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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
torso rotation
Posted By: Tim Mattson In Response To: Greg....? (PeteWP)
Date: Tuesday, 28 January 2003, at 4:59 p.m.
: Whats your take on the torso rotation during paddeling.
Its clear to me that most paddlers really don't think about the foward stroke. In an hour of paddling, you'll easilly make over 3000 forward stokes. But how much time to you spend improving the forward stroke?
One of the best pieces of advice I was given at the beginning of my paddling career was to take up racing. Of course, I was aweful when I started --- and some would say I still am. But regardless of how well you do in the races, nothing can beat hanging out with people who spend countless hours perfecting their forward stroke. From this experience, I've learned the following two lessons:
1. Its all about the torso. Engaging the torso is the most important factor in building a solid forward stroke. This is true of short distance sprints, long distance races, and casual paddling. Of course, if you aren't used to torso paddling, it will feel strange, cause tension, and feel like its more effort than arm paddling. But once learned and turned to habit, you'll be amazed how much better it is for all types of paddling. I use the same fundamental stroke for racing and for fooling around at low speed. My arms bend but there is little push-and-pull action. The arms position the paddle and the torso does the work.
2. The paddle is your best teacher. Whether its a greenland paddle or a wing paddle, I let the feel of the paddle tell me what to do. You grab a wing, and the front-loaded, canted stroke moving out from the boat just feels right. Pick up a greenland paddle and the elbow-down, longer stroke feels right. You can obsess about chicken-wings and how your hands are moving, but for the most part, paying attention to the feel of your paddle as it bites the water will show you what you need to do.
I encourage people to locate their local racing groups (its the sound rowers up here in the northwest) and start racing. Its fun. You'll also learn a lot as the faster paddlers blast past you (and make it look easy as well).
--Tim
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