I am posting with hope for some pointers.

I am only a beginner and so far I have been working things out as I go along. However I seem to be struggling with freeing up my feet and stepping around my board.

I get on, I get up and I am stable but my feet are stuck rigid in one spot you could swear liquid nails are holding them there.

Any helpful hints/tips would be appreciated

Hate to say it but its all a matter of what you are used to. Lots of guys that come from a shortboard background have never learnt to walk a board for trim simply cause you don't have to. Could I suggest a few things, firstly some flat water work in just walking up and down the board just to get a feel for the movement of the board. Next when out in the smaller stuff force yourself to walk up and down the board. To learn how to walk a board I also would suggest having a look at some you tube stuff with longboards, the old school guys can just do it all so smoothly. Truth is you will be getting wetter as you practice and that should be part of the fun of learning.

Try placing your board on the sand,(make sure you fins are safe) standing on the board in the paddle position walk to the back of the board and pretend to make a turn then walk to the front looking at your feet and learning where to place them & your paddle. try this every time before a surf and it will come naturally. the advantage of this,you dont fall and you can look down, before long youll be walking the board without looking or thinking about it.

Hope it helps
Cheers

It's time on the water and confidence.

Just enjoy the moment and the rest will come in its own time.

You are watching and seeing pics of guys walking who have 20 plus years surfing experience so the thought of stepping back for a drop knee turn, moving forward to plain the board on the waters surface or even hang 5 are movements that come with time and will just happen as you enjoy it and become more comfortable with the whole big picture.

Stay stoked and enjoy your current level and let it take it's course.

Hey Kaj

Being pretty new too, and I can so relate to you it's like if I move I'm off and all these guys on videos make it look natural.

Im not sure ether your on flat water or surf, I presume the former and I find still it's a little hard and the best thing on flat water is just try to put your back foot back and turn but you will get wet!!! When I do it and don't stress about falling in it's happens but when I don't want to get wet like in the middle of winter in board shorts on the river you just don't want to move.

I also find now I'm catching little waves and runners it's so much easier to move around, the momentum helps heaps.

Keep going it will all come

Greg

Catch some broken waves first and play around with your foot work,in time it will become second nature,never look at what your feet are doing, look down the line and please don't become a kook in the lineup.Once your getting the hang,paddle for waves on the shoulder and work your way to the peak in time.

Its hard if you've never surfed before,good luck and just when you think its too hard don't give up because the very next day it will click,its just the way it happens.

All the above and
Simple trick (if natural)
Slide or twist toes (of left foot) towards stringer at 45 degree angle.
Then slide/place right foot back.
paly with this for a while till it becomes natural.
Do the opposite for goofy footers.

Tried it on a 75 year old today so does work

Just get yourself into the flat water. Spend as much time as you can moving all over the board, practice getting your back foot on the tail of the board and doing as many 360's as you can, its great for your ballance. Or see how far towards the nose you can get and rush back to the sweet balance point before hitting the drink. Most of all, make sure your having fun and be leaving the water with a smile.

Agree with all of above... ^^^

Cement Feet Syndrome - you are probably paranoid about letting the board surface move away from the horizontal position.

Try some simple exercises on the board.... hold your upper body core still, and wobble the board with you legs..... Visualise you upper body and head staying in 1 location, and use your legs to wobble the board side to side. This gives you a feeling for the angles you can tilt the board.... It's similar to standing on a couch, planting your feet in 1 location, but running on the spot on the couch, without lifting your feet off the couch. Try that at home. Then try the motion on the board over water.

Then once you get used to that stability/instability, you will become better at lifting one foot off the board to shuffle around. Then over time, shuffle with become 2nd nature, followed by cross stepping.

Couch surfing is probably good training.... Similar, standing on a bed... running on a bed, without lifting your feet off the bed... picture your upper body staying still, but your feet moving up and down rapidly. You can do this same motion on a SUP board as balance training....

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Failing that, have a go of an Outrigger Canoe, sitting down. Hard to fall off one of those.

Watch and learn...

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/Great-vids-from-Woogie/

Thanks guys that gives me plenty to take out with me on the weekend... Really appreciate the pointers :-)