You want to learn about stand up paddle but you don’t know how to proceed? To start in the best conditions and in complete safety, it is necessary to proceed step by step. The following tips will help you to prepare your session well and find your balance and progress easily and quickly without losing your motivation.
How to set up your equipment properly?
Before going out on the water, it is important to check your equipment. Make sure everything works properly so that you won’t have any unpleasant surprises once on the water.
To start, you should inflate your paddle to the recommended pressure, usually between 13 and 15 psi (refer to the instructions for your board). A poorly inflated paddle will be unstable and will not glide well. Hence the importance of inflating your stand up paddle properly. Once this step is completed, it will be necessary to fix the fins and adjust your paddle if it is adjustable. To do this, extend your arm above your head and adjust the adjustable part so that the handle of the paddle is at the same level as your wrist.
Once everything is fine, simply attach your safety leash and launch your board with the central handle. As a reminder, wearing a PFD to stand up paddle is not mandatory but is strongly recommended.
How to fall right?
When you start, falling is inevitable, but you have to make sure you fall without hurting yourself. When you lose your balance, you should avoid diving forward or backward, the simplest way and falling to the side to avoid any impact with the board. Remember to keep your paddle securely in place so you don’t lose it.
How to position yourself correctly?
To begin with, it is best to stay on your knees to find your balance. Hold your paddle in front of you perpendicular to your board and start paddling slowly. To paddle effectively, the concave (hollow) part of your paddle must face you. Once you feel comfortable, it is high time to stand on the board. For this step, you can use your paddle.
Stand up on your board
Stand with your shoulders facing the front of the board, leaning on the paddle you have placed flat on the board in front of you to keep a support point. Also, for optimal positioning, position your feet at the level of the carrying handle, keeping a small space between them. For more stability, keep your legs bent and your feet wide apart and look far ahead in the direction you want to go.
How to paddle efficiently?
Now that you are standing up, it is high time to paddle effectively. Put one hand on the handle on top of the paddle, the other on the tube and start paddling while trying to push the paddle well into the water by fetching far in front of you. No need to look too far behind, take the blade out of the water at your feet. In order to have an effective paddling stroke, it is important to stay well focused. It is the body that makes the link between the paddle and the board, so it is it that will transmit the energy. Be careful to keep your back straight, it is your pelvis that makes the movement and not your back.