SUP SKILLS

Stand up paddle boarding is booming and it’s easy to see why. Charlie Green from Red Paddle Co shares her top tips on how to get started.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) is well known for being a great all round fitness activity. It helps build your core strength while also exercising your arms and legs and, depending on how fast you paddle, it is also great aerobic exercise. Possibly one of the greatest benefits is to your mental health. SUP offers a brilliant bit of escapism – paddling along a river or canal with just the sound of birdsong is one of the most relaxing and tranquil experiences you can have. The rhythm of your paddle stroke, mixed with the gentle gliding motion of the board really is quite transfixing and will soon have the worries and stresses of the day washing away.

As with all sports, a little bit of prior planning will prevent a poor first experience. There are SUP Schools dotted around the lakes and beaches of the UK. Signing up for a taster session at one of the many British Canoeing or BSUPA approved schools is a great way to start. However, it is possible to learn to paddle without taking a taster session just as long as you follow some basic guidelines.

If paddling inland, choose a location where the water is not flowing – lakes are ideal, and many will have beaches or pontoons to make launching safer and easier. Check the location for any permissions or launch fees that are needed. Do not paddle on flowing rivers or tidal estuaries until you have a lot more experience. If paddling on the coast, choose a beach with flat water and a day with no wind or a gentle breeze blowing from the sea onto the beach and avoid days when the wind is blowing away from the beach.

Make sure you are dressed appropriately. A wetsuit and some shoes you don’t mind getting wet (or better yet, wetsuit boots) are advisable. You should always wear a leash when paddling, and it is important to choose the correct type. If you’re starting out on flat, still water you can wear a standard ankle leash. Should you progress into paddling on flowing water then you need to wear a quick release waistbelt leash. A buoyancy aid or Personal Flotation Device (PFD) is also advisable to give you extra confidence when on the water.

A simple rule is that your paddle should be 6” longer than you are tall. Almost all paddles are adjustable so you can set them up to the perfect length. These are known as vario paddles.

Once you have chosen your safe launch location, adjusted your paddle and are wearing the right kit, it’s time to get on board. There’s a handle in the middle of the deck for carrying – by design this is also the most stable part of the board and is where you should focus your body weight. Start in water no shallower than waist deep but still within your depth. Position yourself directly opposite the handle in the middle of the board. The action of getting on is very similar to how you get out on the side of a swimming pool. Kicking your legs while pulling yourself onto the middle of the board will make things a little easier. Practice getting back on your board in shallow water first and only progress into deeper water once you are confident with this technique.

It is advisable to start by paddling on your knees before progressing to a standing position. Facing towards the front of the board, place your knees shoulder width apart on either side of the handle and take hold of your paddle. When paddling on the left-hand side your left hand should be below your right hand on the paddle shaft. When paddling on your right-hand side your right hand should be below your left hand. Reach forward towards the nose of the board and place the whole paddle blade in the water. Pull it back towards you, keeping the paddle as close to the edge of the board as possible. Stop the stroke when the paddle reaches your knees. The closer to the edge of the board you can keep your paddle blade the straighter you will go. After a few strokes on one side, swap the paddle to the other side of the board (swapping your hand position as described above) and continue with the paddle strokes. When you feel ready you can stand up. Put your feet where your knees were and stand up in one fluid motion. A top tip here is to keep looking forward and not down at your feet. When in a standing position, you can place one hand on the paddle shaft and the other on the T-grip at the very top of the paddle. The paddle stroke here is the same as before – reaching forward and placing all of the blade in the water, then pulling it back until it reaches your feet and repeating, changing the side you are paddling on to keep the board going in a straight line. Keep your knees slightly bent.

There are two ways you can turn your board. The first is to paddle backwards on one side – do this by placing your blade in the water at the back of the board and pulling it towards you along the side of the board (basically the opposite of the forward paddling stroke described above). The other way is to do a normal forward paddle stroke, but rather than pulling the blade down the edge of the board you can paddle out away from the edge of the board. A little bit of experimentation will show you the way you prefer.

There are lots of different types of boards available, but to start with you just need to keep things simple. If you weigh up to 80kgs then a board with a width of 32”, a length of 10’6” and a thickness of 4.7” will be ideal. If you are over 80kgs then you need a board width of 34”, a length of 10’8” and a thickness of 4.7”. This corresponds perfectly with the Red Paddle Co 10’6” and 10’8” Ride boards. These are the most popular boards in the range. Avoid using a board that is 6” thick as this makes getting back on the board harder and they are difficult to control in choppy conditions when you are learning.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding was first seen on UK beaches in 2006. John Hibbard, the founder of Red Paddle Co, was one of the very early adopters, using it as a way to cross train on days that weren’t suitable for windsurfing (since he was a professional windsurfer at that time). John very quickly realised that everyone who he took out for a paddle loved it, but that the cumbersome glass fibre boards – which were hard to transport and store – were putting people off buying one. By the summer of 2008 he had developed a board that used an inflatable technology called Drop Stitch, enabling him to produce a SUP you could roll up and store in a bag. Red Paddle Co was born. There is a whole stack of design and innovation that goes into producing a Red Paddle Co inflatable board. Renowned as the industry leaders in terms of design, quality and performance, they believe that just because a board is inflatable, that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on performance or quality.

red-equipment.co.uk

A fantastic layer to have along for the ride, the Vantage will fend off inclement weather with ease. A fleece-lined pocket adds a touch of luxury for chilly hands in biting coastal winds, while the helmetcompatible hood and half zip ensure that you stay comfy throughout any passing shower.