3 TIPS to paddle STRAIGHT. | *Guaranteed Results*

[@ethanhuffsup]

Applying these 3 simple tips have greatly improved my tracking. What about you? Is there a technique you do to help you paddle in a straighter line?

[@WingsOFireArts]

How does this only have 153 likes? These tips are amazing

[@bracsyller8901]

Good fundamentals. Thanks again Ethan. I appreciate your efforts and creativity with these videos. It is so nice to wake up and learn new SUP stuff every morning while drinking my coffee😊. There have even been days where I go out and practice your tips after work. Thanks for all that you do.

[@ethanhuffsup]

Thanks Brac! Glad I can help start your day with some SUP tips along with your coffee. 😁 Stoked to hear you're able to put the tips into practice as well. 🤙

[@Trisolo3]

Thank you! My paddling in a straight line was much better today after watching this video.

[@justcheesepizzaplease]

Just got a paddle board so I'm scouring KZbin for how tos. Thanks for making this video. May seem simple but definitely helpful for a newbie like me.

[@SB-le1qo]

great tips, thank you!

[@francegirard4678]

Yes, that last tip was most useful. Thanks 🙏

[@rogerkoppert3597]

It would seem that if one has difficulty going straight applying more pressure on the paddling side foot would counteract the tendency for the board to turn away from the paddling side thus helping to keep you straight.

[@axelj6062]

you deserve millions of followers ty

[@raghuram2815]

Thank you so much for Tip#3. #1 and #2 are pretty common tips we see in most videos. But I noticed this happen with me that I was either losing control or turning in one direction because of the excess stress on trying to get the perfect stroke. Now I realize that I was most likely shifting my weight to the leg on whichever side I was paddling. Gotta rectify that next time.

[@ethanhuffsup]

Awesome I'm glad you found this tip helpful! Have fun putting it into practice on your next paddle session! 😎

[@dksurfer]

That was super helpful. Thanks

[@MichaelErtl-p9g]

Many thanks for this instruction. A milestone in tracking.

[@cindynh76]

I've been struggling all summer with a right drift with my left side paddle stroke that seemed to show up from now where. I think my weight distribution might be the solution! I was starting to think that my left side stroke was forever lost to me lol. Thank you for your great videos.

[@TW-tn9og]

So helpful! Doing my first race June 22!

[@terrytailor]

Loved that last tip. Should cure me of tracking to the right only. Thanks.

[@Moccsnosocks]

Thanks bro, super helpful tips! 🎉

[@perdidomar]

Excellent tips. Thank you so much!!!

[@jeansandmyshirt]

excellent thanks. is 35" paddleboard to wide? i want to buy it to attach kayak seat and also use it for fishing

[@ethanhuffsup]

That would be a great width to use for the extra stability as you move around on it with your fishing stuff. It won’t be the fastest board but it will be stable.

[@johnoconnor8113]

Thanks for the tips. I definitely have an issue with putting too much weight in the foot on the paddle side. That takes a bit more mindfulness for sure. Another thing that I was doing was leaving the paddle in too far past my feet at the end of each stroke. I could be crazy, but that seems to effect the tracking as well. Once I started lifting the paddle out at my feet, it SEEMS to improve my board tracking straight. But I could be wrong. I am an efficiency nerd and want to start analyzing my stroke on video. My Gili board does have a place to mount a camera on the front, but not sure it would be a good view to analyze most of the stroke issues. A side view as you had with the Michael Booth analysis was awesome as you can really see the inefficiences in positions, but I assume you have to have someone at a distance with a video camera.......or is there some fancy mount for the side of my board? Probably would need to be 10ft or so away from me?

[@ethanhuffsup]

Yeah, the best way to get a video is to have someone film you or to set up a camera and tripod on shore. Then simply paddle by it both directions and once directly at the camera. This is the best viewing angle as cameras mounted on your board are unfortunately too close for an accurate picture of what's going on.

[@maxmaxed2887]

nice, I'll try those next time as I always paddle left and right lol

[@simonstaley1866]

Top tips!

[@sheldonpaula]

Started SUP this year. I’ve been out about 5 times so far and love it. I use these videos for what I call my practice sessions on lakes before heading to the beach this summer. One thing I notice is that my feet get kind of numb after about 30+ minutes. I tend to go for 1-2 hours at a time. Am I just not shifting around enough? If I drop to my knees for a bit it goes away in a minute and I’m off to the races again. It is a beginner lever inflatable from Costco but most seem to have the same surface. I typically wear surf boots or shoes but had the same experience barefoot. Thanks for the videos. This is the most fun I’ve had on the water that I remember.

[@ethanhuffsup]

Thanks for watching Sheldon and great question! Unfortunately it's hard to eliminate the numbness. It mostly comes from standing in one spot for a prolonged period of time. The best thing you can do is periodically move your feet on your board and keep the blood flowing. It's what I do and it helps. Also, as your balance improves you'll have less numbness as your feet become more relaxed on the board. Hope that helps and enjoy your next paddle session!

[@MrBalas3]

@@ethanhuffsup I have the beginner paddle board from Costco and 34" width I'm sure it's a good 2-3 inches wider than the one in your video. Would you say that a wider board make it harder to track as well? I'm going to have to try your techniques regardless cause I struggle with staying straight. Maybe being 6' 4.5" I need a longer paddle too. thanks for your video lessons.

[@maxmaxed2887]

@@MrBalas3 fins also help with tracking

[@MrBalas3]

@@maxmaxed2887 It has 3 permanent fins. The middle one is slightly longer than the other 2, but not by much if at all.

[@bgdavis5089]

@@MrBalas3 you don't have to do all the reaching up and twisting. a simple curved stroke (reaching the blade out away from the board, then pulling back in a curved path) will keep you going straight without all the mumbo jumbo. don't try to keep the paddle vertical; reach forward and out away from the board, then pull back toward the board with a slight outward move at the end. it's the same principle as the "J stroke" when canoe paddling. i struggled through a lot of these videos until i figured out that they aren't really the best method.

[@TheMasonjarz]

Great channel! I’m 6’ tall average build and my paddle extends to 82”/210cm and feels shorter than I need. Does this sound reasonable or am I missing something? Thanks and keep up the great work!

[@ethanhuffsup]

Great question. The length of your paddle will change slightly depending on the type of paddling you do, the type of board you're on and even your paddling form. For example I'm 6'4" and currently use a paddle shaft length of 81". But, I ride a dugout race board and I focus on race training. I recommend checking out Black Projects paddle size chart, trying out some different lengths and finding what works best for you. :) blackprojectsup.com/sup-paddles/how-to-choose-and-customize-your-sup-paddle/sup-paddle-length-guide/

[@TheMasonjarz]

@@ethanhuffsup thank you very much

[@bgdavis5089]

i'm 6' and 80" is a very good paddle length in flat water. most people would recommend a tad shorter for surfing but i get by.

[@AlmaPaddles]

As a beginner, I bought a 35” board (isle switch 2), I took it out yesterday for the first time and managed to stand up which was great. Staying straight was super hard, I could do 2 max strokes on one side before having to change over. Is this due to the width of my board (you mentioned this would affect it) or should I still be able to go straight with good technique? Thanks so much!

[@ethanhuffsup]

Good technique will definitely help you track straighter but with a wider board you will have to still switch side more often in comparison to a narrower board. Have fun with your new board! 😀

[@bgdavis5089]

it's not the board. you don't have to do all the reaching up and twisting. a simple curved stroke (reaching the blade out away from the board, then pulling back in a curved path) will keep you going straight without all the mumbo jumbo. don't try to keep the paddle vertical; reach forward and out away from the board, then pull back toward the board with a slight outward move at the end. it's the same principle as the "J stroke" when canoe paddling. i struggled through a lot of these videos until i figured out that they aren't really the best method.

[@MrArtrock]

Great tips man although it will certainly take some time to master all considered as a newbie***

[@lydia5164]

No matter how much i follow these tips and try to keep my paddle "vertical" in the water etc, I always end up rotating and turning after 1-2 strokes. I just can't figure it out!! As soon as i paddle i start turning! I've checked and my posture is good and the angle is going in vertical and i'm paddling close to the board etc....i don't get it.

[@ethanhuffsup]

It also depends on how wide your board is.The wider it is the harder it is to maintain a straight line since your paddle is farther out to the side.

[@bgdavis5089]

you don't have to do all the reaching up and twisting. a simple curved stroke (reaching the blade out away from the board, then pulling back in a curved path) will keep you going straight without all the mumbo jumbo. don't try to keep the paddle vertical; reach forward and out away from the board, then pull back toward the board with a slight outward move at the end. it's the same principle as the "J stroke" when canoe paddling. i struggled through a lot of these videos until i figured out that they aren't really the best method.

[@RitzCaraldo]

The way he says paddleboard cracks me up.

[@Paka96756]

Thank you 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽

[@suzannegolden9171]

thank you!!

[@MaxSergeyenko]

Can you damage the inflatable paddle board if you are scraping the sides with the paddle on each stroke? Is that a good idea or no to get it the closest to the edge of the sup?

[@ethanhuffsup]

You won't damage the side of your board at all doing this, but you don't want to be banging it against your board either with each stroke as this is also not the best technique. The goal is to have the shaft some right along side the board with each stroke. It takes practice but makes a big difference. 😃

[@joalin947]

Great tips! /Joa in Sweden.

[@rogerlivsey8342]

Can improve Put a slight rotation on the paddle at entry to pull the nose to the paddling side If you have a solid board then a bit of weight on the paddling side foot helps keep it straight Test yourself. CAN YOU PADDLE 360Deg, to the direction of the paddle side

[@petedorries3690]

You hit the correct way to keep board straight. Angle the blade.... good work

[@Jenvey1]

I imagine the shape of the board makes a difference as well? Are the ones with a pointy nose are easier to paddle straight?

[@ethanhuffsup]

These are typically touring or race boards with the pointed noise and it does help some with tracking as these boards are also typically narrower.

[@miguelsegui110]

Thanks

[@ethanhuffsup]

No Problem! 👍Glad you enjoyed it!

[@1goodmann]

May I ask if you are a certified Sup instructor?

[@ethanhuffsup]

Yep 👍🏻

[@1goodmann]

@@ethanhuffsup level 1?

[@phillippearce9680]

👍

[@bgdavis5089]

lots of extra work in this method. you don't have to do all the reaching up and twisting. a simple curved stroke (reaching the blade out away from the board, then pulling back in a curved path) will keep you going straight without all the mumbo jumbo.

[@greenstripeypaint]

When you said "let's get started" and "let's jump right into it" I gave up. Why do KZbinrs always say this? Just start. Don't waste time talking about starting.

[@Moccsnosocks]

Haterrrr

[@upstatebernie4827]

Are you triggered??? 😢😓😢