How To Prepare For Your First SUP Lesson

So you’ve booked your first SUP lesson, or you're considering booking one… congratulations!!

Doing something new is always scary, but you've done the hardest bit which is taking the first step and now you can focus on enjoying the journey and allowing a professional instructor to support you on your way.

I imagine at this stage (having booked and awaiting your lesson) you’re twiddling your thumbs, thinking of all of the ‘what ifs’ and feeling that funny feeling of anxious excitement in your belly?

We’ve all been there!

If so, check out these 5 tips on how to prepare for your first SUP lesson below and rest assured, everything is going to be awesome!

  1. You don’t need to know anything before your lesson!
    Knowing absolutely nothing is waaaay better than knowing bad habits or false information and trying to 'unlearn' during a lesson.

    So don't panic and rush to YouTube before your first lesson thinking you need to know the basics - you don't! You can just relax and be guided on your SUP journey by your instructor on the day.
    If you’ve taught yourself to SUP and you’re now heading for a lesson with a little knowledge already - that’s great too! Just make sure you attend with an open mind, as there’s a lot more to SUP than many people think and so you’re likely to discover a few things you didn’t realise!

  2. You will learn on your knees first
    Many paddlers find the idea of standing up on a paddleboard extremely daunting (understandable!) However, in a lesson with She SUPs you will learn how to control your board FIRST from a seated or kneeling position. This allows you to focus on one thing at a time and even if you don't stand during that first SUP lesson, you will at least come away with new stroke skills! woo!

  3. Be kind to yourself
    Everyone's SUP journey is completely different so don't worry about what others are doing. Just celebrate your own milestones and recognise that standing on water is not a 'normal' sensation for a human - so it can take a bit of getting used to! But with the right techniques and a bit of practice you will get there! Every paddler you see on in photos on the She SUPs website, instagram or elsewhere (including me!) has started where you are now.

  4. Bring a change of clothes and a towel in the car!
    Sometimes learning to SUP involves getting a little wet... so wear swimmers underneath your activewear (just in case) and don't forget to bring a towel and change of clothes in the car for afterwards. That way you can just laugh and have fun if you get wet knowing you will be back in warm/dry clothes in less than an hour!

  5. Arrive 5-10 minutes early
    Don't you hate the feeling of 'rushing'? Rushing isn't great for our nervous system and can leave you feeling flustered and anxious before you've even reached the water. So I recommend arriving 5-10 minutes early for your lesson to ensure you're feeling calm and have a moment to take in your surroundings before you hit the water.

So there you have it! You’re all set for your first SUP lesson and the start of a wonderful journey of SUP adventures… I’m so excited for you!

If you’d like to find out more about She SUPs lessons (called SUP Confidence Lessons), click here, or if you’re not based in Sydney, just head to google to find an instructor near you but top tip: make sure you enquire about your instructor’s qualifications as not all SUP hire businesses have qualified instructors! All She SUPs instructors have a minimum of their ASI Level 1 (flat water) and Level 2 (exposed water) SUP Instructor Qualifications + Water Safety and Rescue + Provide First Aid.

Happy paddling!

Vikki - Founder of She SUPs x

Vikki Weston