Stand Up Paddle > Technique
Tips for Beginners
blueplanetsurf:
Most of us here on the Zone are not beginners, but some of us may still remember what it was like.
Share what you learned here and give some helpful tips to the first timers looking online for help.
I'll get it started:
Some tips for beginners:
If you can, take a lesson or ask someone experienced to help you.
Make sure you have a board that is stable enough for your height, weight and conditions and a paddle that is the right length.
Find some calm, protected water to learn how to get up, balance, turn the board and basic steering and forward strokes.
Don't attempt to surf waves until you can do these very basic things.
Watch this video and have fun.
Warning: SUP is highly addictive
Introduction to Stand Up Paddling
http://zenwaterman.blogspot.com/2012/04/introduction-to-stand-up-paddling-for.html
SUPsurferFL:
Find the "sweet spot" on the board and place your feet about shoulder width apart making sure to stand relaxed and not stiff, usually on each side of the hole where the handle of the board is, sometimes a little forward or a little backward from the hole depending on the board and conditions, but the goal is to get it to plane smoothly across the water with as little drag as possible, this also will increase stability
kneecap:
Get in the water as often as possible, even if the conditions are horrible, as long as it's not dangerous. Paddling more often, especially when it's tough will make you better more quickly. Plus, it's more fun to paddle than to not, even when it's difficult.
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Ucycle:
relax and breath (very important). At the beginning when i was going out on rough condition, i was so tense, i forgot to breath which makes it worse. So everytime my legs are wobbling/shaking the board, i tell myself to take a couple good breathe.
Whenever you stated paddle surfing, use your paddle to turn, lean on it. seen too many beginner use it as a holding stick once they are on the wave. My paddle save my ass couple times on late take off, i was able to brace myself without pearl my nose.
Bulky:
1. Look at the horizon, not the nose of your board. Look around as much as you can--this helps develop water sense and instinctive feel of what the board/water are doing.
2. As soon as possible, move your feet--even if it's just stepping up and down. Breaking the habit of having your feet glued down is among the hardest to break.
3. Practice 180 pivot turns in flatwater (stepping to the back of the board) until they're 2nd nature--it will make your foray into the surf zone much easier.
4. Laugh when you fall off and get back on again--you're much less visible from shore than you think you are.
5. Time on water! Time on water! Time on water!
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