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LairdHamilton.com asked longtime SUP instructor Jeff Sweet to give us his top 5 commandments for new paddlers to remember before hitting the water. Here’s his list.    1. Take a lesson from a professional. You’ll be happy you did. If you take one lesson from a good instructor, you’re golden and can learn everything in one shot. Finding a good instructor can be tough so locate your local surf shop, not a big box retail outlet, but a real, local surf or paddling shop and ask for a recommendation. Or listen to other paddlers in your community. Word of mouth...

One key to standup paddling is dialing in your stroke. It’s not going to happen your first time out but with a little practice, you can create a paddling rhythm that’ll stick with you forever and make your experience on the water better every time out. For this stroke tutorial, we turned to professional instructor Jeff Sweet of Malibu, California, who's also a LairdStandUp Team rider. Speed is your friend. A lot of people, when they first get on a board, want to stand still to gain their balance. But a board is more stable when it’s planing or moving...

So you’re ready to start standup paddling? Got your board, got your paddle, got your buddy? Laird Hamilton team rider Chuck Glynn drops knowledge with six first time blunders he sees regularly from new paddlers. That way, you can avoid them.  People usually have their paddle the wrong way. Make sure the paddle is facing the right direction.  For beginners, it feels like the blade curve should be towards you but it’s the opposite. Generally the logo—and thus, the blade angle—is facing away from you. Your stroke will be a lot smoother if your paddle is facing the correct direction. ...

Standup paddling is for everyone. And it can be done on almost any body of water in the world. Once you have your board and paddle—and a buddy— check out these five hints to get you started from Laird Hamilton team rider Chuck Glynn. Flatwater is absolutely the best place to start. There’s no consequence, no outside influence to knock you in the water like waves or boat wake. Head to a flat river, bay or lake. Basically, first times are just looking for calm, glassy water. Just don’t go out in wind. Wind creates choppy conditions and can push...

Keep it simple and that new ride will stay in your quiver forever Standup paddling doesn’t have to be complicated. Board. Paddle. Hit the water. But for beginner’s, the sheer amount of choices out there can be overwhelming. Laird Hamilton lays down the case for the longboard outline, and gives you some hints on what to look for when purchasing your first board. Start big. If you’re a beginner, go for a stable board that’s easy to paddle. Start with something that’s 11 to 12 feet long and nice and wide (at least 30 inches). As your paddling skill increases...