In the high kneel sprint canoe, the paddler is balancing on one knee, on the leg on the side they are paddling, while their other leg is extended out in front of them. While this position may look uncomfortable, this is an efficient position to recruit many strong muscle groups into paddling and generate large amounts of force to apply to the stroke. A smooth stroke is cyclic, requiring a smooth stroke setup, power phase, and recovery, and this smoothness is vital for efficient forward paddling.

The Catch

Figure 1: A full rotation of the hips, trunk and shoulders, straight arms, and a strong core, sets up the A-frame position for a strong catch. A strong catch position sets up the paddler for a strong stroke, applying maximal force onto the stroke and propelling the boat forwards, and under control.

The catch position begins, as canoe strokes do with the A-frame position (Figure 1). The paddler reaches forwards and high, making the shape of an A between their knee, their top hand and the blade, with their arm connecting both arms of the A-frame.

There should be a straight line between the paddler’s knee and their top hand, with the paddler’s core remaining solid.

To increase reach, and force through the stroke, the paddler should be rotated as far as possible. The rotation originates from pushing the stroke side hip forwards, extended by rotation of the abdominal muscles, and completed by the shoulder reaching forward. When there is complete rotation, there should be daylight between the paddler’s head and their top arm. A full rotation allows for a long reach and a long, powerful stroke.

From head on the paddle shaft should be as close to vertical as possible, this ensures a strong catch, which gets a good lock onto the water, and also helps to keep the trajectory of the blade in the water straight backward, which aids steering.

First Drive

Figure 2: Driving at force onto the blade by pushing down on the top hand to push the blade hard onto the water strengthens the catch, improving the connection of the boat, paddler, and water. Applying as much power as possible to the beginning of the stroke is where the power is most effective during the stroke cycle.

The first drive comes from the paddler driving the blade forcefully into the water using their bodyweight (Figure 2). At this point, the potential energy generated by setting up the A-frame at the catch is converted into kinetic energy, driving the paddle blade into the water with full force.

A powerful drive into the water shifts some of the paddler’s body weight off the boat and onto the blade. This reduces the amount of force required to move the paddler through the water. The second thing a strong first drive does is that it locks the blade onto the water, stopping the blade slipping in the water and allows the paddler a good platform from which to subsequently drive the boat forward from.

The lock onto the water sets up a model of the paddle stroke that we are not aiming to pull the water backwards (the blade is not a propeller in the water). Rather, we are aiming to pull ourselves beyond the paddle. We want to pull ourselves past the paddle, not pull the paddle back past us.

Hip Rotation

Figure 3: The hip rotation and leg drive provides force to drive the boat forward. After the paddle has locked onto the water, the large muscles of the hips and legs work to push the boat forwards past the blade and deliver speed and control over the boat.

The next phase of the stroke is that the rotation set up at the catch begins to unwind (Figure 3). Starting from the large muscles of the hips, unwinding the rotation starts the pull that drives the boat forwards past the paddle blade. Additionally, the legs engage to push the boat forwards, past the blade that’s locked into the water.

The large muscles in the lower body are larger and stronger than those of the arms, so being able to recruit these big, strong muscles first in the stroke greatly improves stroke power, increasing boat speed. Canoeing is not an arm exercise, rather it is a full body exercise, which recruits muscles all over the body to improve stroke power.

Trunk Rotation

Figure 4: The stroke continues with the large muscles of the back to continue applying as much possible to driving the boat forward. It is important to use the large muscles as much as possible throughout the stroke to maintain power.

The unwinding continues as the trunk unwinds, continuing the pull with the large muscles of the back and continuing to push the boat forward past the blade (Figure 4). Incorporating big muscles into the stroke for as long as possible maintains the power throughout the stroke.

It is important through the stroke to keep the blade locked onto the water, while also maintaining an upright blade angle for maximum surface to pull against. The blade slipping at this point will cause reduced efficiency in the stroke and less power.

The Recovery

Figure 5: The end of the stroke includes a smooth blade extraction from the water to maintain boat speed, and also a counter rotation of the hips to set them up in the position to reach for the catch of the next stroke

The recovery serves two purposes, to cleanly and efficiently extract the blade from the water, and to set up the paddler for the next stroke with a clean catch.

A clean blade extraction allows the boat to glide efficiently between each stroke, allowing the boat to maintain as much speed as possible throughout the stroke cycle. The action to pull the blade out of the water should be a smooth pull forwards, like pulling a sword out of its sheaf. This action is also where any corrective steering strokes (which should be minimal, as with good technique the canoe will remain on course) would happen during the stroke cycle.

To set the paddler up for the next stroke the hips should be pushing and rotating forwards at the end of the power phase of the stroke (Figure 5). This counter-rotation sets the hips up for the next stroke early, meaning that only the trunk and arms need to rotate and reach for the catch position. This has the effect of making a faster recovery, but it also stops the action of the hips rocking and slowing the boat down if this action happens outside of the power phase of the stroke.

High kneel canoe technique is difficult to master, but if you can do so, the high kneel canoe is a very satisfying boat to paddle capable of good speed.