I too am a self confessing 'wimpy chicken arm boy', although I have never used that term before. <grin> I was wondering... My left leg also goes numb first too. Makes for very exciting (read comical) exits. How flexible is the 'average' paddler? Can you touch your toes? I am 6'/172lbs and get my finger tips within 6" of my toes, after relaxing. Is there a relation between flexibility and numb legs? Marvin ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ken Schroeter" <kenschroeter_at_hotmail.com> > > > myself). Using my arms more may reflect less upper body rotation and make > me > > tire more quickly (wimpy chicken arm boy that I am) while letting my trunk > > do most of the work requires less overt effort. Entropy in action :-) > > > > IRT sitting up, I've also played with this a lot. I feel more stable and > in > > control seated more upright, but my left leg gets wicked numb after about > 45 > > minutes. A touch of lean back and I can feel the efficiency leave my > stroke > > but my leg doesn't go numb (damn, I used efficiency and stroke in the same > > sentence... I should have been paying more attention to the efficiency > > posts!). Moving the footbraces back just made them harder to reach. I am > > working on my flexibility, conditioning and posture in the boat. I think > I > > am getting the posture/numbness balance down (more flex, less > > cheeseburger...). > > > > Ken Schroeter > > > > Old Town Millennium 160 > > Laconia, NH, USA > > 43°32'25"N > > 71°28'59"W > > > > There is no moral precept that does not have > > something inconvenient about it. > > > > -- Denis Diderot > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
skylakeboatworks_at_yahoo.com wrote: > My left leg also goes numb first too. (snip) How flexible is the 'average' > paddler? Can you touch your toes? I am 6'/172lbs and get my finger tips > within 6" of my toes, after relaxing. Is there a relation between flexibility > and numb legs? > Marvin: as an old lower back sufferer (with the attendant sciatica at times) I turned years ago to hatha yoga and very religiously do the stretches (postures) every day, with a few just before paddling. Look for the issue of Sea Kayaker with the special feature on yoga for paddlers. Also, move around in the cockpit as much as you can: flex and unflex your feet regularly. Rotate torso, when the boat is still, by using the paddle as a lever on the side of the boat, twist around to look at the stern loop and hold for 20 seconds. Flex your spine fore and aft by trying alternately to arch your lower back, then flatten it the other way, using abs to flatten. All of this can help but especially work on flexibility through yoga postures. Dennis St. Paul > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Ken Schroeter" <kenschroeter_at_hotmail.com> > > > > > myself). Using my arms more may reflect less upper body rotation and > make > > me > > > tire more quickly (wimpy chicken arm boy that I am) while letting my > trunk > > > do most of the work requires less overt effort. Entropy in action :-) > > > > > > IRT sitting up, I've also played with this a lot. I feel more stable > and > > in > > > control seated more upright, but my left leg gets wicked numb after > about > > 45 > > > minutes. A touch of lean back and I can feel the efficiency leave my > > stroke > > > but my leg doesn't go numb (damn, I used efficiency and stroke in the > same > > > sentence... I should have been paying more attention to the efficiency > > > posts!). Moving the footbraces back just made them harder to reach. I > am > > > working on my flexibility, conditioning and posture in the boat. I > think > > I > > > am getting the posture/numbness balance down (more flex, less > > > cheeseburger...). > > > > > > Ken Schroeter > > > > > > Old Town Millennium 160 > > > Laconia, NH, USA > > > 43°32'25"N > > > 71°28'59"W > > > > > > There is no moral precept that does not have > > > something inconvenient about it. > > > > > > -- Denis Diderot > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed > here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire > responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. > Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net > Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net > Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ > *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
From: <skylakeboatworks_at_yahoo.com> > Is there a relation between flexibility and numb legs? > Possibly, but I'm not so sure. I have three kayaks and all are different. The WW kayak puts my legs to sleep fast! It's a tight fit and my feet are wedged into place. There isn't a WW kayak made today that'll fit my legs/feet. I look in the newest shorty playboats and don't even want to think about getting into one. One hour max in that boat. My old Solstice GTHV is one of the bigger kayaks made. Lots of room in the cockpit. My feet are likely to go to sleep if I wear rigid-soled paddling shoes and less so with soft-soled footwear. My legs can last a reasonable amount of time, but not all day - I need a stretch break every few hours. When I looked in the cockpit of the Ellesmere I recently bought, I figured I'd have to rip out the seat and change all the outfitting. It is a tiny bucket of a seat with a high seat front under the thighs. Under the deck I have _just_ enough room for my feet and the legs fit ok. Much to my surprise, it is the most comfortable kayak I've ever paddled. I have yet to have any part of my body go to sleep (well... the brain). I don't need to take breaks and taking my feet off the pegs to straighten them is superfluous. Longest time without break so far is over three hours. Some folks will point to the high seat front as the reason. I've heard many say that support under the thighs is important. I can't honestly say that's true in this case. There is barely any contact with the seat at that point and I feel that if it was higher, it would annoy me. Fit of the cockpit is the biggest issue, I think. Not too tight and not too loose is probably right. No pressure points and no awkward twists in the legs/feet/spine. If you're really stiff, stretching will no doubt help. Experiment with the fit and have someone judge your paddling position as well - no slumping and no leaning too far forward. Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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