ThePADDLER 64
To do so , you can practice throwing your weight forwards and backwards . Get accustomed to the feeling of pushing down through the heels to drive down the nose of the kayak and then leaning back slightly and pulling the knees up towards the torso to raise the nose again .
As to edging and balance , these can be practised by paddling forwards whilst holding an edge . Lift one or other knee whilst maintaining a steady forward pace ; experiment with paddling on both sides or just on the opposite side to the raised knee . With a bit of practice , you ’ ll be amazed how high you can raise that edge and still comfortably paddle forward . This drill can be taken to the next level by removing the forward momentum . Try holding a consistent edge for 10 seconds , then once you have that mastered , push for 20 seconds , and so on .
With those two drills in the bag , you will be ready to try one of the most fundamental freestyle skills : the lean clean . This combines those trim , edge and balance techniques to spin the kayak on the spot without a paddle .
Throughout lockdown , incredible athletes worldwide have put their minds to it , meaning there has been some phenomenal innovation on flatwater in the past year . Moves that were inconceivable in 2019 have entered into the collective imagination . For instance , British athletes like Harry Price and Ottilie Robinson-Shaw have been showing off some blistering hot no-paddle combos ! Inspiration is not hard to come by , and it seems like the upper limit of flatwater freestyle may be further away than anyone assumed !
WHAT ’ S THE UPPER LIMIT ?
With the basics mastered , you can begin to progress onto such skills as the cartwheel , bowstall and sternstall . From there , tricks like the loop , pirouette and splitwheel open up . After that , you enter the realm of complex combos like the phonics monkey .