Which arm created the most paddle power?

[Tom]

I was just talking to a competitive outrigger (OC6) racer about stroke mechanics and he got me thinking. Which arm do you apply the most force with while paddling, top, bottom, or is it 50/50? If its top or bottom is it 60/40, 70/30, or what?

[covesurfer]

No expert at either OC or standup strokes but I certainly have been trying to learn the correct technique and trying to employ it.

I think most of the drive should be coming off of the top hand with the lower arm acting as a fulcrum. For both OC and stand up strokes, I believe the top hand is pretty key. In OC, my understanding is that you want the most reach and extension you can get and that you should try and get some lift at the beginning of the stroke by pushing that blade with the upper hand. It's also my understanding that the lower arm should not be pulling - your torso rotation should be the main mover, secondary to the top hand which is pushing. I find in stand up that when I'm really being most effective, my arms are straight as they can be and I'm driving the paddle down with my hand and by dropping my torso down toward the nose of the board on the stroke, standing back up during the recovery. I think 80% - 90% top hand/torso weighting and rotation. In the OC, it is not as easy to get the body weight on the paddle as much but you can focus on the rotation better.

That's my experience anyway - I'll be interested to see what others say here. This darn stroke is like golf, it takes a long time to get good at at and then 5 expert paddlers all have different takes on how it should be most effectively done. 

[TallDude]

As Cove said, body rotation is the main force. Lower arm straight in tension. Upper arm straight and bracing while pushing down. Sometime I paddle with my upper hand open. Just the pressure against my palm keeps the paddle in place. Yet, if you paddle correctly, the upper arm is actually in a week position with your left hand is in front of your right shoulder and vise-versa. If you think of it as a braced triangle, your two arms and the shaft, your shoulders and torso is where all the force comes from. That's how I see it anyway....

[covesurfer]

I am lately trying to do what TallDude is talking about with that upper hand almost open, down pressure keeping the handle against my palm for both OC 6 and SUP. In OC, I'm gripping more with my lower hand than in stand up. Looser grip - less stress on the body. Important when you're getting closer to what Pono Bill calls the 'casket division'. 

[JF808]

looser hands is always better, it'll help to put focus on rotation, and not pulling with your arms as much. OC paddling is easier to focus on rotation, it's harder to feel the weight being put on the blade because of your postion vs standing up. You dont notice your stroke rotation as much when your on SUP, that is why I love to  paddle OC1 and focus on stroke technique rather then speed, it translates to better overall SUP stroke technique.

the arms shouldn't be creating ALL the power, it's a group effort. paddling while locking both the top arm and the bottom arm is the best way to see rotation, it's not jthe best way to paddle because your taking out the reach factor, but it's good to see how rotation works, and how effortless it can be when you dont muscle through.  Now when you slightly bend the top arm and rotate for extention, stack up and reach, it's a different animal