Blow up, warm up, SUP

We've all done it, let the electric pump inflate the board or just unloaded it from the car and then launched because it’s a gorgeous day and our focus is to get on the water.

This is where those of you who use a manual pump to inflate your board, can be smug and superior. YOU are always warmed up by the time you get on the water. The rest of us need to take a leaf out of your (maybe enforced) book and properly warm up.

Why? Well, popping a muscle is preventable, can be painful, and can put you off the water for much longer than the time you didn't take to warm up in the first place!

What to do?

That’s up to you! Anything that loosens up your limbs and gets the blood flowing and more to the point, that you don't feel a fool doing. You are so much less likely to warm up if you feel everyone is watching and potentially judging you. Why not get your fellow paddle boarders to join you? Let each person contribute an exercise so there's joint ownership for the activity.

Some SUP warm-up suggestions:

• Jumping or skipping on the spot

• Windmill arms

• Twists to both left and right

• High knees

And 10-15 mins is good enough.

Whether you're paddleboarding on the River Thames, local canals or on the sea, what's important is that your exercises are dynamic - i.e. you keep moving and avoid static stretches. Save those for later, on the board or when you are off the water.

In summary, don't blow a muscle, warm up then SUP.

Feeling motivated to Join us for paddleboarding on the River Thames? View our booking schedule.