My wife thinks I’m crazy now. Practicing my strokes on the coffee table is way better then what I was doing. I like to practice and work on stretching while on my stationary bike. Sounds strange but working the core with the bike and paddle is lots of fun plus it makes me stoked. What paddle are using? I’m a dust buster guy too. I probably should keep mine under my coffee table because the grandkids are messy. There are some important strokes and the forward keeps me out of trouble. Thanks for sharing your technical stuff. Gave me something to work on.
I find it helpful to talk about pre-rotation before putting the paddle in, making it really obvious. It helps beginners to understand just how much you need to rotate to get good power in the stroke. Also, why do you paddle with open hands? Maintaining a solid grip on the paddle is vital for river kayaking in particular. Not trying to be negative...constructive feedback 😉
Open hands in cold water means more blood flow and it allows me to get feedback from the paddle. Since I paddle rough water....the equivalent of white water conditions on the sea, a loose grip works best. It is a technique most high level instructors I have worked with teach. As for pre-rotation, I used to teach that but have changed how I teach the forward stroke completely... there's a video posted to Joey Schott's Turning Point Boatworks channel detailing it.
@@robertnissenbaum yeah I get that, I also sea kayak but I personally don't teach beginners that way as we regularly paddle rivers too and don't want them doing that. Just different coaching styles I guess 👍
Open hands helps keep your wrists straight and handle big consecutive days. You can manage the paddle in a 20kt wind easily with a light grip. For windier periods you can tighten the grip a little if needed, returning to the very relaxed grip as your standard.
@@deaninchina01 Absolutely. It's definitely a video in need of an update. These days I don't bother to teach the stroke this way. As for loose hands, I teach to paddle holding it with only ringer tips now. That drives home the point of not needing a tight grip AND it prevents pulling the blade through the water.
I did miss adding that for this video, but it's also something I add later. There's already more than enough in the way of steps to learn and leg drive isn't required for every stroke. It will generate more power but that isn't always efficient. This is now how I start teaching the stroke: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5Zjyh72VMS8.html Once the basics are in place, I layer in additional components.
There is no pulling. No push. No pull. All core rotation. I now teach this by having students hold the paddle in their finger tips for the sole purpose of preventing them from trying to pull the paddle. The concept is that the blade is planted and doesn't move. We move past the paddle. Pulling means fighting the resistance of the water vs using it for leverage. It's inefficient and what leads to injury...specifically shoulder injury.
@@robertnissenbaum Paddle shaft is between your fingers it wouldn't stay they if you were engaged in water. You can't just push a paddle and expect to go anywhere. Pushing on your upper hand with your bottom hand fingers parallel around the shaft you're not going to hold on to it.
@@PaddleDogC5 and yet is does. And I demo the technique all the time. It's not the best way to hold the shaft in bigger sea states but I always have a very loose grip. Again, you don't pull or push.
Why arm-paddle with the old (literally) push and pull concept when you could use your torso (boy, I’m gonna come across as targeting your videos, which I’m not😅). I know sea kayakers (I’m one) are not K1 or surfski paddlers but they could be so much more efficient if they used their torso and legs and not their arms.
No worries! This is also an old video at this point and I teach The forward stroke very differently at this point. Which reminds me I need to get a new video up
you are not maintaining you're paddlers box ! you're dry hand is dipping and not going across horizon and your arm is compressed which in turn is not giving you optimal torso rotation just what I can see
There is definitely a spot where the arm drops a bit. Not sure if that's me moving too slow and or a combination of camera angle. You're absolutely correct, though, that maintaining a horizontal path for the top hand forces rotation. The other common mistake I see is the lower hand pulling at the very end of the stroke instead of ending naturally at the hip. Ultimately, the plan is to redo the video while on the water. Using a 360° camera.
Respectfully less than effective. Legs then hips then torso not pushing pulling arms no pushing down or up on water no one taught you arms weakest muscles and what the most effective range of entry and exit of paddle is.
