Correct Paddle Height / How To Find The Right Height For Your SUP Paddle

Hello and welcome to this SUP Boarder video. Now there's already a ton of information out there about paddle heights, however in this video we really hope to reveal some insights about finding the correct and recommended paddle height for you, but we also touch on the importance of having the correct paddle height because it not only does it help our paddling technique, but also takes the pressure off our body. So first things first, let's get into finding out the recommended paddle height for you. If you're starting out as a beginner or intermediate paddler and just want to cruise for recreation paddling on flat water, then you ideally want to adjust your paddle to eight inches taller than your height. This typically equals one shaka above your head. If you're out on the water doing more fitness or workout training on a SUP, or even starting to get into the racing scene, then you ideally want to adjust your paddle to six inches above your height, which is a shaka just without the pinky finger. For those elite racers who are competing in sprint disciplines, or if you're really wanting to paddle fast on your board, opting for a paddle height that is your height or four inches above your head is going to be perfect. So this could equal a fist above your head. There are of course so many different variations to this and we're going to touch on those in a moment, but let's speak about the discipline before we jump into that. When we SUP surf, our paddle heights can really change between using different boards. SUP surfing is a very dynamic sport where we're constantly bending over and getting down low, so riding a smaller board would equal a paddle height that is maybe eyebrow level, or up to your head, and riding a bigger board with more volume could equal a paddle height that is about two to four inches above your head. Let's speak about these disciplines in even more detail, but also find out why it's really important to have the correct paddle height. Paddle height can be determined by how much of the blade is submerged in the water during your stroke. Ideally, you want the blade fully submerged for the right paddle stroke and the right paddle height. If you're submerging part of the shaft, then your paddle is too long. If you are not submerging your blade fully during your paddle stroke, then your paddle is too short. The thickness or volume of your board will also determine your paddle height because more volume will equal more flotation and therefore you sit higher on the water, which means you may need a higher paddle height. But when riding a surf SUP, for example, you do sit lower in the water because you have less volume in the board, so you'll need a shorter paddle. So as a beginner or intermediate paddler, when we get out on the water, we tend to stand a bit more relaxed and a bit more upright with our body position. Because we are standing taller, we need to have a longer paddle height to complement our posture. You may find that if you are on a six inch thick inflatable paddle board, or a board that has a lot of volume, then you may want to extend your paddle past that recommended eight inches to find the desired length, as standing on a thicker or bigger board means we are standing further away from the surface of the water. A good tip to look out for if your paddle is too short is noticing if your top hand drops below your eyeline when paddling in mid-stroke. Similarly, if your top hand is above your head when paddling mid-stroke, then your paddle may be too long. If you are focused on training on the water, or if you're entering some distance races, or maybe you're doing a downwinder, then adjusting your paddle height a little bit shorter is really going to help. Because when we do these types of sub-disciplines, we are bending over from our waist and bending our knees a little bit more, which means we are getting lower to the water. So we need a shorter paddle, and aiming for that six inches above your head is a great place to start. For sprint racing, it must be mentioned that if you are racing on a dugout design, or a normal deck board, this will definitely influence your paddle height. The different variations in height standing above the water between these two boards means your paddle height needs to be adjusted to suit. But generally, sprinting calls for a shorter paddle as you are really bent over trying to get the maximum cadence to go really fast. So getting your head down and just going for it. Aiming for your head height, or even up to about four inches above that, is a great place to begin for your paddle height. When we look at surf stops, this really does depend on the volume of your board. There is a great way for us to find this out. Firstly, take the volume of your board and minus your weight in kilograms from that. This will equal the extra buoyancy you have with your board when standing on it in the water. The more volume you have left over, let's say 40 or 50 litres with that equation, then you need to go for a longer paddle as you will sit higher on the water. If you only get 5 to 10 litres from that equation, then you are sitting very low in the water, which means a shorter paddle height will be better. As mentioned before, SUP surfing is very dynamic and we're doing a lot of bending over, getting low, or sprinting to catch waves, so it's really a personal preference with your paddle height. If your paddle is an adjustable length, then you may find changing your paddle height out of the water really helps to find the right size for you. However, with a fixed paddle, you may want to consider using a hot glue gun, so you can easily resize the paddle later if needed. We would always recommend cutting your fixed paddle a little bit longer than you think. That way, if you need to resize it later, you can cut it down. Remember, if you do cut it too short, there's no going back. Now, some common signs to look out for if you think your paddle might be the wrong size is if you are getting lower back pain or if you aren't getting enough power out of your stroke. These are prime examples of having a paddle that is too short for you. On the other hand, if you're getting shoulder pain or you feel like your paddle is awkward to cross over between hands, then this could be a sign that your paddle is too long. Knowing these signs is a really great place to find your correct paddle size. The wrong paddle size is detrimental to our own body and this is how those pains and aches start to creep in. So, make sure your paddle height is correct and it's going to allow you to paddle for longer on the water and, of course, have more fun. We hope this video helps you to decide your correct paddle height. We really want to thank you for tuning in and we'll see you on another SUP water video really soon.