A Convert to Stand Up Paddle
Posted: 5 July 2017
Lisa Woodruff works on the ASI's Marketing and has been surfing for over 25 years. She has seen many water sports fads come and go, but the meteoric rise of Stand Up Paddleboarding in the line-up over the years has been so prevalent that during a recent flat spell she decided to see what all the fuss was about...
"I’ve always been happy to go in the sea on a longboard when the waves are barely knee high but on one particular extended flat spell, I decided to take out a friend's SUP ‘Just to get out on the water’. Basically, I was desperate.
I’ve always wondered what all the fuss was about having watched people with paddles go up and down in the water and standing further out and taking all the small waves that come through.
So on this occasion, having walked a mile with this huge paddle board and paddle I was feeling a bit hot and bothered by it by the time I got the shoreline.
However, once I got in the water I was quite surprised by the ease of it. It was remarkably easy to stand on and to paddle, using the techniques shown to me by the ASI qualified instructor.
The conditions were flat as flat could be and not a breath of wind. So, off we went around the headland at Godrevy in Cornwall England UK. Such an amazing view, being higher up I could see right down to the seabed. We watched fish and seals swimming and popping up all around, so wonderful to be so close to the marine life.
I know this coastline particularly well but from the water, it looked totally different and we paddled in and out of coves that you can’t see from land or wouldn’t bother to look for from a surfboard. It was utterly beautiful and still.
It gets hot. I had a wetsuit on and the more I paddled the more of a sweat I got up and had to take it halfway down. I was working out but it didn’t feel arduous (though I felt it in my arms, legs and core all the next day).
By the time we paddled back to the shore I was so hot I had to dive in to cool off. Then I tried a bit of stretching on the board before heading in.
SUP is so versatile. You can use it to get from A to B. To fish from if you care to drop a mackerel line in off the back as you cruise along. To do a hard workout (some ASI Schools offer SUP fitness sessions). You can even do a water based yoga session on the SUP. You can transport your canines, your belongings (in a dry bag) or your children wearing floatation devices. You can race them, surf them and you can even cross an ocean on one if you're that way inclined!
A lot of my friends have been telling me the benefits of SUP as a family friendly watersport for years but now, having finally tried it, I completely understand why.
SUP is so accessible. From people with disabilities, for youngsters, for unfit mums and dads, for older people and for everyone in between through to those super elite cross ocean racers. SUP is for everyone.
So, although I’ll never give up surfing when the waves are good. I’m a convert for when the surf is flat. It’s the best way to get your water fix from a completely different perspective."
Why not try it? Contact the Academy of Surf Instructors (ASI) to find your nearest accredited SUP school. The ASI is the world's leading stand-up paddle accreditation and training organisation.
They offer SUP Wise beginner courses. A learn to stand up paddle program specially developed to make learning easy. They also offer SUP instructor courses worldwide and are the leading provider in paddle boarding education.
ASI (Academy of Surfing Instructors), is the worldwide peak body for Instructors and Coaches in the outdoor recreation and sport industry for surfing, stand up paddle and bodyboarding.
www.academyofsurfing.com
We set the standards for education, accreditation, professional development and ongoing support for our members, offering pathways from entry level to elite level.
International Instructor and Coach Accreditation. You can travel the world with ASI.
ASI Accredited Schools abide by the high international standards for operations, training and safety.
