I agree with what you are saying. You are actually locked in, and the result is pulling the canoe forward instead of only pushing water.

Really appreciate the humble, open, “take this with a grain of salt” approach.

Glad you commented on the difference between OC6 stroke and OC1

This idea is also supported by you having a shorter overall length paddle than most tend to use. I've been messing with this idea since watching Kevin Jerusalemy compared to the other V1 paddlers. He always seems to be smoother and stays long in the water even though his paddle appears to be shorter. I believe he has just mastered maintaining the best angles, and keeps pressure on the blade with zero wasted motion. Shorter paddle equals hands closer together, less over-reaching, and more pressure through the hands from my experience. Less shoulder pain, staying powerful "inside the box", and faster recovery stroke a massive bonus.

Excellent breakdown of body mechanics & motion options with a humble/approachable presentation. Appreciate it.

I really liked hearing you mention that there *is* a time to reach it out big, then keep it in the box. (It seems the stroke varies as the boat goes from zero up to speed.) There's a lot to this, especially when you factor in the whole "endurance" thing; you can really tire yourself out more than you need to. Anyway, great stuff, thanks for this.

Is that a Kahe Kai?

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Lol…you should definitely hinge imo. Why would you listen to this advice when every good Tahitian team hinges. It’s like taking shooting advice from Kendrick Perkins instead of Steph Curry.