Page 8 - flipping-paddle-magazine

Dave is the full time paddlesport instructor at Glenmore Lodge – ThePaddler 14 Scotland’s National Outdoor Training Centre. He has been involved in the development of the new awards and provides Posture expert advice throughout the industry on all things to do with coaching, safety, leadership and personal paddling. He To have an efficient and effective We need to use these with a degree of tension as is passionate about all things paddling and specialises in white water kayak and open canoe where he will draw stroke we need to look at our we plant the paddle we are aiming to pull ourselves most often be found. He is supported in his paddling up to and past the paddle. posture in the boat first. adventures and coaching by Pyranha Kayaks, Mad River Canoes and Palm Equipment. We need to have our pelvis in the middle position. This brings us onto our next http://www.glenmorelodge.org.uk/ With the pelvis in this position it allows our http://www.pyranha.com/ surrounding muscles to be relaxed. A relaxed muscle fundamental: power transfer. http://www.palmequipmenteurope.com/ is able to contract or tense quicker, is more sensitive The strength of the stroke (stroke efficiency) is http://www.madrivercanoe.co.uk/ and mobile than a muscle under tension. In the determined by remaining stable. This means that the picture (plate A) we can see the paddler able to water is left in the water and we remain upright and rotate their upper body over to the side that they in control. Play time would place the paddle on. This is possible due to the upright upper body with the pelvis in the middle Next time you are out on the water experiment position. To aid finding this position sit on the boney with the following: ~ take your draw on the bits of your bottom – ‘Sit bones’ or ‘ischial • Task 1 tuberosities’. Draw stroke only using arm power and try and move and link it into a In the picture (Plate B) we see the paddler applying move the water. turning stroke such as the the upright body with the middle pelvis position. • Task 2 bow rudder. We can observe this due to the freedom to get both Draw stroke using your core muscles and think How does your hands over the side they are paddling on/the upright about leaving the water stable and calm. head and the body rotation achieved. What differences do you note? posture/connections/power This also allows the paddler to reach out By having a strong connection to the boat we can transfer and feel change? comfortable giving the full range of movement. then use muscles from the feet (or knees if kneeling Having looked at the a canoe) and up and through to the core and Our next fundamental is ultimately into the arms. When we fix the effort fundamentals within moving onto the water this gives us the ability to drive the sideways and being able to adapt connectivity and specifically boat and having stability while we power. connections within the boat. Once we are this stage it is time that we start them from static through to We use the points of the body that are in contact developing our feel. We need to learn to work with dynamic draws and / or other with the boat; and a basic level of tension through the water and not against it. To do this we need to strokes we can now apply them our main upper body (our core) to connect the develop a feel for how the boat/paddle interact with to other skills within our boat to the body. This is essential to achieving the water. The paddler who can do this looks like paddling. control over the boats movement. they are working together with the water and not fighting it. Combining the other three fundamentals Connections within the boat are: and having the ability to adapt to the surrounding By being able to recognise and • Where and how we sit environmental demands achieve this. feel when something is not • Where the knees are and the points they touch Exercises that can help us improve our feel are: working means that we can • Where the feet touch • Practicing draw strokes with your eyes closed. change one of the other areas. Do your reference points (points where you This means that we are • Any other points of contact position your hands/arms/pressure on contact (Plate C) Knees up under the knee braces under the points) change? adaptable paddlers which will cockpit/feet touching footrest and side of boat. help us have a variety ways of (Plate E) Practice your draw strokes on the move to (Plate D) Knees pressing against the side of boat/use challenge your skill. achieving tasks to allow us to of kneeling thwart. enjoy different types of paddling Just because something is touching or in contact experiences in different with the boat doesn’t mean that it is in use. By this I mean is it switched on and actively being pressed environments. against to give the control. Too tight in the boat is as bad as too loose. Either of these extremes makes it difficult to regulate or adjust the pressure that is being applied. This will ultimately lead to loss of control and you becoming tired. ThePaddler 15