Stand up paddle boarding is a relatively new and exciting water sport originally practiced by those residing in tropical areas like Hawaii. It is a great body and core strengthening activity. You can paddle your paddle board anywhere, as long as there is a water body. The best part of it is that you do not need to know how to surf to enjoy this sport.
How to get started with stand up paddle boarding
In order to participate in this sport, you need to begin by getting the right equipment. Therefore, you need to get a paddle and a board. Since boards can be costly, you might want to buy or rent a second had board. Here are some of the things that you need to look for when buying a used board.
The most obvious things that you need to look out for are cracks and holes on the board. In addition, you need to look for yellow or other discolored areas that may be absorbing water. That’s bad news and a sign of a ruined board. De-lamination occurs when the fiberglass is separated from the board’s foam core. Once a board is delaminated, it is certainly a step away from being obsolete. Be sure to run your fingers on the board’s surface, taking note of bubbles and areas that appear to be “soft.”
The main thing that you need to enjoy this sport is good balance. The stand up paddle board is generally larger, wider and thicker than the ordinary surfing board, with one or more fins beneath. To get started, you will begin by kneeling on your board before paddle moving into an upright kneeling position. Once you have acquired the confidence, you can stand with your feet wide, evenly spaced and in parallel position. You need to position your weight at the center of the board.
The workout behind stand up paddle boarding is isometric. Your legs and core muscles have to work simultaneously to keep your body balanced on the board. Start out with small waves, ideally anything between two to four feet. The last thing you want is to end up deep in the middle of a six-foot wave only to be tossed around. Besides risking your life, this may also dampen your interest in the sport. Therefore, be sure to start out with waves that are no more than a waist high.
Once you have mastered the smaller waves, you need to move on to using the rip current to your advantage. You can easily spot the rip current on your stand up paddleboard since you will be having a better view of the waves. You will notice that rip currents tend to crash more in some spots. In between these crash spots, the water flows slowly away from the shore. Stay in these areas when paddling. This might not seem like a great idea; however, once you reach the big waves, you will be amazed at how easily you can get out beyond the surf when riding on a big wave.
Some stand up paddle boards are not easy to turn, more so when you are riding a wave. Therefore, if you are experiencing difficulties controlling your board on the wave, try laying the board in the water for more resistance. You will be amazed at how you will encounter little resistance trying to change direction.
Benefits of stand up paddle boarding
This sport offers a comprehensive workout as it requires the use of strength and balance to move around through the waves. The intensity of the workout varies depending on the water body where you are paddle boarding. Paddling in the ocean with strong waves and current or upstream requires more effort than moving around in quiet waters.
The straightforward benefit of stand up paddle boarding is the increase in your fitness levels. This is a great sport for a comprehensive workout since you will be engaging muscles in your legs, arms belly and even your back. Alongside paddling, you need to use different muscles to balance yourself on the board; which will give you lots of workouts. This is the right sport if you are interested in aerobic and strength workouts.
As a recreational sport, stand up paddle boarding has a lot of health benefits compared to the other sports. For instance, unlike running, you will not have to experience any jarring to your joints and muscles since this is a non-contact sport. In fact, unless you have to paddle against a strong wave you should be able to avoid any injuries. Balancing yourself on a paddle board requires a bit of practice as you will have to stand on the board while paddling. To achieve this, you need to strengthen your muscles in order to keep upright.
This great sport can help you overcome stress while appreciating what nature has to offer. In addition, it allows you to enjoy fresh air and get some sun at the same time. Stand up board paddling, also referred to as SUP, is a unique sport that can give you a complete body workout. Better still, you do not have to fear getting bruises and injuries that are common in other sports. All you need to enjoy this sport is your paddle and a body of water. Thanks to its many benefits this sport is quickly gaining popularity amongst water sport enthusiasts.