Paddleboarding for Beginners | Mistakes You Should Avoid!

For more information about all things SUP, check out SUPBoardGuide.com by clicking the link below: https://www.supboardguide.com/

If you’re teaching yourself to paddleboard, you’re very likely to end up making a few mistakes. There are some traps and pitfalls that are so easy to fall into, and we see them on the water every time we go paddling.

While many of the mistakes shown here may not seem particularly serious, they do make it harder to paddle and also do have safety implications, because they reduce your paddling efficiency. You’re doing more work for less reward, or in some cases simply not able to paddle with any speed or power. Which can be dangerous if you need to get back to the shore in a hurry, perhaps because the weather has changed or some other problem has arisen.

In this video, supboardguide.com chief coach Bill Dawes runs through some of the most common mistakes he encounters in his 15+ years of coaching. Watch this vid before you start paddleboarding and you’ll save yourself a whole lot of hassle.  If you’re recently new to the sport then check it out and make sure you’re not making any of these mistakes.

Starting before we’ve even made it to the water:  

At 0’40” we look at the classic mistake of not having the inflation valve on your board correctly set up.

At 1’40” we visit the all-too-common scenario of the under inflated board.

At 2’45” we check out the problems caused when the paddle handle is not properly aligned.

Now let’s get onto the water.

At 4’30” we look at the proper way to hold your paddle, which is more complex than it may seem, as many paddles make it quite difficult to ascertain which is the front and the back.

At 6’50” we talk about standing in the proper position on your board


At 7’45” we consider the the common misconception that paddling is about pushing your way along rather than pulling your way along - this is a really important one because doing it wrong is seriously bad news for your lower back!


At 9’20” we look at the really common mistake of not properly engaging your paddle.


At 10’30”  we talk about head position; another classic beginner issue.


At 11’45” we finish with a chat about safety equipment. Incorrect use of this is one of the most common mistakes we see, and another that can really have serious implications.


So we hope you find this video useful. If you’re already getting all these right then good for you! If not, you know what you need to work on for your next paddle session.



Bill Dawes has been coaching SUP at all levels for 15 years, during which time he has built up a vast amount of knowledge and experience in understanding how to teach the sport. Check out his other videos on our channel, which cover everything from how to deal with the beginner wobbles through to advanced paddling technique. If you’d like to book a personal online coaching session with Bill check out www.supcoachonline.com