Forward Paddling

FORWARD PADDLING

INTRODUCTION

Any paddler wishing to travel from one point to another will want to do so as efficiently as possible.

PREREQUISITES

Straight running boat. Seat for good contact with the kayak and a footrest that can be firmly pressed on for support with knees and feet together

Stable kayak.

Boat and paddle suited to the paddler to enable an appropriate paddling position ie forward lean from the hips of 5-10 degrees, 120-130 degree angle at the knees, 40-50 degree angle of the foot against the footrest

Paddle length and blade area appropriate to the paddler. Paddler should be just able to get fingers over the end of the blade when vertical next to him. Paddle blades set at an angle of 65-70% to provide a good catch. Blade size to suit strength and co-ordination capability.

PADDLING - A HIGHLY SKILLED TECHNICAL SPORT

Paddling requires high levels of co-ordination, skill and body awareness. The paddler functions on an unstable platform and every movement of the paddler produces a contrary response from the water. The whole system is the paddler, the boat and the water. It is necessary to develop a feel for how the boat and paddle react with the water. The paddler and the boat have a structure that must remain intact if the whole system is to be moved efficiently in the required direction. If any part of the body/boat/water relationship is compromised then the whole structure loses its integrity and effectiveness. At the extreme it will cause an unexpected loss of balance (eg paddle slices through the water or misses the water or breaks) or speed. At the least it will result in ineffective paddling. Efficient forward paddling involves moving the boat forward whilst minimising all forces and movements that are not positively producing forward movement. If the boat snakes, rocks from side to side, or lifts up and down at the bow, then a proportion of the forces are being used negatively and the forward motion will be less efficient.

FORWARD PADDLING - WHAT HAPPENS

The paddle blade is driven into the water well in front of the boat cockpit using the power of the whole body. The stability for this is provided by the legs pressing on the footrest and a strong upright posture in the body.

The blade is fixed in the water - the catch

The blade remains stationary in the water whilst the whole body levers the boat past the fixed paddle.

The body and boat move past the blade. The blade does not move back in the water

Objectives

Paddlers use the whole body rotational movement to transmit power from their body into forward motion of the boat.

The paddle is locked in the water at the front of the stroke and the whole trunk unwinds to transmit forward movement to the boat through the seat and the footrest.

The boat moves past the fixed blade

Boat and paddler are supported by the blade in the water

The whole stroke takes place in front of the hip.

When the hip reaches the level of the blade, then the blade will already be out of the water.

The paddler must drive the blade into the water as far forward as they can reach, using the rotation of the body to extend their reach, without compromising a good posture.

If the paddle stays in the water after the hip has passed, this will slow the boat and delays the transfer of the stroke to the other side

THE STRUCTURE OF PADDLING

LEGS AND BUTTOCKS CONNECTOION - THE BASEMENT OF THE STROKE

Leg and Buttocks (Power Circle 3)

Forward paddling stroke is built on the support of the water. The body is connected to the water by the feet/footrest, the bottom on the seat (and the paddle in the water)

Each foot compresses the footrest in turn to gain support for the stroke on that side

There should be a good connection with the hip as the foot presses on the footrest. If this is in place there is a firm base for the paddling stroke.

Key teaching points

Compress the footrest

A strong leg movement to compress the footrest with each leg alternately

Good connections between the footrest and the bottom

As the leg presses on the footrest the movement of the buttocks is backwards and round

Images

Squashing a peach under foot and squeezing out the juice; Bicycling; (Walking in the boat)

Practices to make clearer

Set yourself to pull open a very stiff door. Front foot presses hard onto the floor to give support

In tug of war the front foot is placed forward to give support for maximum pulling power

BODY ROTATION

The trunk rotates - Power Circle 2

The whole upper body, the trunk, rotates on the firm base provided by the legs and the pelvis

The whole trunk moves as one keeping an upright posture

The arms connect the trunk to the paddles but do not work independently.

There are good connections between the shoulders and the paddle blades and from the shoulder blade to shoulder blade

Key teaching points

Trunk rotation is round a central axis

Good connection between the paddle shaft and the shoulders - a strong structure

The paddle shaft and the chest shoulders remain parallel - the body rotates

The body follows the shaft round

The two arms work as one - not independently

The stroke is kept in front of the hips - the blades come out before the hip - so the hand will finish the stroke just past the knee

Images to use

Think of a stretched membrane between the paddle shaft and the shoulders. Try to keep it stretched with no wrinkles. Wrinkles mean a lost connection

Think of an eggshell which is strong as long as its structure is intact. Bend the arms at the front of the stroke or during the stroke or lose the whole trunk rotation and the strong structure is lost

Practices to use

In the warm up - horizontal arm swings at shoulder level keeping the whole structure rotating as one

Coach holds the paddle shaft. Paddler tensions and feels the tension/compression in both shoulders

Horizontal rotation with a shaft in the boat or on an ergo.

THE CATCH

Power Circle 1 - Lower arm is straightened and the paddle is driven down into the water in front of the cockpit using the power of the whole connected trunk.

Paddle blade becomes a fixed point in the water to move the boat past

Key teaching points

Drive the paddle downwards in front of the cockpit

Ensure a good connection between shoulder and blade and between hip and foot on each side

The foot on the stroke side provides a good support for the catch

Fix the blade in the water. Lock the blade there

Hang on the fixed catch

Put the body weight onto the paddle blade

Images to use

Spearing fish. Beware of slapping the water with a flat blade. Think of spearing a fish 30cm below the surface

Think of the blade being stuck in a concrete block just under the water

Imaging holding onto a fixed post in the water

Practices to use

Coach holds the shaft so the paddler can tension and feel a good connection with the shoulder, hip and foot

Paddler hangs from chin bars and feels the tension as pulls himself up

The paddler holds an upright pole and tensions against it

MOVE THE BOAT PAST THE PADDLE

Power Circle 4 - The blade is locked at the catch and the opposite hip drives the boat forward as the trunk unwinds powerfully against this fixed point

Key teaching points

Slide the boat past the fixed paddle

Make a good connection between the blade and the opposite hip and back to the blade

The opposite hip moves the boat forward against the catch

Keep the connection between the hip and the blade all through the stroke

Images to use

Walk like a penguin and feel how the hip swings forward; Squeezing and gliding the boat forward; In a tennis backhand - using the hip movement for power

Practices to use

Sit on a trolley or skateboard, grab a fixed point and slide past the arm; Walk like a penguin ie walk using the hip to move leg and body forward; Warm up on land, visualise a catch and move past it with eyes closed; Sit on the floor and move forward by moving hip and buttock - bum walking

TOP ARM CONNECTION

Power circle 5 - The top arm is pushed forward as the trunk rotates but remains connected to the movement of the trunk structure

Key teaching points

Make a good connection between the stroke side foot and the opposite (top) hand, compressing the shaft

Keep the top arm as part of the trunk structure

Make both arms and trunk work together

Images to use

Keep the strong eggshell structure

Practices to use

Paddler puts the stroke side foot against the coach’s foot and presses down. With the opposite (top) hand push against the coach’s hand and feel the connection

SUPPORT IN THE WATER

Key teaching points

The support when paddling is from the water

There are several connections with the water - 2 feet, 2 buttocks and the paddle blade

The body needs a stable support in order to paddle vigorously

The harder you paddle the more support you need

Images to use

What would happen to the Eiffel Tower if any of the four legs were weakened?; Leaning on the water

Practices to use

Figure of 8’s in warm up leaning the boat away from the turn using water to support

Paddle in circles leaning the boat away from the turn

Paddle for 50m in a straight line alternately leaning the boat to left and right for 10m at a time

Hold onto the landing stage. Move the boat with body and feel the water support

Hold onto an overhanging pole or branch and move the boat against the water resistance

BOAT MOVEMENTS

Key teaching points

Help the paddler to understand that they should keep the boat level and straight running without bouncing, snaking or rocking

Help the paddler to recognise how their movements interact with the kayak

Help the paddler to support themselves well and control the boat movement whilst they paddle at increasing speeds

Recognise the connection between the movement around the centre of gravity of the boat and boat instability and rocking. This will lead to counteracting one movement with another

MOVING THE BOAT - NEGATIVE FORCES

SNAKING Each stroke produces torque that pulls the front of the boat from one side to the other. To correct this the paddler has to squeeze the boat straight with the body through the hips, compressing the water wall at each side of the boat. The effect of this will be to reduce the amount of snaking movement by the boat. This is closely connected to PC 4 with the hip moving forward and across as it drives the shell forward.

Causes

Tipping the boat on the pushing side

Soft power transmission

Too much emphasis on power on the blade at the catch

Pulling the blade too far from the boat after the catch (sweep stroke)

How to eliminate it

Powerful leg movement

Rotation of the opposite hip forwards and sideways - squeeze the boat straight

Squeeze the stern of the boat sideways with help from the paddle

Keep power lines straight

Swing the trunk above the shell of the boat

Rotate the lower body towards the blade

BOUNCING Kayak rises at the front and lowers at the back

Causes

Instability in the trunk with movement transfer from the central point in the boat forwards and backwards

Misuse of pullbars. Not intended to be pulled against (as this would lift the front of the boat) but to help stabilise the paddler and prevent the foot sliding off the footrest to the side or lifting up excessively

How to eliminate

Only rotate using the trunk

Powerful support in the water before recovery

Practise without a pull bar

Lift bow of the boat with the feet

Focus on the stern

ROCKING Prevents the boat gliding and increases water resistance

How to eliminate.

Keep body weight on the paddle throughout the stroke

Keep the connection with the catch throughout the stroke

Connect the opposite hip back to the catch-side blade

Find the support in the water with the opposite hip, to achieve all 3 above, by leaning with the hip on the water through the boat so that the body weight can remain on the other side of the boat - the stroke side

How to eliminate - exercises

Lean the boat at the catch onto the pulling side

Lean the side of the boat all through the stroke on the pulling side

Lean the boat at the recovery on the pulling side

Figure of 8 exercises leaning the boat

Turning exercises leaning the boat

Slalom

Push the footrest with the opposing foot

SUMMARY OF THE PADDLE STROKE

Basic Position

Trunk is rotated so there is a maximum reach forward with one arm while the other is contracted. The top arm elbow is level or a little higher than the shoulder and the hand about level with the top of the head

The paddle shaft is pointing forwards and downwards towards the water

The paddle blade is feathered

Entry and Catch

Paddle enters the water and is fixed and locked

Using correct posture in the boat, top hand around forehead height and trunk rotated at approx 70 degrees, the blade is driven down and forward into the water using body and both arms together as one. Muscles are firm and there is a good connection between blade and body

The blade should be moving towards vertical as it enters the water

The blade should enter the water fairly close to the side of the boat to prevent the torque forces causing snaking

The leg push should be synchronised with the catch. The foot should be compressing the footrest slightly before the catch, looking for support from the catch and with the knee flattening as the trunk unwinds its rotation

Power Phase

Against the fixed point of the locked blade, the body transfers energy into forward boat movement through the legs and hips, accelerating the trunk and boat movement past the paddle blade

The pressure on the blade is always down and from the catch to the exit there must be a good connection and power transmission throughout as the trunk rotates

The paddle blade is locked in the water. Simultaneous trunk and arm rotation move the boat forward against this locked point. The opposite hip and legs transfer the forward thrust into the boat

The two arms, trunk and legs work together. The arms alone do not pull the paddle

For this phase to be powerful there must be a locked blade at the catch. At high stroke speeds the catch and power phases are a continuous movement

From the catch close to the boat, the wing blade will track out at 70 degrees to the boat

Exit, Recovery and Airwork

The paddle travels from exit on one side to the catch on the other

As the hips approach the blade, the lower wrist snaps sideways and upwards with little drag, in a quick clean action and feathers the blade ready for the next stroke.