Stand Up Paddle Technique Drill: Catching Bumps and Waves on a SUP

Re-posted from this Blue Planet Blog posting:
http://blueplanetsurf.com/blogs/news/75266693-sup-tips-catching-waves-and-bumps-flatwater-drills-to-help-you-get-ready-for-open-ocean-stand-up-paddle-boarding

If you are new to downwind stand up paddle boarding, and want to get ready to do some open ocean downwinders, these are some tips and drills you can practice in flat water to help you get ready for riding bumps on a SUP.   Check the bottom of this page for information on coached downwinders. 

This post is focused on downwinders and catching/ gliding on bumps, but this drill is also helpful for catching breaking waves if you want to learn to stand up paddle surf.

In this first video I'm showing how to take a few quick accelerating strokes and then pause, glide and skim/ brace the paddle to keep you stable and balanced while gliding.  If you are doing a downwinder in light winds, this is what you will end up doing:  a few quick accelerating strokes, then pause and glide while you are getting pulled along by the bump in front of you.  In light wind you usually won't have to move the feet back, you can keep the parallel stance close to the center of the board.  It's good to practice this drill in flat water to break the habit of paddling with long, powerful strokes at a steady pace.  Downwinders are about quick sprints and glides, so you have to learn to break up your pace.   The first step is to practice taking 3,4, or 5 quick strokes and then let the board glide for about the same amount of time, so you are only paddling for about half the time.  Don't worry about moving your feet at first and just get into a good rhythm of accelerating and then gliding and skimming your paddle for balance.  Try to skim it as far out to the side as possible with the paddle at a low angle to the water for side to side stability and behind you for front to back stability.  Just skim the paddle lightly over the surface, you don't want to break, just keep the paddle very close to the water or skim very lightly over the surface.  While skimming the paddle acts as a third leg which will give you more control and will allow you to feel more comfortable in rougher conditions.  If you do loose your balance you can lean on the paddle and push your center of gravity back over the center of the board.

This next video shows how to start in "first gear" by taking quick, short strokes for powerful acceleration.  You want to focus on keeping your stroke in front of your feet and using quick bursts of power to accelerate.  Practice this in flat water as well as you will not have time to focus on this when conditions get rough. 

When the wind is stronger and the bumps get steeper, you will also have to move your weight back on the board to keep the nose from piercing and to allow your board to release and accelerate by planing on top of the water surface and to reduce the amount of wetted surface.  So, once you are good at stroking quickly to accelerate and then gliding while skimming the paddle, the next step is to also practice moving your feet back as you stop paddling and glide.  As the board slows down and the tail starts to sink, you then have to move your weight back forward close to center quickly and take some more quick acceleration strokes.  The video below has some helpful tips for moving your feet around on the board without rocking the board and loosing your balance:

 If you do this for a while, you will notice that these quick sprints followed by pauses of gliding will actually be very hard work and your heart rate will go up to a higher rate than when paddling at a steady pace.  I find that my heart rate goes up significantly higher in downwinders than when flatwater paddling which is why it is so important to relax and rest while you get a free ride when gliding on and connecting bumps.  If you don't rest it is hard to catch the next bump.  There is a misconception that when the wind blows hard you hardly have to paddle anymore.  The reality is that you have to accelerate more quickly and paddle even harder to catch the faster moving bumps on the really windy days if you want to keep up with the really fast guys.  The goal is to move as close to the speed of the bumps as possible and the stronger the wind is and the longer the fetch (the distance the wind has to create bumps), the faster you have to move to catch them.

The next video covers the five most common mistakes made by first timers on downwind runs and will be helpful to watch as well if you want to improve your downwind stand up paddle technique.

Thank you for watching!

Aloha,

Robert Stehlik

Copyright Blue Planet Surf 2016,  you are welcome to re-post or share this content but please credit Blue Planet Surf and put a link to www.blueplanetsurf.com

Resources mentioned in the videos:

For more information on our weekly SUP training group, please visit:
http://zenwaterman.blogspot.com/2012/10/weekly-time-trials-in-hawaii-kai-video.html

For information on SUP lessons and downwind coaching by Robert Stehlik, please visit: http://blueplanetsurf.com/collections/lessons

For information on downwind coaching with Jeff Chang/ Wet Feet, please visit: http://www.wetfeethawaii.com/pages/lessons-tours.html

For information on coached downwinders with Jeremy Riggs on Maui: http://paddlewithriggs.com

Safety first:  Downwinders can be dangerous.  Always go with a partner or group and if you are going for the first time, go with an experienced paddler or coach.  Have a plan and set up meeting places if you loose sight of each other, with can happen quickly in open ocean conditions.  Take a cellphone in a waterproof case and/ or a EPIRB.  Always wear a leash and make sure all your equipment is in good condition.

Equipment used in the videos:

Rasta downwind board: 14' x 28" 2016 Bump Rider: http://blueplanetsurf.com/products/140-x-28-bump-rider-2016

Blue downwind board: 12'6 x 28" 2016 Bump Surfer: http://blueplanetsurf.com/collections/2016-blue-planet-sups-2/products/126-x-28-bump-surfer-2016

Paddle:  Kai Zen with 88 blade: http://blueplanetsurf.com/collections/paddles/products/blue-planet-2016-kai-zen-cf-paddle-early-bird-pre-orders-until-12-31-15

SUP Paddle Technique part 3: Stacking the Shoulders by Robert Stehlik

Danny Ching stacked up, photo: Chris Silvester

First off: I don't consider myself an expert and am always open to trying different things and learning from others.  In this technique series, I'm merely sharing things that have worked for me, not saying that the technique I'm describing is the only right way to do it. 


I jumped right into the power phase in part two.  After showing a customer the "three ingredients of a powerful stroke" and watching him apply it, I realized that I left out a very important part of the power phase: using that power to propel yourself forward, not sideways. 
A common mistake is holding the paddle at an angle and pulling it in an arc and not close enough to the rails. 
All this tends to make the board turn (or yaw) instead of propelling it forward.
To minimize yaw and maximize forward propulsion, the paddle should be pulled through the water as vertically (straight out of the water) as possible and be pulled back in a straight line, ending as close to the rails as possible. 

To pull the paddle through the water vertically, the top hand needs to be above the bottom hand and over the side of the board.  To get into this position, which might feel awkward at first, the top shoulder is "stacked" above the lower shoulder.  The upper body leans out over the paddle while the hips move in the opposite direction to keep the weight balanced over the center of the board while the lift created by the stroke also supports the body weight leaning over the side.  The wider the board is, the more you have to stack the shoulders to get the paddle vertical.

Steering stroke vs. power stroke
Pulling the paddle in a wide arc and away from the board will make your board turn more quickly.  This is called a steering stroke and works well if you want to turn the board or adjust your course.  To move forward as fast as possible, the paddle needs to travel straight through the water.  This will make the board yaw less and will allow you to take more strokes before changing sides.  Remember that every time you change sides with the paddle you loose a little momentum, so taking more strokes per side should translate into more speed. 

This sketch shows the way I try to move the paddle through a regular stroke relative to my feet.  When paddling, the blade is actually planted in the water and stationary during the power phase, while the feet move towards and past it.
Here are the steps:
Reach as far forward as possible (more on that later).
Catch- make sure the blade is fully planted in the water before applying the power pulling straight back with the paddle as vertical as possible.  Since the widest point of the board is usually in the middle, where you stand, a straight line will start away from the rail and end up with the shaft right next to the rails when it reaches your feet.  As I release the paddle, I tend to direct the blade outward a little (making a J shaped stroke) which also reduces yaw.
A common misconception seems to be that following the rail of the board with the paddle is the most effective way to stroke.  Since the rail is not straight, if you are following the curved outline of your board you are actually making a curved stroke, not a straight stroke.  I focus on pulling my paddle straight back when racing.  On shorter surfing SUP's, which are designed turn on a dime and are hard to paddle in a straight line, you can actually plant the paddle a little further out and pull it towards yourself to reduce yaw and how often you have to switch the paddle.

2009 Battle of the Paddle photo: Phil Rainey

Ok, that's it for today.  Thanks for reading, Aloha!

Links to the paddle technique series posts:

Paddle Technique Part 0: Introduction to SUP

Paddle Technique Part 1: Choosing the Right Paddle

Paddle Technique Part 2: The Three Ingredients of a Powerful Stroke
Paddle Technique Part 3: Stacking the Shoulders

Paddle Technique Part 4: Reach and Catch

Paddle Technique Part 5: Recovery, Paddle Length and Grip

Paddle Technique Part 6: Turning the Board

Paddle Technique Part 7: Catching Waves

Aloha,
Robert Stehlik
www.blueplanetsurf.com

Here is another good post on this topic on SUP the Mag with Dave Kalama:
http://www.supthemag.com/how-to-sup/keeping-it-straight/

SUP Paddle Technique Part 2 - The three ingredients of a powerful stroke by Robert Stehlik

Breaking down the Power Phase, part two of the paddle technique series. 

The proof's in the pudding:  My thinking is that if someone is fast and winning races, they must be doing something right, so I developed my technique by watching and listening to the fastest paddlers and trying to emulate what they are doing.   This paddle technique series is my attempt to share what I have learned and break it down into easy to follow steps. 

First, some recommended reading:
Good technique starts with a good paddle, it's impossible to have good technique with a paddle that is too short, for example.  So if you are not sure you have the right paddle, read part one first:
Choosing the right Paddle

A stand up paddle stroke can be broken down into these main phases:  Reach, Catch, Power, Release, Recover.
Dave Kalama breaks down these steps and the Tahitian style paddle technique very well on his blog.  If you have not read his technique posts yet, you should:
www.DavidKalama.com

Each step of the stroke is important and needs to be practiced.  Good reach and catch are important before applying the power so they really should come first but for this post I will just focus on the power phase, where the pedal hits the metal.  I have found an effective way of teaching a more powerful stroke is by breaking down the power phase into three basic components or ingredients, which I call PUSH, TWIST, LEAN.

4th of July Race finish, photo: Reid Inouye

Each paddler develops their own individual technique and I can often identify a friend paddling in the distance by the stroke long before I'm close enough to recognize any features.   Despite different styles, I think every good paddler uses a combination of the "three ingredients".
Beginners often paddle by pulling the paddle with the lower arm.  This is probably the least efficient way to paddle and will tire the arms quickly.  Pulling with the lower arm bent is not an ingredient of a powerful stroke.  The bottom arm should stay straight throughout the power phase. The lower hand acts as the fulcrum (rotation) point of the paddle.  The only time the lower arm should bend is to lift the paddle out of the water for the recovery. (To visualize this motion, I like Dave's image of pulling a sword out of it's sheath while the top hand twists a door knob to feather the blade).  
Note: I have noticed that some fast paddlers like Kai Lenny sometimes use the bottom arm to pull the blade at the end of the stroke when leaning far forward, but for most of us, this is not an efficient way to power the paddle.

Kai Lenny using twist, lean push AND lower arm pull at the end of the power phase.
Pic: Stand Up World Series / RonanGladu.com  

To learn how to combine the "three ingredients" for maximum power, we will first look at and practice each ingredient in isolation before combining them.  My friend Evan shot a short video where I demonstrate the three ingredients on the paddle simulator in our shop.  If the description is confusing, please watch the video at the bottom of the page and it will hopefully make sense.  If you are still having a hard time, please stop by the Blue Planet shop for a paddle simulator demonstration or come to one of our monthly clinic/ demo days where we have advanced paddle technique clinics (all free).

1) First ingredient: PUSH:

 This is basically using your top arm to push the paddle out in front of you. Try to do this motion in isolation while keeping your shoulders square, staying upright, and keeping the bottom arm straight. It's like you are punching your hand forward from in front of your face. By bending the top arm, you increase the forward reach and by pushing with your top arm you can do quick strokes that work well when you want to accelerate quickly, like when catching a wave or getting on a bump. The downside is that if you use only the triceps in your arms to power yourself your arms will tire quickly.

2) The second ingredient: TWIST: 

 To practice this, keep both arms straight through the stroke and stay upright, using only a twisting motion to move the paddle. Rotate your hip and shoulder forward to reach, then unwind with the shoulders following the hips. This twisting motion should be where most of the power in your stroke comes from, using the muscles in your back and core to propel yourself forward.

 
3) The third ingredient: LEAN: 

 A word of caution: if you have lower back problems, you will want to go easy on the lean until your your back gets stronger. To isolate the lean, keep both arms straight and keep your hips and shoulders square. Straighten your body for the reach, then use your body weight and abs to lean on the paddle by bending at the waist. If you watch some of the most powerful paddlers (like Danny Ching, Chuck Patterson, Aaron Napoleon) you will notice that they lean heavily on their paddle during the stroke and often end the stroke with their upper body at an almost 90 degree angle to the legs. By pushing the blade down into deeper water during the stroke, it is also able to reach more "new still water" (as my swim coach likes to call it), giving it more grab. The lean engages your core and as you are leaning forward, you are pushing down with your top hand and using gravity to "fall" onto your paddle. If you are doing it right, your abs should feel like you are doing a crunch with every stoke.

Danny Ching is really leaning into the stroke, note that even though he is taking a very long stroke, the blade  will still release in front of his feet due to his forward lean.

Here is a frame grab of Danny Ching at the end of his power phase during the last Battle of the Paddle race.  Please note that pulling the paddle this far back works on a displacement hull but won't be effective on a planing hull (like a surf SUP) as the paddle angle starts to pull the board down into the water.  Notice too, that despite pulling the paddle way back, the blade is still in front of his feet because the upper body is leaning far forward.  This is another advantage of the LEAN, you can lengthen the stoke without pulling past your feet.

Here is a picture of Jaime Mitchell (from futures fins blog). note how he is upright during the reach, he is not leaning into the reach, the forward lean starts after the catch and pushes the paddle down during the power phase.

The LEAN adds power to the stroke but also brings the stroke further back and the recovery takes longer.   Dave Kalama proved that the quick, shorter, Tahitian style stroke which uses more of the PUSH and TWIST than the LEAN, is very efficient in downwind conditions and longer races like the Molokai challenge.

Here is the video shot by Evan Leong of standuppaddlesurf.net demonstrating the the three ingedients on the SUP simulator at Blue Planet Surf Shop (sorry, the quality is not the best):


In long distance paddling it is good to have several power sources to rely on.  For example, you can use the push for a quick burst of acceleration, then rest your arms by using more twist and lean.  I recommend practicing and perfecting these three ingredients in isolation, then try to combine them in different ways to find your own "secret sauce".

Links to the paddle technique series posts:

Paddle Technique Part 0: Introduction to SUP

Paddle Technique Part 1: Choosing the Right Paddle

Paddle Technique Part 2: The Three Ingredients of a Powerful Stroke
Paddle Technique Part 3: Stacking the Shoulders

Paddle Technique Part 4: Reach and Catch

Paddle Technique Part 5: Recovery, Paddle Length and Grip

Paddle Technique Part 6: Turning the Board
Paddle Technique Part 7: Catching Waves

Aloha,
Robert Stehlik
www.blueplanetsurf.com

Additional resources:
If you are looking for more help with your paddle technique, you may want to check out the training program that Wet Feet is putting together in Honolulu, which I will be involved with: http://www.wetfeethawaii.com/default.asp?id=22

I have also put together the Paddle Core Trainer, a SUP simulator kit for home use that is great for working on your technique on the days you can't get on the water.  It comes with an instructional DVD that will help with your stroke and stoke:  http://www.paddlecoretrainer.com/

at the 2009 BOP photo: Phil Rainey

flatwater training.  photo: Alex Nix

Welcome to Zen Waterman- by Robert Stehlik and Len Barrow

The art of the Waterman
Most watermen (and we include women when we use this term, of course) that have devoted a large part of their lives to watersports find that the sport becomes more than the activity itself, it becomes a way to find and build focus, balance, strength, patience, contentment, endurance, a deeper understanding and awareness of nature, and the flow of energy. The idea of finding deeper meaning in the sports we are passionate about is what motivated my friend, Len Barrow and myself, Robert Stehlik to start this project with the intention of being students of the mental aspects of our sports, to expand our knowledge and understanding and to help ourselves and others in the quest of becoming better Watermen.
We intend to interview masters of various watersports that we feel have achieved a higher level than most. We want to find how they experience these moments of complete immersion, the moments described as "being in the zone" or "flow" through their chosen sport. We intend to combine these interviews with pictures, video, analysis and interpretation. We eventually want to compile the gained knowledge into a book and DVD as well as a seminar program to help teach the art of the Waterman through practical applications of the materials in and out of the water. We also hope to use the Zen Waterman philosophy in the nonprofit organization Aloha Surf Ambassadors that focuses on supporting, encouraging, mentoring, and coaching young surfers to become ambassadors of Aloha in Hawaii and around the world. Please feel free to contribute if you have insights and ideas. I will also use this blog to recap experiences and SUP races and will try to apply some of these ideas, talk about the mental aspects of the sports, and apply things I learn from others in the process.

Aloha,
Robert Stehlik and Len Barrow
www.blueplanetsurf.com