![]() Solution: If you have a two-piece paddle, the joint is going to be the center of the shaft. ![]() ![]() This is inefficient and frustrating, as you’ll be making constant adjustments. If you’re paddling with one long side and one short side, the kayak will turn away from the long side. The longer the paddle, the more turning influence it will give with each stroke. Not holding your hands equidistant from the blades will cause one side to be longer than the other. Problem 5: Grip not centered on the paddle shaft After a few times and some laughs, I’ll tell them they need to twirl the entire paddle around like a baton and then they get it. So they’ll roll it over again, and I say it’s upside down again. They’ll rotate it so the long edge is on top. Many times, as renters paddle away from our beach, I’ll need to tell them their paddle is upside down. Again, don’t be embarrassed about this common mistake. Solution: Make sure the scoop of the blade faces you. And, of course, you can’t look cool with a backwards paddle. A backwards paddle is not the end of the world. ![]() After all, we want to move the kayak, not the water. Instead, the kayak moves up to the paddle. In an ideal paddle stroke, the paddle, once planted in the water, does not move. This allows you to better grip or “catch” the water. Today’s paddles have a curvature or spoon shape to them. I’ve seen people with brand new $400 carbon fiber paddles holding them upside down!) (Don’t be embarrassed if you’ve made this mistake in the past. This will ensure that it easily stays in your hands. Solution: Take a good look at your paddle and make sure to hold it with the long edge on top. You’ll then grip the paddle too tightly to keep it from fluttering, which, as I mentioned above in “Death Grip” is not good. If you hold the paddle with the long side down, it will want to twist, or flutter, as you take a stroke. An asymmetrical blade ensures there is equal pressure on both the top and bottom of the blade. When paddling, your blade enters the water at an angle. Most of today’s paddles are asymmetrical, meaning the blade has a long side and a short side. Problem 3: Holding the paddle with the blade upside down Solution: Pretend you’re doing your morning pull-ups and your paddle is the bar. In addition, your paddle will arc widely with each stroke, causing your kayak to yawl back and forth-very inefficient! Holding your paddle with your hands too close together gives you a longer paddle stroke, but you lose power. If you are constantly hitting your knuckles on the side of the kayak, most likely your grip is too wide. Although this may give you a little more power, the resulting shorter paddle stroke is much less efficient. If you hold your paddle with a grip that’s too wide, it will in essence make your paddle shorter. Problem 2: Placing your hands too far apart or too close together on the paddle shaft This will force you to release your grip and also reinforce the often over-looked pushing phase of the stroke. To train yourself to relax, try opening your fingers on the ‘out-of-water-phase’ of your stroke while pushing with your palm. Solution: Get into vacation mode and relax that beltway grip! A light grip is one of the most important aspects of a successful paddle stroke. I guarantee your arm will get tired!Ģ) Using your weaker forearm and hand muscles prohibits you from using your larger, stronger core muscles that are essential for efficient paddling.ģ) Blisters! Whenever someone says they are getting a blister, my first response is to tell them to relax their grip. Try grabbing a broom handle and squeezing it in one hand for 5 minutes. White knuckling the paddle causes several problems:ġ) Your forearms tire quickly. Here are the five most common grip mistakes I see and simple ways to fix them. But how you grab that paddle can be the difference between a journey that feels effortless, and one that ends in blisters, sore joints, and aching muscles. The essence of kayaking is simple: Just grab a paddle and go.
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