Monday, December 17, 2007

How to Paddle

Paddling your surfboard is an important step in learning to surf. Stronger paddlers generally catch more waves than less stronger paddlers and therefore turn into better surfers. It is very important to be a good paddler, not only because it allows you to catch more waves but also for your own safety. Being a good paddler can only be to your advantage. Often it is only the best paddlers that make it out the back. The weaker paddlers often get pushed back towards the shore and never get beyond the breaking waves.

Also, when it is busy, it is often only the best paddlers that catch the waves, because everyone else is too slow. The best paddlers can claim their waves faster than everyone else. If you are a below average paddler, it is often very hard to even get a wave when the line up is busy.

One of the most important parts of paddling a surfboard is your position on the board. When learning to surf, it is very common to see beginner surfers paddling the board incorrectly due to incorrect positioning on the board. The board needs to plane across the water when you paddle it. This usually means the nose of the board comes out of the water about two inches. Your body should always be centered on the board. If you are riding a long board your feet should be on the board, if you are riding a short board your feet should be slightly raised off the board while you paddle.

Body position is all important while paddling the board. To keep it planing you need to be far enough back so that the nose doesn't dip under water, as this makes it extremely difficult to paddle. You also don't want the nose of the board sticking out too far, this just makes you look stupid, and also difficult to paddle. While beginning to paddle, a common method to make things slightly easier is to move your feet apart, just enough to make it easier to balance.

Your paddling strokes should be similar to swimming freestyle. You do not need to go quite as deep as you would when swimming though. Just pull yourself through the water as fast as you can while still keeping your balance. Always keep the board planing, don't let the nose dip under or stick out too far. This will make your paddling much more efficient and easier for you. Spending time swimming while your not surfing can also improve your paddling strength and endurance,your going to need it. Practice paddling as often as you can and you will be rewarded with great paddling strength, meaning you will catch more waves than everyone else!

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