Your Paddle, Your Plan: SUP.Training with Christian Taucher

A sports scientist by training and a former professional handball player, Christian Taucher (Chris Diver) is the founder and head coach of SUP.Training and a respected SUNOVA team rider. Based in Khao Lak, Thailand, he works with a wide range of athletes: from recreational paddlers and multi-sport athletes to elite racers, both on-site and remotely. Combining scientific methodology with practical experience, he emphasizes efficiency, intelligent periodization, and technical precision. In addition to coaching, he actively competes in SUP surfing and continues to contribute to the sport through education and performance development.

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Hi Christian, nice to have you back! What kind of athletes do you typically work with? Are your training programs suitable only for professional SUP racers, or can recreational paddlers and multi-sport athletes, like someone preparing for both a SUP race and a half marathon run, also benefit from a customized plan that balances different goals?

At SUP.Training, my philosophy is all about maximizing output with minimal time commitment, and that applies across the board. While I certainly work with professional SUP racers aiming for the top of the podium, my programs are absolutely not exclusive to them. I work with a wide range of athletes:

• Aspiring Pro/Elite Amateurs: Paddlers looking to seriously improve their race results and climb the ranks.
• Dedicated Recreational Paddlers: Those who love SUP and want to see significant improvements in their fitness, efficiency, and speed without dedicating their entire life to training. They often have busy lives, and my approach fits perfectly.
• Multi-Sport Athletes: Whether someone is training for a SUP race and a half marathon, or integrating SUP into a triathlon or surf-focused fitness routine, my academic background in sports science and broad coaching experience allow me to create highly customized plans that balance different goals effectively, avoiding overtraining and ensuring progress in all desired areas. It’s all about intelligent periodization and cross-training that complements, rather than detracts from, their primary aims.

What does a typical training week look like for one of your athletes? What are the core elements you focus on: endurance, strength, technique, mental preparation?

A “typical” week is fluid because everything is customized, but the core elements are always present and balanced according to the athlete’s goals, time availability, and current phase of training. We definitely focus on:

• Endurance: Fundamental for SUP. We build both aerobic base and specific race pace endurance through interval work, steady-state paddles, and longer sessions.
• Strength: Crucial for power and injury prevention. This includes gym-based strength training (compound movements, core work) and paddle-specific resistance exercises.
• Technique: Paramount for efficiency and speed. We break down the paddle stroke, focusing on power transfer, body mechanics, and board control, often using video analysis and specific drills. The goal is to get more out of every stroke, not just more strokes.
• Mental Preparation: Woven throughout. We address race strategy, visualization, managing race day nerves, and developing resilience. Understanding how to push through discomfort and maintain focus under pressure is key.

A typical week might include 2–6 quality SUP sessions, 1–4 strength sessions, and perhaps some active recovery or cross-training. The “minimum time, maximum output” philosophy means every session has a clear purpose.

What is your philosophy when it comes to coaching, do you believe in data-driven performance metrics or a more intuitive approach?

My philosophy blends both, leaning on data-driven metrics guided by intuitive understanding. My sports science background provides a foundation in physiology, biomechanics, and periodization. We use data: heart rate, GPS, power output, stroke rate, perceived exertion – to track progress, quantify effort, and ensure we hit the right training zones.

However, coaching isn’t just about numbers. Intuition comes into play through listening to the athlete, understanding their life outside training, recognizing fatigue or stress, and adapting the plan accordingly. It’s about combining science with real-world application. You can have all the data in the world, but if you don’t know how to interpret it in context, it’s useless.

Can you share a success story or transformation of one of your athletes through SUP.Training?

Absolutely. One story that comes to mind is an age-group paddler, a busy professional, who felt frustrated because they were putting in long hours on the water but seeing diminishing returns. Their goal was to reach the podium at national-level races within their age group.

We analyzed their current training, implemented a highly structured but time-efficient program focusing on neglected strength work, targeted interval training, and refined technique through video analysis. We cut out “junk miles” and replaced them with purposeful, high-quality sessions.

Within six months, despite spending less time on the water than before, their results dramatically improved. They achieved multiple national podium finishes, felt stronger, more confident, and less fatigued. The transformation was both physical and mental: they learned to train smarter, not just harder.

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Do you offer remote coaching, or can athletes also join you for in-person training sessions or camps in Europe? Since you’re based in Thailand, do you also offer on-site coaching or training camps there?

Yes to all! Remote coaching is the core of sup.training, allowing athletes worldwide to access customized plans, video calls, and data analysis.

I also host in-person sessions and camps in Europe, particularly Austria and surrounding areas. These provide hands-on technique work, group training, and community building.

In Thailand, in Khao Lak, I offer on-site coaching and specialized training camps. It’s ideal for intensive technical work, downwind training, and high-quality water sessions in perfect conditions—a unique blend of world-class coaching and tropical experience.

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Can you tell us more about the training camps you host in Khao Lak, Thailand? Where exactly are they located, what does a typical camp schedule look like, and is it still possible for athletes to apply? Also, could you share the upcoming dates for these camps?

Our training camps in Khao Lak, Thailand, offer a comprehensive week-long program designed to elevate athletes’ SUP performance in an ideal tropical training environment. The camp combines technical skill development, endurance training, and performance analysis with unique cultural experiences.

A typical week follows a structured schedule that balances intensive training with recovery and skills work. We start Monday with lactate testing to establish each athlete’s baseline, followed by personalized paddle technique sessions with video analysis, and conclude with a team dinner. Tuesday features two training blocks: basic endurance paddling combined with surf training in the morning, a visit to The Board Factory for a tour and repair workshop, and an afternoon session focusing on beach starts and VO2max intervals. Wednesday continues with morning endurance and surf work, includes a personal photoshoot session for each athlete, and afternoon training on beach starts and turning technique. Thursday incorporates SUP-specific gym training alongside our standard paddle sessions, and we visit the local evening markets to experience Thai culture. Friday takes us paddling through the mangroves for basic endurance work, followed by visits to the BNKB Tsunami Memorial and Pad Thai Yen Yen. Saturday intensifies with race-specific intervals and another personalized video analysis session, finishing with a sunset team dinner on the beach. Sunday offers optional excursions—either a snorkeling tour or a James Bond Islands tour—available at a discounted rate.

Regarding the upcoming dates and availability: We have four camps scheduled for the 2024/2025 season: December 8–14, 2024; January 19–25, 2025; February 16–22, 2025; and March 2–8, 2025. Athletes interested in joining should reach out soon, as spots are limited and we want to ensure proper planning for individualized coaching attention.

SUP racing requires a unique mix of skills. How do you structure training differently for disciplines like sprint, technical, and long-distance races?

While endurance, strength, and technique are always present, emphasis and methods differ:

• Sprint Races: Focus on raw power, acceleration, and maximal stroke rate. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), explosive gym work, and drills for maximal speed. Technique is about efficient, powerful strokes under maximal effort.
• Technical Races: Require agility, board control, quick turns. Training includes buoy turns, wave catching, beach starts/finishes, and reactive strength. Efficiency through transitions and chop is key.
• Long-Distance Races: Endurance dominates. Build aerobic base, longer race-pace intervals, mental toughness, plus nutrition and hydration strategies. Technique focuses on efficient, repeatable strokes to minimize fatigue.

For multi-discipline athletes, we periodize these elements, perhaps emphasizing sprint power first, then shifting toward endurance as long-distance races approach, maintaining baseline skills throughout.

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What would you say to someone who is hesitant to try a structured training plan because they think it’s “only for pros”?

I’d tell them they’re missing out on their potential. Structured training isn’t only for pros, it’s for anyone wanting to maximize limited training time and truly improve.

• Efficiency: Train smarter, not harder.
• Targeted Improvement: Address weaknesses, amplify strengths.
• Injury Prevention: Build a resilient body.
• Progress: Enjoy measurable improvement and new goals.
• Motivation: A clear roadmap keeps you engaged.

SUP.Training is designed for busy people who want maximum output. It makes paddling more rewarding at any level.

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With your academic background in sports science and hands-on coaching experience across a wide range of sports – from road cycling, handball, and triathlon to stand-up paddling, surfing, and even professional football – how do you integrate knowledge from these different disciplines into your coaching approach?

My sports science education provides universal principles of physiology, biomechanics, psychology, and training theory.

Experience across disciplines allows cross-pollination:

• Road Cycling & Triathlon: Endurance periodization, pacing, long-duration efficiency.
• Handball & Football: Explosive power, agility, decision-making, robustness, injury prevention.
• Surfing: Water dynamics, balance, flow—directly translating to technical racing and downwinding.

Overall, I integrate energy system management, resilience building, and periodized strength training for peak performance. SUP coaching is holistic, drawing on best practices from multiple sports for maximum results in minimum time.

If someone is interested in joining your training program, do they have to commit for a full year, or is it possible to try it out for just a month or prepare specifically for a single event like the World Championships? What can an athlete expect in terms of time commitment, flexibility, and cost?

You don’t have to commit for a full year. SUP.Training offers flexibility:

• No Fixed Contracts: Start and stop any day. Try one month, prepare for a single event, or do long-term development.
• Event-Specific Preparation: Periodized plans for targeted races.

Expectations:

• Time Commitment: Focused sessions (3–5 per week), high quality, minimal time.
• Flexibility: Online platforms allow easy adjustments for travel, illness, or life events.
• Cost: €169 per month. If you stop, you only pay for the days used.

Transparency & Education: All your training data, plans, and TrainingPeaks account remain yours. I share everything, empowering athletes to understand the “why” behind their training for long-term success.

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For more information about SUP.Training and/or the camps in Thailand.

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