1. Sit Up & Engage Your Core

Proper paddling starts with good posture. Sit upright with your spine neutral, legs slightly bent, and feet braced on the footpegs. Your power should come from your torso, not just your arms.

2. Basic Forward Stroke

• Rotate your torso as you dip the paddle blade fully into the water
• Pull the paddle back alongside the boat — not far out
• Engage your core by twisting, not pulling with your arms
• Exit the blade at your hip and alternate sides

3. Avoid Common Mistakes

• Slouching or leaning too far back
• Only paddling with your arms
• Paddle blade not fully entering the water
• Holding the paddle too tightly

4. Other Useful Strokes

• Sweep Stroke: Turn your kayak by drawing a wide arc from bow to stern
• Draw Stroke: Move sideways to dock or join a group
• Reverse Stroke: Back up or slow down with control

5. Practice Makes Perfect

Don’t wait for the water to be perfect — every trip is a chance to build muscle memory and become more efficient. The more mindful you are of technique early on, the more effortless paddling becomes later.