Abs-Gut- Belly- (using or engaging front and side ab stomach muscles to pull)
Blade– (wide bottom end of paddle)
Bury- Plant-Anchor-Grab-Big Bite-Dig Deep- (to place the blade deep in the water)
Catch- (to attack the water or plant the blade using your paddle with quick entry and pull (like spearing a fish forward or planting a vaulting pole in its box)
Core- (using your abs & trunk muscles to pull)
Dipping- (paddling without pulling, letting the water push your paddle out.
Wind Milling- (paddling like a windmill motion without sufficient force)
Driving- (pushing paddle with either bottom/top hand)
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)
Glide- (feeling the smoothness of the canoe, no jerks or bouncing)
Hit – (Start paddling)
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)
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 fully contracted muscles of the top shoulder and the paddle side abs/hip/and leg, rotate everything laterally aft with authority until the paddle is almost to the hip, then begin the exit phase…the bottom hand/arm is not the prime puller, but is primarily used along with the top arm to anchor the blade while the body pulls the canoe forward…too much pulling with the arms causes premature angling of the blade which pulls water up and the canoe hull down).
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)
Reach-Upfront- (both are arms fully extended in front body, body leaning slightly forward)
Recovery- (the 4th and last part the stroke swinging the paddle forward with arms extended and the paddle blade low almost flat over the water setting up for the next stroke)
Rotate-Twist-Pivot-Swivel- (body turning side to side like on an axis)
Slicing-Knifing-Spearing- (paddling with no power by driving your blade in a back angle motion)
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)
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)
Triangle or “V”- (forming your body position like a Triangle or “V” with top hand, bottom hand and left/right hip. Keeping this position throughout your whole stroke will give you better leverage and open power.)