5 Ways to Get Back on the Water
Feeling a little nervous or out of shape? Here are a few things to consider when heading back to the water. Starting with some simple moves to strengthen your core, thighs, and shoulders. Along with confidence building gear to keep you from getting cold if you fall in.
Sure, you can go out there and brave the snowmelt waters, or you can don a wetsuit and start pretending that warmth surrounding your body is the actual sun. Warmer waters will be here soon, but in the meantime, check out these brands of our favorite wetsuits.
Body Strengthening flow:
Dead Bug - Build core on your back, arms & legs in the air and start to crunch with your elbow across the body toward your knee. Altentative method is to place your feet up against the wall while on your back.
Holding Plank - Shoulders above your wrist line and toes high over the heels. Alternative is forearm plank, placing the forearms down with the wrists inline with the elbow creases. s
Squats / Chair - Leg strengthen. Holding the squat while brushing your teeth or waiting for the coffee to brew. Similar to a chair pose in yoga, adding a twist while in the position. Also helps with turning the board.
Work toward progression on each of these and start to make it a mini yoga flow, start standing to chair (hold), to plank pose (add in toe lifts while holding the plank), lower to on your back to finish with a dead bug.
4. Another recommendation if you would like to keep warm if you fall in the water. My recent purchase has been a dry suit. While I have some experience with wet suits, I really wanted to try out a dry suit. Well I love it, little more freedom in the arms and shoulders to paddle. One concern to consider is how much seal the neck does have but it’s guaranteed no water can leak in. Check out my dry suit
Dry Suit Test with Evolve Good Buddy SUP
5. The other option is a wet suit, what’s the difference?? A wetsuit is meant to be wet, you will feel the water on your skin but the material is made to absorb sun to make you feel warm with water against you. Not the easiest thing to explain but think of yourself as a thermal unit working the wetsuit material to help you stay warm with the sun. Also wetsuits are typically black that help with the sun. My finding while using them during longer paddles, it becomes a little uncomfortable around the arm pit crease. My wetsuit is also think at 4mms. Thiner ones may be a little more forgiving around the arms.
Check out some more tips about wet suit gear, including gloves and boots. Wet Suit Video