Stand Up Paddle
The forward stroke basics
Lesson objective
Reach, catch, power and recovery — the four phases of an efficient stroke.
BeginnerDraft 8 min
Four phases
A stroke can be described as reach, catch, power and recovery. Thinking in phases helps you notice which part feels weak.
Use your core
Power comes mainly from rotating the torso rather than pulling with the arms alone.
Before you go on the water
This is educational material only. Learn with a qualified instructor, check current local official safety guidance and conditions, and never paddle or surf alone as a beginner.
Key takeaways
- Rotate from the torso
- Keep the blade close to the board
- Practice on calm, supervised water
Glossary, sources & review status
Glossary
- Catch
- The moment the blade is fully planted in the water.
Source references
- Demo source placeholder — not a citationNo source assigned; permission and expert review pendingSources pending
Provenance and review
- Provenance
- Original NAMAKA placeholder
- Licence / permission
- Original demo text only; no external source permission verified
- Reviewer
- Not reviewed
- Review date
- Not reviewed yet