Common Errors

• Missing the catch
This refers to pullback being activated before the catch is “locked”, thereby reducing the effective power in the first half of the stroke. If you are using good technique there will be heavy feel on blade for whole time blade is in water (from catch to exit).

• No or minimal rotation
Some people crouch forward with a bent back, and assume this is rotation. Think of having a rod up your back, and you are rotating around the rod.

• Bent bottom arm
• Top hand stays forward or drops toward gunwale
If either of these happens, and the bottom arm is pulling back, then the blade must go out of 90 dgrees, and into 45 degrees or worse, thereby losing most of your forward power. Putting water into the boat or lots into the air is an indicator of this.

• Poor timing
We not only need to enter the water together but also exit together. If you have a short stroke you will tend to exit early, which increases the chance of “pushing” (rating too high). People at back of boat especially need to be careful as it is “softer” water. They need to especially concentrate on reach and digging blade deep in water.

• “Dragging” the exit
This refers to a paddler taking pressure off the blade half way through the stroke. The paddler therefore starts to move forward through the water, instead of backwards, it creates drag rather than forward momentum. A lot of water is seen splashing behind the paddle.

Stay Active

Portland is snowed in! The most snow on record since 1968 this has tossed a hitch in some work out plans.

Keeping in mind safety at all times, but don't let this weather halt your productivity in staying physical. With the side streets safe from most traffic, with any driving slow at best, get out and take a walk. Pack some energy and make it a hike. Snow shoes or cross country skis make for great exercising in snow and with the right attitude you can keep your heart rate up and keep your cardio steady during the storm.

Power, Exit, & Return

Power

Power propels the boat forward. Our goal is to maximize the power we can harness and have everyone lock in and pull through together.

After you begin your pulling back through the water your blade should remain perpendicular as long as possible. There should be strong resistance against the blade for the whole stroke in the water. If you pull back too far and either bend your lower arm or push your upper arm down too low you will lose the resistance and instead slow the boat down. The power phase starts well ahead of your body and ends at your hip - not behind you.

Points to consider for effective power:
• Leg drive with outside leg. This engages the leg, hip, abs and back.
• Sit up and maximizing your leg, abs, and back muscle groups.
• Outside shoulder should come back slightly behind inside shoulder, with back upright.
• Bottom arm remains substantially straight.
• Top hand remains parallel to water surface, comes back toward outside shoulder, not down toward gunwale nor keeping it forward as a pivot.

Exit

Your exit needs to be swift without a lot of displacement of water. Keep power throughout the exit.

Remember that the exit is quick out of the water but slow through the air during recovery. This can be challenging to master but important for sustaining energy over long distances or short sprints.

• Exit at hip. Arms should be straight at exit. Slightly bent after exit.
• Turn top hand thereby feathering the blade.
• Keep bottom arm reasonably straight. If arm is bent it will be “choo-choo” action, which takes much more energy, reduces effect toward end of power phase, and the blade will be too high above the water in the return phase.

Return
This is moving from exit toward setup phase. This is as important as the power phase as this is the period in the stroke where you are setting your body up for another burst of energy.

• Relax
• Keep blade close to water.
• Blade in feather position, especially in early stage.
• Relax arms, hands, back and shoulders.
• Keep bottom arm reasonably straight.
• Start moving into rotation and get ready for set up.

Set Up & Lock

Set Up
Following is a detailed breakdown of proper technique to enter the water correctly.

• Start your rotating for the stroke from hip.
• As you rotate your hip forward lock into your core and reach paddle forward. Reach by showing your chest to the opposite shore.
• Keep top arm high but with the shoulder down. Your upper armpit should be at 90 degrees to your torso.
• Bottom arm straight reaching forward for the plant. Think in terms of lower arm doing a punch.
• Paddle at 45 degree angle forward for catch.
• Head up to expand chest and see what you are doing.

Blade Lock
Following is a detailed breakdown of proper technique entering the water and getting a good “catch” of the water.
This is a separate function to the power phase.

• While rotated and with chest to opposite shore think about keeping the blade moving forward, the same direction as the boat, before you hit the water. Goal is to maximize your reach and stoke length upfront.
• Enter the water at 40 degrees. • Blade should be fully submerged before you pull back.
• Bottom arm remains straight.
• Keep rotation to maximize reach.
• Keep head up to expand chest and see what you are doing.
• Should be minimal noise on entry. If you make a loud splashing noise it means either the blade is not fully buried and/or you are pulling back early.
• Activating the catch before pulling back is essential. These are 2 separate functions and this one is called “locking” the catch (beware not to take shortcut).

Feel

As paddlers get comfortable they tend to concentrate less on technique and more on power. If you are trying to develop good technique to optimize your power you must learn good technique first. If you do so you will be stronger than just muscling through the stroke.

Feel your body as it moves through the stroke. Feel the water and the varying conditions that you are paddling in. Feel the people around you and how you are blending together. Feel where the crew is applying power through the stroke. Feeling what you are doing is an aspect of mental training that translate into better technique.

Feel each one of these points of technique as you are performing them.

• Rotation from hip (not just leaning forward).

• Straight bottom arm (not bent like “choo-choo” action of broken arm going in motion of arm on train wheels). Bigger paddlers especially fall into this trap.

• Use whole body (including leg drive, abs and back), not just arms.

• Keep paddle as perpendicular to water on 2 planes (as seen from side and behind) for as long as possible.

• Timing is crucial (look diagonal and in front, take timing from top hand).

• Exit at hip.

• Maximise reach. The longer the blade is in water ahead of your hip, the more you are contributing. Reach farther than you have been without leaning farther forward. Rotate deeply through your core.

• Head up at all times.

Feeling what you are doing while you are doing it is difficult. It requires concentration and separation. Concentrating on what you are feeling in each part of your body. Separation from your need to be powerful and muscle the boat forward. Try to incorporate a concious effort to see yourself. Take the time to realize what you are doing. Don't let habit take over. Stop. Look. Feel.

Observe Technique

If you watch a paddler with good technique you will see the following:

· The bodies large muscles doing most of the work

· Relaxation of the muscles not engaged during the effort

· Structurally sound body mechanics

These points are all intertwined and play an equal part in good technique. It's important to not only observe what you are doing but also to feel what you are doing while paddling. Without one of these items the others will, in time, fail and injuries or strained muscles will occur.

Rotator cuff injuries or strain

Coaches should be careful not to advocate technique that exposes athletes to injury. One of these injury causing movements is having the top hand above the head exposing the top shoulder to injury. Moving the arm up and down at the shoulder is asking for an injury involving the rotator cuff. Take the time to consciously look at yourself objectively while you are paddling. Where is your uper hand through the stroke? Can you draw on the above points during your stroke? Observation is key to improvement. You must observe and process to change.

The rotator cuff muscles control rotation of the shoulder. These muscles are put under a great deal of strain especially when your arm is above your head repeatedly. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles which work together to provide the shoulder joint with dynamic stability, helping to control the joint during rotation (hence the name). Due to the function of these muscles, sports which involve a lot of shoulder rotation – for example, dragon boating, outrigger paddling, kayaking, etc. – often put the rotator cuff muscles under a lot of stress. (notes from sports injury clinic).

While you are paddling concentrate on your shoulder and arm and feel what they are doing. Are they moving up and down instead of locking into your core and being an extension of your back. Watch the person ahead of you on the boat. What is their shoulder and upper arm doing during the stroke? Your shoulder should be down at all times and therefore providing a strong extension of your large back muscles to plant, pull, and move the boat forward.