Stand up paddle boarding

So what is stand up paddle boarding, and how can you get started? 

All you really need to SUP is a surf style board and long paddle, making it affordable and simple for anyone to get started. The sport is kind of a cross between surfing and canoeing, but arguably easier than both. The trickiest part is standing and keeping your balance on the board while you propel the paddle through the water, but you’ll surprise yourself with the speed at which you master your sea legs and start speeding through the water.

SUP can also be enjoyed on pretty much any type of water, from urban SUP down city canals, to easy paddling on smooth lakes, to riding the waves of the open sea, making it one of the most adaptable water sports available. Once you’ve caught the bug it’s easy to find a place to practice and hone your SUP skills. 

SUP can be a fantastic workout, whatever your fitness goals. 

SUP is a low impact exercise that combines strength, balance and endurance. From balancing on the board as it wobbles on the water, to propelling your board along with strong strokes of the paddle, every element of stand up paddle boarding works your body in a different way. 

The balance required in SUP is a fantastic workout for your abs and core, while the SUP stance of knees slightly bent is a great workout for your legs and lower body. Twisting your body, balancing, and pushing the paddle blade through the water really works your arms and shoulders while also challenging your upper abs, building your upper body strength. If you pick up the pace and speed across the water you’ll give yourself a great cardio workout, but if you want to just float across the water and soak in the relaxing atmosphere you can still get the benefits of a fun activity and gentle exercise. 

SUP is a great sport for socialising. From group classes to friendly competitions, there’s something unique about the atmosphere in the SUP community. Thanks to the ease at which people of every fitness level can pick it up and the minimum cost required to get started, SUP is a sport that’s open to people from all walks of life. SUP can be enjoyed as a competitive sport or simply a watery equivalent of a running group - just people getting together to exercise, chat and get some fresh air out on the water. 

SUP has also become increasingly popular as the ultimate adventure trip for everyone from solo SUP-ers, to friends and families, to work trips, stag and hen parties. With so many opportunities to laugh, feel at one with nature and bond with the people around you, the social benefits of SUP are a huge part of its booming popularity. 

Getting in touch with nature, and particularly spending time near water, are proven to improve your mental health and happiness. SUP is a fantastic way to engage with the natural environment. Maintaining your balance on the board requires concentration and calmness of mind not dissimilar to some forms of meditation, while the sensation of gliding across the water is incredibly relaxing. SUP can be a great social sport, with group expeditions out on the water providing plenty of time to chat and spend quality time with the people around you. Finally, SUP gives you a chance to explore a whole part of nature you can’t reach through other forms of exercise, like running or cycling. As society starts to appreciate the benefits of mental and physical health, being a sport that helps both, SUP is really coming into its own. 

SUP is an incredibly versatile sport. Not only can you do it pretty much everywhere, you can get out of it whatever you put in. If a social sport is what you are after then joining one of the many SUP organisations and groups up and down the country will help you combine exercise with making friends. If you want some solo time out in the fresh air, the simplicity of paddle boarding and tranquillity of paddling down a waterway or across a beach is unrivalled. If you have that competitive streak, there are a whole host of competitions and races that let SUP superstars show what they’re made of. 

From SUP racing, to group holidays, or simply taking your board and paddle for a solo mission, SUP is the kind of sport that gives you whatever you need at that moment in time.

There are SUP organisations up and down the UK, almost everywhere there’s a river, canoe or decent sized body of water. If you don’t fancy joining a club, all you really need is a paddle and board to get started, though you may want to invest in a wetsuit given the less-than-tropical temperatures of the UK’s waters.

The best way to test out SUP at its best, without any major investment, is to sign up for some paddle boarding classes on a Neilson Beachclub holiday. With fantastic instructors, great equipment, the positive vibe of your fellow holidaymakers and that stunning Mediterranean sun, you’ll get a real feel of everything SUP has to offer.