SUP Forward Stroke - How to Do It Correctly
When you first start to learn how to paddle board, one basic tip you need to know is how to go straight.
It sounds easy but the truth is it could be hard for certain people to go in a straight line in the beginning if they don’t know the skills required.
The first thing to know for going in a straight line is how to take a forward stroke. Here in this post, we will break down the process to help you understand and learn how to take a forward stroke quickly.
SUP Forward Stroke - How to Do It Correctly
To learn how to take a SUP forward stroke effectively, the first thing you need to understand is the point of entry and exit of the forward stroke. A basic stroke is planting your blade into the water ahead of you, bringing yourself and your board forward and past that point.
To get ready for the stroke, bent your legs slightly but keep your hips square to the board. When holding the paddle, your bottom arm should be straight and the top arm should be at a 5 to 10 degree bent.
And start rotating your shoulders in the direction of travel and get your glade ready to enter the water. Continue to rotate your shoulders and hips forward, while doing so, to better plant the blade into the water, you should at the same time bend your stroke-side knee slightly to lower your body.
Next is to drive your stroke side hip back while transferring your weight onto the paddle through your top arm. This process is like pushing yourself forward and passing the paddle. And then you can have a clean exit and recovery which increases the board’s forward motion.
Another thing to keep in mind mid-stroke is to push your stroke side hip forward to meet your hand which creates an extra push as you pull the paddle out of the water. And then reload your torso to get back to setup position and repeat the whole process.
Knowing these tips of SUP forward stroke will make paddle boarding easier for you as you can paddle further and faster with less effort. It’s a rather basic skill but a lot of people are not doing it right. If you can do a forward stroke correctly and smoothly, you can then move on to other more advanced skills like taking a pivot turn.
If you are just starting to learn how to paddle board, there are basic tips you should know other than how to perform a SUP forward stroke. Here are some practical tips you should know.
A well-made inflatable paddle board would go a long way to giving you a good start in learning how to paddle board. If you still looking for a nice beginner inflatable paddle board to start with, check out Goosehill Sailor inflatable paddle board.
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