Trying Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) for the first time? You’re not alone, and you’re not the only one who’s fallen more than once! Inflatable paddleboarding is beginner-friendly, especially with a stable inflatable board like the FunWater, but it still takes some practice.

To help you paddle more skillfully (and stay dry), here are some of the most common mistakes beginners make and how to fix them.

Mistake:

Many beginners tend to try to stand up right away before they find their balance.

Solution:

Get down on your knees first to get a feel for the inflatable paddle board. Once you feel stable, stand up one foot at a time, keeping your knees slightly bent. The extra width of the FunWater Inflatable Paddleboard makes this easier for adult beginners.

Mistake:

Looking down can throw you off balance and make your stand up paddle board wobble.

Solution:

Keep your eyes on the horizon and your head up. This helps maintain good posture and improves your overall stability on the inflatable stand up paddle board.

Mistake:

It’s normal to paddle with your arms only at first, but this can lead to fatigue and loss of control.

Solution:

Paddle with your core. Tighten your abs and twist from your torso, not just your shoulders. This is more efficient and gives you more control, especially for adult paddlers.

Mistake:

Believe it or not, many beginners hold their paddles backwards, with the blade angled the wrong way.

Solution:

The blade should be angled away from you, toward the front of the blow up paddle board. This will allow you to paddle more smoothly and glide straighter.

Mistake:

Standing too far forward or too far back can make the inflatable SUP board unstable or harder to maneuver.

Solution:

Stand in the center of the SUP board, usually where the paddle handle is. This will keep the SUP paddle board balanced from nose to tail.

Mistake:

Some beginners ignore the foot leash, thinking they can get away from it on calm water.

Solution:

Always wear a foot leash. Even on a calm lake like Okanagan, it keeps your beginner paddle board stable if you fall into the water (which happens all the time when you’re just starting out).

Mistake:

Stiff legs and a tense posture make it harder to react to subtle movements in the water.

Solution:

Stay relaxed. Keep your knees slightly bent and your body relaxed so you can naturally adjust to the movement of the best budget stand up paddle board.

Everyone makes mistakes when learning something new—and paddleboarding is no exception. The key is to be patient and learn to enjoy the process. With a beginner-friendly paddleboard like the FunWater Inflatable paddle board, you’re setting yourself up for success.

Stay relaxed, keep your balance, and before you know it, you’ll be paddling like a pro.