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A SEQUENCE OF HOW THE HANDS ARE PLACED CORRECTLY ENSURES CONTROL EVEN AT MAXIMUM EFFORT
The bottom hand
Firstly , let ’ s focus on our bottom hand . As paddlers , our bottom hand is where we pull the paddle and produce our momentum . The placement of your hand and how you grip the paddle shaft can vastly change how your paddle feels and the resulting motion from pulling .
Placement – where should my bottom hand be ?
Take your paddle in your hands and hold it out in front of you to begin . Now we want to bend our top arm at the elbow to make it 90 degrees , and the bottom hand should match this and be bent 90 degrees at the elbow . This gives us a good base position to work from , and changing this position can increase or decrease the power as you need it .
For social or recreational paddling , bringing the bottom hand up one hand ’ s width will likely be more comfortable and take some of the power out of the stroke . This also works when cruising during a longer race to help conserve some energy .
If we need more power , such as paddling into the wind or against a strong flow , then dropping the hand down one hand ’ s width will help . This position can also help increase your cadence for paddling into waves or sprinting .
Grip
Your efficiency and ability to produce power can all go out the window if your bottomhand grip isn ’ t correct . If a grip is too tight , you can get a forearm ‘ pump ’ or cramps and lactic acid buildup . Too light , and your top hand must compensate , causing fatigue in your upper arms . A nice balanced grip blending a relaxed hand with a firm connection is best .
You should avoid the death grip , where you are gripping so tightly it results in cramps and fatigue in your arms . On longer paddles , if you are suffering from cramps , a great tip is to move your bottom hand ’ s thumb to the outside of the paddle shaft , which can help reduce fatigue during longer paddles .
On the left side , we have a firm but relaxed grip . On the right is the dreaded death grip .
The top hand
With the bottom hand focused on pulling , the top hand has two important jobs . Firstly , your control comes from stabilising the paddle and allowing you to use the blade more effectively during manoeuvres . Secondly , your top hand is where your connection to the paddle initiates and where your body weight connects through the paddle . Unlocking the top hand can massively open up your paddling skills .
Placement
Your top hand can make or break your paddling technique from recreational to performance paddling , so getting this right is fundamental to building your skills . The top hand should be comfortable on your paddle handle , and you shouldn ’ t feel like you need to over-grip . Your hand should be relaxed and have your knuckles pointing slightly towards the sky with the paddle held vertically . This position means your body weight can go down and through the paddle helping with power and efficiency , and you ’ re not isolating your top arm to paddle . You want to avoid a ‘ punch ’ positioning where your top hand comes up over the top of the handle . In that position , it ’ s harder to stabilise the paddle and isolate the top arm and induces a push into the stoke .
Different handles offer different grip positions , but the hand should always be connected through the palm and lightly held by the fingers .
Increasing control
Think of your top hand as controlling a steering wheel in a car . You can turn the paddle left and right by bending your wrist to either side . If you follow with the bottom hand , you can suddenly open up additional skills like draw strokes to help keep you paddling straight . If you watch white water paddlers and surfers , for example , you will see that they use the top hand to control the paddle and the specific position their hands are in during manoeuvres .