SUP Workouts: How Long Can You Paddle Board a Day

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Are you looking for a fun activity that the whole family can participate in while keeping you in shape? SUP, aka Stand Up Paddleboarding, could be a great option.

SUP is one of the most popular watersports. And SUPing is a great way to have fun on the water while also getting fit, whether on an inflatable paddleboard or a solid one. If you do it often enough, your general fitness will increase, particularly your core body strength, which is where most of your paddle power will come from.

Whether you’re a complete newbie or a seasoned paddleboarder, knowing a few tips and tricks will help you improve your SUP experience. In this article, you’ll learn; 

  • How far you can paddleboard a day.
  • How far you can paddleboard for an hour. 
  • How long you can paddleboard a mile, 3 miles, 5 miles, 10 miles.
  • If SUP is a good workout.

Read on to learn more.

How Far Can You Paddle Board a Day? 

Your strength, stamina, and inclination all play a role. SUP boarding is a fairly relaxing water sport that does not place a premium on speed. Most people who ride SUP boards do so for the scenery and the thrill of riding across the water.

Also, the existence of SUP yoga should demonstrate how relaxing this water sport can be. SUP racing is, however, a sport that some people participate in. With the right boards and training, these athletes can achieve remarkable speeds.

Over 200 meters, SUP racers can reach speeds of 8.5mph and 9.34mph. Of course, they wouldn’t be able to do this for the entire day.

The average SUP rider will ride at a leisurely 3mph. This speed is more applicable to touring and exploring riders than racers. In a single day, say 7 hours, you could go up to 21 miles, though this is highly dependent on your fitness and the watercourse.

How Far Can You Paddle Board in 1 Hour?

The average paddleboarder travels approximately 3 miles per hour. Thus, you could travel 3 miles from your starting point in an hour. This speed is highly dependent on your fitness, stamina, and the watercourse you’re paddling on.

For example, if you’re going downstream on a river, you’ll probably get a little further because the current will pull you along.

On the other hand, paddling along the shoreline can be more challenging because the waves and currents want to push you inland. As a result, you should temper your expectations if you’re paddling in the sea.

Other factors to consider are the wind conditions and the design of your board.

You’ll probably cover more than 3 miles per hour with the wind at your back. This is because the wind will assist you in moving along the water. In essence, you are being blown along by the wind like a sail.

However, it will be more difficult to move through the water if the wind is blowing against you. Consequently, you’ll travel less than 3 miles per hour. 

Regarding board design, slimmer boards are faster in the water because they are more streamlined. Wider boards, such as those used for fishing and yoga, are heavier and move more slowly in the water.

How Long Does It Take to Paddleboard 1 Mile?

A mile should take about 20 minutes to paddle at an average speed of 3mph. If you’re a beginner, you might find that paddling a single mile takes you closer to an hour. This is because you will spend more time falling into the water than paddling! With a good tailwind, more advanced riders can cover a mile of calm water in as little as 10 minutes!

How long does it take to paddleboard 3 miles?

The average speed of a paddle boarder is often stated to be 3mph. But who exactly is the average paddleboarder? We typically use this phrase to describe someone who has spent some time on a SUP board and has a good understanding and grasp of basic skills.

Staying upright on the board, balancing during and between paddle strokes, falling off the board, and getting back on the board are all basic paddleboarding skills. Once you’ve mastered these skills, you can concentrate on your speed and turning abilities.

How Long Does It Take to Paddle 5 Miles on a Paddle Board?

A typical paddle boarder should take about 1 hour and 40 minutes to complete 5 miles. Let’s take a look at how we arrived at that figure. If we know it takes an hour to travel 3 miles and 20 minutes to travel 1 mile, we can simply add 1 hour and 2 x 20 minutes to get 5 miles.

You could probably cut that time by 10 to 15 minutes with a favorable wind or river current. That is, 5 miles could be completed in as little as 1 hour 20 minutes.

How Long Does It Take to Paddle Board 10 Miles?

Based on an average speed of 3mph, 10 miles should take you up to 3 hours and 20 minutes. However, you must also consider whether you can realistically paddle for 3 hours and 20 minutes straight! Practically speaking, unless you’re super fit or have been training for endurance, it’ll take you a little longer.

As a rule of thumb, how much time it will take you depends on whether you take breaks or simply slow down. The weather and water conditions will also play a role. If you’re paddling downstream, you’ll be faster than if you’re paddling on still water.

Is SUP a good workout?

Standup paddleboarding is a pleasant and relaxing exercise that almost anyone can do, and it is also one of the best workouts available. 

Standup paddleboarding is a fun exercise that appeals to people of all shapes, sizes, and ages. As many people have heard, SUP is the perfect activity for a total body workout. 

SUPing is a low-impact activity that requires balance, strength, and endurance, all of which are tested whether you’re paddling or simply balancing on your board. It works not just the core but also the toes, legs, back, shoulders, arms, and neck, all of which function together.

If you are just starting to look into paddleboarding we have a wide selection of guides to help assist you in finding the best option to suit your needs, check them out here!

Thanks for reading unto the end. We wish you plenty of fun!