In my 42 years of involvement in paddle sports I’ve come to realize that when it comes to technique, there are five basic fundamentals that paddlers should concern themselves with. If a paddler can execute these fundamentals well, chances are they’ll be successful. However that’s not to say that every paddler should paddle the same way. Paddlers come in different shapes and sizes, each with their own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. So different paddlers will take different approaches to performing these fundamentals, which is why when we look at top paddlers they each appear to have their own unique techniques.
At last September’s Starboard World Dealer’s Meeting in San Diego, I had the opportunity to give a clinic with Connor Baxter, Bruno Hasulyo and Fiona Wylde. We each shared our perspectives on technique and some tips to paddling better. I discussed the five fundamentals and we’re fortunate that someone had their camera running and recorded it. It’s available on YouTube, but we’ve shared it here for you. Take a look at this video from our friends at TotalSUP.
Over the next few weeks I’ll talk more about each of the five fundamentals and share some tips that I find helpful in performing them optimally. Stay tuned or find out more about the five fundamentals today in Paddle Monster All-Access.
