Kayaking is a fast-growing and easy-to-learn pastime. Experienced kayakers have more advanced technical skills but also had to figure out the basics, just as newcomers to the sport learn every day. Gain from their experience by following a few basic practices to make your time on the water more enjoyable.
Maintain Good Posture
As you tire from your paddling, you may find yourself slumping at the waist, slouching your shoulders and dropping your head. This will place more stress on weaker muscles, such as your shoulders, which will make you work harder and tire more quickly. Stay tall in your boat to make paddling easier. Start by keeping your head up, with chin out. Your lower body will follow. Keep your shoulders thrust slightly back and your torso straight in the kayak. A straight, upright, tall posture will allow you to use larger torso muscles, like the lats, biceps, pectorals and abdominals.
Additionally, sitting straight in the boat will keep the boat on an even keel, resulting in less effort necessary to straighten out the boat.
Lock Your Arms
Keeping your arms firm, not simply bending them at the elbows, requires you to use more torso in your stroke, resulting in more power each time you pull your paddle. Bending your wrists and elbows may seem easier in the short run, but you'll propel the boat a shorter distance and need to do more work and expend more energy to finish your trip or just to keep up with your partners.
Tape Your Paddle
To ensure correct placement of your lower hand during paddling, wrap tape around the paddle just below where you want your hand to grasp the paddle. As you become tired and your hand slips down, you will feel the tape and be reminded to correct your hand placement. This tip benefits both beginners, who may not remember where the correct lower hand placement is on a kayak paddle, and more experienced paddlers who occasionally slip their hand down the paddle while talking or sightseeing.
Consider Clothing
You're most likely going to get wet while you kayak. You may even do it on purpose, as you perform stern stalls or other tricks. Consider what type of clothing you'll wear during your outing and how it will react to water. Cotton will absorb more water than synthetic fabrics, making it both uncomfortable and heavy, which may slow you down if you are racing. Consider whether new clothing will bleed or run color. Extremely loose-fitting shirts or blouses may sag or droop to the point they interfere with your stroke.
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