Summer / Fall ‘17 47 Take an Afternoon Stand on a Paddleboard According to Trent Hickman, owner of Park City SUP, standup paddleboards, at least in some form, have been around as long as there have been bodies of water to navigate. From the canals of Venice, Italy to the Amazon River, and the big waves of Waikiki, people have been paddling while standing for centuries. The modern and more recreational version of stand-up paddle- boards began to gain in popularity in the 90s when schools in Hawaii began teaching it as a method to take advantage of small- er swells. Surfers such as Laird Hamilton and Brian Keaulana be- gan promoting the sport and it has taken off, being listed as the most popular sport among first time participants in the Outdoor Foundation’s 2013 report. Hickman has been teaching the sport with his Park City based company for seven years, the last five of them at Deer Valley Resort. He says the popularity of the sport has exploded. “First, it’s really fun. Second, it’s incredibly useful as a training tool for the body. And third, there’s an aspect of the sport for every per- sonality,” he said. “It’s so diverse in what it offers to people, it’s not just one thing.” According to Hickman, there are more ways to enjoy paddle- boarding than just standing on the water. There’s stand up yoga for those wanting to add a new challenge to their yoga routine. Endurance athletes can head out for a ten-mile extended workout for cardio strength. For those looking for more excitement, there’s the option of running a river on a paddleboard. “There are even people fly fishing off a paddleboard,” he said. Ashley Battersby, a yoga instructor and former pro slopestyle skier with the U.S. Ski Team raves about the benefits of stand up yoga. “It's an all body workout. You can get your core, your bal- ance, your strength. It helped me a lot with balance in my life,” she said, a critical skill to have as a professional skier. The fitness benefits are many as participants use muscles in their core, arms, shoulders, back and legs. If done with the intent to get a workout, the act of paddling has a lot to offer. In addition to building core and upper body strength, the sport may also be used to center the spirit as well. “You still get your bal- ance in, but it’s also about being internal. You have to get more in a meditative state because the board is moving underneath you,” she said. “Some poses are difficult enough on solid ground, when you try them on a paddleboard, you really have to be focused.” Great fitness is only one aspect of the sport of paddleboarding, there’s also the recreational side of it. “Sometimes it isn’t about a workout,” said Battersby. “Occasionally, I just want to get out and enjoy the sun.” Summer / Fall ‘17 47 h2oh yeah! | It’s so diverse in what it offers to people, it’s not just one thing.