How To Turn Like A Pro! | Never Fall Off Your Board Again

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Turning is a surprisingly under-rated skill in stand-up paddleboarding. Many people make the mistake of assuming that better turning means needing to walk to the back of the board and sink the tail, so they never learn how to turn their board hard and fast by just using their paddle.


In this video, our coach Bill Dawes takes you through the full progression of paddle-powered turns, so that wherever you may be on the turning spectrum you can find out how to raise your game to the next level. If you’d like to be able to spin your board through 180 degrees at high speed with just one paddle movement, then this is the video for you.


At 0’56” we start with the basic forward turn, looking at how most people tend to do it, and how it can be improved.


At 3’0” we develop the techniques into the full forward sweep stroke.


At 6’30” we apply the same process to reverse turns, to deliver a full-blown reverse sweep stroke.


At 9’10” we introduce rudder turning. This is a great skill to have, and one that will be a whole new style of turning for many.


At 14’00” we develop the skills further to learn draw strokes and the cross-bow turn, which - if done properly - allows you to spin any all-round SUP (or smaller) around through a full 180 degrees in just one stroke, from a stationary or moving start, and without ever moving your feet.


Then we put it all together and show you the cross bow turn while paddling - absolutely the quickest turn you can make on a recreational board. (While a pivot turn from the tail will undoubtedly spin the board around more quickly once you’ve got your weight back onto the tail, you’ve still got to step back to the tail to make the turn, walk forward again after it’s done, and regain your momentum, all of which takes time, no matter how good you are).


So there’s your challenge for your next session on the water - get out there and work on turbo-charging those turns! We hope you enjoy the video.


Bill Dawes has been coaching SUP at all levels for 15 years, during which time he has built up a vast amount of knowledge and experience in understanding how to teach the sport. Check out his other videos on our channel, which cover everything from beginner mistakes to advanced paddling technique. If you'd like to book a personal online coaching session with Bill, check out www.supcoachonline.com