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SUP General / First lesson did not go well. Struggling and disheartened. Bigger person
« on: August 22, 2019, 11:33:26 AM »
Hi everyone. I'm new here.
Without giving a long sob story, I've been through a complete and utter rubbish couple of years, put on weight due to some of that and have not felt great in general.
Thought it was about time to stop feeling sorry for myself, lose some weight, get a better level of fitness again and challenge myself socially and do new things and try to get back to the person I once was! Positive attitude and all that.
A friend of mine started paddleboarding last summer and I've thought it looked fun for a long time but being self-conscious and worrying about making a fool of myself put me off.
I finally bit the bullet and signed up for a four week course.
I had my first lesson yesterday and it did not go well. I knew I'd be a bit rubbish but I exceeded my already low expectations and was without a doubt, the worst in a class of 15 others.
I'm a size 16(UK) so knew I'd probably be one of the bigger people but was assured they cater for all sizes.
I have completely reinforced the 'fat lass struggling in the corner' stereotype. I was embarrassingly bad.
I had zero balance (found it difficult to so much as move slightly on the board i.e. changing leg position, leaning back to tighten leash, going from kneeling to sitting).
I had read that it was a fairly easy sport to get to grips with the basics and that bigger people can do it fine so went in thinking I'd be ok.
I'm starting to worry I'll never stand up without falling in or even be able to move.
I was on a large blue and yellow O'shea board (hope I've got the name right) which was 10'6 x 32 and as soon as I slightly shifted my weight, even into one bent leg, to try and bend the other to stand up, the whole thing was tipping to one side.
Is it just a case of practicing? I feel so low and disheartened and kinda hate myself for how it went.
Anyone else either overweight or a bigger or muscled/heavier person that has mastered it eventually?
Went into it so positive and now feel like it's never going to happen.
I'm ashamed to show my face for next week's lesson!
Sorry for the length of this. I'm not looking for sympathy, just an answer as to whether it's doable for someone like me or whether I should put it down to experience and move on?
Thanks.
Without giving a long sob story, I've been through a complete and utter rubbish couple of years, put on weight due to some of that and have not felt great in general.
Thought it was about time to stop feeling sorry for myself, lose some weight, get a better level of fitness again and challenge myself socially and do new things and try to get back to the person I once was! Positive attitude and all that.
A friend of mine started paddleboarding last summer and I've thought it looked fun for a long time but being self-conscious and worrying about making a fool of myself put me off.
I finally bit the bullet and signed up for a four week course.
I had my first lesson yesterday and it did not go well. I knew I'd be a bit rubbish but I exceeded my already low expectations and was without a doubt, the worst in a class of 15 others.
I'm a size 16(UK) so knew I'd probably be one of the bigger people but was assured they cater for all sizes.
I have completely reinforced the 'fat lass struggling in the corner' stereotype. I was embarrassingly bad.
I had zero balance (found it difficult to so much as move slightly on the board i.e. changing leg position, leaning back to tighten leash, going from kneeling to sitting).
I had read that it was a fairly easy sport to get to grips with the basics and that bigger people can do it fine so went in thinking I'd be ok.
I'm starting to worry I'll never stand up without falling in or even be able to move.
I was on a large blue and yellow O'shea board (hope I've got the name right) which was 10'6 x 32 and as soon as I slightly shifted my weight, even into one bent leg, to try and bend the other to stand up, the whole thing was tipping to one side.
Is it just a case of practicing? I feel so low and disheartened and kinda hate myself for how it went.
Anyone else either overweight or a bigger or muscled/heavier person that has mastered it eventually?
Went into it so positive and now feel like it's never going to happen.
I'm ashamed to show my face for next week's lesson!
Sorry for the length of this. I'm not looking for sympathy, just an answer as to whether it's doable for someone like me or whether I should put it down to experience and move on?
Thanks.
