Paddle Fit

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Invariably Tyne Tees picked the windiest and waviest day to film the activity so don't be put off by Kenny and Pip's first attempts. They did very well considering the conditions!

Paddle Fit - 1hr Core Muscle Workout - £15 each / £70 for block of 5 / £120 block of 10

Further to working closely with Michael Pellegrino (Level 4 Professional Strength Coach (www.be-fit.co.uk) ) in relation to using Stand Up Paddle as a core muscle workout, Boardskillz have developed 'Paddle Fit' for 2010. The intention is for Paddle Fit sessions to take place during the week at a variety of flat water locations throughout the region. These sessions will last about an hour and have been designed to focus on core muscle stabilisation, leading to improved posture and balance. With the added bonus of being an excellent cardio-vascular regime with widely recognised toning benefits, you'll struggle to find a more beneficial alternative fitness session! What could be more relaxing than exercising out on the water, enjoying the scenery from an elevated vantage point far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life? Not surprisingly paddle boarding became the en vogue way of staying in shape for many celebrities in 2009. Endorsers include Jennifer Aniston, Pierce Brosnan and Nicole Schweisinger amongst others. Professional athletes are also using paddle boarding as a cross training option, recent converts include Olympic rowers James Cracknell and Bobby Thatcher.

We operate at a number of locations including Tynemouth, Newburn Activity Centre & Yarm-on-Tees. We're currently running inductions (£15) to establish basic skills prior to courses commencing w/c 21st June. Places are limited so book now to avoid disappointment.

Paddle Fit Newcastle will take place on Tuesday & Thursday evenings w/c 28th June at the coast in Tynemouth. Session times are 6.30pm and 8pm. Subject to demand we're happy to put on additional afternoon-based sessions for anyone who can't make the evenings due to family or work commitments. Please call Joe on 07779 127230 to arrange.

Paddle Fit Yarm is taking place now on Mondays. We have sessions at 5.30pm and 7pm. Subject to demand we're happy to run an afternoon session on a Monday too.  Please call Ian on 07704 779481 to book.

Commons Misconceptions

I'll get cold - unless it's really windy and there's snow on the ground you'll be surprisingly hot.

The water isn't clean - this might be the case at the coast shortly after heavy rain, although Tynemouth has blue beach status. This problem is less prevalent at our flat water locations. As a general rule try not to swallow large amounts of any untreated water.

I'll spend more time off the board than on it - our boards are very buoyant and super stable, designed specifically to make the learning process easy. The additional volume and length makes them super easy to paddle for 95% of all first timers.

For the best results we recommend at least one Paddle Fit Sessions per week. If that sounds a little bit too regimented for you, why not come along and try it a couple of times before committing to a block booking? If you decide to opt for buying a block of five or ten sessions you'll receive a discount. All equipment is provided so all you need to bring is a swimming costume and a towel. Please refer to our Paddling Timetable for times and locations. Availability is limited so pre-booking is essential.

Associated Health Benefits

Paddle-boarding is excellent for improving posture, developing or maintaining your core-muscles and reducing stress. This makes it perfect for people who spend long periods of their week at a desk or in their car, as their core muscles are likely to be switched off and therefore not protecting their vital organs.

Posture

When paddle-boarding you must keep looking ahead (to see where you are going)

Looking Up (the head leads…so don’t look down until you know what you are doing)

Back straight

Shoulders back

Feet shoulder width apart

Legs slightly bent to absorb any movements in the board

Core Muscles

Suck in your stomach muscles

Steer the board with your feet

Feel all your core muscles working as you take each paddle stroke

Stress Relief

Concentrating on not falling in (you are focused on the NOW, not past or future)

The tranquillity of water

Being in the great outdoors

Personal Achievement

Physical Activity

Boardskillz are focused on getting kids and adults off the sofa, outdoors and away from the TV and Xbox 360. We want to offer hard-working people an alternative to the gym that is fun and gets them outdoors breathing fresh air, increasing their hours of sport undertaken each week. Paddle-boarding is a very sociable sport and is a perfect activity for a family to do together…no one is too old or too young to give it a try!