These are terms that you’ll hear our coaches using while we’re out on the water.
Abs-Gut- Belly- (using strong core or engaging front and side oblique’s or stomach muscles to pull)
Active Rest- (paddling at light level 40-60%)
“A” Frame- ( leaning forward both arms straight stacked one above the other creating “A frame” body)
Anchor Blade- (to concept of anchoring your blade deep in water before you pull)
Angle Angle- (cue letting you know to position the canoe surf and catch waves)
Blade- (wide bottom end of paddle)
Blend- (to paddle in perfect timing using all your legs, core, lats, shoulder, arms and wrist with your teammates)
Bodies– (a term used to as a reminder for all 6 paddlers to paddle in same body rhythm)
Bump- (a term used to identifying wave to surf)
Dig Deep- (to place the blade deep in the water). The concept of swinging a ice pick deep in on side of mountain and pulling yourself up to it.
Catch- (to attack the water or load and plant the blade using your paddle with quick deep entry then pull.) like spearing a fish forward or planting a vaulting pole in its box.
Chase Chase- (cue letting you know to “push again” and catch and surf waves)
Core- (using your abs & trunk muscles to pull)
Dig Deep- (idea of digging your blade deep before you pull)
Dipping- (paddling without pulling, letting the water push your paddle out).
Driving- (pushing paddle with either bottom/top hand) mainly using opposite shoulder /lats and straight arm down and across.
Endurance- (long sustaining power without giving in)
Entry-(the 1st part of the stroke, setting the blade in the water with 45 degree angle)
Exit-Release-Slice Out- (the 3rd part the stroke bringing the paddle out after the power phase)
First & Last- (100% power stroke on first & last stroke of each new stroke count) helps keep canoe at optimum speed)
Flare- (upon exit of your stroke slightly twist both wrist bringing your blade low and out over the water)
Full Rest- (No paddling/activity, complete rest time)
Glide- (feeling the smoothness of the canoe, no jerks or bouncing) smooth glides happen when all 6 paddlers are in perfect rhythm.
Grab or Big Bite– (concept of grabbing or big bite of water up front before you pull)
Heart Rate Max- (minus your age from 220 = your HR Max) Heart rate training benefits everyone , from beginning exerciser to trying to lose weight, to individuals trying to improve cardio fitness, to the highly conditioned athlete preparing for next competition. The key is making progress is to elevate your heart rate into the correct training zone, so your efforts matches your goals.
Hinge/Hinging- (upper half of body leaning forward from the hips or torso 45 degree angle) the feeling of falling forward and planting that blade on the catch. Putting upper body weight and downward pressure on blade.
Hit – (Start paddling)
Huli-(capsize canoe)
Imua- (to paddle forward)
Kahi– (to draw stroke from out to in)
Lean- (to hinge forward with weight on the blade)
Leg Drive- (using leg to push off during your stroke) much added power to your stroke
Load- (at the moment the blade is fully planted, apply power by fully contracting the top shoulder, and then the muscles of the paddle side abs/hip/and leg in preparation for the pull or power phase)
Ones & Fours- (1-100% power stroke at the last stoke count before the switch, then 4-100% power stroke on the start of the stroke count)
Long & Deep- (to paddle stroke blade deliberately long and deep in the water, full power phase ending elbow to torso)
Paddles Up- (leaning forward, both arms out with paddle in the air just above the water ready to stroke)
Power or Pull Phase- (the 2nd and optimum part of the stroke with full body power & strength) once the paddle is loaded, and feeling the full contracted muscles from legs, hips, oblique’s to lats, shoulder and top arm. Engage all and pull, rotate everything laterally with canoe and perpendicularly with body until the paddle reaches the hip, then begin the exit phase…the bottom hand/arm works as hard as top arm, but is primarily used along with the top arm to anchor the blade while the body pulls the canoe forward, ending at a sitting up right position…too much pulling with the arms causes premature angling of the blade which pulls water up and the canoe hull down).
Power 10’s- (100% power strokes 10X each side) helps pick up hull speed to pass or surf waves.
Plant or Bury- (concept of planting your blade in the water before you pull)
Plunging-Slamming– (paddling with no reach and forcing body and the blade straight down, usually indicated by lunging torso)
Pull- (your power phase bringing the canoe forward at every stroke)
“Pull Through”- (when blade is not loaded and paddle stroke is pulled through the water with really no resistance)
“Pull To”- (when blade is loaded and paddle stroke is pulling your canoe seat to that point of entry)
Pop Stroke- (to catch & pull quickly) Fast entry and quick at the knee.
Rate- (usually means stroke speed. Or stroke tempo.)
Reach-Upfront- (both are arms fully extended in front body, body leaning slightly forward)
Ready- (assume ready position, mind & body about to race hard)
Recovery- (is part the stroke where the paddle is out of water swinging the paddle forward with arms extended and the paddle blade low almost flat over the water setting up for the next stroke)
Ridged- (to keep joints strong in power phase)
Rotation- (body turning side to side like on an axis) to Twist, Pivot or Swivel
Sitting Upright- (important at end of your stroke to sit upright with your exit). This helps you keep the blade longer in water and giving your body time to hinge forward on next stroke)
Slicing-Knifing-Spearing- (paddling with no power by driving your blade in a back angle motion)
Speed- (Usually refer to hull speed per minute)
Straight Arm- (having straight ridged arm in your plant)
Stroke Rate- (your stroke count per minute)
Swing- (after you exit, rotate forward with hips & trunk keeping paddle low and out to the side, and return promptly forward to set back up for the next stroke)
Technique- (to execute good skills and abilities in outrigger paddling)
Timing- (to set the blade in/out water in same perfect rhythm with your teammates)
Throwing Over the Top- Pushing-Driving- (when the top hand moves forward first before planting the blade or anytime the top hand is used in a forward pushing or leveraging motion) the result is a negative catch and pull.
Top Arm Drive- (to keep straight top arm pressure downward using shoulder and lats)
Triangle or “V”- (forming your body position 45 degree like a Triangle or “V” with top hand, bottom hand and left/right hip. Keeping this position your catch phase will give you better leverage and open power.)
Uni- (to place the paddle blade deep against canoe to help control a turn)
Wind Milling- (paddling like a windmill motion without sufficient force)