Problems with my paddling

Paddling, especially when starting surfing, is probably the most important aspect to get right. Do it right and you can catch loads of waves! Get it wrong and you get out of the water a little frustrated!

There are several key factors to getting paddling right that we will cover:

POWER OVER PACE (the problem): Many people when starting out seem to think that if they paddle faster they’ll get into waves quicker. In most cases when paddling fast, people seem to increase the ammount of splash they produce, this in surfing is a big no no. Any water travelling through the air is wasted energy.

POWER OVER PACE (the solution): When looking to increase your speed on the board you should first look to increase the power of your stroke, by this I mean once your hand enters the water you should be pulling more firmly through the water while still keeping the stroke as long as possible only then should you increase and stroke rate!

POSTURE and STREAMLINE: Small differences in you posture and streamlining can make a huge difference to the paddling effiency. Here’s a few to start with:

• Keep your feet together  (the more of you there is in the water the more there is to drag!)
• Look where you want to going!  don’t just put your head down and paddle blindly.
• Keep relaxed (this will help you save energy)
• Get your body position right on your board. (to far back and you’ve increased your drag alot!)