Re: [Paddlewise] Torso rotation

From: <skylakeboatworks_at_yahoo.com>

.  Later I forgot
> about the idea of trying to 'move the pfd' and just concentrated on
getting
> my shoulders to work with the stroke and that felt better, but still a
> little unnatural, but I could see how I could get used to it.  My
shoulders
> were only moving 4"+ for and aft total per stroke and I really wasn't
moving
> my pfd at all.
    --Which, I think, could be where your difficulty originates.  Just
sitting here in front of the monitor (and using my 'peripheral vision'...) I
tried rotating my shoulders only.  I could do this just fine; the rotation
was centered around my clavicles.  But in a kayak very little of my large
back muscles would have become involved in moving the paddle.
    When I consciously began that rotation around the hips, then all those
muscles came into play.  To me, actually, that was more "natural".  I
suspect that you also are moving your arms to get the stroke distance you
desire.  Try not to do that, holding the paddle in a mostly fixed position
and concentrate initially on starting that rotation at your hips.  For me,
that pfd zipper seems to go about from 10 to 2 O'clock, more or less.  When
I'm stroking into a turn, it's really only to 9:30 or 2:30.  Don't seem to
need much more than that.
    Does that seem uncomfortable at firs?.  Certainly.  But with practice it
will become natural.  I was on the Fencing team in college long ago. When I
started I discovered muscles in my thighs I never knew existed and they
complained mightily.  But it was necessary to get them used to this new
stress in order to accomplish what I needed to do.  It didn't take that
long, and then I was able to go on with what I really needed to do.

Joe P.


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