A few summers ago, my cousin brought a strange new contraption to our beachside family reunion. A Stand Up Paddle Board (or SUP). I watched her glide around the lake with ease and assumed this was one of those crazy sports for super fit, balanced folks. If I attempted it, I thought, I would probably make a fool of myself (flashback to that teenage summer when I tried to learn to skateboard).
But then I stepped outside one afternoon to find my retiree Mom sweeping across the small bay on my cousinโs SUP. She has since bought her own board, which now has a special place reserved in the car for our summer family reunions. (I know because Iโve been squashed up against it a couple of times.)
But how difficult is SUP, really? What should first-timers know? And what led to this new summer sport? We spoke with a few local SUP outfitters to get the scoop.
The SUP Boom
Brent Ackland at Northern SUP suggests that the popularity of the sport has to do with how easy it is to get started, especially when compared to surfing. โHow many people would say they want to try surfing? But thereโs barriers getting into it,โ says Ackland. โSUP gives you a similar sensation to surfing and yet, with a couple quick lessons, you can hop on a board and be on the water.โ
Mike Valin at Happy Paddling adds that accessibility is behind the SUP boom. โItโs a single-person vessel thatโs lightweight and easy to move,โ says Valin. Inflatable models are simple to store, he adds, and even the fiberglass models are much lighter and easier to transport than a canoe or kayak.
โBut it looks tricky!โ
SUP is an approachable sport for folks of any age or fitness level. โMy niece has been paddling with me since she was eight years old,โ says Ackland. โAnd my parents, who are in their mid-seventies, also paddle.โ Plus, the risk is minimal. โIf you have a safe environment, the worst thing thatโs going to happen is that youโre going to get wet,โ says Valin. Rosanna Shillolo at Sunrise Yoga, which specializes in SUP yoga, continues: โA common concern is of falling off the board. It happensโand itโs fun! Especially on a hot day.โ
If youโre nervous about trying SUP for the first time, local outfitters provide affordable lessons and rentals. โSUP is for everyone,โ says Ackland. โBut having an instructor can help you shorten your learning curve.โ Valin agrees. โWe always recommend taking a class, course, or clinic to get the nuances of the sport,โ he says.
โAnd then you do YOGA on it?โ
SUP is really a meditative activity. โWhen you paddle, your inner monologue generally stops because youโre using your spatial awareness and balance,โ says Valin. And Shillolo assures that SUP yoga is really not as intimidating as it sounds. โMy classes are always geared to all levels of fitness,โ she says. โIโve had seniors come out to classes with no previous yoga or paddle board experience, and they were so impressed with their ability to follow along with the instruction. I teach people of all ages, sizes, and ability and the outcome is always the same: pure bliss.โ
All our SUP experts agreed: if youโre thinking about trying SUP, youโll only wonder why you hadnโt tried it sooner. As Shillolo says, โitโs sure to become your new healthy obsession!โ
Local Links
Happy Paddling
happypaddling.com
Northern SUP
northernsup.com
Sunrise Yoga
sunriseyogastudio.ca
