Quickness is another important part of our sport. Quickness is slightly different from power. Power is moving a heavy weight quickly. Quickness is moving quickly when there isn't so much resistance.
For example, starting the boat from a standstill requires power. Moving the paddle from side to side in the air at high speed requires quickness. Here is an article describing quickness:
http://www.skillteam.se/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Quickness-and-Velocity.pdf
Athletes in other sports do quickness drills. Think of basketball drills where the feet move quickly or playing table tennis. Likewise, in canoe slalom, we should do quickness drills. The paddle should be something light in your hands, not something heavy and sluggish.
I like to do quickness drills where you do a slow stroke and quick recovery from side to side. Gently pull the paddle back, then slice it out to the side and move it quickly to the other side in the air. This is a drill, not a prescription for how your stroke should be. However, your paddling should be heavily influenced by this type of quickness drill.
This type of drill should carry over to other types of paddling. There needs to be a feeling that the paddle is light and moves quickly, not heavy and slow-moving. That way, you can make the quick moves necessary in our sport.
It is easy to get into a pattern of slow, sluggish paddling. Instead, do quickness drills and try to use this quick approach in all your paddling. This does not mean to slap at the water. You need to plant the paddle before pulling. However, the paddle should feel light in your hands and appear light and quick to a bystander, not heavy and slow.
Work on your quickness in drills in order to be quicker in all your paddling.
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