Rogue SUP' Dude!

SUP, DUDE Jump on board with our primer on the hot new activity of stand–up paddleboarding and how it can help propel your fitness

Paddleboard Images Courtesy of Rogue Stand up Paddleboards roguesup.com 118 \\ 98 \\ REPS! REPS! \\ \\ MAY MAR••JUN APR2012 2012

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By Adam W. CHASE Photos by robert reiff

hat was a landlubber like me — a guy who gets seasick just from looking at the ocean — doing in Cocoa Beach, Florida, learning to stand-up paddleboard (SUP)? Or, rather, in my case, learning to KOB (kneel-on board), given the windy initiation with some white caps. That’s what I was wondering.

When I stood up I was blown back at a rate with which my fledgling paddle strokes couldn’t compete, so I spent my first go at it kneeling on the board, which was still quite the workout. It’s a lot easier to SUP on flat water without wind, that’s for sure.

Experienced SUPers say the sport burns 600–1,000 calories an hour, and I could understand why, given that you engage so many muscles while orchestrating a balancing act combined with the twist and challenge of core-driven propulsion. This ain’t no Venetian gondola ride, that’s for sure. The no-impact sport reminded me more of the training effect I’d experienced from kayaking or Nordic skiing, except it required much more coordination.

When people think of SUP, they usually get an image of top surfer and SUP sensation Laird Hamilton (and his ripped abs). And that certainly doesn’t hurt the popularity or rapid growth of the sport. What likely originated at

FIT FACTOID: If your paddle is splashing, you’re doing something wrong.

TRAINING

Beginner Paddleboard Tips 1. Keep your arms straight.

Keep your arms as straight as possible, especially the top one that’s extending to the paddle’s handle. This arm position will allow you to generate more full-body power for the stroke.

3. Stand upright. It is,

after all, called stand-up paddleboarding and your posture should be upright as though you’re being lifted straight up by your hair.

5. Keep the paddle vertical. Maintain a

flowing motion of the blade, beginning with the extension of the paddle, the blade pointing forward. Push through only a little past the body’s plane. That’s the entire distance of the stroke. Don’t push too far back behind your body because it wastes motion with little thrust and it has the negative effect of torquing your body and jeopardizing balance. You use different paddle cadence for different types of conditions.

Every four or five strokes, switch hand grips to paddle on the other side.

professional SUPer and one of the sport’s pioneers on the East Coast. I was fortunate enough to have Middleton as my group’s instructor, who told us of his difficulty, only a handful of years ago, in locating long-enough paddles and boards that were right for either surfing waves with a paddle or using for distance races. Back then the paddles were made of heavy wood and were too short, but now he’s able to get high-end carbon fiber paddles that are specially designed for the discipline, with forward-tilted blades for earlier engagement with the water.

Of course, you don’t need to surf or race to paddleboard. Life’s not always about competition, so try the non-competitive side of the paddleboard adventure. Spend an afternoon on a lake, a river or the ocean, stroking along, enjoying the Zen experience of it all.

For more information about Girard Middleton’s training camp and the sport, check out sobesurf.com.

2. Use your core.

The stroke is almost all core-powered, something kayakers will find intuitive but that’s harder for others to get right away.

To propel yourself, you need to engage the core by tightening the abs.

Adam W. Chase, based in Boulder, Colorado, is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running and serves as the trail editor for Running Times magazine.

RENTALS SUP board and paddle rentals are often available at shops near popular SUP destinations. Costs range from $15–30 an hour or more, depending on the location. It generally costs more than surfboard rentals because the equipment is more valuable.

4. Position your legs. Your legs should be

6. Fall forward. Falling isn’t a real danger if you

relax and fall forward and to the side, holding the paddle in the hand on the other side of the board and reaching with the free hand for the board as you plunge into the water. Just relax in pretty much every situation. Then again, being able to deal with adversity in a relaxed state is something to strive for in all of life, isn’t it?

least 300 years ago in Hawaii, modern SUP has evolved into a whole different activity today, thanks to technological advances in the equipment and athletes who’ve taken it to a new level. Compared to surfing, paddleboarding is relatively easy to learn. People now SUP on big waves, flat water and even

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parallel and hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent and feet turned in a little.

Most beginners tend to want to turn them out instead. Stand in the center of the board and always look ahead and not down at your feet.

in whitewater rapids. For all practical purposes, I’m focusing on flat-water SUPing, which is a perfect place to start and which requires a certain amount of fitness if you want to move forward on the water.

The modern sport of SUP is only about six years old, according to Girard Middleton, a

PADDLE TRAVEL GEAR There are several types of paddleboards and paddles on the market, depending on your goals and skill level, says pro stand-up paddleboarder Girard Middleton, owner of SoBe Surf, a SUP shop with locations in Miami Beach and Cocoa Beach, Florida.

BOARDS

When choosing a board, you need to have enough flotation to be able to stand still without water coming over your feet. There two main board styles for beginners: all-around and touring.

All-Around Board: The most popular type of board for beginners, these boards are mainly designed for flat-water paddling, but can also handle surf. They look like standard surfboards, only they’re wider and thicker, and have a turned-up nose to prevent nose-diving into waves.

Touring Board: With a rounded battleship-style nose, this style of board’s displacement-type hull is proficient and fast, and has more width for stability, but it’s not as good for making quick turns.

Cost: A good-quality SUP board will go for about $1,500. Add on another $800 if you want carbon fiber.

PADDLES

The best paddles are made of carbon fiber. “There are cheaper ones, but be careful of those,” says Middleton.

When choosing a paddle, the height should typically be a blade-length above your head — any lower and you risk compromising your posture.

Paddles have smaller blades for racing and larger blades for wave riding.

Cost: $250–400

TRAINING

Fit for Paddle

Get ready to stand-up paddle by incorporating this SUP-specific workout, provided by SUP pro Candice Appleby, into your fitness program once or twice a week. Do Exercises 1 and 2 using the traditional reps and sets style, then immediately begin the SUP circuit, followed by cardio and cool-down (#7). Next, head out to the lake, river or ocean, and get paddling. And, remember, when it comes to SUP, don’t forget your SPF.

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown 1

3–4 sets, 15–20 reps, rest 45 seconds between sets Sit straight up and grasp the outer grips of the bar, pressing your thighs snugly under the pad.

Maintaining a natural arch in your lower back, pull the bar down to your upper chest (it aids lat development for you to push your chest upward Form Tip to meet the descending bar). Slowly ease the Use higher reps bar back to full-arm extension. with less weight for ● Targets: Lats, middle back, teres, biceps

functional muscle endurance.

Dive-Bomber Push-Up 2

3–4 sets, 10–15 reps (build up to this), rest 45–60 seconds between sets) Begin by forming your body into an upsidedown “V,” bending 90 degrees at the hips, with arms and legs straight, your hands spread roughly shoulder width and your feet a little wider still; your head should line up alongside your arms. Next, bend your elbows, moving your head toward the ground; as your head nears the ground between your hands, drop your body until it’s straight and parallel to the ground. Continue the sweeping forward motion until your back arches slightly upward (don’t hyperextend your lower back) and you’re looking straight ahead. Now pushing through your arms, shoulders and back, reverse the dive-bomb back to the start position by sweeping your head back down between your hands until Form Tip You can vary your you’re up again in the inverted foot position to try “V” position. different widths, depending on your flexibility.

● Targets: Chest, biceps, triceps, upper back, lower back, shoulders, core

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FIT FACTOID: You don’t need much core rotation during the SUP stroke.

TRAINING

SUP Circuit

Immediately after finishing Exercises 1 and 2, perform Exercises 3–5 as a circuit. Execute one set of each exercise without stopping, take a 1-minute rest between circuits, repeating for 3–4 circuits.

Form Tip

Keep your head and shoulders square to the ball during the twists and focus on engaging your obliques.

Single-Leg DB Squat

Medicine Ball Russian Twist

10–15 reps per leg, working both legs during one set

15–20 taps per side (30–40 REPS total)

Holding light dumbbells at your sides, stand tall on your left leg and position your right foot on top of a bench behind you. This will activate assorted balance and stabilizer muscles. Keeping your back straight, squat down slowly until your knee joint hits approximately a 90-degree angle. Note the knee of your squatting leg shouldn’t float past the plane of your toes (adjust accordingly). While using the outside of the foot for balance, press into the left heel and return to the vertical position.

Repeat for the required number of reps, then switch positions and continue squatting with the other leg for the required number of reps: That’s one set.

Sit on a mat with your back straight and raise your legs and feet off the mat ( knees bent at 90 degrees) until your body forms a 90-degree angle (beginners can leave feet touching the ground). Hold the medicine ball in front of you (the arms can be bent slightly) and use your core muscles to twist from side to side, tapping the ball next to you on each side.

3

4

● Targets: Obliques, lower section of the abs, lower back

Parallel-Bar Dip or Bench Dip 5

15–20 reps Grab the bar grips and hoist yourself up until your arms are straight, bending your legs behind you and crossing your ankles together.

Keeping a straight back, lower yourself (don’t lean forward) until your elbows hit 90 Form Tip degrees and then push back up.

● Key Targets: Quads, hamstrings, glutes

Try to keep your elbows close to your sides at all times.

Form Tip

In addition to activating a large number of muscle fibers in your thighs, single-leg movements also improve the stability and balance needed to stay on the paddleboard.

● Targets: Triceps, shoulders

Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row (not shown)

Cardio & Cool-Down

20–25 reps

Elliptical or Treadmill or Stationary Bike

6

With your feet on the footpads and your knees slightly bent, reach forward using an overhand grip, hands positioned near the bends of the lat bar. Pull the bar to your midsection, the sternum, and return the bar in a controlled manner back to the arms-extended position. ● Targets: Upper lats and mid-back Form Tip

Keep your back straight throughout the exercise, and avoid leaning too far rearward beyond the vertical.

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7

10–15 minutes, with the first 5 minutes at high intensity and the last 10 minutes at low intensity. R