Common Paddling Technique Mistakes and Best Paddling Technique Tips

There are a number of common paddling technique mistakes that almost all paddlers make at some point in their paddling journey. In this video we tell you what they are.
There are also a number of fantastic paddling technique tips that will help you quickly improve your paddling technique, especially for surfski paddling and downwind paddling.

[@MichaelCarson1]

Thank you so much for making a video series that not only has excellent information but is also produced well. Multiple camera angles, good audio, great and concise information. Very difficult to find! Bravo.

[@DawidMocke]

Our pleasure! Glad it is helping and something we are passionate about.

[@michaeltowler2632]

I've just bought just an Epic v8 and have been paddling mostly fishing kayaks for about 6 years. I watched one of Oscar Chalupsky videos and have been practicing what he says as I know I don't paddle right. 1, is not going too far back with the stroke,2, is using my body rotation to bring the paddle back with a straight arm, 3, is not pushing the other arm forwards. 4, is bringing the paddle back into my body the way you said ,5, is when driving with my leg and not to push back against the actual rear of the seat while doing it ( I was getting a sore bone ), 6, trying and using a paddle without any feather which felt weird at first but now I like it, and lastly, though I never see any good paddlers doing it like and that is trying to spear the blade in before pulling back. Everyone you see seems to windmill it into the water so maybe I never understood properly. I'm 78 so don't have the strength I used to have so I want to make up for it with technique.

[@petedorries3690]

I don't know why people would dislike this. It covered really good points and you didn't miss important things like a lot of instructional videos do. Great Job.

[@DawidMocke]

Good point! Thank you Pete

[@BarefeetB]

I know why ...... because these fellas smoked them out on the water haha Great video

[@kevinj2261]

As a beginer I always look at paddle blade when into and exit water, now I know it's wrong, Thanks Mocke

[@mxXZHANG]

excellent explanation !! Thank you very much

[@DawidMocke]

Glad you liked it

[@PeaceMotherLover]

Great visual representation and succinct instructions! This video is encouraging for beginners. I’m learning techniques so I can participate in local amateur races.

[@DawidMocke]

Glad it was helpful!

[@geertbrenninkmeyer1118]

Always super teaching with the Mocke brothers. One of my personal experiences as a beginner on an epic pro is the importance of the position of the upper body for balancing. Once i started to feel the right vertical position, where the center of gravity should be, my stability really improved. May be you could elaborate on it. Regards from Hamburg GER.

[@DawidMocke]

Great insight yes, thank you.

[@CCRAPresearch]

Lots of great tips here. Thanks! (I’ve purchased the course!) But I don’t agree with having to rotate the blade with the top control hand to square the blade in the water. I used to do that and developed wrist pain in my right hand. That was because my paddling angle (top hand) was too low for the feather angle I had set on my paddle. I’ve since discovered that if my top hand starts at eye level and I use a feather angle of 60 degrees just raising my control hand to eye level squares the blade of the opposite hand for a good catch. If I am paddling in challenging conditions and want a lower paddle angle where my top hand is at about shoulder level, I need to reduce my feather angle to about 45 degrees to square the blade without having to extend my control-hand wrist. I suppose there may be some paddlers who can do this wrist action repeatedly without causing injury, but it appears unnecessary to me if you match your feather angle to your paddling angle.

[@DawidMocke]

Thank you for explaining it that way, and you are correct. For the most part, especially when focused on complete beginners, our message here has more to do with a paddler being aware of squaring the paddle blade.

[@lenndookun847]

Amazing 😍 thank you for this lesson 👍🏽😉

[@DawidMocke]

Glad you liked it!

[@JoaoRio1]

Great great tips.

[@amandabethwalker]

Great tips!

[@DawidMocke]

Glad you like them!

[@jennifercastanha9939]

o

[@flyoverguys289]

Mr. Mocke.... enjoy your videos. What I would love to learn from you is how best to paddle your surf ski in intercoastal waters when both the tide, wind and waters are pushing you from behind. For me and my wife we can not get a good catch and the waves and swells just push us around and or behind to move us forward. We do not see what happening behind and just react to the conditions. Would you have any recommendations to be better paddlers in these conditions. Right now we rather paddle into the wind/waves/swells because we see what is ahead which makes the catch easier. Thanks Len

[@DawidMocke]

Hi Len, first off if you lengthen your paddle then you will find you get a better catch and more control. Secondly is to accelerate when you feel a slight push from the back.

[@flyoverguys289]

@@DawidMocke David.... thanks for the update. Never thought to lengthen the paddle. I will be sure to give that a try. Never read that suggestion before online.

[@wildclaud8641]

Hi, I'm wondering how do you name those tripods holding the K1 and where I could get them from. Thanks

[@DawidMocke]

Hi there, they're called kayak stands or cradles. Epic Kayaks makes them.

[@dclerouxgmailcom]

funny thing, I never look at my paddle when I am alone, but I paddled a k2 with a mate the other day and got seasick from watching his blades hitting hitting the water. Couldn't stop focussing on them.

[@DawidMocke]

Oh wow! That couldn't have been fun. I find that when paddling in the back of a k2, to focus on the back of the driver's neck or shoulders helps alot.

[@haydenshores7252]

Hugh Laurie?!

[@KaninTuzi]

What is this accent? Saffa?

[@DawidMocke]

That is correct ;-)