Common mistakes made by beginner paddle boarders

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Stand up paddle boarding is a fun and relaxing activity that allows you to explore the waters without actually swimming or floating in it. You can do on oceans, lakes, rivers, and bays to experience the beauty of outdoors. In recent years, it growing so fast that has been adapted to incorporate other enjoyable activities, like SUP fishing, SUP racing and so on.

You’re bound to make a few mistakes in the early stages of developing any new hobby. It ‘s not a big deal, but sometimes it can make you in a embarrassing situation. Don’t be that guy or that girl. Now, we’re going to save you from embarrassment by highlighting the eight most commonly made mistakes new SUP riders make. Whether you are renting a SUP, you have just bought your own gear, or you’ve been out a few times, the following information may make a difference to your future paddle boarding training.

Forget to adjust the oar handle

Generally speaking, the proper length of the oar handle should be 10 to 15 cm higher than your head. Before launching, we can stand the oar handle on the ground and raise your arms up to reach your wrists. Improper pulp length will affect the force and movement, leading to fatigue, reduced efficiency and even physical injury, especially in the shoulder.

Not deep enough when launching

Numerous first-time riders are so excited that they try to jump on their board before it’s fully submerged. This isn’t much of an issue if you’re mounting on a sandy beach as your fin is only going to get wedged into the sand. But if you’re on rock, it is likely to snapping your fin doing so! Be sure that the water is deep enough that the fin on your paddle board won’t scrape the bottom even with the weight of you on it. So you’d better to walk into the water until about knee deep before placing your keen on the board

Holding the paddle backwards

Due to the special design angle of the blade, many beginners will habitually hold the paddle backwards, which is an absolute classic mistake. But like we say we’ve all been there! The blade of the paddle is the part that scoops water, has an angle to it. This angle should always be facing away from the paddler, which will ensure a more powerful and efficient stroke. Beginners can place a sticker on the front side of your paddle blade, it will make it easy to notice.

Looking Down While Standing on the Board

Wherever you look, that’s where you go. Beginners often make the mistake of staring down at the board as they try to stand. However, the most important thing for balance is to not look down. Although looking down is our natural instinct, it will probably end up with you in the water or back down on your knees. So avoiding this early will be a big step towards SUP dominance. Try to pick something on the shoreline and focus on it.

Standing off-center

Standing in an incorrect position will make it harder to balance and also create unnecessary resistance. A common mistake that most new paddle boarders will make is standing far from the center of the board. By standing too far forward on the board, the fins will be out of the water, making it harder to control the direction of your SUP. When you lose sight of the handle, you’re too far forward! While stand too far back, your nose will ride up and your board will struggle through the water. Get your stance right by placing yourself in the middle of the board with your feet 1-2 inches from the edge and with your toes pointing forward.

Padding at an angle

The forward stroke most vital of all paddle moves. While stroke seems very simple, most beginner paddle boarders get this wrong. To glide through the water, the blade has to be vertical to the water at all times. If you paddling at an angle, you’ll find that the paddle will turn left and right and you need to adjust constantly, which may make you tired much quicker. Don’t ruin your paddle boarding experience! Keep the paddle and blade vertical will allow you to get more power out of each stroke. It will also limit the number of times you have to switch sides and hand positions making it easier to catch waves.

Not using your paddle to its full potential

The more leverage you have, the more you’ll get out of your paddle stroke. Many beginners have their arms too close together or too far, which won’t have leverage. Too much force is also not necessarily an effective stroke, splashing a lot of water, but it’s actually a waste of effort. Proper padding technique suggest that grip your hand on the top t-bar grip of your paddle to provides the best control and leverage. The hand you place at the top of the paddle should be on the opposite side from the side you’re paddling on. Remember that your forward stroke should never go past your heels, any further past your heels and you will lose momentum.

Doing too much soon

As the beginner of paddle board, you may be excited to get out there and traverse the waters! However, doing to much soon is dangerous in this stage. Always remember safety first at any time. Put away your excitement temporarily and be realistic about your paddle board knowledge. When you first learning to paddle boarding, don’t go at it along, especially in bad weather, like wind and rain. In addition, don’t go too far away from the shore. Last but not least, always bring a cell phone in case of an emergency.

Now that you’ve learn about these common mistakes of beginners’, it’s time to get away from the screen go to the beach and get out on the water! Don’t afraid of falling, just remain calm and try to regain your balance. Remember, it’s all about the journey, not the destination.