Where do you put your feet on a stand up paddleboard?

From your first day day stand up paddling through to progressing into the different disciplines, where to plant your SUP stance is a vital ingredient to staying upright. This applies to beginners learning basic balance to professional athletes pushing the sport to the next level.

Insight to the different paddleboarding stances, and their benefits, is helpful for all. 

The Main Paddleboarding Stances

There are three main stand up paddling stances.

The most common seen on a SUP is the neutral or square stance. The second is a staggered stance. The third comes from another board sport, the surf stance. Each one of these stances has their benefits and fall backs. Let’s take a closer look at them all. 

The Neutral or Square Paddleboard Stance 

In this stance the paddler will have their feet shoulder width apart and inline with the carrying handle. It is important to be inline with the carrying handle in order to balance the paddler’s weight to the centre of the SUP. 

This stance provides the best lateral stability on the board. When the board is rocking from one rail to the other, this is the stance of choice.

Some final pointers to achieving this paddleboard stance: the paddler’s toes should be pointed towards the nose of the board but at a comfortable angle. Knees should be slightly bent. Straightened legs will create a world of stiff-legged instability. 

This stance is utilized by beginners as it is the most comfortable stance for learning. 

Mix of Surf Stance and Neutral Paddleboard Stance

The width of the stance and the length of the “stagger” can vary from individual to individual. 

The key pointers are the width is to remain fairly wide but still comfortable. The width is important for applying pressure to the rails of the board. The stagger with one foot forward and the other back is an advantage to nose to tail balance.

Initially, paddlers can find this stance feels awkward. Some pointers to adjusting to this stance are starting with slight stagger out of a square stance. Practice this SUP stance on flat water first and take time to practice all the different paddle strokes with a your new foot placement. 

To know which foot will be the most comfortable in front while in a staggered stance, you'll need to know which foot is dominant. If you don't do other board sports, get a friend to come up behind you and give you a gentle push forward. The foot you step forward with will be your dominant foot.

This stance is used by many North American SUP river paddlers due to the best all-around stability.

It is most comfortable to paddle on your "open" side, opposite to the forward foot.

Surf Stance for Paddleboarding 

Surf stance places both feet along the stringer (centre) of the board. The distance from foot to foot is just wider than shoulder width. Hips face towards the rail of the board and the upper torso/shoulders are rotated forward. 

This stance provides the easiest weight shift forward and back on the board. Lateral stability is minimal in this stance. 

Surf stance is most successful when used while the paddleboard is moving, or has reached planing on a wave. 

The name of this stance tells when it is best used. Surf stance is best for paddleboard surfing. This is the stance for choice for advanced Stand Up River paddlers navigating complex rapids.

I paddled my first few years stuck in a neutral stance. I found myself constantly “folding forward at the waist” whenever I paddled through river waves.

Now I prefer a staggered stance paddleboarding bigger whitewater. I play with all my other foot placements on Class 1-2 water and practice SUP paddle stroke drills in different stances on flat water. 

Moving your feet on the board is another way to advance your skills as well as have fun. 

From a square/neutral stance to surf, each one of these SUP stances has its benefits while paddling.

Stand for success on the water: switch up your feet and have fun with this amazing water sport.