Author Topic: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?  (Read 5111 times)

SUPlakes

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Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« on: June 30, 2015, 03:28:45 PM »
I've been taking my SUP out quite a bit on the lake by my house.  But I'm starting to get bored just paddling around in flatwater.  Recently I've been working more on balance -- things like walking to the nose and tail and trying seeing how far I can submerge in water.  It's fun, especially falling in :)

I'd like to challenge myself more, not aerobically, but balance, coordination and possibly strength.  I'm thinking about getting a smaller board (I'm 180lbs and currently have a 10'4" Bic Ace-Tec).  Not sure how much I'd want to spend tho as I'm planning to get some windsurfing gear soon. 

Any suggestions for ways to mix it up and challenge myself and also smaller more challenging boards?

Badger

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2015, 03:55:10 PM »
Going smaller is a surfing thing not a flatwater thing. If you want to mix it up get a 14 footer and do some downwind or just work on your speed. How big is your lake? You don't need big waves to downwind. You can get good glides on an 8 inch wave. Downwinding is a challenge and a discipline in any kind of waves.

You can go as narrow as you want with a 14 footer. Try a 26" wide. That will challenge you. You can still walk to the nose or tail if you want.

I hate falling in. Falling in is not fun. I don't care how warm the water is. Falling in is work. Oh I push the limits occasionally and I fall in, but I do all I can to avoid it.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2015, 04:41:34 PM by Badger »
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Ichabod Spoonbill

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2015, 04:56:20 PM »
Badger makes some good points about flatwater. I mostly do flatwater, and sometimes you have to do things to mix it up a little. Change your launch site. Go out early or late. Bring a camera and make it a photography trip. Get that second board and invite a less experienced friend to come along. Work on your strokes technique. Figure out some place that you've never been before.

I GPS a lot of my runs so I'm always laying a game and trying to outdo my speed. I'm also training for the Cape Cod Bay Challenge, so I need to get out a lot. Sometimes it's a little boring.

Lakes are probably the least dynamic places to paddle, so maybe you should at least find another lake. Rivers can be great. Not whitewater, but a slower-moving river. I see odd stuff all the time on the Hudson. Two weeks ago a WWI biplane flew over me. I see military aircraft all the time. I look at the different boats or the landscape. It can be very meditative.

But if the landscape is repetitive, just work on that stroke. Look at some of the good videos online and spend at least part of your paddle improving technique. That will keep you occupied. Get a GPS app for your phone and time your runs, them see if your new technique improves your speed.

I wish I had a good lake to paddle on. I'm always fighting tides, current, and wind, so I never get a real flatwater speed. There's always something affecting my readings. You, on the other hand, can get a good reading on a windless day. Experiment.
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supthecreek

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #3 on: June 30, 2015, 05:28:30 PM »
Use your racks.

Drive to different waterways.
Look for creeks and rivers.
Make a day of it, explore..... and like Icky said.... take pictures of your travels and post them.

Going smaller would be a challenge for a while, but then that would become the new normal.
I paddled my 8'10 surf SUP,  4-6 miles a day  for an entire winter

I would go bonkers paddling the same place all the time..... if you have options.... use them.

Fly fishing off your paddleboard  looks really fun.

Teach lessons on your lake.

Good luck! :)

Subber

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2015, 05:49:10 PM »
A pretty cheap thing to do is get a smaller fin,
or smaller fins.

I change up my fins all the time for mainly for surfing...but I notice
a pretty big effect sometimes during the paddle out - more or
less glide, more or less help with stability, more or less help
going straight, differences in turning, etc.
Jimmy Lewis Black & Blue Noserider 10'1"x31"x4.25," 164 liters, 24 lbs, 1 box
Pearson Laird Surftech Longboard 10'6"x23"x29.75"x18"x4.375," 154 liters, 24 lbs, 3 boxes
Takayama Ali'i II Surftech 11'x21.375”x28.5”x17.25”x 4.25,” 162 liters, 26 lbs, 3 boxes

Kmania

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2015, 08:04:27 PM »
I work on my paddle technique, practice walking on the board, do squats, look for bird and marine life. Someday I'm going to remember to bring a camera so I can get some pix.

breakbad

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supdiscobay

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2015, 09:13:10 PM »
Practice buoy turns, frontside and backside.
Check out some Danny Ching videos on youtube, he does some amazing footwork turns.
Go out and try em. 
I have an old 85 ltr windsurf board, that I jump with my paddle and if I don't stop paddling I can go for awhile.
Great for balance.
You will spend more time in the water, but thats what makes it fun.
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PonoBill

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2015, 09:17:18 PM »
Wakesurfing is fun, but don't stay too close to the boat for long. I got a touch of carbon monoxide poisoning doing it.
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stoneaxe

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2015, 09:22:12 PM »
Do the Patrice Gruenole workout... :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s_wmxh5LOM

I always think if I'm not falling I'm not working very hard.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2015, 09:25:32 PM by stoneaxe »
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Ichabod Spoonbill

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2015, 07:03:43 AM »
I'm definitely going to work on those as soon as my 9'8" arrives.
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vertseven

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #11 on: July 01, 2015, 01:27:26 PM »
If you want a challenge - try to paddle across the whole lake and back on one side. Then do it on the other side.

It's funny how I can surf all day by just paddling on my right side, but can track my board best when paddling on the left side.

Badger

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #12 on: July 01, 2015, 02:35:02 PM »
If you want a challenge - try to paddle across the whole lake and back on one side. Then do it on the other side.

It's funny how I can surf all day by just paddling on my right side, but can track my board best when paddling on the left side.

That's a great idea. I'm going to try that.

I tend to favor my left side when surfing but it would be good to be able to paddle either side equally. It also must help a lot to teach you how to just paddle a straight line in general.
« Last Edit: July 01, 2015, 02:38:58 PM by Badger »
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Endlessearth

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #13 on: July 01, 2015, 03:22:40 PM »
I live in AZ.  There is a lake about 20 minutes from my house here in Scottsdale.  I started off with exploring like everyone else.   Then I started playing with different stances and walking around the board.   Just basically messing around and falling off a lot (not a big deal when the air temp is 110 and the water is nearly 80 degrees.)  I entered my first races last weekend.  I did a team relay and a two mile sprint.   That was fun and it motivates me to work on my fitness!   There are a lot of wake board boats on the lake and it can get choppy so I mess around with their wakes when I can get into them.   This Friday I am going wake SUP surfing for the first time behind a dedicated boat.    My wife and I sometimes get on the same board (our 14' Ron House) and rip as fast as we can while trying not to brain each other with the paddle handles.  Tandem paddling is a lot of fun and the wipe outs are ridiculous.   

SUPlakes

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Re: Ideas to mix it up on flatwater -- challenges?
« Reply #14 on: July 01, 2015, 04:48:38 PM »
Awesome suggesting.  I'm glad I posted. 

The Patrice Gruenole video is amazing.  He might look like me out there if he had 5 martinis and an Ambien. 

I'm going to wakesurfing later this month but plan to use a wakesurf specific board. 

I'll look into improving paddling technique, only paddling on one side, etc. 

My wife and I are planning on going out tomorrow and I'll see if she wants to try tandem -- although my board is only 10' 4" so that would be interesting :)

I just tried windsurfing today and will probably pick up a ~155L windsurf board so messing around on that should help improve my balance too.

 


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