Follow the steps below to paddle on your knees:
- Kneel on the rescue board (using the knee pads on the deck where available) while the board has forward momentum. Your knees and feet should be placed as wide as possible, to form a stable base of support.
- Reach forward with both arms as far as possible without losing balance to take the stroke (the catch). As you improve, you will develop a longer reach for each stroke.
- Push your arms deep into the water, pulling back firmly along the side of the board as far as your hip (the stroke phase). Your arms should pull through the water as deep as possible. Extra strength is gained in the stroke phase by using your torso as well as your arms. By doing this you are using the strength of your whole body and not just your arms.
- Keep your elbows high as you take both arms out of the water and swing them forward (the recovery phase) along the side of the board to take your next catch.
Paddling on your knees is a skill worth developing, as it allows more muscles of the body to contribute to the stroke, generally making paddling faster and less fatiguing. It does, however, require more skill as it is more difficult to maintain your balance.
