10 Paddle Boarding Tips for Beginners

paddle board tips

Improve Your Paddle Boarding with these Beginner Paddle Board Tips

If you are new to stand up paddle boarding and want to get off on the right foot (or stay on the right foot) here are 10 beginner paddle board tips that will help you become a master paddler. Well… maybe not a master but more competent for sure.

Form good paddling habits

Paddle boarding is not that difficult. After a few sessions your balance will get better and your skills will develop. It is obvious but be sure and learn to paddle on a flat calm day.

Lakes that are sheltered from the wind are great for beginners. You are using new muscles that don’t get worked hard in everyday life. Once your body begins to get used to this new activity progress will be fast.

Becoming a good paddle boarder takes time. You need to become comfortable on your board. When balance is no long an issue you are ready to focus on perfecting your technique.

Then you are on the way to becoming an advanced paddler. Keeping these beginner paddle board tips in mind is a good way to start.

10 Beginner SUP Technique Tips

  1. Plant your paddle blade fully in the water
  2. Keep your knees soft and slightly bent
  3. Look forward, not down
  4. Spend time paddling on your knees
  5. Stay out of shallow water
  6. Paddle into, not with the wind
  7. Keep your hands wide without a death grip on the paddle
  8. Keep your feet flat
  9. Keep your paddle in the water for balance
  10. Don’t be an arm paddler
  11. Bonus Tip: Swim for the board, not the paddle

1. Plant Your Paddle Blade Fully into the Water

Don’t go halfies with that paddle. Submerge it all the way. When you are paddling reach forward as far as comfortable and plant your paddle blade fully in the water before you start your stroke.

This will give you maximum power with each stroke and will fully engage your body giving you more stability. When your paddle is moving deep in the water your body will use it as an extra balancing point.

More power, speed and stability sounds about right to me.

2. Keep Your Knees Slightly Bent and Legs Relaxed

Your legs should never be completely straight when paddle boarding. Keep your knees slightly bent and your back straight. As you reach for your stoke hinge at the hips but keep your back straight, not hunches over.

If the water gets rough or you start to lose your balance put more bend in your knees, crouch down lower to improve your balance.

Practice squatting down to different heights when on your board. See how the depth of your squat affects your balance. Eventually your paddle board balance will become second nature.

3. Look Forward, Not Down

As a beginner it is natural to look down at the board. However this is not a good idea.

Looking down will compromise your balance. Good balance has a lot to do with your posture.

Correct posture will improve your balance.

Don’t slouch over. Keep your head up and your back straight. Keep you shoulders pulled back and down.

Bend your knees slightly but keep your legs soft.

Hinge at the hips. Don’t fold at the waist. Twist your torso.

Keep your feet flat and relaxed.

4. Spend Time Paddling on Your Knees

Become a master at paddling on your knees. Paddling on your knees can become a safe position when you are a beginner. Learn how to paddle, turn and just float when you are on your knees. Paddling on your knees is a more stable position when the water gets rough.

Most beginners learn to get to their feet from a kneeling position. It’s also a good position to take a break if your legs get tired.

If you ever get into trouble as a beginner get on your knees to stabilize your board, collect your head and paddle out of trouble.

beginner paddle board tips

5. Stay out of Shallow Water

It’s best to avoid shallow water as a beginner. When you enter the water with your board make sure the water is at least knee deep before you place your board into the water and jump on. You want to protect your fins from the bottom.

Damaging your fin box is the worse place to damage your board and the hardest to fix. Whenever you approach shallow water consider your fins and jump off your board

Exit your board when the water is waist high. Staying out of shallow water is not only a good way to protect your fins and the bottom of your board, but also better for falling.

If you fall in shallow waters you increase the odds of getting hurt. As a beginner It’s best to get on and off your board at waist high water levels.

6. Paddle Into, not with the Wind

A little wind is okay but make sure you start out by paddling into the wind. Wind to your back will increase your speed and wind in your face will increase resistance.

If you paddle with the wind you may go out quicker and farther than you should. Winds can get tricky on the water.

It may be hard to turn around and when you are ready to go back you will be paddling into the wind which will be harder and take more effort. It might take more effort than you are capable of.

You will be surprised how much resistance the wind is. This is a dangerous situation. As a beginner you don’t yet understand how much these winds will affect your performance.

When you’re standing on a paddle board your body acts like a sail.

The wind can shift and blow you places you don’t want to go.

Always monitor your distance from the shore

As a beginner you don’t want to struggle getting back into shore. So begin your session paddling into the wind and your return journey will not be an ordeal.

Respecting the wind could save your life

If the wind shifts and you find yourself in trouble lay flat on your board and paddle with your hands like a surfer. Or you can paddle on your knees. The point is to get your body out of the wind so you’re not a human sail.

Dig Deeper: Risks of Paddle Boarding

Learn: How to Paddle Board in Strong Winds

7. Keep Your Hands Wide on Your Paddle Handle

Many beginners keep their hands too close together. Your bottom hand should be half way down your paddle. if your hands are too close together you will not have paddling power.

The top hand should be on top of the paddle, the very top, don’t wrap your top hand around the shaft.

Keep your paddle straight up and down and close to your board as you paddle. This will keep you moving in a straight line. The farther your paddle is away form your board the more you will begin to turn.

Don’t white knuckle the paddle

And you don’t need a white knuckle death grip on your paddle. Instead, think of your hands as hooks and your arms as levers. Your power should come from you legs, core and back, not your arms. Gripping your board too tight will activate your arms and that is not what you want.

8. Keep Your Feet Flat and Relaxed

Beginners often lift their heels off the board. It’s important when learning to keep your feet flat with the weight balanced over your entire foot.

Visualize the bottom of your feet as a triangle. The pads below your big toe, little toe and heel form a triangle. Focus on keeping even pressure on these three pads.

Notice how if you lean too far forward the pressure moves to the toe pads and off your heel. Whenever your pressure is not equal on the three pads of the foot triangle your balance is compromised. 

This correct foot pressure and keeping your knees slightly bent will go a long way to maintaining your balance.

Besides balance the foot triangle is the key to correct paddling posture. If you can focus even pressure on this triangle your paddling posture will naturally align. Your back will straighten out and your shoulders and head will be properly aligned.

Sore feet?

While we are talking about your feet, it is very common for beginner paddlers to have sore feet. This is because you will try and dig or grip your toes into the board to help stabilize yourself. These small muscles in your feet are rarely used so they might be sore the next day.

Move your feet around a bit when paddling. Think about relaxing your feet when you can. Wiggle your toes. After a few sessions your feet and ankles will become conditioned.

9. Keep Your Paddle in the Water

Your board is more stable when it is moving. So keep that paddle moving even when things get shaky. The faster your board is moving through the water the easier it is to balance.

You also have better balance when your paddle is in the water. With your paddle in the water you have three balance points instead of just two feet.

Keep your board moving, the paddle in the water, your feet flat and your knees slightly bent. These are the keys to developing your balance as a paddler.

paddle boarding tips

10. Don’t be an Arm Paddler

Don’t be an arm paddler. Stand up paddle boarding is a full body activity. Think of your arms as a lever. When you are paddling your arms should just go along for the ride.

The power for paddling comes from your legs, core and back. Arm paddlers have little power and get tired quickly. When paddling don’t pull the paddle through the water. Focus on pulling the board, not your paddle.

Your trying to move the board through the water, not the paddle. Instead focus on pulling your feet and the board through the water past your paddle.

Pull your feet to the paddle

Reach forward as far as comfortable twisting your body. Your arms should be straight when you paddle first hits the water. Submerge the paddle completely. Now pull your feet to your paddle using your back, legs and core.

When you are paddling you should feel pressure from to bottoms of your feet, up through your legs, across your core and into your back. It’s good to focus on your feet and the board moving, not on your paddle.

When your paddle reaches your feet lift it out of the water. Paddling past your feet is inefficient.

Bonus Tip

11. Swim for the Board, Not the Paddle

If you fall off your board swim for the board, not the paddle.

First of all, you should be wearing a board leash around your ankle. But if for some crazy reason you are not wearing a leash and you fall swim for your board.

If you lose your board you are screwed. If you lose your paddle you can still paddle your board with your hands. Your board is an excellent flotation device. Grab your board, climb back up, lay on your belly and paddle with your hands like a surfer to retrieve your paddle.

Q: What advice would you give somebody who’s trying out SUP for the first time?


Kai Lenny, Professional Waterman: I guess more than anything, getting out on stand-up is the best entry sport to surfing, and water sports in general, because it’s so easy to learn. Then there’s so much growth to it. First and foremost, if you’re unfamiliar with water and waves, know what you’re getting yourself into — having safety equipment, wearing a leash on your board. If you decide to go out on waves, go to a spot where there’s not many people or no one’s out.

Don’t go over your skill level. It takes time, and baby steps are the best way to improve and grow in all of these sports. If you try to rush it, you’re going to end up hurting yourself and hurting someone else. If you’re just doing it out on a lake, it’s awesome because you can adventure to all these different parts. It’s really just deciding to go on water, in that sense. You’re also going to get the best workout. You can avoid the gym if you just stand and paddle. I would say safety, though, is paramount in any new water sport you do.

Dig Deeper

Read: Best Mid-priced All-Around Inflatable Paddle Boards

Read: Buying Your First Paddle Board

Explore: Beginner Paddle Board Terms

More: How Long Does it Take to Paddle Board a Mile?

Explore: Are Inflatable Paddle Boards Worth It?

Leave a Comment