Techniques of Paddling
Paddling with all your arm power? Professionals don't think that way.
Efficient paddling doesn't require a great deal of upper body strength. Rather than thinking about pulling the paddle through the water, the pro thinks of the paddle as almost stationary and tries to pull the kayak past the paddle. The long kayak paddle is used as a lever to move the boat forward. Using leverage to pull the kayak past the paddle allows the experienced paddler to employ every major muscle group including the lower back, abdominal muscles, and thighs in moving the kayak forward. For a really powerful stroke, forget about paddling through a liquid. Think of the water as viscous mud. If you pretend that you are levering yourself along through a sea of mud when you paddle, you'll have the elements of a power stroke.
Try planting the paddle in the water as far forward as you can reach with a slight forward lean. Push forward with your upper arm at jaw height until the pushing arm is almost straight.
Use your lower arm as a fulcrum. This increases the leverage in your paddle stroke and prevents you from pulling too far back with your lower arm. Keep your feet on the kayak's footbraces while you paddle. You need something to push against so you can pull the kayak along with you. Near the end of your arm extension, a little torso twist combined with a forward thrust of the shoulder adds extra power to this stroke. End your stroke with your arm upper nearly straight and level with your shoulder. Your fist should be at chin level, and your thumb should be at the centerline of the kayak deck.
Keep a relaxed grip on the paddle. When you grip the paddle too tightly you feel tense, your forearms tire and cramp and you promote tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome. If your hand falls asleep during or after paddling, or your wrist and forearm are swollen and sore from paddling, you're probably gripping the paddle too tightly. If you are using a feathered paddle, and you think you are developing carpal tunnel problems, try adjusting your grip on the paddle shaft so that very little wrist movement is needed to feather the blade. Always try to keep your wrist, forearm, and shoulder in a straight line for the pushing part of the stroke. Try stretching tight forearms by bending your wrist while pulling your fingertips towards your elbow.
The perfect style:
There is no doubt in my mind, that style is individual. There is not one perfect style.
Having said that, we must agree; that the best style is the one, which provide us with as much propulsion as possible, using the smallest amount of energy.
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The paddle has to be held steep during the stroke – then you get advantage from the wing- principle
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Your wrist has to be straight during the hole stroke; and the paddle has to find its own way through the water – then the featering of the paddle correspond to your style.
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Your upper hand must move in a horizontal line in front of you during the stroke – that makes sure you rotate your upper body, using your back muscles.
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The paddle has to cut its way up through the water in the end of the stroke – then you don't spend energy lifting unnecessary water.