Similar to most sports, surfing requires a foundation of related practices. One of the best ways to build up that foundation is paddleboarding.
However, a common question for new learners is: does paddle boarding help with surfing?
Both of these sports are quite similar to each other in their mannerisms. Paddleboarding can help you attain many surfing qualities.
Yes, paddleboarding skills can help with building surfing skills. It gives you the upper hand at building up physical balance, strength, and endurance for surfing. Similarly, paddle boarding can provide you with the necessary mental skills and mindset to thrive at surfing.
Surfing and paddleboarding are closely related sports where one can influence the other. So, when learners implement the right skills and methods, paddle boarding can help with surfing.
But at the same time, each sport has unique characteristics and guidelines. New learners need to have an in-depth understanding of them before starting.
Is Paddle Boarding Helpful For Surfing?
Paddleboarding is helpful and, in many cases, necessary for surfing. It can work as an elementary ground before leveling up to surfing. Through paddle boarding, learners can attain the required techniques and skills for surfing in different waves.
As many learners later find out, surfing is more complex than it seems.
Instead, it can be pretty daunting to understand how to work with the waves and the wind.
For this reason, pre-understanding or elementary knowledge can be beneficial for surfing, especially if you understand how to work with the waves.
That is where paddleboarding comes in.
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is paddling through the water where the participant uses a surfboard and paddles.
Usually, this involves propelling the body and board forward while standing and using the arms. Riders use a paddle to navigate through the water and waves.
So, it can seem quite similar to surfing for beginners.
Paddleboarding allows the rider to gain ease of movement through the water. Finding the right balance when moving while floating can be a big challenge.
But using paddles makes this task remarkably easier. So, the rider can quickly pick up the proper methods of navigating waves, balancing in the water, moving through their body, and so on.
All these activities can be significantly helpful for learning how to surf. At the same time, it can also enhance the necessary skills to surf professionally.
Combining all these activities ultimately helps the rider build up or improve their surfing skills. Not only for surfing beginners but also professionals, paddleboarding can be very helpful.
How Does Paddle Boarding Help You In Surfing?
Paddleboarding provides many fundamental knowledge, guidelines, and skills required for surfing.
In terms of physical and mental endurance, paddleboarding can be a great way to start surfing.
Many beginners may wonder about the specific methods by which paddleboarding improves surfing skills. Here are some of the benefits of paddle boarding.
Get More Comfortable In The Water
The first step in improving your surfing skills is to get comfortable in the water. This is much more important for people with a negative mindset or fear of water.
If you find it challenging to stay in the water, paddle boarding and surfing will work out for the better. So, a straightforward option is to start with paddleboarding.
In contrast to surfing, paddle boarding uses a paddle to navigate the water. So, the riders can find it more welcoming or uplifting than surfing.
With time and practice, this will help them to get comfortable staying in the water. As a result, paddleboarding is a great way to get comfortable in the water before you start surfing.
Learn To Catch Waves Easily
Understanding different wave properties and how they work for your chosen sport is crucial.
Especially in surfing, catching the right waves is very important since you have no paddles. The rider will have to use the lock to move in the water.
If you do not learn to catch waves, surfing can become more and more challenging for you with time.
Paddleboarding can be an excellent way to learn how to catch waves easily. Paddling around the water will make you comfortable and help you enjoy the sport.
Soon, you will notice that catching a wave with the board feels much easier than you anticipated. Simultaneously, you’ll have more chances and opportunities to catch a wave.
Thus, you will get the hang of it very quickly.
Understanding The Correct Posture and Balance
Whether you are participating in a water or land sport, proper posture and balance are essential.
This includes knowing how to stand, when to push your body forward or backward, how to balance your body in waves, and so on.
When you start out surfing, these key factors can be complex for you to understand or implement.
For this reason, paddleboarding is a great option. You will already know how to stand in the water on your SUP board.
So, when you move to surf, you will be in the correct posture. This will enable you to understand what it’s like to catch a wave and learn how to balance.
Making the essential transitions will become much easier for you in this way.
Offers You More Visibility
Having visibility in the water means understanding how different things around you work.
This includes seeing a large wave coming your way, other riders coming your way, etc.
Visibility is a crucial factor in ensuring maximum safety and preventing accidents. Paddleboarding gives you the necessary knowledge about visibility in the water.
Furthermore, standing up on your SUP board will give you more visibility. In comparison, sitting or bending on the surfboard can take time to get the proper visibility.
You can look down at the horizon for bigger waves and other riders. In this way, you will better judge wave size, surfing speed, the intensity of the incoming set, etc.
Build Up Mental Endurance
As many professionals say, sports are won based on your mindset. That means a large majority of the exercise happens inside your mind.
Winning any sport becomes much easier with a positive mentality and attitude. This similar philosophy applies to surfing as well.
When you are paddleboarding, you will most likely go through common waterway obstacles. You may fail a lot of times before you get better at the exercise.
This will allow you to develop a determined mindset, gain a different perspective, and create a positive outlook.
So, paddleboarding is essential to building the mental endurance needed to excel at surfing.
Correct Use Of Paddle Boarding To Improve Surfing
Paddleboarding skills can help build surfing skills when used correctly. This includes having the right paddle board and sturdy paddle, applying the proper techniques, and so on.
The correct use of paddle boarding means you are using this activity to attain the necessary skills. This includes learning how to catch waves, withstand strong waves, learn the best postures, etc.
With time, you will need to gradually increase the difficulty of paddleboarding to improve your surfing skills.
You must paddle very quickly to launch the board down the wave’s slope. Failing to do so will make the wave pass underneath the board.
To be effective, ensure you perform as many paddle strokes as possible in a little time. These essential guidelines will allow you to use paddleboarding correctly.
Ultimately, you can use these skills to improve your surfing skills.
Final Thoughts
So, does paddle boarding help with surfing? Yes, it does. Paddleboarding is an excellent way to build and improve surfing skills over time.
So, knowing how to paddleboarding improves surfing skills and helps implement the methods correctly. Thus, you will get the upper hand at being the best at surfing.