I just wanted to make a post to say thank you very much for making the pre pop up course. I recently transitioned over to a 7’2 epoxy board coming down from an 8’0 soft top, and I was no longer able to figure out the timing of my takeoff. I found the pre pop up course after searching this app for what is possibly going wrong and wow it was a complete game changer. I had the most sucessful session of surfing today that Ive ever had. So this post is just to say thank you so much for making such great content, and for anyone on here struggling with your takeoff make sure you check out the pre pop up course!

Sincerely,
One extremely satisfied member of this site.

Dry-Land Training:

So I live is South Carolina, unfortunately the waves here are less than steller MOST of the time. As such, I try to maximize my improvement through dry land training. Wondering if there is anything Y'all do that maybe I have not thought of. I have 2 young kiddos and work full time so my time is limited but I do what I can as often as I can.

My usual training looks something like this:

Weight lift: 3x per week-squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, bench, barbell rows. It's a program called strong lifts 5x5. I like this cause it's simple being only 5 exercises and quick,5 sets of 5 with little rest in between, so I can squeeze it into 25 mins if the squat rack isn't being used.

Stretch/foam roll/ deep tissue release with golf ball or tennis ball on the in between lifting days. Use Chris mills surfstrength coaching programs for the variety of stretches/ body weight movements I can do at home. Also work on holding my oreo biscuit back arch for a few mins to improve my low back strength and flexibility.

Surfskate practice: usually do 20-30 mins a day, as long as it's not raining, after dropping my girls off at school before I head to work. Usually involves a few laps around the bowl, working on flow and compression/extension. Do about 5-10 mins in bowl, 5-10 mins on the 4' transition working on turns, 5-10 mins on the 6' banks working on my twist and passing the coffee cup and compression on the way down. (I've posted a few videos of my normal surfskate stuff In the community in the past.) If my girls want to play outside when I'm home from work I'll also skate the street (flat ground) while they scooter or ride their bikes.

Surfing: anytime I can and there are waves. Still a line 2 surfer, but since joining my pop up/walk up is no longer an issue at all. Dropped down from riding a 8' fun board to a 41L groveler to between 34 to 37L depending on waves. Now just trying to get the whole compression/extension and turning thing dialed in. Being a mushy beachbreak though most waves here are extremely short and 1 turn and done type waves.

Flowrope: added this recently but I do need to get a better rope to do it with. Using some paracord I had laying around but it feels to light so have to make a trip to get some better rope for it I think.

Videos: watched the whole of the OMBE programs probably 3 times through by now including all the video coaching sessions. I find these are actually now the most helpful as seeing Clayton's advice on other people issues helps me to figure out and correct mine. Also watch pro videos, John john, Kelly, Nathan florence, Koa rothman, Clay marzo, Mason ho are my favorites to watch, I try to watch at half speed and really pay attention to their body, head, hand positions while they rip.

At the moment that's about the extent of it. If anyone has any suggestions or things that have really helped you to improve please let me know. Surfing well is something that has been a life long goal, and luckily now I live close enough to the ocean and have an opportunity to chase that dream. Thanks in advance for any pointers or ideas.

-Wetsuit question-
Hi friends, I destroyed my 10-year-old wetsuit yesterday and was wondering where you guys recycle them. Also, what's a good new model for UK winter/wave pool surfing? My old wetsuit was a back zip 5/3, but now I can see models with chest zips or even zipless, and I'm confused about the benefits of each. Can you recommend one over the other?

Surfboard storage racks. Does anyone have any recommendations for surfboard storage racks? Looking to get an 8 board rack (so I have an excuse to get more boards eventually haha!)

The obvious ones I see are:
Ecoracks.com.au - seem ok but supports look a bit on the low side for longboards (eg ~ 110cm high)
BoardRAX - looks a more polished product but the support for the tail looks very small. Several photos are of boards with tail on the edge of support or hanging off (eg see photo below)

Or am I just overthinking it! 😅
I just want to make sure my boards are stored safely and don't fall over/ get cracked tails etc

How bad is chlorine for an epoxy board?
As per your guys advice I went out and bought a 7’2 nsp funboard as my first real board because it was time to move off my soft top. I took it out a few times while it was 1-2 foot and it was awesome, however the next few weeks here in florida are going to be a lot bigger than 1-2 so I’m going to need to seriously start working on duck diving. Can I practice in my pool or will the chlorine damage my board? Also does anyone have any other good recommendations for how to practice duck diving? (Other than the bosu push unders, Im working on the intermediate pathway so Ive already been working on those.)
Thanks guys!

I had a question about getting out the back.
Where I surf here in South Florida its all beach breaks, and we really only get waves from wind swells. On days where it gets bigger the sets come in with virtually no lull and there is so much current that its incredibly hard to make it out the back.

I do surf right by a pier and this morning, after a couple of failed attempts to make it out the back, I watched a few more advanced surfers paddle out no problem by paddling right along the pier. They were pretty much almost touching the pylons thats how close they were. They were on the south side of the pier and the current was ripping south so it does make sense that the pylons would cut off some of that current.

I was just wondering if this is a typical thing to do and if you guys think this is something worth working on and getting used to? Or if this is just very much so specific to the conditions at my pier this morning.

Also I’m very aware that Ive been asking a lot of questions in this community lately and I’m very greatful for all of your responses!

Called off work today, went surfing for 3 hours!
Perfect fall day in South Carolina, 80 degrees, water just cool enough for a 3/2, sun shining, off shore breezes And only 3 dudes out. Granted SC doesn't have great waves, but it was a fun day regardless. Got a couple card board slides in, worked on some things, tried some new turns I've never done. Feel like I'm much better than I was before I joined OMBE, thank you for that!
Also, Decided my previous higher volume board is no longer needed as I feel I've progressed enough to drop down in volume again.
Getting 1% better every time I go out.

Anyone else tried to upload footage for the November live sessions? Is there a file limit? Can’t seem to be able to upload my mp4 file…Thanks all!

This is well worth a listen. Backs up so much of the Ombe teachings.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NGBxYWg-TCE

Riding the Edge: Surfing, Space, and the Secrets of the Universe

Alright, let’s get a little cosmic, but keep it grounded—like when you’re out in the lineup, waiting for that next set. We all know that feeling of dropping into a wave, riding the energy, and trying to hold the perfect line. It’s a dance between speed, balance, and the raw power of the ocean. But what if I told you that this dance has a lot in common with how things move in space, like a spacecraft navigating around a planet? Let’s talk about Roche’s limit, Hohmann’s principle, and why surfing might just be the most cosmic sport on Earth.

First, imagine a surfer dropping into a big, hollow wave—a wave with a powerful, swirling vortex inside the barrel. That vortex is like a planet’s gravity. It’s pulling everything towards it, trying to suck you in. Now, in space, there’s something called the Roche limit—the point where a moon gets too close to a planet and gets torn apart by its gravity, scattering into rings like the ones around Saturn. In surfing, your Roche limit is when you’re riding the tube, and the wave’s power is trying to drag you down. Stay just outside that edge, and you’re flying; cross the line, and you’re wiping out in a foamy mess.

But here’s where it gets interesting: To ride that line and not get pulled in, you need to use the wave’s energy, not fight against it. Think about how a spacecraft moves around a planet. There’s a concept called Hohmann’s principle, which says the most efficient way to change orbits around a planet is to use the planet’s gravity, letting it slingshot you around. In surfing, it’s the same idea—you want to harness the wave’s energy to move efficiently, to keep that smooth flow through the barrel without losing control.

Now, let’s break that down. The vortex of a wave is like gravity—it’s the pull, the raw force that’s always there. But there’s another type of energy at play: think of it like magnetism. This is where the Coanda effect comes in—the way fluid (like water) flows over a surface, sticking to it and creating lift. For surfers, this means when you’re on the right line, the wave’s energy wraps around your board, helping you stay lifted in the pocket of the tube. It’s like being magnetically drawn along the wave’s curve, with just enough lift to keep you from getting sucked under.

To ride that perfect line, you need to balance all of these forces—gravity, lift, magnetism—working with the wave instead of against it. You’re threading the needle between the wave’s pull and its push, the way a spacecraft uses a planet’s gravity to sling it around. And just like space travel, surfing is all about efficiency. Find that sweet spot, and you’ll glide effortlessly through the barrel, feeling like you’re bending the rules of nature itself. But push too far, and you’re swallowed up, sent tumbling back into the chaos.

It’s one of the reasons why surfing is so mind-bendingly difficult—because it’s not just about strength or speed. It’s about understanding how to tap into the wave’s energy, how to read the way it moves, and finding that perfect balance. It’s a small-scale version of what NASA deals with when they launch satellites or send rovers to Mars, but the challenge is just as real. And when you’re out there, feeling the pull of the ocean and the lift of your board, you’re playing with the same forces that shape the universe.

So next time you’re in the tube, think of yourself as that spacecraft, navigating the edge of a planet’s gravity. You’re riding the Roche limit, using the wave’s energy to take the most efficient path through the barrel. It’s a cosmic dance, and you’re right in the middle of it. And that, my friends, is why surfing is not just a sport—it’s a window into something way bigger, a chance to ride the energy of the universe itself.

Keep chasing that line, stay curious, and see how close you can get to the edge without getting pulled in. That’s where the magic happens. 🌊🚀