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Stand up paddle boarding and the five Ps to improve.

Stand up paddle boarding is commonly billed as an easy watersport. Whilst it isn’t as technical as some ‘easy’ isn’t the correct word to use. Accessible if far more appropriate. Just as with anything stand up paddle boarding requires time, dedication and focus to improve. Even having just started out this applies. If only to get to the point of paddling straight lines accurately. For anything more, the four Ps apply.

Patience with stand up paddle boarding.

It’s understandable that anyone with aspirations to progress within stand up paddle boarding wants to do so quickly. Whilst there’s a certain element of fun stemming from being a newbie, nobody wants to stay a beginner forever. Add to the mix modern day life, with all its trappings of responsibility, and time is valuable. and often in short supply.

Stand up paddle boarding and the five Ps to improve.
With patience your stand up paddle boarding will improve.

We appreciate that falling often, hitting plateaus and seeming to not moving forwards can be frustrating. But patience is key. Unless you happen to be extremely gifted and athletic then progression happens over a period of time. Stick with it and all will come good. Looking back that big hurdle you perceived from way back will be but a distant memory.

Practise.

Practice makes perfect. Especially where stand up paddle boarding’s concerned. Repetition, repetition and more repetition are the key. The caveat to this is as long as it’s the right skill being practiced in the right way. Falling into the trap of doing the wrong thing can sometimes happen. Make sure that you understand exactly what you’re trying to achieve. then research the most efficient way of doing it.

If it’s skills based training then perhaps a round of coaching would be a good idea. Having a professionally qualified paddler show you the key technique(s) will save a lot of heartaches. And get you there much quicker.

Whatever type of SUP you’re into practice makes perfect.

Perseverance.

Stand up paddle boarding – much like anything else – requires effort. As much as time’s a factor so is the amount of work you put into achieving your goals. You need to persevere with it. Nothing happens overnight, in terms of reaching that next level. Although as with above there are ways to speed processes up and be more efficient.

Bottom line, however, is the more time you put in and the more you persevere with something more likelihood you have of reaching your destination. Set your goals, focus on them and stick with them until the job’s done.

Progression in stand up paddle boarding.

One of the most aspects of SUP is to progress. This doesn’t have to be entering the high performance SUP ring. You don’t need to charge big waves, smash race podiums or huck big volume white water. Stand up paddle boarding progression can be a simple as staying dry for longer. Or refining your existing paddle stroke.

If you want to SUP like this then you need to progress.

There’s a lot of guff doing the rounds about how we all should be scaling the heights on the super achievement ladder. SUP progression doesn’t need to be this way. There’s nothing wrong pootling along in the sun. Progression can therefore be much more minute. Yet designed to enhance the fun element considerably. Going back to falling off your SUP less; a dryer rider will enjoy their sessions more. And in a wider range of conditions through the seasons. If you want to leave it at that then so be it.

Passion.

Ultimately you need passion for the things you do. If you don’t have passion for stand up paddle boarding then no kind of progression will happen. In which case switch your focus to something else that does grab your attention.

Here at McConks we’re all passionate about SUP and having paddlers enjoy their time afloat. The more smiles the happier we are. And we know you will be too.

For more articles like this head over to McConks’ article pages here.

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