me up.
Watch Beth Hamilton catch waves
@@ombesurf Coming back to this video, I realized this applies specifically to shortboards on steep waves - this technique is suboptimal for funboards and longboards trying to catch slow rolling waves early. I'm still a beginner so that's my scenario for the time being.
gotta be at the right spot as well
It’s everything positioning
@@ombesurf and actually also the right combo of board but anyways your advice is top notch best surf coach ever thanks for sharing
How do you know when to lean back (by arching back like in the video) vs. forward (by kicking / pushing head down)?
Experience, keep on surfing
I find that when I'm taking off late or taking off on the steeper part of the wave I'll tend to arch my back more to take advantage of the lift effect, this also helps me get my feet quicker as I'm already starting to pop up essentially. Conversely, I tend to lean forward with head down when I'm paddling on a flatter section to put weight forward and prevent myself from falling off the back. Taking off becomes much easier and is much more fun (IMO) when you're taking off in steeper sections, but it's not always possible so you have to adjust to the conditions. Like the others say, you'll develop this experience with every wave you surf.
When you catch the push of the wave, arch, plane, up. It's best used if you're in position already, so you barely have to paddle. It's perfect for point breaks or steep beach breaks. It's a more advanced technique, because you have to be able to pop up fast.
@Bigg D!CK Who hurt you?
Never forward, never kick. You don’t need to with this, unless you’re sittinf at the wrong spot anyway.
Гениально!!!
Greaaaaaat stuuuuufffff!!!!!!!
This doesn't make any sense to me. More weight on the tail doesnt make the board plane faster. On the contrary.My board catches waves way after if my weight is forward. Makes me slide down the wave faster as the tail relatively light and gets picked up by the waves easier. The only reason the un-manned board in the video travelled smoother with the weight on the tail is because its over the fins, making it track better. No?
FWIW, If the weight was in front of the board the wave would go under and not be pushed forward nearly as far. It’s not about planing, it’s about effectively using the wave energy.
Fins or no fins the board will be sent forwards. That being said, (without human input) the board will track fairly straight with fins.
If you are at the right spot, you have to paddle very little if any. The sequence goes…the waves energy gives you the initial push in the Oreo position. THEN you can shift your weight forward to use gravity if you need to. I’ve missed a lot of waves and pearled plenty of times. This was a AHA moment for me. YMMV
Agreed. Something doesn’t feel right about the nose pointing upward with weight shifted back. I’m my experience I want my nose pointed down to match the angle of the wave face, hence weight forward. I can’t picture this working but I’ll have to give it a shot tmrw morning!
You don't need to go faster because you can't compete with the speed of the wave. It will catch you if you're at the right spot.
Paddle towards the wave and turn at the last minute towards the beach. With only 2 strokes and the Oreo biscuit technique you'll catch plenty of waves without draining your energy.
this only applies in later takeoffs where you want to avoid nose diving or getting forced down the wave before you have time to stand up
So good thinking about surfing like this. The theory really helps. Weight forward makes for a more difficult take off. Use that only when you need it. Skilled surfers do that all the time. What the video is saying is that leaning back propels you and puts you in a far better position to take off. Chest up, good vision, better paddle posture. The board with us on it is actually about 75kg for the average person. The back of board is sitting quite deep in the wave. I think you’re underestimating the force coming behind you. The faster the wave the less you have to do. You do not want to be leaning forward on a fast reef break so the same logic applies for small waves. It’s more that if you have to lean forward, there was likely a better take off point than where you are. Why put your weight forward when you never had to? Pro surfers only do that when the are paddling close
to max to get into a wave. Again, you don’t stand up from a forward position- you lean back once the wave starts moving you, and plane for a bit before standing.
Do you know what will improve your surfing? Not watching TH-cam videos and actually surfin
और मजा आयेगा 👌"
My technique is more like a Doritos take off with a spicy flavour.
I just ruined a whole box of Oreos , and I still missed the wave. I must be doing it wrong!🤦♂️🏄♂️
Please open lait
I don't get this technique at all. I feel like it's poorly explained. All the really good surfers I observe are not leaning back in cobra position when they take off. They're trying to get their weight forward, often with their head down. The only exception I've found is when a really good surfer is trying to stall before taking off to let the next section build more.
I am eating more Oreos but nothing happens, except that I am ganing more weigth
Hahahaha
I don’t think you’re describing the physics accurately on this one brother. Although if you just like to catch waves late, then yeah you pretty much have to lean back and won’t have to paddle much. Maybe rename your video ‘how to not go over the handlebar when you’re positioned late’.
I feel like this is purely a late take off technique
Same
It’s not. It changes everything. Especially if you’re currently one of those ridiculous people who paddle with their feet, too. Or you already do this automatically and that’s why it’s not new.
@@angelinadobler79 okay, please explain how it’s not then? Is it not just putting yourself into position to do a late take off, instead of catching the wave behind it? And to call people ridiculous for kicking while paddling is pretty arrogant of you. Pro’s do it all the time. Have you been in a busy line up where you have to sit deep in order to get priority on the wave? You have to scratch, claw, and kick like mad to catch the wave. I get it, you’re an ombe fan girl (I’ve been a consumer of their content for a long while too), but you gotta get off your high horse. IMO it’s a late take off technique that’s great at conserving energy and catching the waves, granted you’d need the ideal wave and lineup for it. However it’s not the end all be all of wave catching.
@@angelinadobler79 how is kicking ridiculous, surely its whatever works for you. Who can say no to a bit of extra speed on the takeoff
@@angelinadobler79 I'll just leave this here: th-cam.com/video/XYZ46bGfZ08/w-d-xo.html
Light nahi😄
Picture no clear
😂
I can’t believe I just wasted a minute and a half on that. 😮
This is complete garbage. As a surfer with 30 years experience and someone with a B. Sc. degree, I can assure you this is not right at all.
Firstly as to the science. The board slides down the slope of the wave. The closer the board is to the angle of the slope of the wave, without digging the nose in, the less resistance there is to the slide and the more speed the board will gain. The more the board is tilted up, the more the tail is creating drag in the slide.
Now to the surfing. There are several factors to take into account, all related to angling the board along the slope or not, and two phases.
The first factor is to position yourself on the board so that with your head right down the tip of the nose of the board is just digging in under the water by an inch, or less if you are amateur, but if you arch your back the nose lifts up by an inch. This allows you max flexibility in deciding the board angle.
The first phase is catching the wave, i.e. you need to add energy by paddling or bouncing. At this stage you definitely need to keep the board as close to the angle of the slope as possible for maximum speed gain. Now a second of the factors comes into play, how powerful is the wave. If it is slow, this stage lasts some time, and you will want to position yourself so that the tip of your board is just nudging the water until you have caught the wave. (I usually start paddling for difficult slow waves with my back arched just to keep the nose out of the water, I am so far forward, and as the board picks up speed and the nose lifts I drop forward to keep the nose right down and the accelerator to the floor.) But if the wave is quickly accelerating, this stage can be very quick, as in the video, and you can catch the wave with just one or two strokes or even just a bounce.
The second phase is once you have caught the wave and are already planing. For slow waves the angle is not steep so you can just stand up. For quick waves which get steep you have plenty of energy to spare, so now your problem shifts to slowing down the catching of the wave to give yourself time to stand up before you are pointing too far down and sliding too fast, so you arch your back to balance the acceleration and the board into an easy take off position. As you stand up you will then also usually throw the board down the face of the wave in the same motion, and if it is very steep you might want to turn yourself and the board sideways to hold more of the wave under the board than just the tail for more stability.
In NONE of these cases is arching the back giving you speed, it is giving you braking and precise angle positioning and an easier popup.
finally the physics i was looking for in here.
Tbh I don't rate these guys videos at all. Their analysis is often wrong. I can only assume they don't surf very well.
Here's a perfect example of Nathan Florence leaning forward to add acceleration, once he's caught the wave he arches his back to balance for take off.
(Unfortunately he can't quite get enough acceleration to avoid a late take off.)
th-cam.com/video/Ham9tZO6HSI/w-d-xo.html
Here's an example of Kale well worth watching as it's very instructive, because a) in slow motion it shows you perfectly how the timing of catching a wave works in the shift from paddling to catch it, into the balance point where you have caught it and want to popup and let the nose down the slope, and b) because the wave is perfectly between weak and strong and so does the balance work for the surfer, which is very informative to watch.
It's using my above-mentioned technique of being positioned so far forward while catching slow waves that if I were to put my head down the nose would go under, so I actually paddle with my back arched just to keep the nose above water until I need more acceleration. It definitely makes it easier to catch weaker waves.
In this case, the waves are strong enough for Kale not to need more acceleration, so he paddles with his back arched the whole time. But don't be confused, this is not the 'Oreo technique'! Watch the nose! It remains as close to the waterline as it can get, until Kale has caught the wave, and the wave is powering and hollowing underneath him, naturally exposing more of the nose to the air. At this point Kale does not need to drop his head forward for more acceleration because he has already reached phase 2, the moment of balance and popup. As his back is already arched, he just needs to popup. The wave's change in increased power delivered is perfectly in synch with Kale's reaching the balance point so Kale never needs to change his back's angle. If the wave were weaker, he'd drop his head forward during phase 1. If it were much stronger, he may position himself a touch further back when he paddles around so that when he arches his back he will get more deceleration, a more powerful slowdown to get to balance point. Alternatively, he may just rely on being very quick to popup, if he prefers.
th-cam.com/video/vp604iMYyh8/w-d-xo.html Turn the sound off and change the speed to 0.25. Watch two wave catches and keep your eye on the nose of the board.
Here's a very instructive angle of the take off showing clearly the nose down paddle, then the arch and popup followed by the nose down again to get down the face in time. th-cam.com/video/R7HjkU-nCTQ/w-d-xo.html
Wow this guy can talk some shit
Sure can