NSW Sea Kayak Club Kayaking is life, the rest mere detail

Technique

Setup

• Maintain normal hand position. 
• Place the back of the blade on the water as far back as your torso rotation allows (keeping your elbow tucked into your hip to protect your shoulder).
• Keep your paddle shaft almost parallel with the kayak - you achieve this by torso rotation. 

Catch

• Fully immerse the blade and bring the paddle forward by unwinding your torso. 
• The path of the blade runs almost parallel to the kayak, instead of sweeping. 

Exit

• Pull the working blade out of the water when the working hand is about mid-way between your knee and foot.
• Repeat the stroke on the other side. 

Tips

• In ruddered boats, neutralise the rudder either by keeping it square with the kayak or by retracting it.
• It helps to keep pressure on the foot-peg on the opposite side of the stroke (the reverse of what you would do for a forward stroke). 
• If you feel unstable you can take a slightly climbing blade a little wider to get support. 

Safety

• Look behind you at least each alternate stroke. 
• To protect your shoulder, don't let your elbow go above shoulder height or behind your hips.

Common mistakes

• Insufficient torso rotation.
• Turning the blade to use the face. You should power the stroke with the back of the blade. 

Practice drills

• Find objects that form a gate for you to paddle through backwards, e.g. free mooring buoys, piers, etc.
• Practice the stroke in a broad range of conditions. 
• Increase the challenge by combining this with some steering strokes at the bow.