Found this useful information on rapidmedia.com regarding Paddling Technique (see below)
The 2 biggest tips I always tell people are 1) Lean into a jam if you are going to hit it and 2) paddle using your torso not your arms. Although they don't refer to using the torso exactly, item 3 below is what I am talking about. So you still really use your arms of course, but using the torso to wind/unwind will really help you develop good technique.
Stroke technique isn’t just about going faster. A more efficient stroke might propel you at the same speed, but it will get you to the beach with less fatigue, muscle strain and joint pain, saving energy for those times when you need to paddle faster or longer. Here are fi ve tips that will improve the power and efficiency of your stroke.
1. Listen to your mother
Sitting up with a straight back is the key to unlocking the power of your body. With a very good sitting posture you can better use the larger muscle groups of your torso and legs. Within the kayak a good seat and some support for legs and feet provide the foundation necessary for sitting up comfortably. Once that foundation is established you can work on improving the mechanics of your forward stroke.
2. Begin at the end
Think about setting up the forward stroke by lifting the paddle blade out of the water, instead of thinking of this as the end of the stroke. Like a circle, there is actually no beginning or end in the cycle of repeated forward strokes. The moments before the power phase are critical. The blade must be positioned to correctly enter the water and the body must be in a physical posture that allows it to deliver the necessary power.
3. Rotate in the set-up
Torso rotation is often cited as the hallmark of an efficient forward stroke, but it’s difficult to learn to unwind the torso during the power phase of the stroke. It’s easier to learn consistent torso rotation by thinking about winding up your torso during the set-up. To do this, lift your blade out of the water at the end of your stroke, then bring the forward blade far forward by twisting the shoulders and reaching ahead with the shoulder, elbow and hand on the paddling side. Now you are well rotated and will naturally unwind and use torso rotation during the power phase of your stroke.
4. Lift your elbows
Whether you use a high- or low-angled stroke style, it is important to keep the elbow almost level with the wrist as if punching a bag. It is very common for paddlers to raise the aft blade out of the water by lifting the hand while leaving the elbow low, but this posture with a low elbow and high hand is very weak and cannot produce any effective power. Instead, think about lifting the paddle blade out of the water by raising the elbow and hand simultaneously— lift your wing. With this combination of a well-rotated shoulder girdle, the leading shoulder positioned well forward, and the aft forearm approximately level, your torso can rotate to generate power and your arms are ready to efficiently deliver power to the paddle.
5. Pick up the pace
Now think about keeping up your speed. While the paddle blades are out of the water, the kayak slows down. It’s easier to keep the kayak moving forward at a consistent speed than it is to repeatedly slow down and regain lost speed with each stroke. It is most efficient to have the blade in the water as often as possible and easier on your body to make many gentle repetitions than a smaller number of very heavy strokes. Make your strokes quick, short, and frequent; think of the smaller strides you take when running up a hill. A cadence of about 25 stokes per minute on one side is comfortable and effective.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Overview of River Gear
This is a new blog I am adding in to cover a lot of questions we get on equipment, gear, etc.
This initial post will be a quick overview of what you need on the river along with some other suggested equipment for both pleasure and safety!
When I leave for a river trip I always run this phrase through my mind "paddle, jacket, helmet, skirt" The boat should be a given, if it is not on your roof you don't need the other stuff! LOL! You'd be surprised how many of us have shown up at the river without one of those 4 essential items for running down the river. Of course the helmet part and perhaps skirt too are items I only wear when in my whitewater boat. (I do wear a skirt in my rec boat a lot though) I suggest a skirt for recreational kayakers on cool days to keep the water splashes off your legs and to help shed water when going through Rochester Rapid/Bulldozer.
If you are a whitewater paddler then the above is the basic equipment you need for the river. Other things include booties, water bottle, throw rope. The throw rope is something you can get online or at REI in Troy, it is a nylon bag usually with mesh for drainage and it is filled with 50 to 75 feet of rope made for water and with a high breaking point. They run around $50 and if you paddle with friends they may some day appreciate you having one.
I carry a dry bag with other dry bags inside of it. Those other bags include a green one for toilet paper and a plastic trowel along with paper towel and anything else you might want for an emergency trip to the woods. Another bag is red and has first aid stuff in it. The additional bags serve two purposes, one they offer extra waterproof protection (bags do fail) and second they keep stuff together and handy and easy to see because they are color coded. (i.e. tell someone to get the red bag out of your yellow bag) Other things I throw in the main bag are bug spray and sunscreen. I carry an extra t-shirt or rash guard shirt and sometimes a light splash shirt or dry top. (more on that stuff later)
You can get some big carabiners at Home Depot or Lowes to clip your stuff into something in your kayak. If you don't have good points to anchor things onto, you can make some loops of rope onto various places. If you do swim it is nice to have all your equipment stay with the boat.
If you have the luxury of space or are paddling a scow, I mean canoe, then you can take a bag chair for when you stop on the riverbank or a sandbar for lunch, etc. Small coolers are good for kayaks, larger ones for canoes but please NO Styrofoam coolers! If you lose them they break up all over the river and are hard to clean up!
A garbage bag is a good thing to have, if you bring it in, bring it out, your trash that is. A mesh bag is nice for empty beverage cans, keeps them from rolling around etc.
What about cell phones? I only bring mine if it is double bagged! I have an Otter dry box that would probably be enough, they are great boxes - Pelican's too, but to be safe I also put my expensive Smart Phone into a vinyl dry bag made for phones and then put that into the dry box. The other good thing about doing this is that the phone bag keeps moisture off the phone when I need to use it with wet hands and you can actually make calls with it. Some people with iPhone's use the Life Proof cases which are great and do not require a dry box, but I would! Cell phones can come in handy in an emergency, or to order pizza/take out while on the river! ;)
I'll post something separate about what to wear in greater detail, but things to keep in mind are that what you wear can make or break your day on the river. If it looks like it could rain, a poncho or rain jacket is nice. If you can afford a dry top then those are great but can cost $150 - $250+! A dry top is a waterproof top with latex at the neck and arms/wrists. These are more for whitewater since the neoprene skirt will seal with the top and then the skirt seals to the boat so you stay dry. With Rec boats the nylon skirts don't seal you in but a dry top will still help. An alternative to dry tops are splash jackets which are water resistant or sometimes made from waterproof material but do not have the seals at the neck and arms/wrists. They are great for rain and splashes and work well even with Rec boat skirts.
Footwear is important too. Sandals like Teva's seem like a good idea, but if you are walking in the river the sand and gravel get between them and the soles of your feet! You can get some cheap water shoes at department stores or Meijers, they work well. Old tennis shoes or old boots were the choices I used for canoeing. Essentially you want to wear something that can get wet, is comfortable and will not get hung up if you exit your boat. You can get neoprene river booties at REI or online at places like NRS (Northwest River Supply - www.nrsweb.com) They will run around $50 or more per pair but can offer good protection, coverage and are made to stay on if you happen to swim!
That is all for now, check back some time soon and I'll be posting info about paddles, boats (both whitewater & rec, even sea kayaks), first aid kits and whatever else I can think of "gear" related.
This initial post will be a quick overview of what you need on the river along with some other suggested equipment for both pleasure and safety!
When I leave for a river trip I always run this phrase through my mind "paddle, jacket, helmet, skirt" The boat should be a given, if it is not on your roof you don't need the other stuff! LOL! You'd be surprised how many of us have shown up at the river without one of those 4 essential items for running down the river. Of course the helmet part and perhaps skirt too are items I only wear when in my whitewater boat. (I do wear a skirt in my rec boat a lot though) I suggest a skirt for recreational kayakers on cool days to keep the water splashes off your legs and to help shed water when going through Rochester Rapid/Bulldozer.
If you are a whitewater paddler then the above is the basic equipment you need for the river. Other things include booties, water bottle, throw rope. The throw rope is something you can get online or at REI in Troy, it is a nylon bag usually with mesh for drainage and it is filled with 50 to 75 feet of rope made for water and with a high breaking point. They run around $50 and if you paddle with friends they may some day appreciate you having one.
I carry a dry bag with other dry bags inside of it. Those other bags include a green one for toilet paper and a plastic trowel along with paper towel and anything else you might want for an emergency trip to the woods. Another bag is red and has first aid stuff in it. The additional bags serve two purposes, one they offer extra waterproof protection (bags do fail) and second they keep stuff together and handy and easy to see because they are color coded. (i.e. tell someone to get the red bag out of your yellow bag) Other things I throw in the main bag are bug spray and sunscreen. I carry an extra t-shirt or rash guard shirt and sometimes a light splash shirt or dry top. (more on that stuff later)
You can get some big carabiners at Home Depot or Lowes to clip your stuff into something in your kayak. If you don't have good points to anchor things onto, you can make some loops of rope onto various places. If you do swim it is nice to have all your equipment stay with the boat.
If you have the luxury of space or are paddling a scow, I mean canoe, then you can take a bag chair for when you stop on the riverbank or a sandbar for lunch, etc. Small coolers are good for kayaks, larger ones for canoes but please NO Styrofoam coolers! If you lose them they break up all over the river and are hard to clean up!
A garbage bag is a good thing to have, if you bring it in, bring it out, your trash that is. A mesh bag is nice for empty beverage cans, keeps them from rolling around etc.
What about cell phones? I only bring mine if it is double bagged! I have an Otter dry box that would probably be enough, they are great boxes - Pelican's too, but to be safe I also put my expensive Smart Phone into a vinyl dry bag made for phones and then put that into the dry box. The other good thing about doing this is that the phone bag keeps moisture off the phone when I need to use it with wet hands and you can actually make calls with it. Some people with iPhone's use the Life Proof cases which are great and do not require a dry box, but I would! Cell phones can come in handy in an emergency, or to order pizza/take out while on the river! ;)
I'll post something separate about what to wear in greater detail, but things to keep in mind are that what you wear can make or break your day on the river. If it looks like it could rain, a poncho or rain jacket is nice. If you can afford a dry top then those are great but can cost $150 - $250+! A dry top is a waterproof top with latex at the neck and arms/wrists. These are more for whitewater since the neoprene skirt will seal with the top and then the skirt seals to the boat so you stay dry. With Rec boats the nylon skirts don't seal you in but a dry top will still help. An alternative to dry tops are splash jackets which are water resistant or sometimes made from waterproof material but do not have the seals at the neck and arms/wrists. They are great for rain and splashes and work well even with Rec boat skirts.
Footwear is important too. Sandals like Teva's seem like a good idea, but if you are walking in the river the sand and gravel get between them and the soles of your feet! You can get some cheap water shoes at department stores or Meijers, they work well. Old tennis shoes or old boots were the choices I used for canoeing. Essentially you want to wear something that can get wet, is comfortable and will not get hung up if you exit your boat. You can get neoprene river booties at REI or online at places like NRS (Northwest River Supply - www.nrsweb.com) They will run around $50 or more per pair but can offer good protection, coverage and are made to stay on if you happen to swim!
That is all for now, check back some time soon and I'll be posting info about paddles, boats (both whitewater & rec, even sea kayaks), first aid kits and whatever else I can think of "gear" related.
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