Advanced SUP Surfing
Take your SUP surfing to its highest level. This pathway is designed for experienced surfers who want to refine advanced manoeuvres, master smaller performance boards and deepen their understanding of equipment, wave knowledge and surf strategy. Follow each section in order to develop the skills, confidence and decision-making needed to perform at your best in a wide range of surf conditions.
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Section 1: Mastering Smaller Performance SUPs
Learn the techniques needed to confidently paddle and control smaller, high-performance SUPs. From stance and trimming to bracing, paddling efficiently and waiting for waves, build the skills needed to unlock the potential of a smaller board.
Learn how to position and control a smaller SUP when catching waves, using the right technique to make getting onto waves more consistent and controlled.
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How to paddle small SUPs / Catching waves
Learn how to position and control a smaller SUP when catching waves, using the right technique to make getting onto waves more consistent and controlled.
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Smaller boards demand better balance and quicker reactions. Learn how effective bracing can help you stay upright, recover from wobbles and paddle a smaller SUP with greater confidence.
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How to paddle small SUPs / Brace, brace,brace
Smaller boards demand better balance and quicker reactions. Learn how effective bracing can help you stay upright, recover from wobbles and paddle a smaller SUP with greater confidence.
Preview VideoDiscover how stance and weight distribution affect a smaller SUP. Learn to adjust your position and trim the board effectively for greater stability, control and performance.
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How to paddle small SUPs / Stance and board trim
Discover how stance and weight distribution affect a smaller SUP. Learn to adjust your position and trim the board effectively for greater stability, control and performance.
Preview VideoKeeping a small SUP tracking straight can be challenging. Learn how paddle technique and body position can help you maintain direction without constantly changing sides.
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How to paddle small SUPs / Paddling Straight
Keeping a small SUP tracking straight can be challenging. Learn how paddle technique and body position can help you maintain direction without constantly changing sides.
Preview VideoGoing smaller can improve performance, but only if the board suits you. Learn how to make sensible board-size choices that challenge your skills without holding back your progression.
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Making the correct board size choices to help your SUP progression
Going smaller can improve performance, but only if the board suits you. Learn how to make sensible board-size choices that challenge your skills without holding back your progression.
Preview VideoHow small is too small? Explore the signs that a surf SUP may be beyond your current ability and understand the compromises involved when reducing board size and volume.
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When is your SUP too small?
How small is too small? Explore the signs that a surf SUP may be beyond your current ability and understand the compromises involved when reducing board size and volume.
Preview VideoStaying balanced while waiting for waves can be one of the hardest parts of riding a small SUP. Learn practical techniques for staying stable, positioned and ready to go.
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How to paddle small SUPs / What to do when waiting for waves
Staying balanced while waiting for waves can be one of the hardest parts of riding a small SUP. Learn practical techniques for staying stable, positioned and ready to go.
Preview VideoSection 2: Advanced Board Handling
Develop the skills needed to handle more challenging situations in the surf. Improve your wave exits, learn when and how to prone paddle, and develop greater control both getting through the surf and riding waves.
Learn how to exit a wave with greater control, helping you avoid unnecessary wipeouts and put yourself in a better position to paddle back out for the next wave.
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How To Kick Out Of A Wave On A SUP / Avoiding A Wipeout
Learn how to exit a wave with greater control, helping you avoid unnecessary wipeouts and put yourself in a better position to paddle back out for the next wave.
View VideoStanding isn't always the quickest or most effective option. Discover when prone paddling can help and how to use it effectively when conditions make standing difficult.
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Paddling prone on a SUP – Why & when?
Standing isn't always the quickest or most effective option. Discover when prone paddling can help and how to use it effectively when conditions make standing difficult.
More InfoTake prone paddling into broken water and learn how to get your SUP over waves with greater control when standing and paddling out isn't the best option.
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Prone paddling over waves with a SUP
Take prone paddling into broken water and learn how to get your SUP over waves with greater control when standing and paddling out isn't the best option.
Preview VideoBuild a more dependable backhand bottom turn and learn how good positioning, body movement and board control can set you up for the next section of the wave.
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Backhand Bottom Turn You Can Rely On
Build a more dependable backhand bottom turn and learn how good positioning, body movement and board control can set you up for the next section of the wave.
View VideoSection 3: Advanced Wave Moves
Develop the skills needed to handle more challenging situations in the surf. Improve your wave exits, learn when and how to prone paddle, and develop greater control both getting through the surf and riding waves.
Learn how deliberately slowing your board can improve positioning on the wave. Discover when to stall, how to control your speed and how it can open up new manoeuvre opportunities.
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Stalling on a wave / when, where & how?
Learn how deliberately slowing your board can improve positioning on the wave. Discover when to stall, how to control your speed and how it can open up new manoeuvre opportunities.
Preview VideoTake your surfing onto the breaking section of the wave. Learn the key stages of a frontside floater and how to link the manoeuvre smoothly back into your ride.
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Frontside Floater on a SUP
Take your surfing onto the breaking section of the wave. Learn the key stages of a frontside floater and how to link the manoeuvre smoothly back into your ride.
Preview VideoBreak down a small-wave re-entry in detail and see how timing, board positioning and body movement work together to complete the manoeuvre and ride away cleanly.
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SUPboarder PRO video breakdown / Small wave re-entry
Break down a small-wave re-entry in detail and see how timing, board positioning and body movement work together to complete the manoeuvre and ride away cleanly.
More InfoWant to put more power into your turns? Explore the technique, board control and timing needed to drive harder through a turn and throw more spray.
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How To Throw Buckets of Spray
Want to put more power into your turns? Explore the technique, board control and timing needed to drive harder through a turn and throw more spray.
Preview VideoExplore the positioning, timing and board control needed to find the barrel on a SUP, with practical advice to help you recognise and make the most of tube-riding opportunities.
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How To Get A Barrel On A SUP + The Secret To Tube Riding
Explore the positioning, timing and board control needed to find the barrel on a SUP, with practical advice to help you recognise and make the most of tube-riding opportunities.
View VideoJoin Reuben in a challenging surf environment and see how advanced wave reading, positioning and board control come together when surfing around boulders, boils and less predictable waves.
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A quest for waves – Surfing boulders & boils / Reuben’s VBLOG
Join Reuben in a challenging surf environment and see how advanced wave reading, positioning and board control come together when surfing around boulders, boils and less predictable waves.
View VideoSECTION 4: ADVANCED SURF KNOWLEDGE & DECISION-MAKING
Build the knowledge that supports high-level SUP surfing. Learn to read surf forecasts, understand board performance, refine essential safety skills and gain insight into competition judging and strategy.
Go deeper into surf forecasting and learn how swell size, period, direction, wind and other factors combine, helping you make better decisions about when and where to surf.
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How To Read A Forecast / An In-depth Analysis On Surf Forecasting
Go deeper into surf forecasting and learn how swell size, period, direction, wind and other factors combine, helping you make better decisions about when and where to surf.
Preview Video“Drive” is often used when describing surf SUP performance, but what does it actually mean? Understand where drive comes from and how it influences the way a board performs through turns.
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What is drive when SUP surfing?
“Drive” is often used when describing surf SUP performance, but what does it actually mean? Understand where drive comes from and how it influences the way a board performs through turns.
Preview VideoIf you become separated from your board, knowing how to swim effectively with your paddle is an important safety skill. Learn the paddle-swim technique and when you may need to use it.
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How to SUP Videos / SUP Safety Technique – ‘The paddle swim’
If you become separated from your board, knowing how to swim effectively with your paddle is an important safety skill. Learn the paddle-swim technique and when you may need to use it.
View VideoGo behind the scenes of SUP surf competition and understand how waves are judged, what judges are looking for and how competition strategy can influence the way you surf a heat.
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Insights Into SUP Surf Competitions / Judging & Strategy
Go behind the scenes of SUP surf competition and understand how waves are judged, what judges are looking for and how competition strategy can influence the way you surf a heat.
Preview VideoSection 5: Fine-Tuning Performance & Equipment
Finish the pathway by refining the equipment that supports your surfing. Explore gear preparation, fin tuning, custom boards, repairs and practical setup tips that can help you get the best from your equipment.
Follow Reuben through a detailed gear check and discover what to inspect before your surf season, helping you spot wear, damage and potential problems before they affect a session.
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Is your SUP gear ready for action? Reuben vlogs his yearly gear check / SUPboarder Pro
Follow Reuben through a detailed gear check and discover what to inspect before your surf season, helping you spot wear, damage and potential problems before they affect a session.
Preview VideoFin position can noticeably change how your SUP surfs. Learn how to tune a thruster setup and understand how small adjustments can alter looseness, hold and turning performance.
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Tuning your thruster fin setup / How to video
Fin position can noticeably change how your SUP surfs. Learn how to tune a thruster setup and understand how small adjustments can alter looseness, hold and turning performance.
More InfoThinking about going custom? Explore the key decisions involved in choosing or designing a surf SUP and understand how your ability, size and surfing style should influence the finished board.
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Things to consider when buying or making a custom SUP
Thinking about going custom? Explore the key decisions involved in choosing or designing a surf SUP and understand how your ability, size and surfing style should influence the finished board.
Preview VideoExplore a practical carbon-board repair and learn what to consider when tackling equipment fixes yourself, including where a seemingly simple solution may create unexpected problems.
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A heatgun, glue stick and a carbon board / What could go wrong?!
Explore a practical carbon-board repair and learn what to consider when tackling equipment fixes yourself, including where a seemingly simple solution may create unexpected problems.
Preview VideoDiscover a simple technique that can make getting onto a smaller, less stable SUP easier, giving you more control during one of the trickiest moments of riding a compact board.
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A quick tip to help you get on smaller SUPs
Discover a simple technique that can make getting onto a smaller, less stable SUP easier, giving you more control during one of the trickiest moments of riding a compact board.
Preview VideoA tiny equipment change can make a useful difference. See why adding wax to your paddle can improve grip and control when your hands and equipment are wet.
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SUPboarder quick SUP tip / Wax your paddle
A tiny equipment change can make a useful difference. See why adding wax to your paddle can improve grip and control when your hands and equipment are wet.
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