If there is one thing I love about paddling it is playing in the surf, but not because of the “rush.” Although it is of course fun, for me it is the challenge of controlling a kayak in these conditions and testing my skills that gets me excited to paddle out again and again as things get rolling. Core skills like torso rotation and edge control become even more important as waves wash over your bow and stern and essentially try and lock your kayak in place. It is here that we start today’s short lesson, because if we do not “get below the deck” with our paddling, we will never transition all the work our upper body is doing into the water efficiently.
Have you ever paddled past a dock, a pier or a water front walk way and some maniac yells down at you from above, “HEY! WHERE ARE YOUR LEGS IN THAT THING!!” Well…have you given that much thought lately? By pushing against our footrests with our feet, when going forward, and with our butt into our seat and back band, when going backwards, we essentially lock our lower body into place. This gives us higher confidence, through more stability, but also allows us to generate more torque as we rotate our upper torso and move the paddle through the water.
Humble Pie on Lake Superior
Practice this first on placid water.
1-Sit up straight in your kayak and while keeping you shoulders square, reach your right arm and index finger out as far as you can, imagine you are trying to grab your bow toggle handle. With your finger extended, touch the deck of your boat and note how far you reached.
2-Now, same excersise except, with your arm and finger stretched out, rotate your right shoulder forward, turning your torso, eyes forward! Now lower the finger to the deck, look how much longer your reach just got!
3-Last step. Arm extended, right shoulder rotated, reach hard without leaning your head forward! Remember sit up straight. NOW, move your right butt forward in your seat slightly, check how far you can reach.
Punching Through the Surf
Each step should gain you a longer reach with your finger, or “Catch” with your paddle. However that last step, moving the butt should have significantly increased the pressure on your right foot rest. IMAGINE how much more torque you will now create as you drive off that footrest with your feet as you rotate your torso and move the paddle through the water, across the morning glass or up and over that wave.
Try this same excersise only in reverse to feel the power of driving your butt into the seat and back band. Now practice your basic strokes, like sweeps and forward and reverse strokes with your new thinking of, “Getting below the deck,” with your paddling. Practice on flatwater and as you move into more advanced conditions this will start to just become second nature for you and allow you to move your boat with a higher level of ease.
I like it, good stuff. Probably will borrow these ideas, but will give credit where credit due !!!!!
Great insight. I wish you could come to Jersey to paddle