Get introduced to SUP

BY REBECCA A. WATSON

When it comes to most things in life, I have a sorta try-anything-once attitude. There are definitely things I’m afraid to try (read: surfing, rock climbing) that I tell myself I’ll get to someday, and then there are those I know I wanna do. Those are the easier ones to check off your bucket list, aren’t they?

Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) falls into the latter category. It looks so zen. When I first saw folks on their boards and I thought: I want to be that calm, on the water and still be getting fit.

Photo by Mike Baird

I was thrilled when one gorgeous day I got the chance to take an introduction class with Covewater SUP here in Santa Cruz. The sun was shining and there wasn’t even a hint of wind.

I biked down to the harbor, where we got a thorough but quick introduction from our instructor Scott while on land: Here’s how you get on the board, here’s how you stand on it, bing-bang-boom! I was on the water before I knew it. And there are photos to prove it!

Photo by Covewater Paddle Surf

Getting on the board felt pretty good, and all the tips Scott gave us for standing up (stick your butt out, keep your heels down and your eyes up) really helped. Kudos for good teachers!

Balancing was pretty intuitive, although I did run into a few things … sorry fellow classmates! Scott assured us not many people fell in. I’ll won’t keep you guessing: I did not fall into the freezing waters. Although from above, the ocean looked pretty inviting on the sun-kissed afternoon.

All the things I thought about this sport were pretty dead-on. It is so zen. I felt really centered and grounded, despite being on the water. Even though I was one of the slowest paddlers, no one seemed to mind. And we saw a sea otter!

It was definitely a workout. After about 1.5 hours I was ready to head in, especially after we got into the wavier areas toward the mouth of the harbor. That required more core strength, balance and concentration. And I slept like a baby that night. I was completely exhausted!

One weird thing is that after about an hour my feet started to fall asleep and not because the water was cold. One other paddler had a similar sensation, and Scott told us that it happens occasionally. After a few times on the board, it should start to go away, he said.

Stand up paddling is definitely something I’m going to do again (I may invest in some cute rash guards if I get more into it), and I’d recommend it to anyone with an interest in spending some time on the water. It’s intuitive, fairly easy and as peaceful as it looks.

Photo by Mike Baird

Want more? Read more about stand-up paddle boarding and check out our G4S SUP Team Riders!

Rebecca Watson is a writer, fierce optimist, and balance enthusiast. 

Yoga SUP: Enhance Your Standup Paddle Session with a Little Yoga

Emma-Rose Rossoff. Photo credit: www.jockbradley.com.

BY EMMA-ROSE ROSSOFF

There are a few great things about living in the Columbia Gorge. It’s a small town full of fun and kind people, great local food, wine and beer, and an abundance of sports to go with!  If you’re living in the Gorge, chances are you enjoy at least one water sport.  Personally, I can’t get enough of SUP (Standup Paddle)!  I love to paddle around the river or a lake on a calm day, or do a down-winder if conditions permit.  If you’re anything like me, you might also enjoy doing a couple of outdoor activities a day, at least when the weather is nice.  For the past three years, I’ve combined my two favorite things – yoga and SUP.  

You may have heard that practicing yoga will enhance your other sports.  It has definitely improved my skiing, kiteboarding and even helps me jog with better posture and awareness.  But you might be surprised to know that SUPing will enhance your other sports, including yoga!

At first, trying SUP for the first time may be challenging.  For some of us, certain balancing muscles have been underused.  That same feeling might return when you try your first yoga posture on a SUP.  Over time, though, you will begin to explore your comfort level on the board.  Just knowing that if you fall–it will be into water and not the ground–might give you the courage you need  to try new and challenging poses and transitions. I love the added element of challenge to each yoga pose that being on a movable surface brings. Here are some poses at varying levels of challenge.  Hopefully, they will inspire you to combine your own favorite sports with yoga!

Thread the Needle www.jockbradley.com

Thread The Needle is a good pose to try if you’re just starting out.  It’s gentle, and you can easily get into it by starting on all fours, then sitting back towards Child’s Pose and finally threading one arm underneath the chest. This pose is meant to be restful, so make any adjustment to feel comfortable and relaxed.  

Upward Facing Dog www.jockbradley.com

Another, slightly more challenging pose (on a SUP) is Upward Facing Dog.  With both hands planted into the board, try to roll the shoulders up, and then back down the spine.  This not only feels really juicy, it also helps expand the chest and shoulders.  The full pose requires only hands and the tops of the feet to be in contact with the board, but if you’re feeling unstable, benefits won’t be lost if you cheat a little and bring your legs to rest.

Warrior II www.jockbradley.com

If you’ve had a little practice, and are ready for a standing pose, try Warrior II.  This pose is powerful and energizing, so challenge yourself by staying for a while.  Note that in this pose, the heel of the forward toe is best situated on the center line of the board, while the inner arch of the back foot is aligned there as well, toes pointing at a 90 degree angle with the center line.  

Headstand www.jockbradley.com

Feeling daring?  Get into a Headstand!  This is one of the most fun and energizing yoga poses, so if you’re practiced in them at a wall, or inside your home, try it outside.  The same alignment rules apply; remember to keep your shoulders broad, elbows shoulder-width distance apart, and pull your torso away from your head, so that you don’t put too much pressure on your neck.  

Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll find YogaSUP to be as fun as I do!

Thank you, Jock Bradley, for providing great photographs.  Thanks, also to Tatiana Howard, for being an amazing assistant.

Girls4Sport sponsored athlete Emma-Rose Rossoff is a stand-up paddler, yoga instructor and ski instructor.  She runs her own outdoor yoga business, Anahata Yoga in the summer months.  She also teaches yoga and skiing during the winter months at Mt. Hood Meadows. She lives in Hood River, Oregon.

Stand-Up Paddling: You’re Never to Old to Learn

Girls4Sport team rider Melody DeCarlo

BY MELODY DeCARLO

I have been surfing for forty-two years.  During that time, I have seen equipment go through many transitions, and I have always tried to keep an open mind as things changed.  I have gone from longboards to shortboards, trifins, quads, bonzers, and back.  I have a quiver that covers all of those.  I have never lost my passion for surfing, yet, even as it is happening, I am surprised as my passion for a new sport grows.

I watched with interest as Laird and other hardcore surfers took up stand-up paddling (SUP).  Last summer, as week after week of Florida flatness went by, I started thinking about what great exercise it would be to SUP on flat days.  But since it would be such a big investment, I held off.  This year, as summer approached, I was ready to make the purchase.  I went to a few demo days and tried different boards.  I bought a used 10’6” and paddle and I was on my way.  My plan was to paddle on flat days, either in the ocean or the river.

Funny how plans can change.  After several flat water paddles, I was out on a small day and caught a wave.  What happened next was a surprise.  As that first wave picked me up, I got the same feeling I had as a kid on that longboard catching my first wave.  It was exhilarating.  And addicting.  I wanted to do it again and again.  Within two months, I downsized to a 9’6” so it would be easier to handle in the waves. 

Stand-up paddling has opened up a new world for me.  Surfing will always be my first love, but now I can be in the water when it is too small for my longboard or when I just want to ride something different.  Sometimes we get a group together and explore the beautiful islands in the river.  In just a few months, I have paddled with a school of bonnethead sharks, had a manatee swim right under me, and paddled with dolphins, rays, and fish.

Stand-up paddling has given me a new perspective of all the things around me. I am so happy that I was open to trying something new.  I look forward to each new day and new adventure.  Hopefully, this is just the beginning of the story and there will be many more tales to tell.

Melody DeCarlo is a surfer and a Girls4Sport team rider who lives in Florida.  She began surfing in 1966.