Preventing a Paddle from Diving
Question: I’m using a Greenland paddle. I think I’ve got the body movement, at least it’s getting much better – I end up on the back deck. But the paddle dives (like a stone sometimes). Don’t know if that tells you enough.
Answer: Actually, it tells me a lot. My best guess is that you’re not keeping your palms facing up. There’s a tendency to push forward with the paddle, ending with the knuckles facing the sky and the palms facing forward. If this is happening you’re using too much paddle and it’s hurting your roll. What you want to do is focus on turning your knuckles toward your nose as your body sweeps, and not pushing on the paddle. This will keep the paddle flat on the surface and you can focus on sliding your body onto the back deck instead of having the paddle dive and your body follow it.
