[Paddlewise] legs in paddling

I posted this a couple of days ago but it didn't seem to appear. Apologies if its a repeat.

m. daly wrote
"'m only doing this if I would otherwise slide around.  If I'm secured
in, the force will be transmitted by my foot or knee/thigh or hips etc.
I have tried this repeatedly and I get full power out of torso rotation
regardless of whether I use my feet or not.  That's why I asked for
clarification.  In my kayak, tight as it is, I don't benefit from foot
pressure."

I'm sufficiently snug in my kayak but not tight fitting and I find foot pressure very helpful. I find it helps torso use and thought i was doing thuis just fine. On the weekend I spent some time with a kayaking coach who is also a physio (I have shoulder tendonitis). She pointed out that I was not using my lower lower torso (like right at the base of the stomach and the obliques,  around the hips etc), especially the lower part of my lats, thus missing out on power. I thought I was using my torso but I was wrong!!

As someone else alluded to:
As she put it by pushing on your stroke side leg, slightly lifting and rotating your offside hip facilitates better rotation and allows you to more easily bring your lower lower torso into play - i hope I've got her right. my fitting in my boat allows this although not to the extent of a flatwater racing kayak of course. I am however perfectly snug enough for rolls, bracing, power transmission etc
nick

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