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DIY SUP Balance Training

Today was a “snow day” in Metro Nashville, which meant while most of the white stuff melted before noon, public schools were closed, and it decidedly was not paddling weather. Earlier in the week it was 60 degrees warmer. But there were 105 mile an hour winds that day, so, again, not SUP weather.

To keep up with (and improve) the balance training when not on the water, lots of folks use Indo Boards or the like. I didn’t have one at home, but I wanted to get in some practice during the rough weather. Being both naturally frugal and crafty, I decided to make my own balance board.

I took the trucks and wheels off an old skateboard a friend had lying around. For the easiest practice, I pop that on top of an air-filed exercise cushion and shift my weight. If you talk to me on the phone while at home, I’m probably standing on my “board.” Glue some wood stoppers on to the bottom (near each end), pop that on top of a cut piece of PVC, and you have a more challenging balancing board for rolling across the room (I covered the rough edges of my PVC in red duct tape).

None of this is fancy (as you can see from the photo), but it helps curb the SUP craving when the temperatures don’t cooperate.