Mother and son SUP

6 Top Tips for SUP Newbies

New to stand up paddle boarding? These pro pointers will see you avoid all the usual beginner mistakes, leaving you free to enjoy the water and perfect your paddling…

Face Forward

Unless you’re used to conventional surfing, at first it can be difficult to tell which is the nose (front) of a beginner SUP board. If it’s not obvious to you, just check where the fins are before you jump on – they are always at the back of the board as their job is to help keep the board straight while you paddle.

Smooth Stroke

Using your paddle for the first few times can be a little confusing as many newbies make the mistake of facing it the wrong way so they can scoop the water as they go. It actually goes the other way – the shaft is the leading edge you pull through the water. It’s important you have your paddle facing the right way so you can get a smooth SUP stroke with the blade vertical for the most power.

Love thy Leash

Always use a leash. It doesn’t matter what water you’re on or how advanced a paddler you are – a leash is crucial. Wearing a leash keeps you attached to your board if you fall off or if conditions change on you quickly – using it to keep afloat could save your life. Using a leash is also imperative to the safety of others – an out of control SUP board can be dangerous to others in the water.

Head Up

Although SUP is an easy sport to pick up, there’s still a lot to think about before it all becomes second nature. The natural temptation for SUP beginners is to look down at the board and focus on not falling in. What you need to be doing though is keeping your head up and focus on the horizon – you’ll be much more stable and far less likely to take an impromptu dip!

Fall Fantastically

You are going to fall off. The SUP pros fall off. It’s just a part of the sport and you should embrace it. It’s a good idea to practice falling off (yep, really!) so you can do it safely. When you fall you want to fall into the water away from your board, so that your body doesn’t collide with it and you don’t get hurt. Your leash will ensure you don’t lose your board, so don’t worry about that.

Stay Safe

Water is a wondrous and powerful beast that deserves to be treated with respect. It’s important for us all to know our limits and only go out in conditions we can handle. Always check the forecast before you go out so you have a heads up on any potential changes in the weather.


Are you new to SUP? How are you finding it? We’d love to hear from you and see some photos of you in action!

Published on 26th April 2016 in SUP

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