Introducing Rebecca Dunning, ASI Trainer and Instructor.

Rebecca combines her love for SUP and fitness to inspire and help her students have fun, stay fit, and conquer fears or challenges, both mental and physical. Her dedication to building a strong, supportive SUP community reflects her passion for connecting people to the ocean and empowering them through paddleboarding.

What is your background?

Rebecca Dunning, known as Bec, is a multi-talented sports enthusiast and fitness professional from Shellharbour, Australia, a picturesque town nestled between the mountains and the sea, located about 1.5 hours south of Sydney.

Her love for the ocean began at the age of 13, when she took up bodyboarding. Over the years, she achieved great success, winning two National Bodyboarding Titles in the late 1990s and representing Australia at the World Surfing Games in California in 1998, where she placed 9th.

Rebecca’s background in fitness commenced in 2008. She has worked as a Gym Operations Manager, Personal Trainer, Food Coach, Functional Fit and Bootcamp leader, and SUP Fitness Instructor/Trainer.  She holds multiple qualifications, including Cert III & IV in Fitness, a Diploma in Personal Nutrition, is a Registered Fitness Instructor and hold other numerous advanced fitness certifications

She become a qualified ASI SUP instructor in 2014.  In 2015 she completed the ASI SUP Fitness Instructor certification. 

For Rebecca, SUP was a natural progression—a way to merge her passion for fitness with her connection to the water. 

In 2017, she set up Stand Up Paddleboarding Shellharbour SUP School, with husband Jason, which is now her fulltime business.  

She is also an ASI SUP Instructor training others to be SUP Instructors and SUP Fitness Instructors.

What got you involved in the sport?

Rebecca's journey into the world of SUP began when her husband, Jason, tried paddle boarding in America.  She wasn't quite sure of it but was hooked once she gave it go.

It provided a chance to enjoy the water whenever she pleased. When the surf conditions were unfavorable, she could still paddle through the calm, protected inland waterways nearby. Additionally, it served as an excellent way to maintain her fitness.

Why did you become an ASI instructor?

Rebecca's decision to become an ASI instructor was sparked by her training with Zoe Lee, an ASI SUP Fitness & Yoga Trainer, from the UK.

It was a good complement to her job as a fitness trainer.  Being a SUP instructor mean taking fitness to the outdoors and the water. 

ASI delivers the best education for paddle boarding instructors in Australia and overseas, and we want to wear that badge with pride.

What are you doing now?

Myself and husband, Jason, run Stand Up Paddle Boarding Shellharbour, an ASI Accredited SUP School, which has been operating since 2017.

We offering range from flat water sessions to SUP surfing, night SUP, corporate events, SUP Yoga, SUP Indigenous tours, SUP Yoga, SUP Fitness and more.

We also host the 3-day SUP Festival every November, featuring SUP Surfing and SUP Race competitions, live bands, a beach bar, and prize money. The festival draws some of Australia’s best SUP surfers and paddlers, with aspirations to attract international competitors in the future.

What do you like about being an instructor?

I love meeting people from all corners of the world and cherishing the connections I can form through SUP.

Being on the water is my true passion. As an ASI instructor, I find immense joy in creating memorable experiences for my guests, teaching them to navigate the water with confidence, and fostering their connection to the ocean and waterways.

Sharing my love for SUP and fitness brings happiness to others and truly feels like a dream career.

It’s an absolute privilege to do what I love while inspiring others every day.

Tell us about an inspiring story about your student(s) or memorable experiences.

The best moment I can recall, was the day after I’d taught the SUP Wise and SUP Rescue course in Umina (NSW Central Coast, Australia).  We’d said our goodbyes for the day and we were off to either surf, rest or have dinner. 

The next day we met up again for the start of Level 1 SUP.  One of the guys, walked up to us and said “You’re not going to believe what happened to me yesterday!!!” Turns out after our SUP rescue course, he headed out for a surf and had to perform a real rescue with a guy that had come off his board and was getting dragged out to sea in a rip. 

The victim was a LOT bigger than the rescuer and it was apparently a real hard paddle to get him back in.  But sure enough, he did it, and took a LOT of pride telling us all the story of how he rescued someone within hours of completing his course!

Another story was when we were night paddling. The prawns/bait fish in Lake Illawarra are attracted to the lights under our boards. It's a great experience. One night, with the light was shining through to the top of my inflatable SUP, the bait fish started jumping on top of my board. I jumped and screamed so loud when they touch my feet - I was lucky to not have fallen off my board.

I’ve witnessed countless inspiring stories from my students learning to SUP—ranging from conquering their fear of water to achieving fitness goals, and even overcoming physical or mental challenges simply by giving SUP a try. Paddling has transformed their lives in so many positive and meaningful ways.

It is wonderful to be part of that.

About ASI
ASI is a global leader in training and accrediting instructors, coaches, and schools for surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, and bodyboarding.  ASI instructors and schools ensure world-class training, safety and operational standards. Whether you're learning for personal enjoyment or to establish a career in the industry, ASI opens the door to new skills, global opportunities, and adventure.
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