New Paddling Technique Series... excellent

Advice
#1

I just stumbled on this today while looking for specific info on power-transfer and foot boards. This video series appears to have been started in April 2020, host is Ivan Lawler. Start here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BYRlT9lYoA

For my learning preferences, these are the best paddling-technique instructional videos I’ve ever seen… Ivan dives WAY down the rabbit hole, no detail is too small to analyze and discuss. Once I got sucked in, couldn’t stop… watched the entire series today, and I’m going to watch them all again next week (need a week to practice!!). I hope you all enjoy as much as I do.

1 Like
#2

Nice to see he now has his own channel.

Here’s one of his classics, posted here a couple years ago:

2 Likes
#3

He definitely has a way of explaining nuances so that it makes sense. Proper paddle stroke technique is very hard to learn.
I’ve been at it for years with some great instructors and I still have a lot to learn. If you can pick up what he’s teaching you’ll be in good shape for sure.

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#4

Paddling instruction is fine. Find someone that is a better paddler than you are if you can and learn from them. It is really good to add a new stroke or new move. It gives you something to try out and work on.

Pat Parelli the horse trainer, has some thoughts about the value of experience. He talks about how you can learn to get along with horses after about 100 hours. You might be comfortable and successful with them after say 1,000 hours. But to become a horseman. you need 25,000 hours.

Paddling is similar in that there is no substitute for time with a paddle in your hands. A week long trip especially with a few long days can give you muscle memory that you have never had before. It can calm your mind and make paddling a very mental exercise. You learn your boat, your learn your fellow paddler. You learn yourself.