How To Paddle A Kayak – Basic Tips (2022)

Nowadays, Kayak is a very popular sea activity that gives its practitioners incredible trips and experiences. It is an extreme sport that serves as an escape route to connect with nature, occupy the mind in a healthy way and also maintain good physical performance. There are many people around the world who love kayaking very much and go for kayaking with inflatable kayak. Are you interested in knowing how to paddle a Kayak? Continue reading!

How To Paddle A Kayak

Although it sounds complicated, learning how to paddle a kayak is a simple task that is everything but complicated. Here in this article, we will offer you the necessary steps to row correctly and immerse yourself in the best adventure. Does the idea encourage you?

Learn the steps to paddle a Kayak.

The first and fundamental step to carry out this activity properly is to know how the rowing works, how you can use it and also know how to handle it correctly.

There are precautions that merit being known. For example, when swimming, people tend to bend their fingers slightly, so that the hand takes the form of a kind of spoon.

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How To Paddle A Kayak

For those who have no knowledge of this matter, normal Kayak shovels, known as European paddles, use the same principle. For that reason, the concave part of their blades is called ‘spoon’ and serves to collect water and move kayaking.

Make sure that the paddle can move delicately and avoid not keeping it upside down. Any person who tries to perform this sport should be clear that it is one important thing to know when performing the maneuver in a training situation. However, do it when it is really needed, for instance, in the middle of high waves and in conditions of fear is something completely different.

Now, if you have never previously been in a Kayak canoe, before doing so it is better to ask someone who does have experience to help guide you correctly. It would be the ideal solution. Another option could be to use a double canoe, that is to say, to have a rear seat where the trainer can sit. It would make you able to try to imitate him and thus acquire his technique.

Once you acquire all that knowledge, you will have to look for the perfect paddle for you, taking into account the structure and resistance you require.

Immersing the paddles in water does not mean that you are rowing properly or that you are doing it the right way. Like many inexperienced do, people often fall into the error of forcing their arms to move faster, which actually causes them to wear muscle. It is important to involve other muscle areas such as; shoulders and keep a correct posture of the back.

It is very important to know how to advantage of body’s trunk twist lightly, leaning forward to be able to move the shoulders correctly and not to rest your back. This is carried out in order to know how to paddle a kayak correctly and safely.

Beyond removing the blades from the water, it is pertinent to put them forward and as close to the kayak as possible while rotating the arm at the same Time. This will prevent tiredness.

In general, the canoe is completely submerged in the water, so as far as possible, when an emergency situation occurs, you should be gently out of the water without making an abrupt effort since you could run the risk of losing a lot of energy. As a good student, you should be obedient and hold the paddle softly but very firmly, using all the parts of your body that are in contact with the canoe, including your feet.

Also, it is important to adjust the footrests so that your knees bend slightly and you can extend them and press against the kayak to obtain an additional balance.

In case you didn’t know, keeping your legs together allows you to better rotate your torso. And, moreover, it allows you to perform a better rotation and makes rowing easier.

Remember that, for this practice, your torso and legs will do most of the heavy work.

On the other hand, the arms and shoulders are present to transmit the force.

There are many indications that you must follow, but once you execute them in a good way, the work will be successful with total achievement.

Do not forget that to learn at the beginning, you must try paddling by turning your torso and keeping your arms absolutely straight.

In kayaking, having a constant movement is essential. Never stop moving the paddles so that the two ends enter and exit the water on a regular basis. At the beginning, you will notice a lot of physical fatigue but neglect, do not stress, like any sports practice, constant training will be the only thing that will help you improve your condition and will teach you how to paddle a kayak in the perfect way!

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