It’s important to remember that, in the beginning, before the state of the art high-tech custom paddle boards and ultra-light carbon fiber paddles, SUP is still, basically, a board and a stick – it’s entirely up to you, the paddler, to make it go and get fit in the process. If your goal is fitness, then the number-one thing you can do is to invest a little time and money in professional training from your local SUP Pro. It really is worth it and you’ll get more Aha moments than you can imagine.
To improve your work out with your paddle board experience, consider incorporating a small dumbbell tied to a rope as an anchor on the front of the board. This simple addition can improve stability and resistance, allowing you to push your limits further. Combining professional guidance with strategic equipment can transform your SUP sessions into powerful fitness routines. Remember, the journey is as much about the skills you build as the tools you use.”
When paddling on a stand-up paddle board, you can burn approximately 700 calories per hour at a steady pace. This makes it an excellent full-body workout, combining various muscle groups to boost your cardio fitness. Whether you’re gliding peacefully or tackling energetic waves, each stroke contributes significantly to your calorie-burning goals.
For most, paddle technique begins and ends as an upper body workout. Men especially, naturally rely on their upper body to do all the work of creating and controlling momentum with some core and supporting leg muscles for stability. BUT, good paddle stroke technique is all about generating power with your core and legs first. Paddle technique is not the most intuitive thing in the world – especially when there’s a water-based wobble factor involved. While paddle Pro’s who teach race and surf technique can show you the technique, it’s up to you to practice and apply them. This does take time but the gains come every session – stroke by stroke!
All good SUP workouts have an immediate application for practical purposes on the water in case the conditions change and/or your goals change and you want to paddle on moving water, adventure paddling, SUP racing, surfing and white-water. Plus, wind, waves and the water provide naturally occurring resistance so you get a two for one deal when you use your SUP for a great skill-building, interval workout. Note: while just standing on the board can be a challenge for some, the trick is finding your balance so you can focus on coordinating your movements to derive the power of each stroke from your legs and core. That’s how you create speed and gives you the ability to a great interval workout.
Pivot turns are great and have practical applications for SUP racing, surfing and white-water or you’re in a crowded water way and need to make short, sharp turns and they are also great for balance training.
Your first pivot turn – Start by standing in the center of the board, over the board handle approximately, and with shoulders back sink at the knees into a chair position and slap the surface of the water with the logo side of your paddle to brace. Shuffle your feet, one by one, towards the tail of the board, then back to the center and repeat. See how far back you can go and test the tipping point – prepare to get wet.
The further back you go the more balance skill you will need. Pro tip – keep your eyes up and the paddle in a brace position.
Make it harder by stepping back with one foot and align your body down the center of the board and really lift the nose of the board up and out of the water.
Make it harder – with good technique, paddle as fast as you can and get into a pivot position at speed, sink the tail and try and turn the board 180 degrees in one movement. Get back to the middle and paddle sprint 20 yards and repeat. Intervals and balance training all in one!
Make it harder – 5 minutes of buoy turn/sprint drills followed by a full speed (use good technique!) 2 k paddle sprint. Cool down for 5 minutes and end with 5 minutes more of buoy turns – make those shaky legs work after that 2k and you got yourself a workout.
Technique is key – think golf and tennis swing on a wobbly surface – it’ll take practice – So, start your interval workout with some technique drills – one good, slow stroke is better than 5 fast sloppy ones so start with a dynamic warm up on the water. Build to medium tempo (stroke cadence – maybe a 6 out of 10 for effort) and get warmed up for 5 minutes. Feeling warm? Good. Not yet? Check your technique.
Performing core exercises on a paddle board offers a distinct advantage over traditional gym workouts. When you’re on a paddleb oard, every movement engages your core in a unique way. The constant need to balance on the water activates smaller stabilizing muscles that you might not typically engage on solid ground. This instability requires automatic reflexive adjustments, enhancing the overall effectiveness of your core workout. Essentially, the challenge of maintaining balance on a paddleboard supercharges your core routine, providing a dynamic and invigorating exercise experience.
How Using a Stand-Up Paddle Board Enhances Proprioception
Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) offers a dynamic approach to improving proprioception, a key aspect of fitness that refers to your body’s ability to sense its position in space. Unlike traditional exercises, SUP requires constant adjustments and balance, engaging muscles in unique ways.
From the second you step onto a paddle board, your body is tasked with maintaining equilibrium. This involves an intricate dance of weight shifting between your feet, subtle movements across the deck, and bending into a slight crouch to stabilize against the movement of waves.
Key Proprioceptive Benefits of SUP:
- Continuous Balance Adjustments: Navigating the water while standing forces your body to continuously shift and adapt, enhancing balance and coordination.
- Core Engagement: Balancing on an SUP activates your core, which plays a crucial role in proprioceptive development.
- Refined Body Awareness: Regular use of a paddle board heightens your sensitivity to bodily movements and spatial orientation, translating into better proprioception.
In essence, using a stand-up paddle board as a cross-training tool doesn’t just challenge your muscles—it trains your brain to better understand and respond to physical cues in the environment, significantly enhancing proprioception over time.
Interval Drills
Technique is key—think golf and tennis swing on a wobbly surface—it’ll take practice. Start your interval workout with some technique drills. One good, slow stroke is better than five fast, sloppy ones, so begin with a dynamic warm-up on the water. Build to a medium tempo (stroke cadence—maybe a 6 out of 10 for effort) and get warmed up for 5 minutes. Feeling warm? Good. Not yet? Check your technique.
Core-Intensive Paddleboard Exercises
Alongside technique drills, incorporating core exercises will supercharge your workout. When exercising on a paddleboard, you’re constantly engaging smaller stabilizing core muscles, making it unique. Here’s how to enhance your core strength:
- Plank on the Board
Drop into plank position—knees or toes—and hold for 30 to 45 seconds. Focus on maintaining balance and core engagement. Perform for 2 minutes at 7-8 effort with good technique. - Modified Burpee
Shuffle in brace position back towards the tail, lay your paddle down the center line, touch your toes, and walk your hands out to plank position. Hold for a ten count and walk your hands back. Make it harder by throwing in a pushup. Keep it at a 7-8 effort for 2 minutes with good technique. - Rail Dips
Shoulders back and eyes up, sink into a chair position over the center of the board, slap the water with the logo side of the paddle to brace and use your lower body to sink the right rail followed by the left. Repeat, trying to get your feet wet, and stay low for a 20 count. Maintain a 2-minute effort at 7-8 with good technique. - Squats
Knock out 20 squats at the center of the board facing forward. Feeling strong? Turn sideways, still centered on the board but face the left or right rail. This is great for balance. Continue until you feel the burn, maintaining a 2-minute effort at 7-8 with good technique.
Finish Strong with a V-Sit
Scooch toward the tail of the board until the nose comes off the water, and come into a V-sit with your body perpendicular to the rails and your legs over the water. Hold until failure, challenging your core stability and endurance.
By integrating these exercises, you create a comprehensive workout that not only improves paddling technique but also significantly strengthens your core.
Through in some pivot turn/ 20 yard sprints at the end and repeat as your fitness level allows. Once you start walking around on your board and adding in calisthenics you’ll get creative and make up your own moves – it’s fun, you’re outside and you get to spend time on the water. It really is the best not just for your body but your state of mind too.
If you’re ready to get on the water, contact us today and let’s go paddle!