The Science of Canoeing By Richard Cox

Pushing too high with upper arm - often the result of weak pushing muscles.
Pushing too low with upper arm - often the result of fatigue. Excessively tight grip on the paddle shaft.
Failure to accelerate the blade through the water, as the leverage increases.
Coaching tips:
When the paddle is in the vertical position one finds that the better paddlers are further forward with the paddle
well in front of the body and towards the front of the cockpit
3. Exit Phase
Once the body has passed the paddle, the pulling blade is lifted from the water by rotation of the trunk inclining
away from the attack side by about 60 degrees and by a lifting of the lowermost arm which is now flexed at
approximately 90 degrees. At the same time the uppermost arm is lowered and the pressure exerted by the left
leg on the foot bar reduced. If the blade is pulled further back than the hip, the paddle comes to such an angle
that the pulling force exerted on the blade has a greater vertical component than horizontal, resulting in slowing
of the boat and wasting of force. In addition, the arm is in its weakened position behind the hip due to the
shortening of muscle fibres.
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