Turning on a Stand Up Paddle Board can be a challenge for the beginner SUP Surfer.  Stand Up Paddlers need to learn how to balance, steer, and turn effectively to make their Stand Up Paddle Boarding experience a success.

Here are some tips to help with your SUP Board turning:

Position of your feet on the Stand Up Paddle Board
Place the SUP Board in the water and find the balance point of the board which should be in the middle of the board.  Place your feet facing forward and shoulder width apart  for a stable base stance on your SUP Board.  Be aware of your position on the board.  If you stand too far forward you will sink the tip of the Stand Up Paddle Board causing the board to submarine into the water during your strokes.  If you stand too far back you will sink the tail of the SUP Board causing a decrease in speed due to excessive drag.  

Position of your knees and midsection on your SUP Board
To maintain proper balance on your Stand Up Paddle Board you have to train yourself to bend at the knees and not the midsection.  If you get into the habit of bending at the waist you will battle to maintain balance on your SUP Board.  Bend slightly at the knees to the point that you feel comfortable and keep your back straight.   This stance will allow for proper balance of the Stand Up Paddle board and set you up well to start your turns.

Steering while Stand Up Paddling
If you are a beginner SUP Surfer you may want to first start on a calm body of water with little waves and little wind.  This will help get your Stand Up Paddling technique down and keep the frustration level to a minimum.   The basic technique to steering is more SUP strokes on a side will cause you to move in that direction.  Once you start getting the hang of  stroke steering  practice moving your center of balance over to the side you want to move in.  Place more weight on the foot you want to turn your Stand Up Paddle Board towards.  Remember to keep your knees bent and your back straight for proper balance.

Turning your SUP Board 180 degrees

Stand Up Paddle Board stationary turn

This SUP Board turn tends to be the stablest and one of the easiest to learn and master.  A long powerful forward or backward stroke from a stationary position on the side of the Stand Up Paddle Board you want to turn towards is used to swing the board 180 degrees.  Again, remember to keep your balance centered, don't bend at the waist, this will cause the board to dip too far forward or backwards throwing of your balance and causing the board to stall.

SUP Board motion turn

This is a little more advanced technique but if you have mastered the stationary turn it is time to give it a shot!  Forward speed is the key to this board turn. Speed will aid in the turning of your Stand Up Paddle Board.  To start with, get the SUP Board moving forward.  When you are ready to turn, take a few steps back causing the SUP Board tail to sink a bit.  As you step back on the board take a strong powerful backward SUP stroke on the side you want to turn towards.  As the board spins make a strong powerful SUP forward stroke on the other side of the paddle board while quickly stepping forward causing the board to stop spinning

Stand Up Paddle Boarding or Surfing is sweeping the globe!  Get your high quality, high performance, Stand Up Paddles ( SUPs ) here at Werner Paddles.