i love this, however, I find with our stools etc, there is a transition between that and being in the boat..Take where the feet are etc...in relation to how we have to sit at the pool.....so it is rather another learning/conditioning to get into being in the boat, vrs being at the pool.(again leg and arm positions) .would be nice, but, with what we have, we do our best!:)
Only thing I would add is the top arm should be a little bit bent so as to keep the paddle more straight up and down at the end of the stroke. This avoids pulling the boat down which causes more draught and drag.
So much of this paddling technique is excellent....but the paddling erg encourages one bad technique that we don't want in the dragon boat. Notice that Alex' top hand is coming down to the gunnel instead of staying above her heart level. This is tied to her counter-rotation and she finishes the stroke with her chest facing outside the boat: she should finish with her shoulders square to the boat, chest facing forward. The result is a paddle blade too far back with the power face looking to the sky. While this technique is great when pulling a rope on an erg, it is a big no-no in the dragon boat. Your paddle should enter at a +45 degree angle, and exit not later than a -45 degree angle. Any further back means you are lifting water which doesn't provide forward power - it causes the boat to sink or bob on each stroke. Also, it means the paddler is doing unnecessary lifting which will tire the paddler out. So much of this series of videos is technically excellent - except the demos that show the top hand hitting the gunnel and paddle ending up flat at the exit. If you're going to practice on an erg, don't optimize your stroke for the erg, concentrate on the technique needed in the boat. (But, if you're trying to get a great erg score for a time trial, optimize for the erg on that occasion only. :D )
i love this, however, I find with our stools etc, there is a transition between that and being in the boat..Take where the feet are etc...in relation to how we have to sit at the pool.....so it is rather another learning/conditioning to get into being in the boat, vrs being at the pool.(again leg and arm positions) .would be nice, but, with what we have, we do our best!:)
Only thing I would add is the top arm should be a little bit bent so as to keep the paddle more straight up and down at the end of the stroke. This avoids pulling the boat down which causes more draught and drag.
So much of this paddling technique is excellent....but the paddling erg encourages one bad technique that we don't want in the dragon boat. Notice that Alex' top hand is coming down to the gunnel instead of staying above her heart level. This is tied to her counter-rotation and she finishes the stroke with her chest facing outside the boat: she should finish with her shoulders square to the boat, chest facing forward. The result is a paddle blade too far back with the power face looking to the sky. While this technique is great when pulling a rope on an erg, it is a big no-no in the dragon boat. Your paddle should enter at a +45 degree angle, and exit not later than a -45 degree angle. Any further back means you are lifting water which doesn't provide forward power - it causes the boat to sink or bob on each stroke. Also, it means the paddler is doing unnecessary lifting which will tire the paddler out. So much of this series of videos is technically excellent - except the demos that show the top hand hitting the gunnel and paddle ending up flat at the exit. If you're going to practice on an erg, don't optimize your stroke for the erg, concentrate on the technique needed in the boat. (But, if you're trying to get a great erg score for a time trial, optimize for the erg on that occasion only. :D )