The Evolution of an Amateur Stand Up Paddleboarding Headstand

July 28, 2014

em stand up paddleboarding

I don’t do yoga at all, but I got it in my head while we were at Flaggstaff Lake that I was going to do a headstand on my paddleboard just like our guide. It looked hard, but not impossible. It was really hot and humid, so the idea that the worse thing that could happen was falling in the lake wasn’t much of a deterrent. The water was calm, we had a little extra time, and my dad and sister provided great encouragement.

stand up paddleboarding headstand 1

So basically, you start with your butt up in the air and try to lift your feet using your core. Or at least that was my version of it! It’s an incredible workout for your abs and I’ve been tempted to try one on dry land a few times since we got back to Dublin just for the exercise!

stand up paddleboarding headstand 2

Tada! This was as close as I got, but at least my toes were pointed!

stand up paddleboarding headstand 3 And I mastered a pretty good forward roll when I lost my balance and could land right on my board without falling in!

Huge thanks to Lani, the recreation director at Maine Huts and Trails for these photographs, and for inspiring me to give it a go! You can see Lani’s much more beautiful SUP headstand at sunset here!

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