LEARN SUP SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES

Learn SUP Skills and techniques

Learn SUP Skills and techniques

Blog Article

Standing up and keep balance on your SUP
Practice this technique for standing up:

Stand alongside the board in about knee-deep water (just deep enough that the fins on the board don’t hit the bottom).
Hold the board by the edges and work your way onto the board in a kneeling position, just behind the center point of the board (you can quickly locate the center of the board by finding the carry handle).
Keep your hands on the sides of the board to stabilize it and move one foot at a time to place your feet where your knees were.
Rather than standing up in one motion, start by raising your chest up while keeping your knees bent. Once your chest is vertical, extend your legs to stand up.
Once you’re standing, there are a handful of things you can do to maintain your balance on the board:

Position your feet so they are parallel, about hip-width distance apart, and centered between the edges of the board.
Keep your toes pointed forward, knees slightly bent and your back straight.
Keep your head and shoulders steady and upright, and shift your weight by moving your hips.
Your gaze should be level at the horizon. Avoid staring at your feet.



Paddling forward and turning your board

This basic stroke propels your board forward through the water.

Plant the paddle in the water by reaching about two feet forward, then push the blade all the way paddle board under the surface. Move the paddle back through the water to your ankle, then out of the water.
Keep your arms straight and twist from your torso as you paddle. Push down on the paddle grip with your top hand rather than pulling the paddle back with your lower arm. It’s helpful for some people to think of pulling the board past the paddle rather than pulling the paddle through the water.
To go in a reasonably straight line, you’ll need to alternate strokes on either side of the board. There’s no set number of strokes per side; try about three or four strokes on one side, then switch to the other.
The more vertical you keep the paddle, the straighter for you will go.
The sweep stroke is useful for turning your board while standing still or moving.


If you’re paddling on the right, rotate your shoulders so that your right shoulder comes forward.
Reach forward and plant your paddle in the water, submerging the entire blade.
Sweep the paddle away from the board in a big arcing motion from the nose of the board to the tail by rotating your torso and using the leverage of your legs and hips.
Doing the sweep stroke on the right side of your board will turn the board to the left and vice versa.

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