SUP - how hard is it really?

[Legallybleachblonde]

My friend and I are having a stand up paddle board lesson at the weekend. Friends who go paddle boarding regularly laugh and say how easy it is and make you feel a bit of an idiot tbh but, if it's so easy, why is our beginner lesson 1.5 hours? Would love to hear from anyone who's just started out and what the reality is. Am I going to be falling in every 2 minutes?! (Hope not).

If you're on flat water like a lake you'll be fine. Keep a slight bend in your legs to start of you struggle with balance.

Chop makes it a bit trickier but you'll most likely not fall in. Try to bring the paddle not further back than you ankle as that threw me off balance a bit at first.

Inflatables are a bit trickier than hard boards but not by much.

Have a good time and remember you can always kneel for a bit if you feel nervous.

Oh and also if you find you get really scared of falling and hitting the board as you fall....you won't. I was scared of this but it shoots out from under you, you don't tend to hit it.

I had a lesson this morning for 1 and a half hours. He showed us the basics and then we spent the rest of the time paddling around the lake.

DCs 10 and 8 did it too. It's not hard at all. You won't be taught for that time, you'll spend it paddling. It's great fun.

I would have thought that getting back on if you fall off would be a challenge, so that would be a significant part of the lesson. Also how to balance, move around, turn etc.

One of those things that's easy if you're so inclined, but bloody hard if you're not.

I had a lesson last year on the sea at almost 19 stone.. I kept falling off and found it impossible to get back on.
I’ve now lost 51lbs and I’m determined to have another go this summer.

Well thank you all for your posts but I have just had an email from the paddle board company to say the marina has closed them down!! So we won't be going tomorrow afterall :-( gutted. Can't believe it!

sorry to hear that OP. I'm just coming on to say, for next time, you don't need a lesson, have a quick squizz at you tube so you know which way to hold the paddle, and go for it. I've been a few times and the only time I fell off was when I was on a narrow canal and bumped into a boat - I actually fell onto the board not the water and wish I'd been in the water because the board is hard! The most likely time to fall in is when you're getting out. You can kneel down the whole time if you feel unsure. It's lovely and very easy, especially if you spend most of your time lying on it drifting across a lake watching dragon flies.