Here below are the three steps showing you how to paddle:

1. The Forward Stroke

This is the stroke you’ll be doing most of the time, so you need to master it right from the get-go. It involves:

• The catch phase – Reach out ahead and immerse your paddle blade on one side of the kayak such that it is adjacent to your feet
• The power phase – Push the blade backward to propel the boat forward
• The release phase – Once your hand reaches behind your hip, lift the blade out of the water in a “slicing” motion

Then, repeat all three motions in a sequence, alternating between each side of the boat.

2. The Reverse Stroke

This is also referred to as the braking stroke and involves the exact opposite of the forward stroke. Here’s what you need to do.

• Immerse the blade into the water next to your hip
• Push the blade forward to propel the boat backward
• Then, slice it out of the water once the blade is adjacent to your feet

So, you would essentially be moving in reverse.

3. The Sweep Stroke

This is also referred to as the turning stroke. It involves repeating several forward strokes on the same side of the kayak to turn it towards a particular direction.

If you do it continuously, you’ll rotate 360 degrees in the same spot. The sweep works in the same way as a forward stroke, except that you would need to take a much wider arc.

Thanks for reading! Happy Kayaking! :)