Common Newbie Mistakes Made on Stand up Paddle Boards

Stand up paddle boarding is quickly becoming a common hobby for lovers of water sports. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced veteran, all paddleboarders are bound to make mistakes. So, if you fall a bunch of times in the beginning, don’t worry about it. However, to make your life easier, try to avoid these common mistakes often made by beginners to paddle boarding.


Looking Down While Standing on the Board

If you are participating in paddle boarding for the very first time, do not look down while using the paddle board. Although you might be tempted so that you can get a view the board, it can actually make it harder to maintain your balance. If you want to feel more stable and balanced, you should relax, look forward and choose a spot off in the horizon to focus on instead. By looking forward, the wobbly surface you are viewing disappears, your brain becomes more comfortable and you instantly become more stable.

Lots of Mistakes Here. We See Five. How About You?

The Paddle Blade is Facing the Wrong Way

When you look at the profile of a paddle board paddle, you will notice that the blade is offset from the shaft. It’s positioned that way to maximize the amount of water you can pull through your stroke. When using a paddle, make sure that the blade is bent away from you, which will ensure a more powerful and efficient stroke. If you can’t visualize the way the blade should be oriented, think of an ice cream scoop being pulled through the ice cream. You have the offset curve facing away from you as you pull the scoop/blade towards yourself.


Using the Wrong Equipment

Contrary to popular belief, not all SUPs are created equal. Some are designed for choppy conditions while others are created specifically for use on flat water. If you are a beginner, you should make sure that you talk to your salesperson first and explain the conditions in which you plan to use the paddle board for the best pick. Generally, large boards are your best bet if you want a versatile paddle SUP because they make it easy for you to use your technique and they make it a lot easier to balance on. Purchase an All Around style for your first paddle board. They are capable of doing almost everything. Once you gain experience, you can get more specialized boards.

Wappa Nova - All Around Style

Maintaining the Wrong Posture

The way that you stand up on a paddleboard can be the difference between failure and success. Posture is the key to maintaining balance, which is essential to becoming a good stand up paddler. If you have never used a paddle board before, you should try and stand in a symmetrical position around the handle area, which is the middle.  More advanced veterans usually know a range of advanced techniques that allow them to execute moves like the pivot turn.


Using Bad Technique.

When using your stand up paddle board, you should try and avoid:

• Paddling at an angle: Instead, the blade should enter straight into the water so that you can make the most out of your stroke’s power.
• Pulling through your stroke past your ankle: Doing this will slow you down as a result of drag.
• Moving the paddle too far from the board: if you do this, you will go from side to side instead of moving straight.

Now that you’ve read about many of the common mistakes beginners to stand up paddle boarding make, it’s time to get away from the screen go to the beach and get out on the water. Don’t worry about falling or looking stupid. You’re out there doing it, so be proud of yourself.

Have a great paddle!