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Backpacking (local)

Boating

Not all paddling schools are created equal, nor do all kayak instructors teach the same methods. (I restrict this discussion to kayaks.)

I am too cowardly to be a good kayaker. But I have learned a few useful tricks for injury prevention.

Most U.S. whitewater kayak teachers advocate the "old school" style of motion endorsed by the ACA (American Canoe Association), which relies on redundant techniques to prevent shoulder injury: keep shoulders, arms and elbows down and arms forwards of the body. They rely on keeping the body on the front deck to let the helmet protect the head during rolls.

I think some ACA instructors adovcate too strongly limiting the range of motion. Any time you use too much muscle tension or resistance to limit motion, you lock your muscles and joints in place, which greatly reduces your safe range of motion, making injuries much more likely. In addition, the muscle tension may itself break your bones, or tear muscles and ligaments. Try to stay loose.

"New school" instructors like Eric Jackson and Danny Stock and paddling schools like Valley Mill Kayak worry less about limiting range of motion. They may say to keep shoulders down, but not as much about keeping the arms forward too. This is a more athletic and effective approach, which allows much more effective boat control. It works much better with modern "planing hull" whitewater and surf kayaks, because the surface water is drawn into the front of the boat, rather than pushed away from it. This means one classic old school turn, using a static bow draw (Duffek turn), works poorly or spins the boat out of control; a much more effective technique is to use a moving draw next to the hip, though that places the shoulders at slightly greater risk. The greater boat control, which means you go where you intend, is argued to be more important to safety than less risky body positions. And they argue rolling upright as quickly as possible takes priority over keeping the body forward during rolls.

Most modern isntructors advocate using spinal rotations about the waist, using your core muscles (abdominal, lower backs, legs) to move the paddle from side to side, and very little motion of elbow and shoulder joints. This is because the lower body muscles are stronger and less likely to be injured. You also get much less sore, and can paddle further. It works! But I've seen a fair number of paddlers with a history of spinal injury get re-injured in such classes, even at entry levels - they should be very careful about spinal rotations, and I believe they should be asked about back and spine injuries before being pushed into using spinal rotation. Perhaps it makes sense to move to full range of motion gradually, rather than in one lesson.

Many paddling instructors (including those following the ACA syllabus) teach support strokes (pushing against the water to avoid tipping) from the start. Support strokes are very hard on arms and shoulders and probably cause many injuries. I say reserve support strokes for where they are needed - rolls and specialized certain surfing maneuvers. If you keep your body centered over your boat - accomplished partly by staying loose at the hip, partly by actively moving your body over the centerline of the boat, you rarely tip.

Most group lesson teachers entertain, pushinging you into the thrill of whitewater rapids as soon as possible, and rely on the redundantly safe body positions to keep you safe. Eric Jackson, Danny Stock, and other new schoolers see themselves as serious athletic coaches. They may make you spend a few days mastering proper technique before pushing you into moving water, an very different approach to safety.

Pick whichever philosophy appeals to you. New school teachers worked much better for me, but philosophies vary. Many modern teachers, especially sea kayak instructors, take elements of both teaching philosophies.

LL Bean teaches sea kayaking. They want you to buy a kayak, so lessons are cheap (especially Walk-on adventures).

Valley Mill Kayak School is the area's best known new school whitewater paddling advocate, especially Danny stock, who was an Eric Jackson protoge, and teaches a similar aggresive new school style.

A much more conservative old school approach is taught by Scott Coulter of Outdoor Excursions, which teaches both sea and whitewater kayaking.

other paddling schools near DC, of which I know less (alphabetical order):

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