Hannah Law

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Or maybe a new way to get that body that looks like Thor’s?!

Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP)  is one of the new fitness crazes to hit our shores. The likes of Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Garner have been paddleboarding for years so there could just be some credibility (or fun) behind it.

I headed down to Vaucluse Bay one morning to try SUP out and, after my short arms eventually managed to carry the b board to the water, was surprised by how easy I found it. My friend Courtney and I had a quick trial on our knees before managing to stand up and paddle. We had a few death wobbles at the start, especially when we got too cocky & confident,  but we were quickly paddling out of the bay to the headlands.

It’s a little bit like surfing but the board is wider and longer than most surfboards which makes them much easier to balance on. Apparently SUP originated in Hawaii and was actually an ancient form of surfing. We gave our cores a great work-out and got a bit of a tan (skin cells in trauma, I know) at the same time because it was such a stunning Sydney day. What was even better was that we could check out the Vaucluse real estate on the waterfront up close! And we may have even had a daydream about which house we would own … one day

It was a really relaxing but decent work-out. If you’re looking for an adrenaline-rush, try surfing or skydiving! But if you’re keen for an enjoyable way to work your core, thighs and arms and have over a couple of hours spare, then check out SUP.

Cost: About $40 for a 1.5hr lesson. Look out for a discount from one of the Daily Deals sites though.

Where can you try it? There are great SUP teachers at Rose Bay, Vaucluse, Manly and Sans Souci. You can probably rent boards from lots of other places as well.

Everyone in Sydney has been complaining about the terrible surf lately with surf report websites resorting to measuring wave size in inches, instead of feet. But for a beginner like me, I’m loving it!

I headed down to Bondi on the weekend for my first surf since I smashed myself whilst surfing in Byron (more on that later!). There were some infrequent 2 ft waves out the back but the ocean was packed. Packed with surfers who knew more than which foot you should be putting forward on the board when you try to stand up! Everyone floated on their boards like ducks, waiting until a half decent wave came along … and when it did, everyone thought they’d be the one lucky enough to catch it!

I quickly realised I don’t quite have what it takes to compete against these big kids so headed to the white wash closer to the beach. I tried surfing a few of these waves which was fun … until the board hit the sand! And so, I retired for the day but not for good!