THE MONKEY METHOD
1. LIE FLAT ON THE BOARD, RIGHT DOWN THE CENTER OF THE BOARD, WITH YOUR FEET JUST TOUCHING THE TAIL END (OVER THE FIN) OF THE BOARD.
TRY IT ON THE BEACH FIRST: Lie down on the board, right down the center, with the toes of your feet just touching the tail-end (called the tail block). Think of the sand as the water, and see how your surfboard lies perfectly flat on the sand with the front (called the "nose") of the board just a few inches above the sand. It has to lie this way out in the water, too. That is flat on the water, with the nose just a few inches above the surface of the water. So if the nose is sticking too high in the air when you're lying on it in the water, then slip forward a little to get the board flat on the water. Likewise, if it seems like the nose is down touching the water or close to it, slide a little back on the board until it's flat.Also be sure to lie right down the center (from nose to tail) of the board, and the board is not tilting either to the right or left while you're lying on it.
2. WHILE LYING ON THE BOARD ON THE BEACH, DO A PUSH UP ON THE SURFBOARD, WITH YOUR HANDS ON THE SIDES ("RAILS") OF THE BOARD.
3. IN THE UP POSITION OF YOUR PUSH UP, DRAG ONE OF YOUR FEET UP UNDER YOU, AND PLANT IT RIGHT UNDER YOU IN THE CENTER OF THE BOARD.
4. PUSH UP ON YOUR FRONT FOOT INTO A STANDING POSITION.
You are using your arms like legs as you drag your foot up under you, using your arms like legs just like a chimpanzee or gorilla does, which is why we like to call this method of standing up "The Monkey Method".You know how a gorilla walks, and that's what you have to do. Put all your weight on your arms, all your weight off your legs, as you drag one of your feet up under you and plant it in the center of the board.
5. YOUR STANCE ON THE BOARD SHOULD BE JUST LIKE STANDING AT BAT AT SOFTBALL, WITH YOUR FEET LIKE IN THE DIAGRAM BELOW:
YOUR FEET SHOULD BE SIDEWAYS ON THE BOARD, MAYBE POINTED A LITTLE FORWARD IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT, AND YOUR FEET HAVE TO BE RIGHT DOWN THE CENTER OF THE BOARD.Stay flexible in your "softball" stance with your knees slightly bent, and your feet far apart, but only as far apart as is comfortable for you, given your height and the length of your legs.And Remember, THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN KEEPING YOUR BALANCE ON THE BOARD, IS THAT YOUR FEET HAVE TO BE RIGHT DOWN THE CENTER OF THE BOARD. So however you end up getting to your feet on the board, just remember that you need to get your feet across the center of the length of the board in order to ride.
THE KNEE METHOD
GET TO YOUR KNEES ON THE BOARD ANY WAY YOU CAN, THEN PULL ONE FOOT OUT AND PLANT IT IN FRONT OF YOU IN THE CENTER OF THE WIDTH OF THE SURFBOARD. THEN PUSH UP ON YOUR FOOT INTO A STANDING POSITION.
It is also important that in both the monkey method and the knee method, that you START OUT WITH YOUR BOARD FLAT IN THE WATER, AND RIDE THE BOARD FLAT IN THE WHITEWATER. If the nose of the board seems high while you're riding, lean forward or try to scoot your feet forward until the nose of the board is down and the board again flat in the water.
