Make sure you are not gripping your paddle too tight. I totally relax the "pushing hand" and often change the position of my thumb. cya -----Original Message----- From: owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net [mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net] On Behalf Of E. Sullivan Sent: Monday, May 03, 1999 12:13 PM To: PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Unfettered Paddles/Tendonitis/timepiece aside This is not about leashes; I just liked spellcheck's suggestion. Yesterday while paddling, with never a prior hint, I got pains along my right radius 1 - 2 inches from the wrist. This morning there is visible swelling in that area. I assume my feathered paddle is a contributor to this? Somebody recently posted a wrist brace suggestion. Is it an over-the-counter model, or prescribed? I think the same postor also recommended a change of technique which I can't find. I was young and robust back then and deleted it. Could you please send it to me? aside: a recent post about drysuit testing talked about watches under stuff. I use a buck-fifty velcro bike pump strap which is long enough to go over my glacier gloves. Stylish too. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Bob wrote on May 4th: >>Make sure you are not gripping your paddle too tight. I totally relax the "pushing hand" and often change the position of my thumb.<<< A misconception many have concerning correct paddle technique is that the upper hand is a *pushing hand*. If you *do* push with the upper hand it moves the pivot point of the paddle to the center of the shaft. The result, with the pivot point at the center, is a much smaller blade arc. To increase the size of the arc, one must keep the pivot point high, say about your upper <or pivot> hand. This is done by rotating the torso and keeping the top hand and arm position rather static. Imagine watching your wrist watch while you take the stroke. Pushing and pulling will result in lots of arm action, little torso action. Kinda like the dog paddle in swimming. We stopped teaching the *push/pull* technique about 5 years ago. =O So........4 *keys* to proper technique and paddle efficiency are: 1. Proper Posture <paddlers box, sitting upright, balanced> 2. Blade Angle <controlled with the working or water hand, regardless of feather!> 3. Shaft Angle <vertical drives the boat ahead, horizontal turns the boat *and* offers support> and......... 4, Pivot Point <upper hand pivot keeps the paddle arc large> Steve Scherrer < ACA Instructor Trainer> Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe 250 NE Tomahawk Isle Dr Portland, Oregon 97217 Phone: 503.285.0464 Fax: 503.285.0106 Web: http://www.aldercreek.com Email: aldercreek_at_aldercreek.com Email: acks_at_teleport.com ______________________________________________ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Steve, You bring up many excellent points. But I have a question for you and the group at large. As some of you know, I aspire to become an ACA certified instructor some day. Hence, I have acquired the ACA manuals for both coastal and white water instruction. In these manuals, they talk all about the "push-pull" methods. Furthermore, if you look at 99% of the kayak instruction books on the market, they also talk about the old "push-pull" methods --- even the ones that bring up the role of torso rotation still talk about push-pull with the arms. Yet if you watch any decent racer or accomplished touring-paddlers, they have very little push-pull motion. Other than getting a little extra omph at the start of the stroke, the power stroke used by any racer is all torso. So my question is, does the ACA recognize the torso oriented stroke as the right stroke to teach? Am I going to get hammered when I take the IDW/ICE and refuse to do the stupid, inefficient arm stroke? I mean I can do it and mimic what the books tell you to do, but its the WRONG way to paddle a kayak. Is this a case of the ACA mauals are behind ACA practice, or is the ACA really stuck in the dark ages of paddling? --Tim > -----Original Message----- > From: AlderCreek [SMTP:acks_at_teleport.com] > Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 1999 10:58 AM > To: Zpaddlewise list > Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Unfettered Paddles/Tendonitis/timepiece > aside > > > Bob wrote on May 4th: > >>Make sure you are not gripping your paddle too tight. I totally relax > the > "pushing hand" and often change the position of my thumb.<<< > > A misconception many have concerning correct paddle technique is that the > upper hand is a *pushing hand*. If you *do* push with the upper hand it > moves the pivot point of the paddle to the center of the shaft. The > result, > with the pivot point at the center, is a much smaller blade arc. To > increase > the size of the arc, one must keep the pivot point high, say about your > upper <or pivot> hand. This is done by rotating the torso and keeping the > top hand and arm position rather static. Imagine watching your wrist > watch > while you take the stroke. Pushing and pulling will result in lots of arm > action, little torso action. Kinda like the dog paddle in swimming. > > We stopped teaching the *push/pull* technique about 5 years ago. =O > > So........4 *keys* to proper technique and paddle efficiency are: > > 1. Proper Posture <paddlers box, sitting upright, balanced> > 2. Blade Angle <controlled with the working or water hand, regardless of > feather!> > 3. Shaft Angle <vertical drives the boat ahead, horizontal turns the boat > *and* offers support> and......... > 4, Pivot Point <upper hand pivot keeps the paddle arc large> > > Steve Scherrer < ACA Instructor Trainer> > Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe > 250 NE Tomahawk Isle Dr > Portland, Oregon 97217 > > Phone: 503.285.0464 > Fax: 503.285.0106 > Web: http://www.aldercreek.com > Email: aldercreek_at_aldercreek.com > Email: acks_at_teleport.com > > ______________________________________________ > > ************************************************************************** > * > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ > ************************************************************************** > * *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
The reason I used the term push, is because I meant to imply that there is a pushing force on the hand and consequently, there is no need for a closed grip. I do occasional "push" for a change of pace. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Ed wrote: Yesterday while paddling, with never a prior hint, I got pains along my right radius 1 - 2 inches from the wrist. This morning there is visible swelling in that area. I assume my feathered paddle is a contributor to this? Somebody recently posted a wrist brace suggestion. Is it an over-the-counter model, or prescribed? I think the same postor also recommended a change of technique which I can't find. I was young and robust back then and deleted it. Could you please send it to me? As an experiment to find the optimum feather angle for my right hand control *box* stroke, I purchased a cloth covered foam over-the-counter wrist brace. I would not recommend it for long duration use as it digs in to my hand over time. For wrist pain associated w/ paddling, the best thing I ever did was to get rid of my mouse at the office and home. I've used 3 different track-ball systems. My wrist problems I'd associated with paddling went away... Eric *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Eric Sonett wrote: > > For wrist pain associated w/ paddling, the best thing I ever did was to get > rid of my mouse at the office and home. I've used 3 different track-ball > systems. My wrist problems I'd associated with paddling went away... I am so glad you mentioned this. About 18 months ago or so I was going through a lot of pain on my right elbow. I could live with but I always always quite sore. Some friends recommended switching to a track ball rather than use a mouse. I am on my computer a lot often working drawings or moving text around on PageMaker, etc. I made the switch to a track ball and inside a few weeks the pain started to go away and was clear within a few months. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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