Surfboard. Check.
Wetsuit. Check.
Ocean Safety. Check.
If you missed any of those checkmarks, go back and read the first 3 articles. We’ve finally reached the part of the series where you will be getting active. There are 3 fundamentals in surfing that you need to learn about and understand before you start catching waves – paddling, the pop up, and proper surf stance. In this article, I’m going to go over paddling and best practices for how to paddle on a surfboard.
As a beginner, you are going to be spending LOTS of time paddling in the ocean. The better you are at paddling, the better surfer you’ll be. The best paddlers get the most waves and that results in a lot of progress. So if you want to be a good paddler, there are a few things to keep in mind as you start out.
First, where should you be on your board?
I’m going to focus on beginners in this article, and beginners should be on a foam board. If you are on a short board, this is not for you.
So, lay down on your big comfy foam board, get your feet out of the water and find the very edge of your board with your toes. This is where you want to be when you are paddling. If you are really short, you may need to move up just a bit so the board isn’t pushing so much water, but you can start to adjust this as you get a feel for paddling.
Getting yourself in the optimal position is going to make sure you have the least resistance with the water. If you are too far back, you are going to be pushing the water (nose sticking up too far). If you are too far forward, your nose will dip and you will be dragging. You want to be pretty much flat, with your nose out of the water.
Now that you have your toes at the base of the board, arch your back. This puts you in the best paddle position. It makes it easier for your arms and shoulders to paddle correctly. This may be challenging at first, but as you spend time in the water, it will become second nature.
Don’t paddle with your head straight down.
Keep that back arched, head up, and make sure that the nose of your board is out of the water 1-2 inches so that you maintain the least amount of resistance with the water. You want to have a mostly flat plane, you don’t want to be pushing water or dragging.
Next, lets look at your hands. Don’t fully cup your hands, keep your fingers slightly apart. Cupping your hands reduces the area in the water and you end up going slower. It can also result in injury.
Now it’s time to start paddling, so what do you actually do with your arms?
It’s basically good front stroke technique. Get your arm fully out of the water after each stroke. Use FULL strokes, not little half strokes. Consistent motion, one arm at a time.
Don’t paddle with both arms.
Don’t windmill your arms or paddle too far off to the side, you’ll use too much energy or you’ll wobble.
Don’t put your head down.
Don’t spread your legs, keep them out of the water!
Paddling is actually a fairly simple concept, but it’s hard to master. You have lots of things to deal with when you’re in the water, like other people, rip currents, waves, tides. So keep those fundamentals in mind when you first get out, really focus on keeping those feet out of the water, keep that back arched and head up.
Don’t be surprised if your arms feel like noodles within 10 minutes, that’s totally normal. Even if you are a gym warrior, paddling will use muscles you aren’t used to using and you will get tired very quickly. As you go out more and more, you will build up paddle endurance and eventually be able to paddle for an hour without blinking an eye.
If you need help or tips with paddling, feel free to leave a comment on my YouTube video or shoot me an email. In the next article, we’ll tackle our second fundamental, the pop up!