Paddleboarding Techniques: Stance, Efficient Paddling, and Common Mistakes

Stand-up paddleboarding is an accessible sport that offers significant benefits for improving physical fitness. However, it requires good paddleboarding technique, which comes with time and practice. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about SUP technique and invite you to explore our collection of paddleboards.

Starting position: feet, knees, and gaze

In stand-up paddleboarding, there is a concept known as the neutral stance, which defines the position you should adopt on the board. It determines where to place your feet and allows you to maintain optimal balance, maximize your paddling power, and paddle efficiently—all key aspects of good SUP technique.

Adopting the neutral stance doesn't just ensure that you can paddleboard without any trouble. The position of your feet on the paddleboard also prevents you from having to struggle to maintain your balance, which delays the onset of fatigue and allows you to enjoy this water sport even more.

To get into a neutral stance on the board, simply place your feet in the center of the non-slip surface. Use these guidelines to find the exact spot:

• Find the center handle of the board and place your feet on either side of it, keeping it in the middle.
• The distance between your feet should be the same as the width of your shoulders. Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
  

But it’s not just about placing your feet in the center of the board. A neutral stance also involves keeping your knees slightly bent. This allows your body to better absorb the board’s movements, making it easier to maintain your balance.

The final factor that helps improve stability—here are some exercises to help you improve your balance—and which is key to paddleboarding technique is your gaze.

Looking at the nose of the board is counterproductive. The best thing to do is to look away. Find a point on the horizon and focus on it while you paddle. You’ll find that the feeling of imbalance disappears and it’s easier to stay on the board.

Oar grip and entry into the water

More important than knowing how to hold the paddle is adjusting the height correctly so you can paddle comfortably and efficiently, thereby improving your SUP technique.

To adjust the height of the pole, place the pole on the ground and stand to one side. Extend your arm overhead while extending the telescoping section of the pole. Once the handle reaches your wrist on your outstretched arm and you can place your hand on top of it, you have adjusted the height of the oar. As a reference: the handle should be between 18 cm and 25 cm above your head.

Your grip on the paddle is key to good stand-up paddleboarding technique. The first step is to determine the proper hand spacing when holding the paddle. To do this, hold the top handle with one hand and the shaft with the other. Hold it above your head and adjust the distance between your hands until your elbows form two 90-degree angles.

Once you’ve inflated your paddleboard to the correct pressure, it’s time to get in the water. Keep in mind that at beaches, lakes, and reservoirs, the water is shallow near the shore. Use the center handle to carry the board, and avoid dragging it to prevent damage to the fins. Once you’re in the water and it reaches about knee-deep, you can safely set the board down.

If you don't want to carry it, you can rest the nose in the water and hold the tail—where the fins are—in the air until the water is deep enough to set the board down. The goal here is to prevent the fins from hitting rocks or scraping the bottom.

Paddleboarding technique for efficient paddling

Poor SUP technique is when you get tired quickly while paddling without making any headway or gaining speed. That’s why it’s essential to paddle efficiently. And the way to do that is by letting your torso do most of the work, rather than your arms.

Keep in mind that when paddling, your back (specifically, your lat muscles) is what should be generating the force. If you generate that force with your arms, you’ll get tired in a matter of minutes—something you’ll want to avoid on a paddleboarding trip. Therefore, try to make sure the force in your stroke comes from your core and not your arms.

The lever action is key here. When paddling, enter the paddle into the water near the nose of the board and create leverage. To do this, the hand on the handle pushes the paddle, while the hand on the shaft pulls it, drawing the paddle toward your body. Keep your elbows straight so that the lever action is effective.

Stay on course and correct the zigzag

Paddling isn't just about moving forward. It requires the skill to stay on course, especially on longer routes and crossings. To do this, alternating your strokes is essential. This will allow you to paddle toward your destination and avoid the famous zigzagging caused by waves and wind (here you'll find an explanation of the types of wind conditions suitable for paddleboarding).

Keep in mind that the side you paddle on will cause the board to turn in the opposite direction. In other words, if you paddle on the right side of the paddleboard, the board will move to the left. If you do the opposite, it will turn to the right. For that reason, avoid always paddling on the same side, or you’ll end up going in circles.

One way to develop good paddleboarding technique, stay on course, and correct any zigzagging is to do sets of 3 or 4 strokes on each side of the board. Start on one side and switch to the other to do the same number of strokes. Don’t forget to switch the position of your hands when switching from paddling on one side to the other. The hand that was previously on the handle will move to the shaft, and vice versa.

Depending on wind conditions or if there are waves, the board may drift to one side without you needing to paddle. When this happens, you should correct the drift by paddling on the opposite side.

For example, if the board drifts to the left, paddle to the left to push it to the right and move in a straight line. You’ll probably rarely need to paddle to the right, except to make slight course corrections.

Basic turns and control

To turn while paddleboarding, you need to do the opposite of what we’ve explained for staying on course. The paddle stroke is what causes the board to turn, so you’ll need to paddle on one side to make the board turn. However, this paddleboarding technique will cause the board to turn only slightly. If you want to change direction or make sharper turns, here are two different techniques:

• Tight turn: To make the board turn at a sharper angle—for example, 90 degrees—you should gradually move the paddle away from the side of the board as you paddle. To do this, enter the water near the nose of the board and gradually move the paddle away from the side of the board as you complete the paddling motion. The goal is for the paddle to be next to the nose when you start the stroke and to end up away from the side of the board by the end of the movement. The further the paddle is from the board, the sharper the turn will be.
• Changing Direction: The turn is a somewhat more advanced SUP technique, but it’s extremely effective for changing the direction of the board. To do this, while stationary, you should make a semicircular motion with the paddle, starting at the nose and ending at the tail—or vice versa—keeping the paddle as far away from your body as possible. This type of paddling will cause the board to pivot on a static vertical axis, making it very useful for maneuvering when entering or exiting the water, or if you need to change direction quickly in a tight space.

6 exercises to get in shape fast

Practicing these 6 exercises will help you improve your stand-up paddleboarding technique. If this is your first time on a board (here’s a complete guide to learning how to stand-up paddleboard), follow these steps to build your skills gradually before mastering this water sport:

1. Learn how to grip the oar: a basic but very useful exercise is to practice your oar grip. This includes everything from hand placement to alternating your hands when switching sides. Doing this correctly will improve your dexterity, coordination, and speed.
2. Start on the shore: Before getting in the water, it’s best to practice on the shore. Use the board as a base (remove the fins so you don’t damage them) and try placing your feet in the neutral stance and paddling to get used to the position of your arms and knees. This will give you confidence, and you won’t jump right into surfing without first getting a feel for it.
3. It's easier on your knees: if you're worried about stability, try kneeling first. It's a very useful SUP technique that will help you gain confidence and understand how the board behaves while paddling. Position yourself in the center of the board and find a kneeling position that feels comfortable.
4. Find a calm spot: Before taking the plunge and stepping onto the board, try a spot where the water is calm—preferably with no wind currents—and stay away from swimmers, the shore, and anything you might hit if you fall into the water. In paddleboarding, confidence comes with practice, and it’s best to always do it in a controlled environment.
5. Practice paddling: once you’ve found your balance on the board, it’s time to practice with the paddle. Paddle calmly and gradually get used to the feeling of standing up. Your body needs to adjust to transfer power with each stroke. Remember that paddleboarding is a sport that works a wide variety of muscles, from your back and arms to your core and legs. Try to find the right balance among them all to gain experience little by little.
6. More complex maneuvers: Save the most advanced exercises for last. For example, turning in a U-turn or more technical maneuvers, such as riding backward on the board, require greater skill. To do this, it’s essential to master the five previous steps. Once you’ve reached this point, it’s time to try new techniques, but always in controlled and safe environments.

You already know all the tips for mastering SUP technique. Now it's time to put them into practice and start enjoying this exciting activity.

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