ASI SUP Wise Competency Standards (Enclosed Flat Water)

Key areas include understanding the SUP environment, recognizing safe weather and water conditions, identifying hazards, and selecting suitable and safe paddling locations.

Using the correct paddle stroke is essential for safe paddling over distances without fatigue, maintaining balance to reduce falls and injuries, and controlling the board for sudden stops, effective navigation, and using speed to avoid hazards. Moreover, correct technique minimizes muscle strain.

SUP Wise provides three paddle stroke skill levels—Basic, Foundation, and Technical—allowing you to master skills at your own pace.

Flexible delivery formats are available to fit your schedule and goals, whether for recreational paddling or taking the first steps to becoming an instructor.

Enrol with an ASI Technical Coach, ASI Accredited SUP School or ASI direct, to kickstart your SUP adventures!

Locations and Conditions 

Enclosed Flat Water paddling locations are defined as: 

• Inland waterways including rivers, lakes, lagoons, estuaries, canals 

• Flat water with no swell or breaking waves 

• Wind speed less than 12 knots

• No more than 250 metres (820ft) from shore

• At least 200 metres (660ft) away from a river mouth

Pre-requisites

Before paddling at these locations, you should be able to:

• Swim 50 metres (without buoyancy aid)

• Tread water for 5 minutes (in deep water)  

Equipment Suitable at this Location

Flat water stand up paddle board with a coiled leash
Paddle

Skills and Knowledge Topics

To paddle correctly and safely at this level, requires the following skills and knowledge:  

Environment & Safety

• Recognise features of enclosed flat water environments

• Identify safe weather conditions and forecast them

• Understand various water conditions

• Identify regulations and hazards at paddling locations

• Choose safe and suitable SUP paddling locations

• Understand environmental impacts

Personal Safety

• Recognise the personal hazards specific to paddling

• Understand how correct paddle technique helps minimize muscle injuries

• Practice proper SUP flat water etiquette

• Learn the self-rescue method using prone paddling

Equipment & Clothing

• Select an appropriate flat water board, type of leash, and other equipment

• Learn correct methods for carrying the board, including entry and exit techniques

• Properly use leashes

• Choose suitable clothing for paddling

Technique - Paddle Stroke

• Understand correct paddle stroke techniques - position, posture, paddle control, reach, hinging and 5 phases of the paddle stroke– entry, catch, power phase, exit, recovery.
  

• Understand how each part of the paddle stroke affects paddling performance.
  

• Demonstrate basic paddle stroke techniques:

• Correct position and posture

• Balanced and confident

• Paddle control basics including basic techniques for holding the paddle, entry to water and arm positioning

• Paddle in relatively straight line

• Some hinging and some reach

Paddle stroke speed:

• Basic level:   Confident with basic skills, achieving 30 strokes per minute.

• Foundation level:  Moderate paddler, improved technique with a speed of 40 strokes per minute. (minimum Instructor level)

• Technical level:  Strong paddler, achieve technical perfection and paddle strength with 50 strokes per minute. (Minimum technical coach level)

Technique - Other Paddle Skills

• Identify methods of safe entry and exit

• Paddle on knees with correct technique – 2 methods

• Transitioning from kneeling to standing to kneeling – 2 methods

• Maintaining balance using bracing stroke

• How to maintain direction and paddle in a straight line

• Turn the board using back paddling and sweep strokes

• How to stop the board – 2 methods

• How to fall safely and 2 methods to easily get back on your board