Your legs and hips play a crucial part in an effective and efficient paddle stroke. To transmit power into the boat and initiate good torso rotation, you should be pushing the foot rest with each leg alternately. The leg applying pressure is on the same side as the blade in the water. As you apply pressure with each leg, it is crucial that you keep your heels firmly on the hull and don’t allow them to slide forwards.

The act of pushing with each leg in turn should rotate your pelvis on the seat. Note that you are not aiming to force your hips backwards but to swivel in the seat. It can help if you wear something that is slippery and allows your bum to move in the seat. Some people sit on a plastic bag to help with the ‘hip swivel’! Consider that some studies have shown that more power can be delivered by the use of a swivel seat in a K1.

Much of the power in the stroke actually comes from your legs. Think about how much stronger your legs are than your arms. So your torso rotation shouldn’t start from the base of your spine but actually starts with the pressure on your footrest.

The same principles apply to paddling a sea kayak but you are a bit more restricted due to the boat design (thigh braces etc) but you should still be pushing with each leg alternately for maximum efficiency.