I am interested in surfskiing for cardiovascular fitness. I SUP and feel that long before my heart bpm gets anywhere near what I easily achieve running, the strain on my shoulders or other upper body joints and muscles limits me and I have to back off. It seems analogous in feeling to rowing on an Erg with the resistance set at maximum . I am wondering if surfskiing might be better for balancing the torso/leg workout with the cardiovascular demands than trying to do so on a SUP. Is there a way of SUPing that can reduce the load that the SUP drag puts on joints so I can make it more about cardio and less about strength? I am on a 14' X 26" SUP with a BlackProject OHana paddle that is two piece and seems stiff and well balanced.

You should try to enhance your paddling technique to have the power come from core and hips rather than the arms: Try to imagine your shoulders and arms are "dead" rods, and all the motoring coming from the hips and legs (and the core active as a swivel to move the paddle).

Try also to paddle more with cadence than strength.

Also, reducing the paddle leverage will be easier on the joints: both by keeping your hands well apart, and maybe "choking" the paddle by moving your top hand below the handle (or using a shorter paddle): you can see racers doit it for sprinting.

Plus a paddle with smaller blade and softer shaft will be easier on the joints

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colas said..
You should try to enhance your paddling technique to have the power come from core and hips rather than the arms: Try to imagine your shoulders and arms are "dead" rods, and all the motoring coming from the hips and legs (and the core active as a swivel to move the paddle).

Try also to paddle more with cadence than strength.

Also, reducing the paddle leverage will be easier on the joints: both by keeping your hands well apart, and maybe "choking" the paddle by moving your top hand below the handle (or using a shorter paddle): you can see racers doit it for sprinting.

Plus a paddle with smaller blade and softer shaft will be easier on the joints

Thank you very much for the great information! I always appreciate your expertise in wingfoiling-related issues, and the same applies here in SUP. Around here, surfskiing is super popular, and people live to downwind, but I love foiling, so my aims are different. I want something cardio for the windless days besides trail running to give the knees a break. If I could make my SUP work for me, then that would be simplest and overlap the least. I just don't know if the problems I am having SUPing for fitness can be surmounted in my case. I will definitely try your suggestions tomorrow and monitor my progress.

Definitely smaller paddle size. Also sounds like your technique may be too shoulder centric. Also try to stay in the aerobic rather than anaerobic zone to minimize recovery time. I used to surfski, but found sup to be a far better overall exercise with much less pressure on lower back.

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Bowerboy said..
Definitely smaller paddle size. Also sounds like your technique may be too shoulder centric. Also try to stay in the aerobic rather than anaerobic zone to minimize recovery time. I used to surfski, but found sup to be a far better overall exercise with much less pressure on lower back.

I am using a Black Project Ohana two-piece 530 cm^2 bladed paddle with the SIC RS 14'X26" iSUP ( at the time of purchase, I was unsure about storage for a hard board so compromised and got the narrowest iSUP I could get reasonably easily). Would that be considered a smaller blade? Thank you for sharing you experience; I have had some lumbar spine issues in the past so it is good to be aware that sitting in a ski could exacerbate that potentially

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Bowerboy said..
Definitely smaller paddle size. Also sounds like your technique may be too shoulder centric. Also try to stay in the aerobic rather than anaerobic zone to minimize recovery time. I used to surfski, but found sup to be a far better overall exercise with much less pressure on lower back.

Can you recommend a good paddle with a smaller ergonomic blade? I want less load so I can up my cadence without over straining

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Bowerboy said..
Definitely smaller paddle size. Also sounds like your technique may be too shoulder centric. Also try to stay in the aerobic rather than anaerobic zone to minimize recovery time. I used to surfski, but found sup to be a far better overall exercise with much less pressure on lower back.

Interesting what you say about the lower back. I am actually concerned that the seated ski position despite proper technique on a sufficiently stable board would
still be tougher on the lumbar spine. At least in SUPing I feel I can keep the Lower back in a neutral position, but does hinging at the hip cause any back problems? Maybe it solves some of the SUP technique is good.

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Bowerboy said..
Definitely smaller paddle size. Also sounds like your technique may be too shoulder centric. Also try to stay in the aerobic rather than anaerobic zone to minimize recovery time. I used to surfski, but found sup to be a far better overall exercise with much less pressure on lower back.

Can you recommend a good paddle ?