ThePADDLER 124
Paddling along with some slow-ish to moderate tempo music can be a useful exercise to help slow down your ‘running’ cadence and contribute to developing a relaxed pattern of rhythmic paddling that can be maintained for an extended period.When paddling to a piece of favourite music, you tend to become immersed in it, and VOILA! One tends to fall naturally into its rhythms, and strokes begin to follow the music's tempo.They become smooth, easy, unhurried, with consistent power and recovery, and you find your boat gliding almost effortlessly.
When my wife Anita and I first started FreeStyle lessons, beginning in solo canoes and then a little later in tandem, there were times when our Instructors would take some class time to have the students do ‘linkages’ – that is, combine two or three FreeStyle manoeuvres into one paddling sequence. Paddle out and do an axle, say, then come back and do a post. And then, well you choose what move you will do as a third element of the sequence.This exercise helped us to become more aware of the ‘aftermath’, as you might say, of each manoeuvre.
