Touted as the” world’s fastest growing watersport,” stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) is generating enthusiasts from across North America. Canoeists, windsurfers and kite boarders are latching onto the sport. Watch SUP Video with Pro Paddler, Luke Hopkins.

Celebrities such as Lance Armstrong, Pierce Brosnan, Matthew McConaughey, Julia Roberts, Kelsey Grammer, Kate Hudson, Helen Hunt, Robert Downy Jr., and Jennifer Aniston are popularizing the sport as they pose with their boards on film.

SUP has gained recognition over the past few years because it’s easy to learn and it can be fun in any conditions, from calm flatwater to roaring surf to white-water rapids. “If you can walk, you can standup paddlesurf,” says one of the pioneers of the sport.

Luke Hopkins, a whitewater paddler has taken to the sport and demonstrates the techniques used in going down a river in his stand-up paddle board at the US National Whitewater Centre. Check this short 2-minute video to see how it’s done!

Fitness gurus encourage people to try SUP because it targets the “legs, shoulders, arms, stomach and back” making it a full-body workout. According to Jimmy Lewis Boards, “After a long day of paddling you are tired all over, not just in specific areas. You can lower your blood pressure, drop excess pounds, and lower your heart rate while getting a tan and having a great time. It’s better than any gym!”

SUP boards are generally 9 feet (3 m) to 12 feet (4 m) and are made out of a polystyrene foam core for floatation, with glass-reinforced plastic construction. They range in price from US$600 to US$2000.