Re: [Paddlewise] intro and lightning paddles??

On Sat, Oct 21, 2000 at 08:31:33AM -0500, Patrick Maun wrote:
> Anyone else have favorite stretches?

Yup.  Here's one:

While standing, hold your paddle out in front of you, waist-high.

Now rotate it so that it's vertical -- let's say that if you're
doing this right-handed, your right hand will end up in front of
and just above your forehead; your left hand will be roughly in
front of your navel.

Now swing your left elbow out (to the left) and away from your body,
far enough that your left hand will clear your hip...so that you
can swing your left elbow in (to the right) so that now your left
hand is behind your back.  Your right hand will simultaneously
move to the rear so that it's behind your head.  Do this s.l.o.w.l.y.
because you're putting some pressure on your shoulder as you do it.

If this has all worked, then the paddle is now behind you, vertical,
in a very similar position to the way that you were holding it
in front of you.

Now rotate the paddle about the shaft axis to the left...right...back...
now SLOWLY pull forward with your right hand, forcing your left hand
out and away from your back -- i.e. use the paddle as a lever
and your back as the fulcrum.

Undo and repeat on the other side.

I find this terrific for stretching out the muscles that I use
for the duffek stroke; the key is to do it slowly because of the
awkward position that it puts several joints into.

---Rsk
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