Quick Tip: It's All About the Stance

To maintain primary and dynamic balance the key is in your stance and whether its Athletic or not. Let’s define primary and dynamic balance as follows.

PRIMARY: The ability to stand up and maintain a modicum of alignment and posture without falling in.

DYNAMIC: The ability to receive input from the environment i.e. wind, cross chop, boat wake, current, etc. and respond with the appropriate output.

Whether you’re a beginner paddle boarder or Fiona Wylde the input is all the same, it’s just how the response is managed. Our coaching techniques for stand up paddle boarding access the finer points of posture as the key to fun, success, and technique development. The less movement a paddler exhibits the more efficient they become.

ATHLETIC STANCE QUICK TIPS:

1. Feet and ankles activated with mild tension, but not locked.
2. Knees soft and aligned in a sensible pattern to the deck of your board.
3. Hips are hinged and have a slight squat during during phases of the stroke.
4. Chest is up and shoulders are activated with slight depression
5. Spine is neutral (think straight line from back of head>shoulders>top of butt)
6. Neck is long and relaxed
7. Head must be up and neutral over cervical spine
8. Eyes are anticipating and looking ahead. 

To learn more about our award winning stand up paddle board coaching including private in-person, virtual remote, and on location group clinics, call, text, or email us!