Paddleboarding for Beginners | Mistakes You Should Avoid!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ต.ค. 2024
- For more information about all things SUP, check out SUPBoardGuide.com by clicking the link below: www.supboardgu...
If you’re teaching yourself to paddleboard, you’re very likely to end up making a few mistakes. There are some traps and pitfalls that are so easy to fall into, and we see them on the water every time we go paddling.
While many of the mistakes shown here may not seem particularly serious, they do make it harder to paddle and also do have safety implications, because they reduce your paddling efficiency. You’re doing more work for less reward, or in some cases simply not able to paddle with any speed or power. Which can be dangerous if you need to get back to the shore in a hurry, perhaps because the weather has changed or some other problem has arisen.
In this video, supboardguide.com chief coach Bill Dawes runs through some of the most common mistakes he encounters in his 15+ years of coaching. Watch this vid before you start paddleboarding and you’ll save yourself a whole lot of hassle. If you’re recently new to the sport then check it out and make sure you’re not making any of these mistakes.
Starting before we’ve even made it to the water:
At 0’40” we look at the classic mistake of not having the inflation valve on your board correctly set up.
At 1’40” we visit the all-too-common scenario of the under inflated board.
At 2’45” we check out the problems caused when the paddle handle is not properly aligned.
Now let’s get onto the water.
At 4’30” we look at the proper way to hold your paddle, which is more complex than it may seem, as many paddles make it quite difficult to ascertain which is the front and the back.
At 6’50” we talk about standing in the proper position on your board
At 7’45” we consider the the common misconception that paddling is about pushing your way along rather than pulling your way along - this is a really important one because doing it wrong is seriously bad news for your lower back!
At 9’20” we look at the really common mistake of not properly engaging your paddle.
At 10’30” we talk about head position; another classic beginner issue.
At 11’45” we finish with a chat about safety equipment. Incorrect use of this is one of the most common mistakes we see, and another that can really have serious implications.
So we hope you find this video useful. If you’re already getting all these right then good for you! If not, you know what you need to work on for your next paddle session.
Bill Dawes has been coaching SUP at all levels for 15 years, during which time he has built up a vast amount of knowledge and experience in understanding how to teach the sport. Check out his other videos on our channel, which cover everything from how to deal with the beginner wobbles through to advanced paddling technique. If you’d like to book a personal online coaching session with Bill check out www.supcoachonline.com
Thank you. Great tips. Love the dry sense of humor. Did not find you condescending at all since I know nothing.
Exactly 💯
Great video. Straight forward. I don't think he's condescending at all.
Exactly 💯
Great information.
Monty pythone needs a modern remake with these terms. Fairy dipper, teaspooner etc. English accent is masterfull at being non injuriously insulting and helping one get off the know-it-all high horses. Very good video.
Thanks
Best instructor by far. Thank you!
Many thanks! Really glad you're finding the vids useful.
This is great stuff thank you, tried it for the first time today without any guidance and did ok, but this has been invaluable for outing number 2 !
Great video, thanks
One thing i would like to add on is appropriate paddle length which could cause bad posture on board.
Am about to get my first board. Am so glad I watched this - will be watching again when I inflate it and before I get on it! Thanks!!
@FionaJane-vc2tw Great stuff. Hope it goes really well! You got this... :-)
Great great video. I was looking for paddle length too. Perhaps you have a separate video on that? Thank you for helping us all get better safely.
@johnson7228 This is a complex one that is determined by a whole lot of different variables. What I'd recommend is that you read our article on choosing a paddle, you'll find plenty of information (towards the bottom of the article) on paddle length www.supboardguide.com/how-to-choose-a-sup-paddle/
Thank you. Will do. Another thing is stance. I see people with feet even on the deck. I have also seen recommendations that it is better to put 1 foot forward. The foot forward should be the one opposite the side you are paddling on. Do you have a pointer to a stance article or video? Thanks in advance!
@@johnson7228 Actually we don't have a vid on stances. Great suggestion, we'll add that to our shoot list. In short though, if you're paddling a recreational board on relatively flat water, then the 'square' stance as shown in this vid - feet side by side, either side of the handle - is absolutely fine. A staggered stance, with one foot further back than the other, does indeed have certain benefits in certain conditions and environments. But it needs to be done right and, and generally our advice will always be to stick with straight stance unless you're getting into paddling in rough conditions, river or surf paddling, or specifically working on sprinting technique.
@@supboardguide Right On! Thank you for your help!
Yes I made all of them yesterday and yes it was so unstable……….😂 thank you for this video..…….
You’re welcome 😊
excellent video..
Thanks for this! Question. I paddle in Texas, around 80-85 degrees but can get up to 100 outside. I have been pumping my SIC up to 13.5 to give it room to expand with the heat, do you still recommend going to manufacturers 15 or is 13.5 okay? It feels fine on the water, stiff, not tippy.
@MichaelLatimer-sz5pp great question! So, short answer - yes. Go for the manufacturers recommended pressure when you're on the water. That's where it matters. Generally, when the board is on the water there won't be much/any expansion factor happening, the water keeps the board cool. It's when it's on the beach that it can get cooked in the sun and the air inside heats up and expands. However, the reality is that even if the board is super hot, the air pressure inside only expands by a couple of psi, absolute max. It is not this extra pressure that will damage your board, it's the result of the direct sunlight on the seams of the board, cooking the glue within. The best advice is to keep the board out of the sun as much as possible when its onshore.
I see an irocker paddle there. Which is the right way? Logo toward the back?
Thanks.
Nail
Yes the iRocker paddle is another one that can be confusing. However, it does have a clearly visible scoop in the blade, so use that as your indicator. Also, the big ridge running down the top of the blade needs to be forward facing. I'm deliberately not referring to logos seeing as the various iterations of iRocker paddle have some sort of logo in different places, so it's not entirely reliable as a reference. Whereas the scoop and the ridge can be trusted 100%. Hope this helps!
Thank you very much for this video. I just picked up an iRocker Cruiser Ultra (based in large part on your review of it) and had a very good initial experience with it after watching your "How to SUP" video. Wanted to ask why you don't recommend the belt PFD over a vest? I'm aware that they only provide floatation on the front of the torso and require user interaction to inflate, but is there some other reason why I should avoid one as a beginner? Thanks much!
@thejohnbreen Beltpack PFDs are great, and do away with all those issues of discomfort, chafe etc. However, they’re only for competent swimmers, and if you decide to get one of these for yourself, you really need to learn how to operate it before you end up needing it in an emergency. Practice at home opening it, donning it and inflating it orally (you don’t need to trigger the CO2 canister), so that in an emergency you’re entirely comfortable with using it, whether or not it inflates automatically when you pull the toggle. It's because they don't actually give you any flotation until you specifically choose to make them into a flotation device (and then it takes several actions to achieve), that we generally don’t recommend beltpacks for beginners. You’re best off having that extra comfort and security from knowing that your buoyancy is always there, automatically working for you every time you fall in. However, if you do fully understand how to use them, then for sure they're a great option.
Probably also because as a beginner you’re more likely to end up in the water
Haha I watched both the first and second happen at the lake today.
Instructions unclear, I’ve eaten a whole pint of ice cream
@tobybatt3720 Well, nothing like a bit of carb loading before your paddle session :-)
A climber with 20 years of experience died recently in my hometown. He went to the lake and the temperature changed quickly.. His wife survived because she wore a life jacket but not him.
Don't overestimate your talents
What does it men "with the walve closed?
@summertime35 The valve (where you connect the hose from the pump) has an open position, and a closed position. The open position is when the centre pin is down, and air can leave the board. However, when you want to pump the board up, the valve needs to be in the closed (centre pin up) position.
If weather isnt suitable for paddleboard i bring my kayak instead
Good tips but a bit of a condescending tone. Always good to take the humble path, no matter how much one knows.
Agreed. Great tips. Appalling attitude
Get some skin.
Someone didn't get maximum ice cream 😉. His tone seems fine to me. It's imperative that he gets these points across to avoid bad habits!
Oh nooo, Karen is crying
You didn't mention the correct height for the paddle... at least a foot higher than yourself...
Paddle height is a very complicated one, because there are so many variables at play. Board thickness and board width both play a part, as does the actual style of the paddle itself. Small/short bladed paddles need less length than long-bladed paddles. For the full story on paddle height check out our article at www.supboardguide.com/how-to-choose-a-sup-paddle/
However, unless you're on a very thick wide board, a foot higher than yourself would be an extremely long paddle. In our school we start beginners off with paddles around 9" overhead, (aka 'the shaka size') and adjust from there. Most competent paddlers will end up with shorter than that, once they've got their technique right. Paddles for sup surfing nowadays are generally not much taller than head height, and for racing/distance work, 5-8" overhead. Too tall a paddle is disruptive to the stroke, requires a lot more body movement to take it through its cycle, and puts a lot of additional strain on the shoulders.
Now teach us proper technique on getting back on the board in deep water.
OK, good suggestion, we've added this to the to-do list for future videos