Stability exercises / drills

[Wheezy]

Hi. I'm wondering if anyone's got some advice to help.

I have recently bought myself a k1 boat, an old Kirton Ranger. At a wobble factor of 4 I knew it was going to be a bit more tippy than anything I've paddled before, but after 3-4 weeks of fairly consistent paddling I have hit a plateau and I wondered if there's anything else I can do to improve my stability and technique.

As it stands, I'm stable in the boat when stationary and slow moving. I' don't feel like I'm going to tip in all the time, but as soon as I start to try to use a full stroke I get very ragged and I can barely use any hip rotation at all. I have pretty good core strength already so I don't think it's so much to do with that. I have a feeling it maybe to do with my leg position and how I transfer pressure onto the footbar? I have been practicing my stability by 'paddling' without my paddle so that I can feel and see how my foot pressure transfers to the boat and that's getting a bit better. Does anyone have any other drills or advice that I could try out? It's going to be a very long and wet summer.............

Cheers,

W

[webbymatt]

Watch this video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evUZI1FAIaA

It might be what your already doing. Also look at the other videos from this guy.

If you are still finding it wobbly, take the seat out and put a foam mat down for comfort. The lower you are the more stable you will be, then you can get used to the boat and get a good paddle stroke and connect with the boat. After a while reintroduce the seat.

It probably is just a case of keep practicing, but hopefully I have helped in someway! :)

[Wheezy]

Hi Webbymatt.

Thanks for those; they were the drills that I had found and I am currently doing (although not very well). I am doing them at the end of a session but maybe I'll start with these drills as a kind of warm up first.

I have thought about losing my seat but at the moment I think I'll persevere with it in place. If I'm still struggling in a few weeks then I'll take out my seat.

[michielv]

As it stands, I'm stable in the boat when stationary and slow moving. I' don't feel like I'm going to tip in all the time, but as soon as I start to try to use a full stroke I get very ragged and I can barely use any hip rotation at all. I have pretty good core strength already so I don't think it's so much to do with that. I have a feeling it maybe to do with my leg position and how I transfer pressure onto the footbar? I have been practicing my stability by 'paddling' without my paddle so that I can feel and see how my foot pressure transfers to the boat and that's getting a bit better. Does anyone have any other drills or advice that I could try out? It's going to be a very long and wet summer.............

Just wondering: are you perhaps pushing your shins against the cockpit rim? If so you are pushing the boat out of balance each time you apply pressure on your foot. Similarly, you might be pushing your feet against the outside of the boat instead of to the footbar?

The Ranger is a pretty stable K1, I also learned to paddle in one years ago. Funnily you are stable when you are not applying pressure so it must have something to do with you pushing yourself out of balance.

Do not take out the seat, you need it to get into a proper position and obviously you don't need the extra balance, it is something you are actually doing (like pushing against the cockpit rim).

I know it's all a bit vague but it helps to actually see the problem. Is there anyone who can monitor you when you are paddling? That might help a lot.

Cheers,
Michiel

[Wheezy]

Hi michielv.

No, I've not got my shins against the sides, I make a conscious effort to keep my knees together so I'm not bracing with my legs. You're right that I must be unbalancing myself. Last night was a bit better. Still had a capsize but did an hour of paddling (softly) and felt a bit better. I think I've got to keep plugging away.

It was quite interesting that I did stability drills at the start and end of the session and I felt a lot more comfortable at the end and had better balance, despite being tired , wet through and cold. I guess I couldn't get any wetter! I'll try to get someone to take some video while I'm paddling. It might be that I am leaning and I just do not realise it, although I am trying to keep my head relatively still.

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated. :-)