Learn to Surf with Stand Up Paddle
Learn to Surf with Stand Up Paddle
We offer some tips to learn how to surf in stand up paddle. For this you need the paddle surf board. Before you get into the waves you will also need some level, so if you are a beginner we advise you to read our post learn how to do paddle surfing. Having said all this, in this article we will focus on those who want to improve their technique to surf in stand up paddle.
Before starting to surf in paddle
Before starting surfing with our surfboard we must be clear about the safety rules of stand up paddle. Our material is also important, there are many tables of SUP but not all serve the same. With race tables it will be difficult to surf waves, for example. You can view specific models of paddle surf boards and ask for advice at this online paddle surf shop.
The paddle boards for surfing are usually shorter, in width and volume is already a world. It depends a lot on your level. Obviously as we shorten a table it loses volume, and becomes more unstable. The SUP for beginner surfing will maintain a longer width to give that extra volume, the more pro models shorten the length and width, more like a surfboard, with the volume just to stand on top of the SUP.
How to paddle waves in paddle surf
With these clear concepts and already in the water, we must choose a wave, and row in its same direction with decision. The psychological role has great importance, we must be convinced that we are going to surf that wave we have chosen and we will do well, the subconscious in surfing is traitorous!
Rowing hard the wave we will begin to notice the glide of the table, in that moment we will slightly bend our knees, lowering our center of gravity and keeping our legs in tension, to maintain a greater control and stability on the table.
If it is difficult for us to plan the waves we must position our weight towards the tip of the table, if on the contrary it is impossible for us to turn inside the wave, we must position our weight a little further back. Usually, we will advance the weight slightly to help the glide, and when we have the accelerated table, we will go back to facilitate the turn of the same.
At the same time, you should use paddle surf while paddling with your stand up paddle board. If you lose speed, a paddling will help you rebuild power, but it will also favor spin and your confidence and stability on top of the board. The paddle will act as an extra stand while you are surfing a wave.
All the above points require practice in the water, when we improve our technique we will be able to raise and lower the waves increasing our fun! Practice a constant and progressive surf, the boards are very long and bulky, so it will cost much more to make more aggressive turns in the wave. Take advantage of the bottom, or the bottom turn in the wave, to gain power with the oar and back up to the lip of the wave, where you can put more pressure on the keels and make more radical turns.
And remember! Each of the turns and movements must be accompanied by our body, generate speed by putting the body forward and radicalize your turns delaying the tail your leg back and making more pressure on the keels!
We hope you have helped improve your technique to surf in stand up paddle, now only practice on the water! You can check out more related articles in our Stand Up Paddle category.