You’re recommending short,
powerful punches generated by relatively small movements of the legs, body, shoulders, and arms. Clearly correct.
But then you’re saying I should prolong my rotation and extend my stroke farther back. Is that a short, compact stroke? No. And prolonging the kayak stroke too far back does what, in rowing circles, we called “pinching the boat.” The kayak paddle force vectors are inward against the hull, and upward lifting water, if the stroke is prolonged. Relatively little forward force is generated back there. One of the reasons wing paddles are so effective is that, with its “lift”, the wing paddle moves outward and does not pinch the boat or lift water as much.
By not prolonging the stroke farther than just past the hip, I am able to raise my stroke rate a bit, and progress better with short, efficient strokes. The boat waggles less from side to side. And if I am just paddling easier, this “cab forward” stroke tends to pull the boat forward by the nose, with less tendency to veer.
This high angle, cab forward stroke is similar to the cab forward stroke I use when solo canoeing. In a canoe, it brings a revelation: I seldom have to J-stroke or rudder, because a forward reach, firm catch, and early blade extraction magically keeps the canoe headed forward without veering.
The cab forward kayak stroke pays real dividends when used with whitewater kayaks, which are very inclined to veer when paddled with an exaggerated “full” stroke.
I think your boxer analogy tends to support my point. At any rate, after so many years of paddling, I’m sure my style has evolved into what is most efficient for me.
For the doubters, Chubby Checker says, “Twist again, like we did last summer…”
misinterpreted
"you’re saying I should prolong my rotation and extend my stroke farther back"
No, I’m not saying that. I was never one to get high praise from my composition instructors though.
You’re right. Your composition is OK,
but better paragraph breaks would help.
Om teaching use of torso rotation, if I provide a realistic target, there’s more chance of students achieving and matching it than if I provide a very exaggerated target without telling them it’s only for teaching purposes.
On whitewater, one can see paddlers freezing at the torso because they’re in hard stuff and trying to paddle and prepare for anticipatory bracing at the same time. Ex World Series slalom champ Scott Shipley, though, wrote in his book that he limits his high angle style to about 45 degrees, so that he can keep rotating and pulling while deriving an active, ongoing brace in heavy water.
Back troubles
I have had back problems since the late 1960s. I have found kayak seats to be too confining and too upright. Try a canoe where you can move around freely and even stand up once in awhile. It is like a different sport. I can paddle on a week long trip in a canoe, but get stiff in a kayak within 2 hours.
Try a Canoe
A single blade propelling the craft from a higher seat position is vastly easier on the back and a canoe provides a near infinite range of body position options compared to a kayak…Kneeling or partial kneeling can eliminate the pains often associated with the seated leg extended position of a kayak.
Well, Dave, if a kayak paddler has
achieved loose hamstrings via stretching, then that paddler can quit leaning on the backband and use forward and aft leans quite effectively to control the boat.
It’s easier to use fore/aft lean when kneeling, but if one’s hamstrings, etc., are loose enough, an enormous amount can be done from a sitting position.
conjecture
that’s wonderful
Meanwhile let’s try and help the OP with the bad back.