| Kayak paddling seems like a confusing motion. Since | | | | which prevent you from having a truly equal distance |
| water is a liquid when you push against it, it should just | | | | to the amount of power you put in. You get all that |
| move out of the way. But it does not, when you push | | | | power, it just doesn't fully translate because of things |
| against the water, you actually move forward instead | | | | that work to slow you down. |
| of the water moving. Why is this? | | | | If you are still confused by this, don't worry. The best |
| The reason you move forward has to do with | | | | way to imagine it is to think of a river as a huge bowl |
| something called newtons third law of physics. You | | | | of jello. When you stick your paddle in, its not going to |
| may remember this rule vaguely from your high school | | | | move the jello. When you pull on your paddle in a |
| physics class, but to refresh your memory, the law is: | | | | powerstroke through the jello, your boat will move |
| For every action (paddle) there is an equal and | | | | forward as the paddle doesn't move. This is the third |
| opposite reaction (movement!). | | | | law in action. |
| What this is saying is that the force you put into a | | | | If you want to get a better, more powerful stroke in |
| paddle stroke against the water, the pull of the stroke | | | | kayaking it is important to understand this principal. |
| along in the water, it will cause an equal amount of | | | | When your blade is perpendicular to your boat, you get |
| forward movement for you through the water! This | | | | a lot of power and a lot of forward motion. If you turn |
| rule is more or less true in water but you also have to | | | | your blade sideways you will easily move it through |
| deal with more complicated factors like drag and wind | | | | the water with no power and no forward motion. |