What is paddle boarding

Stand-up paddleboarding is an outdoor water sports activity where a rider stands up on a large board and uses a paddle to move through the water. Paddleboarding has its roots in Africa, South America, and the ancient Polynesian culture. Tom Blake is the pioneer of modern paddleboard construction. The Rebirth of Paddleboarding The rebirth of paddleboarding occurs after several successful and highly attended long-distance races that put the sport in the spotlight.

SUP For All With the advent of inflatable stand-up paddleboards , the sport became even more popular and accessible - the SUP board now fits in a backpack. SUPing also opened new and unexpected opportunities outside of surfing.

The size of a stand-up paddleboard ranges between 9 and 13 feet. SUP: An Ever-Growing Competitive Water Sport Today, stand-up paddleboarding is mainly a recreational activity, but there are also several competitions taking place all over the world.

Like a surfboard, the SUP rider stands in the upright position, centered on the board. Share this article. Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Share on Linkedin. Share on Reddit. Latest surfing news How to improve your duck dive technique in 4 simple steps. In stand up paddle boarding, riders stand up on the board and move through the water with a paddle.

You can do all kinds of activities on a SUP, like yoga, fishing, racing, and touring. SUP offers many of the perks of kayaking, but with a much better vantage point than a kayak and much more ease of movement. You can SUP on just about any body of water. While SUP boards might look like surfboards, the two sports are very different. For starters, SUP is much easier to learn.

Surfing also requires tremendous balance, power, and concentration. Paddle boarding is much, much easier to pick up then surfing. SUP surfers ride and catch waves while standing using a paddle - instead of lying down and paddling.

So, what is paddle boarding good for? There are many amazing reasons to try SUP:. SUP takes place in the great outdoors. As we all know, nature is an epic stress reliever , and, we could all stand to release a little tension.

Nothing beats the sun on your face and face-to-face encounters with marine life. Forget spin class - SUP is an excellent full-body workout. SUP strengthens your core, increases your balance, and is great for cardio. SUP is easy to learn at any age, fitness level, or walk of life. Young kids and grandparents alike, as well as people of every shape and size, will have a blast on a paddleboard. Paddle boarding is easier than you might think!

Most people can pick up the basics of how to paddle board within a day. SUP may be new to you, but paddleboarding dates back thousands of years. Believed to have its roots in Africa, Polynesia, and South America, experts theorize that even then, people were using paddling for both work and play - from local transport to catching waves. When you join our subscribe list, you get access to the best of sports inspiration, tips, stories and more to practice your sport.

Haven't you tried stand-up paddle boarding yet? It's the most accessible water sport there is and it lets you cruise on the water very quickly. You've finished this beginners' phase, you're starting to feel a little bored, or you get tired quickly and want to avoid this.

These two signs indicate that it's time to move onto a new phase in your SUP training. Discover 5 tips to improve your endurance, balance and paddling technique! Are you starting to play around in small waves with our SUP but have never been surfing before?

In this case you will need to quickly acquire some good surfing habits to avoid any accidents in the waves. Are your children looking at you from the shore with envy as you link paddle strokes?

It may be time to invite them to discover stand-up paddling and the marine environment. Nearly time to get back on the water after a winter break? Discover our "checklist" and all our tips to make sure your return goes smoothly! Are you starting to feel comfortable on your SUP and would now like to know how to turn more easily, faster or with more style? Are you using a longer, more streamlined touring board and finding it more difficult to turn?

Itiwit shares its top tips on the different turning techniques so that you can enjoy manoeuvring your stand-up paddleboard.