“If you have never been on a stand-up paddleboard, it may be tough for you to understand the fascination of people who have been on it. But when we tell you that stand up paddle boarding is an incredible adventure that is worth every little effort and every single penny you spend we will not be lying one bit. Paddleboarding has the world of outdoor adventures swooning on it. People have been increasingly inclined towards trying it out only to find themselves going back to do it once again and then again. Because it has emerged as a favorite sport, there are people, who were earlier skeptical about the level of preparation it would take to go on a paddleboarding trip are now open-heartedly into the sport. Paddleboarding can come to you as an activity of pure fun and joy if you are someone who loves new experiences, chooses the unconventional and likes to take up new challenges. If you are a health and body conscious person, you will love it all the more because one session of paddleboarding is thoroughly taxing, physically. Moreover, it is not just the session during which you have to work out. Paddleboarding requires you to be fit even before you can do it. It works wonders on your body by burning fat and sculpting it in the best possible manner. But to have that you have to pass the test of endurance, focus and strength, both physical and mental.
Paddleboarding is a breath of fresh air in the stream of the age old outdoor adventure sports, and if you have been planning to take up this fantastic challenge and go on a paddleboarding trip, we come to you with some excellent preparation exercises tips and suggestions. They are there to make sure that you have a checklist prepared before you set out and when you come back, you know that your trip could not have been better than it was.
Let us begin!
Now, paddleboarding may be rewarding, but as we already stated, it is a challenge for many. Not everyone can simply get up and say that they want to go on one such trip. Not unless they have prepared their body for it. Paddleboarding needs you to focus your attention on the board while also knowing where you are going. It needs you to learn how to maintain your balance while on the board and how to regain it if you lose it. All of that comes with prior preparation. When it comes to preparing yourself physically, here are some exercises that you need to do:
The Overhead Squat: The overhead squat will work up your entire body. It promotes joint mobility which in turn makes you a great paddler. Since the board is mostly unstable and it is all about learning how to balance yourself, the overhead squat will give your core and your butt a workout that will help to ensure that you can maintain the balance. To do an overhead squat, you need to:
– Take a paddleboard and stand in the centre towards the back side of the board. Keep your feet as far as the paddleboard permits from each other.
– Now, hold the paddle with both hands. Make sure that your grip is wide and fully extended above your head.
– Squat down with your heels down and your butt back. See if the paddle above you is in line with the shoulders while your arms are still fully extended above your head.
The Shallow Squat Paddle: Just like overhead squat, the shallow squat paddle also works on the whole body and gets your heart pumping. In addition to that, this exercise will help you grab the basics of the paddling technique. To do shallow squat paddling:
– Stand on the back side of the board in the center. Keep your feet at a distance of two or three inches away from the paddleboard’s edges. Your posture here will depend on the width of your paddleboard and your height.
– Once you have attained the said position, grab the paddle with one hand towards the top. Use the other hand to hold the paddle just a tad bit higher than the centre of the paddle.
– Start paddling after putting the paddle in the water. As you paddle, make use of the middle grip to pull. The upper grip should be used to push squat one-third way down.
– Now go back to the standing position with the paddle in the water and repeat the entire process.
The Stagger Stance Row: This exercise will add the final touch of physical preparation for the paddleboarding trip. It will help you feel comfortable on the board while you are moving your feet while also making sure that your butt and your core are working out. To do stagger stance row:
– Stand towards the back of the board in the middle. Keep your feet not more than an inch or two away from the edge of the board. Take half a step with one foot in the forward direction and half a step with the other foot in the backward direction. The gap between the toes of the back foot and the heel of the front foot should not be less than at least four to six inches.
– Now you need to bend your knees slightly and keep them that way.
– Paddle the board using the technique mentioned above.
– During paddling, switch your footing after every four paddles.
Once you have completed training yourself in these three basic exercises and you feel that you know the fundamentals you can try to experiment a bit.
A tip that you must remember before you enter the water with your paddleboard is that you must work with the water. Working against it will only lead to you tipping and falling into it. It may seem like a challenge, especially in the beginning but it is something that you can easily pick up with practice.
Now that you are physically prepared, we can get down to packing stuff. Here is how you should get started:
Get the right paddleboard: Ignoring this aspect can ruin the entire trip. You must get a board that is stable enough and can also handle your weight along with an additional 50 pounds. Consider the distance that you are aiming to cover. If you are going to cover shorter distances, the board alone will be okay, but if you are planning to cover at least 10 to 15 miles in a single day, then you will also need a floating dock. Buy boards that come with strap attachments and have a design that is fit to handle heavy loads.
Pack lightly: Packing lightly but smartly is always the trick to any happy and memorable trip. Light packing will help maintain stability on the paddleboard. Before you set out, have a look at the weather forecast of the place you are going to. If there is a possibility of rain, you may have to reconsider shifting your items into a waterproof dry bag. Instead of bringing the tent for the night, bring an emergency tarp. Also, pack an extra pair of non-paddling clothes.
Tell your plan: Let a friend or a relative know about your plan to go paddleboarding. You must have heard stories and seen movies in which adventurers are left stranded on their adventures with the outside world having no knowledge of where they are. Things can go wrong, and they do at times. You have to be prepared for the worst of circumstances. Carry a SPOT device with you and give your travel itinerary to someone close to you.
Food and water: You have to remain hydrated and full of energy at all times. For that, you need to take some food items that will give you the necessary nutrients. MRE or Meals, Ready to Eat are an excellent food choice. They are packed in the hermetically sealed environment and are therefore impact resistant. They are ruggedized and have a high shelf life from 3 days up to 5 years which means that the nutritional content of these packs does not deteriorate over time. Each MRE package is high in calories that give you enough energy for the day. A single box of MRE contains meals for the entire day. It has snacks, desserts, and beverages along with eating utensils that include plate, fork or spoon. A single pack is self-sufficient, and you do not even need to heat it up externally before consuming. The MRE boxes come with a self-activated heating system which makes sure that you eat a hot meal. MREs are quite convenient to take with you on such outdoor trips. Some MREs also come with water packs that you can drink from after your meal is complete. MRE also supply individual water packets which you can buy for additional water source because hydration is a primary requirement. If you are store owner with outdoor equipment you may want to check our wholesale page.
Apart from the Meals, Ready to Eat you could take some protein bars and other snacks to munch on during breaks. Make sure whatever you take is healthy and not just tasty because more than anything, paddleboarding will need you to have enough energy and physical stamina.
Take small steps at the beginning: Ambition is good but please don’t go for the 15 miles in your first or second time. Practice makes a man perfect, so to start you have to find an isolated campsite with a broad expanse of water. Five miles for the first day is ambitious and tiring enough.
Clothing: Pack the following items with you:
– Hiking boots
– Sandals
– Rain coat
– Two pair lightweight hiking socks
– Towel
– Three pairs of shorts
– Three shirts
– One pair of pants
– Straw wide brim hat
Navigation: Since large stretches of water are usually found outside the boundaries of cities and towns you will have to be on foot to locate the place where you will paddleboard. It is essential that you take some navigation device such as a GPS with you to make sure that you don’t get lost and even if you do, you have something to direct you to the right path. Also, take a map with you but make sure you know how to read it and identify the terminology.
Light Source: Get a lantern or a headlamp with you. Though you will be paddleboarding during the day, you will need this when it gets dark, and you start to set up your camp for the night.
Have a great trip!”