SUP Technique(s)
This has become a very interesting subject for me, personally...as I started out on my board in 2014, the "George logic" told me that speed and efficiency would be best accomplished by keeping the "business end" of the paddle in the water for as long a length possible. Side note: my "wingspan" is about 6 ½ feet (maybe a touch more) so, after some observation, I am capable of an 8-foot "stroke", starting about 2 behind the "nose" of the board (duh) and continuing all the way (and slightly beyond) the "tail".
I was (obviously) wrong, but I had "lucked into" something. TYJ!
Turns out, "my" stroke (unequivocally) optimizes conditioning and expended energy. But not speed.
About a year after I got my start with the SUP, I struck up a friendship with a Tampa-area SUP owner (and not surprisingly, a young FIT gentleman who is a constant fixture in local SUP competitions). The actual, "race" stroke (to maximize speed) is 18-24 inches, with much-accelerated paddle strokes. While my average speed is consistently, unerringly 3-3.3 MPH, the racers travel at 6MPH (!). And before you think: "Wait a minute, they're going twice your speed, and on the ocean—with "chop"—ergo they're stronger, ergo their "stroke" MUST make them stronger, and thus is the more intense motion for working out". Nope, and I have (somewhat) scientific support for the above.
Here are some "constants" for me and my workout (and they are the "baseline" for our Calorie-counter):
- "Flat", calm water — but with the occasional breeze, of course...our lake is inland about 10-12 miles
- 40 pound SUP
- 3 MPH — I have set out a "course" on our lake of exactly 3 miles, so that is my workout, when I'm able
At any rate, back to my SUP-racing friend: his SUP shop also contains an expensive, SUP simulator (about $2,500) that he rents out for $20/hour. It is a pretty doggone good, accurate facsimile. On about my 2nd-3rd time in his shop, I spent the $20...immediately, I had to shorten my stroke from what was by-then instinctive, and I was able to maintain 4-5MPH. Not too bad, for an old guy.
But before I got on, he told me: "No one has EVER finished the entire hour". And furthermore: "If you finish 20 minutes, that'll make you THE MAN". So yes, the challenge was there. The gauntlet, down. :-)
I finished the 20 minutes EASILY...breathing heavier (but NOT out of breath) and 40 minutes would have been a LOCK, but for another, imminent appointment that I didn't need to be attending, sweat-drenched.
So why the difference? Well, predominently, it was equipment. I've got a HEAVY, cheap POC from Lifetime...and just ANOTHER incredible "coincidence" (NOT!) in my Journey. The cheap, heavy board "sits down" in the water—as compared to the racing models (at $900-3,000!) weigh about 1/3 of mine. Shoot, his shop had PADDLES that cost as much as my entire "system"! I was able to borrow a high-end SUP awhile back, and the difference is astounding: the weight differential is obvious, but even more noticeable is the hull design that allows it to ride on TOP of the water/waves, compared to my "tug boat"...with that difference in buoyancy also creating a much more challenging "balancing act" when on (even calm) water.
But my "success" on the (very challenging) "indoor SUP" made the level and effectiveness of my own training pretty obvious. And especially emphatic was the comments from a 25-year-old (half my age) SUP racer declaring me as "THE MAN!". :-)
So, what SUP to start with? Well, Dick's has the "package" with Board, Paddle and some extra "go-withs" for about $300—and now with even more colors! How many of us are (or my case, WERE) spending $30/month on a Gym membership? And with marginal results. Incidentally, both of my knees are "bone on bone", as a function of MANY surgical repairs—they're so bad that even the lowest-impact Nautilus machines are painful. Furthermore, several friends of mine have the funds for a personal trainer...but still don't have the results that I experienced in 3 months or less. You want an ROI! Look no further.
A "neck to ankles" workout...'was a day that (in the gym) I thought I had to feel like throwing up, afterwards, to consider it a good workout. Now, I routinely take phone calls on the water. Part of the beauty (and you probably know this from the big workout balls that we've all done situps on) of the SUP is that you're experiencing fairly complete isometric tension by just balancing on the board...before you ever take a stroke! And I get a GREAT reminder of that every time I'm forced to wait 5-6 days between workouts: I have taken to stretching for about 10 minutes after every SUP outing...when I've missed a few days, my abdominals will actually cramp during those stretches. Painfully. But what's amazing I never sense any strain on my abs while I'm paddling—but upper, lower and obliques are all being clobbered on the water.
Stretching.
Posture/Foot positioning. Feet going to sleep.
Eventually, I added arm weights and now, depending on how diligent I've been, I use between 3-7.5 lbs on each arm when I go out. I actually got to 10 lbs per arm, but I've discovered it doesn't have to be that extreme to "maintain". Which at this point means 3x week.
At any rate, the bottom line for technique is extraordinary and simple: there's no "wrong answer"...whether it's a race-stroke of 24 inches or my exaggerated one of 78, each time you put that blade in the water, you're doing something great for your whole body. Just push your SUP along as fast as you are able--comfortably--and you're in for an amazing experience—and result.
My eating habits have certainly transformed a bit, too, but isn't that always the case? You start FEELING better, then LOOKING better, and guess what? That buffet line isn't quite as appealing. But I have (and this is eternal, as near as I can figure) a WICKED sweet tooth—a QUART of ice cream on a given night ain't extraordinary. Yet, with the "maintenance" above, I eat pretty much whatever I want. I'll admit I have some built in genetic advantages when it comes to weight (i.e. ectomorphic body type and a hi-octane metabolic rate). But still…
Also, I've become a huge proponent of Fasting. The Word says "WHEN you Fast...", NOT "if". But that is completely a function of "Walk", not "waistline".
So, get out on His creation, enjoy what He has made, and get to feeling better! It is an AMAZING time of contemplation, prayer... and even creativity. :-) Being able to commune with the Father (we refer to it as "Abiding"—thanks Rich & Linda!) discover where He wants to take me, and on which Path...there is no adequate way to describe the Experience.
God Bless you and yours!
(YOU'RE WELCOME for the "plug", Lifetime and Dick's!!)