Stand-up paddle boarding: tips for beginners

What is stand-up paddle boarding?

Stand-up paddle boarding, SUP for short, is a sport where you glide on a specially developed board with a long paddle across the water. Like canoeing, you paddle on the left and right of the board to steer. Stand-up paddle boarding originates from Hawaii. In order to easily keep an eye on their students, surf instructors In the 1950s and 1960s rode their boards with a canoe paddle. SUP is popular around the world as you can do it on rivers, lakes and on the sea. There are loads of places in Switzerland where you can go paddle boarding today, and there’s at least one SUP rental station on all larger lakes.

How healthy is stand-up paddle boarding?

Stand-up paddle boarding is an excellent full-body workout using deep muscles, the torso, legs and arms, as well as improving stability and coordination. In addition to the muscles, your endurance and circulation are trained. Plus being outside has a positive effect on your well-being: Experiencing peace and quiet and being in touch with nature reduce stress.

And what’s more, you don’t have to be an elite athlete to do it. Most beginners are able to move around on an SUP after a few minutes. “Depending on size and strength, children can start paddle boarding between the age of nine or ten”, says the expert. “There’s no upper age limit”. In cooperation with physiotherapists, we’ve developed a form of balance training on SUP boards geared specifically towards older people.

SUP: what equipment do beginners need?

You don’t need a lot of equipment to have fun stand-up paddle boarding: a suitable board including fin and leash, a paddle, a life jacket, light functional clothing that you can swim in, and suncream. If you are using a blow-up paddle board, you will also need a pump.

What types of boards are available?

The range today is enormous: “There are inflatable boards, hard-shell boards, race boards, boards with rowing attachments and yoga boards”, says Marc Maurer. Every board handles differently in the water. Slightly wider and longer boards are recommended for beginners. There’s also a huge range of paddles to choose from. “You can choose between heavy and lightweight paddles, carbon, aluminium or wood paddles, flexible or more rigid paddles, single or multi-piece paddles – there are pros and cons to every kind, so be sure to test before you buy.”

How much does a good SUP board cost?

Quality inflatable boards cost upwards of around CHF 1,000. Inflatable boards are great, because you can fit them neatly in a rucksack. However, there’s a clear trend today towards hard-shell boards, because you get unpleasant vibrations on inflatables when the water isn’t calm. Good hard-shell boards cost between CHF 1,500 and CHF 2,000. You also have to add the cost of the paddles, which are between CHF 200 and CHF 300.

How can I learn stand-up paddling?

Maurer recommends participating in a beginners course to ensure that you know the basic techniques before moving onto water. This way, you’ll have more fun and cover greater distances. It’s also important to learn the right-of-way and safety rules and what to do in case of emergency or strong winds.

Step-by-step guide for novices:

6 tips for SUP novices

1. Start in calm, shallow water: this enables you to better concentrate on your balance as well as the handling of your board.
2. Choose a wide all-rounder board to start: they are more stable and ideal for beginners.
3. Wear a life jacket: If you are paddling beyond the outer shore (300 metres from the shore) or on the river, you must take a life jacket with you.
4. Go with an experienced SUP paddle boarder and benefit from their tips and the help of an advanced paddle boarder or expert.
5. Practise paddling and turning before you move into open water. Learn the basics – standing up, paddling, turning and braking. And make sure you familiarise yourself with the rules.
6. Exercise caution when close to other boats and swimmers: keep your distance. In general: stand-up paddlers should give way to excursion boats, commercial boats, sailing vessels, fishing boats and swimmers. If you approach another stand-up paddler, you should move to the right. This also applies to kayaks, canoes and rowers.