Video | Outrigger Stroke Overview

This is a video of one of the top teams in Southern California. The stroke is different from what many of you have done in the past and is very similar to the stroke of the Tahitian paddlers, considered by many to be the best in the world.

While I'd encourage you to watch the entire video, really focus on the section from :45-2:00. I would also encourage you watch in slow motion. (Umm, so the video’s in slow motion, not you.) Easily done on the desktop/web browser version - just click on the little gear and change the speed. A few things to pay special attention to:

• Set-Up - Position of the front arm - straight, reaching/stretching forward
• Set-Up, Entry/Catch - All paddlers lean forward together; bodies are not overly rotated, heads are up. Pay attention to body movement - as the stroke develops in the Power Phase, they all sit up together in time.
• Power Phase - Top hand drives down and back, through the length of the shaft; does not push forward
• Power Phase - Long in the water - time and distance - (not a quick, short "stab" at the water)
• Power Phase - bottom hand gets wet, paddle blade is fully buried
• Exit/Release - no pause or "dragging" of the paddle
• Recovery - straight-through, no feathering, snappy and quick; bottom hand carries paddle forward as the body leans forward; top hand stays within the width of the shoulder frame and doesn't move out to the side

Notice that they are aggressive on the catch - they are not simply sticking the paddle in the water. There is URGENCY in the paddle and in their body movement.
Also notice that the relatively short paddle length -

1. Enables the top hand to drive down (along with assistance from the opposite latissimus dorsi, "the lat") and
2. Allows for the quick, straight-through recovery without the need to sweep the paddle out to the side.

This is just a general overview and is not inclusive of everything we need to focus on; this is just to get us started so you can create a mental picture as you're in the canoe. We’ll talk about the stroke in more detail as we go along.