technique help

[xmas0c1c1k1]

Ok so I'm just getting back into my boat after almost a year and a half off.
I've been goin out to the local river and just paddling around mainly focusing on technique I've read alot lately about the forward stroke and I'm realizing how bad mine is, but I know what to focus on there.
I would like some tips on the cross forward
mainly I'm looking for advice on rotation and such I know to keep strokes short and to reach out, but it seems like my arms get tired very fast when I'm on my offside am I doing something wrong or is that just the nature of the cross forward and being out of shape? It seems like my top arm seems to get overworked really fast.
any and all advice welcome video is nice too.

[fez]

http://www.slalomtechnique.co.uk/c1technique.php

[Longboatin]

why not just switch, instead of cross? With some practice you'll get 2 effective onsides, instead of one strong and one weak. I know, I know, it seems most on here would take issue, but hey... if you're comin to ALF, you'll get to see first hand just how effective switching is.

[BigMike]

You should never switch, ever.

The biggest mistake people make on the cross bow is now committing to it. Get the hand which holds the paddle shaft low down to the gunwale, keep your top arm straight, and rotate your trunk for the power bit of the stroke. dont be scared of leaning on your offside, but press down with your top hand to use your shoulder and back muscles rather than your biceps.

[fez]

doing on- and offside strokes is one of the challenges of cboating for me.

When switching every time you could need it you could instead use a paddle for every side also, why not... And then you could fix them together and you would have - a yak paddel!

[philcanoe]

I'd do exactly what you're doing now, developing that offside. I'd go as far as saying, once you have it on one side, then learn your other offside. There's nothing really wrong with being able to paddle on both sides; however it does not replace a good offside stroke. Sometimes nothing will substitute for a well timed offside... no matter how good a switch hitter you are. Once you've got it, they'll become second nature... and you'll only switch because of the desire to. As said come on to ALF (you are from Atlanta), there'll be plenty of people to watch what you're doing.

As for the big-mouth... maybe with ALF finally here we'll get a break from all the worth-less large steaming pile of dog doo talk.

[sbroam]

Maybe I'm weird, but I actually *like* cross strokes. I guess its the feeling of the stretch, and there is something about an offside peel out... Ditto what Big Mike sez - reach, commit, it's not about biceps.

LB does have a point though. After years of paddling on just the one side I find I'm not very competent paddling lefty. There are times it would be nice...

As Kent Ford said (paraphrased) - don't switch hands because you *have* to - during the switch you are vulnerable.

[billhay4]

The recovery at the end of the stroke is, to me, the most important part of this stroke. However, what the others said about committing, leaning, etc. are also important and should be paid attention to in training.
The recovery is not done by lifting the paddle out of the water, but by feathering it and slicing back to a starting position. This is done by curling the lower wrist inward.
There are films that show this.
A poor recovery makes you very vulnerable to catching water and flipping, it slows your strokes immensely, and it is a slow as switching sides.
The offside is IMHO as strong as the onside, if not stronger, because you are forced to lean into the stroke and because you are automatically set up for a roll if you do flip.
Bill

[Larry Horne]

hey LB. switching hands pretty much goes hand in hand with paddling a 16 fter. Deliverence style....go daddy!

[img]http://neatorama.cachefly.net/images/20 ... -banjo.jpg[/img]

[golder]

i'm w/ scott: offside strokes are where its at. i'm not just saying that cuz i like the funny looks from non-c-boaters.

i will say i was slow getting comfortable w/ my off strokes. my recovery was often sketchy, i felt like my blade was getting grabbed and pulling my towards my offside, until i figured out how to feather well on that side. i think that flatwater is a great place to practice offside strokes. if you're in whitewater, and everytime you take an offside stroke you sketch yourself out, you wont be inclined to continue working on them. when you are good and comfortable on flatwater, you'll be more likely to work on your offside strokes in current.

it seems in challenging whitewater, folks tend to revert to what they 'know' or are more comfortable with instead of what might actually be a better stroke for the situation. once you 'know' and are comfortable w/ your cross strokes on flatwater, working them into your w.w. bag of tricks should be much easier.

[marclamenace]

The longer your boat the better you can keep up without a good cross-stroke. But here's a dummy drill that helped me somehow at begining feeling more at ease with them cross-strokes.

In flatwater find a reference point like a rock or herb around which you can turn in circles. Try turning on your offside (counter-clockwise if you righty) with onside and offside strokes and you should quickly realize how much more precisely you can control the boat on your offside. Also you can see how you use you grip hand position to steer before to pull, and reach far enough (bending with your hips, not your back) to also get that bracing feeling on your offside.

Have fun...

[xmas0c1c1k1]

Thanks for the advice!
Yeah I've seen that slalom technique site and love it since I'm aiming to get into slalom.
Longboatin or whatever your name is I don't switch hands everytime I do paddle lefty some too just for practice but I paddle the right way with cross strokes!
I think I'm doing things right I just need to get my body back into paddling shape.
I don't have any problem committing to the offside (until I get into really big rapids, but that won't be for a while since I am really focusing on starting from the ground up again)
I got the feather recovery down
I the big thing is my top arm tires out really fast I think its the deltoid muscle that starts to get worked. I am working out a bunch too so hopefully I can just get my shoulders back in shape.
What I am focusing on is getting good reach, short strokes, pushing down on the paddle shaft, keeping weight off of knees and rotation
No ALF this year gotta work and go to school so....maybe next year

[Bob P]

I the big thing is my top arm tires out really fast I think its the deltoid muscle that starts to get worked. I am working out a bunch too so hopefully I can just get my shoulders back in shape...

Just like you get to Carnegie Hall. Practice, practice, practice.

Sometimes during a flatwater workout, I'll switch hands, and I am totally shocked how weak I am on my cross strokes. Which is why, when the going gets rough, you'll never see me switch.

When I'm paddling on my "normal" side, I'll do cross-side drills, staying on the cross for a whole bunch of moves. Want to exercise some virgin muscles? Try a cross-bow sweep. (Easier in a C1 than an open boat, I'll do ten hard sweeps in a row.)

[xmas0c1c1k1]

yeah the sweeps are a good workout I actually use them alot paddling I guess I just got out of shape not being in a boat for so long but now I have time and water so practice won't be an issue

[Sir Adam]

I know a few ex slalom racers (from the 70's) who can out paddle most of us - and they solely paddle "switchy"....

So I'm not sure it really matters... just go with what feels best for you, and it is to your advantage to be able to paddle both styles.