I’ve read a lot about proper technique, body rotation, involving my core and the great tip about pushing with my leading hand. But I still couldn’t ‘“feel it”. I started thinking of how when people push with their leading hand and I recalled gondoliers. Ah gotcha, they plant and steer with the lower hand and push with the top hand. Now I can “feel” what it is that I should be doing!
Fun paddle today, first time in short lumpy conditions and I felt quite confident using the GP in those conditions for the first time
+1 I love my GO Akiak. I am surprised at how quickly I adapted to the different style of paddle, after 45 years using EP’s. I used my partner’s EP the other day and was trying techniques I use with the GP, reasonably successfully. However it didn’t make we want to go back to using EP’s as my primary paddle
Nope Kinbo1, I have to disagree with your statement about pushing with the top hand. Working with both the euro and gp, the arms simply link your body to the paddle and thus your legs, hips and torso provide the power for the stroke. The arms might help guide the paddle to and through the water; but rely on your body for power.
When I subconsciously start pushing with my top hand, the inside of my thumbs near the base start to feel as if a blister is forming … a convenient reminder to get a grip [] and pay attention to technique.
I know what the thought is there. I also realize that there is a school of thought that does encourage pushing with the upper arm. My teaching is that the arms merely link the body to the paddle. If there’s any sensation of “pushing” it’s a result of the shoulder of the upper arm somewhat leading the stroke, along with the body’s rotation. FWIW; I was with Greg Stamer this past winter season and my thought/method is what’s encouraged with both a gp and euro…. I suppose there are different “keys” for everyone but physics are constant.
