Pumpfoil/dockstart. When is the best moment to press down on the board. Backfoot pressure to jump up and forward. Then when board is as at it heightest point or pointing down then push on the board to prepare for next jump up forward. Can't get past 1 min. Do you agree?

Good question. I'm struggling myself to get past one minute, but my recent 52 seconds make me hopeful.
I find it difficult to find the right balance between staying high on the foil and keeping my speed high enough.
While I felt that pressing with my frontfoot is something I didn't do enough in the beginning (board kept climbing and slowing down and I would invariably end up in a wheelie-like stall), I now think that the secret of keeping going longer could be somewhere in applying the least pressure needed.
The rear foot kick sends the board up. Now all that's needed in theory is to aim the board in the right downward angle allowing your weight to accelerate the board on the way down. This would mean you would only have to apply a lot of force with both feet to compensate the forces generated during the rear foot kick, while at the highest point minmal pressure would be needed to point the nose down a little.
This is advice I have heard from some long distance foiler on the internet, but can't recall who it was.
As mentioned above, I'm not really there yet. Have to press with both legs right after the kick sometimes to speed the board up or to exaggerate the kick when I go to low.

Still, I guess it's worth considering as a concept and the mere thought of it made my last session my best ever after a long break.

I hope to get more input here as well. Who is willing to share the magic bullet of effortless pumping?

hop don't push


think rope skipping

Might be a bit too simple (earlier in the pump journey) for you guys, but I like this recent video from Mark Shinn -

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randomfoiler said..
hop don't push

think rope skipping

In the video you can see he pushes down and forward when at top, flat board.
And you sometimes need to apply pressure to gain speed. Specially when wave riding and connecting waves you need to gain speed.

^^ You asking or telling?
Last two threads from you sounds like a bot.

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Mark _australia said..
^^ You asking or telling?
Last two threads from you sounds like a bot.

Both asking and telling :) Confused when there is different info out there.

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trakkar said..
Might be a bit too simple (earlier in the pump journey) for you guys, but I like this recent video from Mark Shinn -

That is a good explanation. Helped me get a little further today.

It also offers a comforting excuse for all of us who start pumping by means of dockstart.
When I'm frustrated with my slow progress, I just tell myself that in the video they say it's the hardest way. :)
In fact I think they are right: Learning the dockstart without knowing how to pump is only half of what makes it hard as learning to pump is difficult if you can't start.
It reminds me of learning to ride a unicycle in the middle of a room if you have no firm grip to hold on and the walls are difficult to cling to and scary (no metaphor, just personal experience).