According to the 2015 Paddlesports report, stand up paddleboarding has been increasing at a rapid rate every year since 2010. The report presented that approximately 10 million new people per year have been trying out stand up paddleboarding, and that number keeps on increasing. 

The concept of stand up paddle boarding can seem quite intimidating at first. Not many people can naturally comprehend the feeling of walking on water, yet, once you learn, you will forever be hooked. 

The problem is, there aren’t many tutorials or lessons that teach you how to stand up paddleboard correctly. Most places just hand you a lifejacket, paddle, and board with only a short couple sentences on how not to fall off.  

This leaves many people to fear stand up paddleboarding when it could be the best activity they will ever try.

Thankfully, we’ve created this article to teach you how to stand up paddle board, so you can get out on the water and feel confident! 

Let’s get started!

Get to Know the Equipment

To know how to stand up paddleboard properly, you must know how to operate the equipment needed, beyond the board.

The Paddle

The paddle for a stand-up paddleboard is much different than an average paddle for a kayak or rowboat. when it comes to SUP paddles, the length is everything. The paddle should be at least a couple of feet taller than your height and have comfortable grips to hold on to. You can buy an essay online cheap on the subject.

To measure your paddle, stand tall with your arm up in the air, stand the paddle upright in front of you and measure it up to your wrist. If it meets your wrist, it is tall enough for you to use.

The Board

Stand up paddleboarding has become so popular that the net market worth of the paddleboard industry has reached nearly $10 billion as of 2020.

There are numerous different styles of stand up paddleboards, as there are multiple different styles of paddleboarding. 

Touring and racing paddleboards have a pointed tip that allows for more streamlined paddling across the water. Yoga and fishing paddleboards are much wider so that there is a base of support for the movement on the board.

Regular, flatwater boards are perfect for rookie paddleboards because they are easy to balance, and have a nice, wide base of support. The bigger the board, the more stable it will be. 

For leisurely paddle boarding, there are two main options; either an inflatable board or a solid design.

Inflatable SUP board

The inflatable SUP board is perfect for those who prefer convenience. If you do not have the room on your vehicle to transfer a giant board, this is the perfect choice for you. Inflatable SUP boards always come with a pump, paddle, leash, and removable fins. 

Solid SUP board

If you can transport a 10-12 foot board, then the solid SUP design is a great choice. The solid SUP is more durable and easier for balancing, and you do not have to worry about any leaks or needing to pump up your board.

Lifejacket

Many places require by law that you wear a lifejacket while paddleboarding. There is always the chance that you could fall off your board, and if you hit your head, you could easily drown.

There are many different styles of lifejackets for SUPing, including the waist belt, vest, blow up lifejacket, and full-style. As long as the lifejacket does not irritate you while you are paddling, you will keep it on and stay safe.

How to Stand Up Paddle Board

Now for the fun part, learning how to stand up paddleboard properly. It is much easier than it looks and it just takes a bit of practice to get comfortable. 

How to Get on the Board

1. Place your board about knee-deep in the water so that the fin is not scratching the ground
2. Approach the board from the side, with your paddle laying lengthwise alongside the board
3. Making sure you are facing the right way, (fin in the back) place one knee on the board, then kneel with both knees in the center of the board
4. Grab your paddle, and start paddling forwards
5. Once you feel comfortable, you can place your hands down on the board and slowly get up to your feet
6. Keep your feet parallel at shoulder-width apart, with your feet pointed directly ahead. 
7. Keep your core engaged the entire time for more assured balance

How to Paddle Properly

1. Hold the paddle with one hand at the top, in the grip, and the other hand along the side
2. The wider the grip, the more power you will have in your stroke
3. Paddle straight back for more streamlined boarding, in the end, finish with a “J-stroke” to lift the paddle back out of the water
4. Use your larger back muscles to do the paddling, while keeping your torso upright and your core engaged
5. As you begin to understand how the paddleboard moved with your strokes, you will create a pattern with how to switch sides with the paddle. Ideally, it is about 3-4 paddles per side
6. To turn around, reach the paddle out from the side of the board and paddle in a “C” curve to rotate the board
7. To stop the board, simply either paddle backward or stick the paddle in the water without paddling. 
8. Smile!

Paddleboarding is all about trial and error, and playing around until you find that sweet spot that works well for you. If you feel nervous, you can always stay on your knees or sit down and paddle the board like a kayak.

Learn More Paddleboarding Tips 

There you have it! A simple and straightforward guide on how to stand up paddle board with confidence. Follow these tips and you will become comfortable and paddle like a pro in no time.

To learn more tips like these, or other fun water sports guides, check out the outdoor adventure section of our blog!  

The market for probiotics is expected to rise from $16 billion in 2008 to $69.3 billion in 2023. This is an increase of 427% in only 15 years.

Research suggests that these minuscule organisms can provide a range of health benefits, especially in regards to the stomach. Their potential to treat a wide range of diseases and provide relief from symptoms explains the recent increase in usage.

Despite their popularity, you may not be familiar with these emerging methods of improving the body’s overall health. You may have several unanswered questions.

What are probiotics?

What can they do for me?

How should I take them?

Read our guide to understand everything you need to know about probiotics and learn the answers to these questions and more.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are a relatively complex type of microorganism. Despite years of research, the scientific community is not entirely sure how to describe them and the changes they tend to cause in the body.

To truly understand probiotics, you must learn about every part of them. This includes how they affect the microbiome, how they differ from other microorganisms, how they’re classified, and how they perform their critical functions.

The Microbiome

The body’s microbiome is made up of a wide variety of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. Some are harmful, but some provide a range of health benefits and must be maintained in the proper amounts.

Microorganisms outnumber human cells 10 to 1 but only make up 1-3% of the body’s overall mass. Despite their small size, they have a major impact on our overall health. This makes it important to understand every part of the microbiome.

One of the most important components of the microbiome is probiotics. These live microorganisms provide a range of health benefits. They live throughout the human body, primarily residing in the stomach.

Probiotics are so crucial to our overall health that babies automatically receive the most necessary types upon exiting the birth canal.

Probiotics vs. Prebiotics and Synbiotics

As previously mentioned, there is a wide range of different types of microorganisms living in the body’s microbiome. Differentiating between them is a critical part of understanding how they all work.

Probiotics and prebiotics are often confused, but they are different in several ways.

A prebiotic is a nondigestible carbohydrate. It lives in and feeds all the bacteria in the stomach, including probiotics.

Prebiotics provide a similar range of health benefits such as treating gastrointestinal issues and aiding the immune system. They’re not as popular but can still be found in several types of medications and/or foods.

Synbiotics is a term for the effect that occurs when probiotics and prebiotics work together in the body. They combine both beneficial microorganisms to ensure that the best possible health benefits are achieved.

Classifying Probiotics

There are several types of probiotics to choose from. Each one is identified by factors such as its genus, species, and strain level.

Some of the most common types are lactobacillus, bifidobacteria, Saccharomyces boulardii, Streptococcus thermophilus, Enterococcus faecium, and Leuconostoc.

Each of these types comes from a different source. Some of the most common places to find probiotics are yeast, manufacturing, and the bodies of humans or various types of animals.

Each type also performs different functions that can provide different benefits. Examples include reducing lactose intolerance and maintaining the health of the entire digestive system.

Maintaining the proper levels of each type is the best way to maintain the body’s overall health. The body won’t work at its best without enough of each strain.

Strain level refers to how many microorganisms are in a specific source. More is not always better, but not having enough typically means you won’t notice any changes.

Once you know how to classify probiotics, you can make a proper choice when deciding which one to take. This makes it a necessary first step before adding them into your health routine in any way.

How Probiotics Work

Probiotics live throughout the body but tend to gather in the stomach and other places in the digestive tract. Doing so requires a difficult, long, and perilous journey.

In order to reach the stomach, probiotics must be able to withstand strong acid and other dangers. The more individuals in a colony, the more resistant they’ll become.

Once a probiotic reaches the stomach, it can begin its work. They perform several functions including releasing essential substances, aiding digestion, and more.

Probiotics that reach the stomach can provide a range of health benefits for anyone. It’s important to understand these to explain their increase in popularity and why you should also consider taking them.

What Are The Benefits of Probiotics?

Answering a question like what are probiotics is only the first step in adding these bacteria into your health routine. The next step is to learn the potential benefits they can provide.

Probiotics affect each body differently depending on factors such as age and gender. It’s important to know these potential effects ahead of time to see what a probiotic can treat.

Benefits for Children and Infants

As humans age, their nutritional requirements and the things they need to keep them healthy change. There are several unique benefits that probiotics can provide to infants and young children.

Colic is a common digestive problem in infants that causes severe pain. Probiotics can help relieve these symptoms and give parents peace.

Probiotics provide benefits to the entire body, and this includes the skin as well. Children with atopic issues like eczema may experience relief by taking probiotics.

Children are also more likely than adults to suffer from potentially severe allergies. Probiotics help regulate their impact by lessening the overactive immune response that causes any and all symptoms.

Benefits for Adults

Probiotics provide a range of additional health benefits to all adults who choose to take them. Examples include improved stomach health, less harmful bacteria, and improved immune response.

The human body contains trillions of bacteria, 80% of which live in the stomach. That is why maintaining a proper balance is so critical to digestive health.

Maintaining the proper balance of bacteria in the stomach is essential to keeping it healthy. Probiotics help the body do this in several ways.

The body can’t digest certain substances like fibers and resistant starches, but probiotics can. They also release helpful substances like fatty acids that strengthen the gut barrier and keep substances from escaping.

Probiotics are also effective at treating a variety of types of diarrhea thanks to their positive impact on the digestive system.

Probiotics are a type of bacteria that’s capable of reducing the numbers of other potentially harmful types of bacteria in the body.

Probiotics use the space and nutrients that less beneficial bacteria need to survive. This is one way that they reduce their numbers.

The other method is by producing bacteriocins. These substances resemble an antibiotic and are used by the immune system to remove harmful bacteria.

Probiotics can even improve your mood and alleviate the symptoms of mental illness.

The health of your stomach and brain are closely linked. Studies suggest that probiotics may reduce symptoms of depression. Signals from the stomach reach and affect the brain, and regulating them can provide relief.

Benefits for Women

There are specialized probiotics for women, but these aren’t necessary to get the full benefits. The important thing to understand is the specific benefits that a probiotic regiment can provide to all women.

Yeast infections are caused by an overabundance of bacteria. Probiotics can remove the offending microorganisms and speed up healing.

Probiotics are an essential part of overall vaginal health. The area contains a rich microbiome that must be carefully regulated.

Women are also more prone to mental health issues such as depression or severe stress than men. Probiotics can provide relief in this area while also keeping the body’s microbiome happy and healthy.

Women, men, and children can benefit from adding probiotics into their healthy routine as long as they choose the best one for their needs at the right dosage.

How Can I Get Probiotics?

Probiotics aren’t just numerous in the human body. They’re easy to find in a variety of other sources, but you must know where to look if you want to enjoy the numerous benefits they provide.

Supplements and other forms of medication are the most common ways to get more probiotics. There are also food and drinks to add to your daily diet that are rich in these beneficial bacteria.

Supplements and Medication

Due to their popularity, there are currently a range of different supplements and pills that can be taken orally to increase your body’s overall concentration of probiotics. They differ in a variety of factors such as colony size and effectiveness.

The concentration of bacteria in a supplement is measured in CFU or colony-forming units. The research has not determined the exact CFU that any single person needs, and you must remember that more is not always better.

A probiotic prescribed by a doctor will provide the most benefits. They can help you choose which one you truly need and which strains will help relieve any symptoms or treat any diseases you may suffer from.

Food and Drink

Providing infants with enough probiotics is not as difficult as it sounds. Breastmilk naturally contains several colonies, and many brands of formula are fortified with them as well.

It becomes more difficult to regulate your microbiome when you start eating solid foods. Fortunately, there are several types of food you can eat to get more probiotics into your diet. Some of the best are fermented options like sauerkraut and kimchi. Other options include yogurt and kefir.

There are also probiotic drinks available. Fermented drinks such as kombucha will provide the most powerful effect.

Dairy products in general have some of the highest concentrations of probiotics. Consult with your doctor on how to change your diet to allow for a higher concentration of these beneficial bacteria.

Adding Other Microorganisms

As previously mentioned, the organisms in the body’s microbiome must work together to maintain health. Even if you’re getting plenty of probiotics from food and supplements alone, it may be worth considering adding other microorganisms as well.

Prebiotics are an essential food source for probiotics and other microorganisms the body needs to survive. Taking both at the same time will increase the odds of large colonies surviving, leading to the largest health benefits.

A synbiotic environment is the best for your overall health, as it allows all the microorganisms in your body to work together to keep you healthy. Try to find products that utilize probiotics and prebiotics whenever possible to get this effect.

Whichever method you choose to get more probiotics into your body, make sure that you can implement it into your daily routine. Consistency is essential here as the proper gut bacteria ratios must be constantly maintained.

What Are The Best Probiotics?

There’s an insane number of different types and formulations of probiotics available today. It can be difficult to choose the best one for your needs.

You should always talk to your doctor first before you consider adding probiotics to your health routine. They’ll help you determine the best brand and dosage.

Not all probiotics are made equal, and their quality differs greatly. Some options are not as powerful or beneficial as others. Try ProbioZen, a brand that offers effective probiotics for everyone.

The best probiotic for you depends on your individual needs, age, gender, and a variety of other factors. It’s important to carefully choose the best strain and brand to get the most benefits.

Where Can I Learn More?

It’s important to understand the answers to questions like what are probiotics and how can they help me. The microbiome is a widespread part of the body that affects our total health in a variety of ways.

Each individual who takes probiotics may experience different effects. An option that works for one patient may not be as beneficial for another.

Consult with your doctor to choose the best possible probiotic. Read the rest of our content and keep checking back for more information.