Author Topic: "Choking Up" on Paddle for more Power  (Read 5416 times)

HawaiiRN808

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"Choking Up" on Paddle for more Power
« on: August 31, 2011, 02:43:57 AM »
I was doing an open ocean paddle a couple of days ago abd was working on my paddle stroke technique and remembered an article I read about Connor Baxter choking up on his paddle on the last stretch of the Molokai 2 Oahu race.  I tried choking up on my paddle and noticed my strokes were much more powerful, I could increase my cadence, which all resulted in me going faster.

With this in mind, could my paddle be too long?  I had to bend at the hips a little bit further when I choked up.  My kialoa methane paddle is 6 inches longer than my height.

PonoBill

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Re: "Choking Up" on Paddle for more Power
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2011, 04:05:14 AM »
Not really, you want efficient strokes most of the time and for that you need a paddle length that lets you reach way out, stack you shoulders and engage your core. Connor was choking up on the paddle for a specific purpose, when that's accomplished he's back to an efficient stroke.

I do it sometimes, in fact I choked up yesterday when I was trying to get above a swell in high wind on the Columbia--I wanted to surf that puppy--didn't make it. Mostly it's so I can get lower to present less wind resistance, but also to use increased cadence. Its something to add to the bag of tricks.

Connor could use some paddle coaching. He's as fast as he is because he's in great shape, has the V02 of a cyclist, the balance of a cat, enormous experience and most importantly has an extraordinary power to weight ratio. Dave Kalama is extraordinarily powerful and has enormous experience and water sense, but the only thing that lets him stay close to Connor is his extremely efficient stroke. That weight difference is just impossible to completely overcome.

I"m waiting for some ex-Shell Va'a paddlers to join the SUP circus. Light weight, superb condition, highly trained and technique to match. They'd be hard to beat.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

longboarder1973

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Re: "Choking Up" on Paddle for more Power
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2011, 08:28:34 PM »
Hey RN,
I have been trying Connor's paddle style a few times myself.  I definitely notice a difference and I too seem to go faster...(I must admit, I feel kind of embarrassed paddling like that...i had to try paddling when none of my buddies were around!)
I think there is definitely something to it, but I am not sure I will be able to do it in an entire race.
Maybe I will bust out of the gate at the BOP trying it to get ahead of the crowd and then revert to my old tahitian stroke!
Have you tried the stroke for a long period of time or just briefly, i.e. going into a head wind like PonoBill?

Thanks,
Rick

HawaiiRN808

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Re: "Choking Up" on Paddle for more Power
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2011, 01:51:34 AM »
I tried the Connor stroke heading upwind but haven't sustained that technique for more than a minute or two.  I was thinking I would choke up out of the gate, too, and revert back to my normal paddle once out of the craziness at the start.

 


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