Hello, Avatar! In this post, we aim to paddle with efficiency. Paddling to stay at the beloved peak can be an arduous task. Oftentimes, paddling out to get to the lineup can be the hardest part of the session.
Rip currents, outgoing/incoming tide, and strong side shore aren’t doing you any favors. To make matters worse you have to jockey the inside against the angry local and his 6 cousins who have been surfing the same break since the summer of ‘88.
What a nightmare!
The Fundamentals and Mechanics of Paddling
Think of paddling as swimming. The freestyle stroke in particular. You want to be aligned on the center of the board, feet together, with your head up.
Imagine paddling as if you are pulling barrels down at your sides. Except the barrels are not floating, they are directly on the surface. So you don’t need to waste precious energy overreaching higher than you need too.
When taking a stroke you want to cup your hand, reach straight past the nose as far as you can, and pull the water until you get toward your hips, repeat.
When I say pull water, you should feel like you’re pulling it not just slipping through the water like trying to paddle with a butter knife. There should be a clear connection, you’ll feel it.
Autist note: When you pull the water during your stroke pull it under your board for extra speed and efficiency.
Notice how you can barely see the board’s nose? If you’re on a shorter board that’s where you want to be positioned on the board.
If your nose is too high, you’re making it difficult for yourself by adding unnecessary drag (legs and tail).
If your nose is too low, you’re gonna have a bad time and nose dive, champ.
It should feel like a freestyle stroke with the board mostly submerged but your head and shoulders are up high.
Three Paddle Tips to Help You Catch More Waves
I’ve paddled short distances for speed and 5-mile long-distance paddles for endurance. It takes a lot of reps and experience to make gains just like anything else.
If you focus on building good habits and continually work on your form any distance is possible. It’s my hope these tips will help boost your progress.
Pull with your lats.
Understanding this will help you accelerate out of the impact zone and put you into more waves. Your arms and shoulder should burn too but you want to have that feeling primarily in your lats.Push your chin towards your board.
This is counterintuitive to what I said earlier but when you’re close to catching the wave this helps a lot. Pushing your chin lower will help the board sink into the wave more making it easier to pop up into the wave. Again, don’t do this unless you need a little extra oomph getting into the wave.Be mindful of your stroke.
How you start the session paddling compared to how you end the session may look a little different as fatigue sets in. Be mindful of how your paddling and the connection you feel. This will help you figure out what works for you and what doesn’t.
Some Concluding Thoughts
Paddling out in bigger surf will have you sucking wind and you might even get denied.
Denied (v.) - When you attempt to paddle out and the ocean returns you to the beach involuntary and other times you tap out and turn around.
Everyone has been denied by the sea at least once, even the legends. Anyone that hasn’t simply isn’t pushing themselves or they are a liar.
Remember some people will throw in the towel and go home. Other people, catch their breath paddle back out and try again. Both people are right, which one are you?
Keep diggin’ and talk to you soon.
Your friend,
Quoll