C-Forum

...please help!

A slalom race told me once - if your feet are going to sleep, you aren't paddling hard enough. There is something to that...

ouch... well there goes passing the buck huh? thanks sbroam i guess to be totally honest i could probably step up the aerobic game. paddling sect III chatooga new years day, should be plenty of time to experiment with that theory.

A few things to work on that I've found helped me personally:
1) Outfitting - knees further apart, making sure side of saddle isn't blocking bloodflow, seat height (even 1/2" can make a BIG difference)
2) stretch - this actually can help a lot
3) weight - if I'm at "winter weight" my legs tend to fall asleep easier, drop a few lbs over the summer and I"m much better off.
4) "active" paddling as SBroam mentioned;)

Add half inch foam to your seat and try that. Also make sure your knees are as aid as possible when in your boat. Add some foam there too if needed.

Is this a new boat? You might get more comfortable over time.

Rubber ankles happen after an hour or so, the 1/2" thing.
Rand

:Slightly higher seat is not that big a deal
:The harder I'm working the shorter my kneeling endurance
:More foam under your knees reduces the effect of raising the seat

i'm 6'2", 170lbs., paddling remix 79. saddle approx 6"

if any mod. to saddle it'll be in the negative direction. had a nice chat with a friend 'and proffesional yoga instructor' today. it was her opinion that i might be abke to lower seat considerably if i could find a thin shim to place between calf and thighs. that this kneeling position in yoga is called a tournicate. she also stressed the importance of stretching.

could be one of many things.
shoes can make or break you
same goes for ankle blocks.
just have to experiment
time in the boat (conditioning) helps a LOT

she also mentioned that if it is possible to have toes touch behind saddle that it would be the very best possible scenario in terms of longevity of the knee itself, and having them splayed out to sides will greatly increase wear/tear over extended use.

>90 days in boats this year... so i hear yall on the athleticism thing but my conscience is pretty sqeaky lately. with two daughters 2 & 5 i'm giving all i can in the training dept. honestly

Minimize the amount of clothing bunched up behind your knees.

If the front of your saddle is square, cut off the corners- the points can press on your inner thigh and reduce blood flow to your lower legs.

Rolling helps too, it takes the weight off your knees momentarily and tends to bring your lower parts back to life for a while- sucks when its cold though.

Feet-schmeet, nevermind the circulation challenges for your feet...

Can you start giving advice to us other dads-with-toddlers on how you get 90 days on the river!!? Since I've had 2 kids (4 and 2), I'd seriously be lucky to get 9 days! I could live with once a month, but can't seem to make it happen. So, you've got it good - I don't even remember which boats need work etc., because I never get in them!

Seriously, 90+ days is 1-2 days/wk. Every weekend. What does that look like? "Honey, if you've got the diapers, laundry, nap, groceries, birthday party, dishes, meals, sweeping, and all that, I'm just going to take off and paddle for a few hours, again, OK?" 2-days a week you get away with that?? Please give me some tips on that!

Aside from being flumoxed by your kid-thing, I also don't understand the idea of a shim between the calf & thigh. I'm a heavy guy with big legs, and I'd think adding anything in there would hurt, not help. But who knows, it's more art than science, and different for everyone. My saddles are all up around 8", even in C-1s (and my legs still kill me).

Pat.

With some spare foam, make a kneeling pedestal for your TV room. Within one hour segments, spend ten minute periods on the kneeling pedestal. If you continue to have feet going to sleep, cut some ankle blocks to raise your lower shins just a bit off the floor.

Another possible issue--- if the bottom of your boat is arched rather than flat where you kneel (like a Hahn compared to any slalom boat), your knees may be higher than your ankles. Consider moving your knees inward a bit. Also, the rear end of your pedestal, where your feet are, may be wide enough to put strain on the lower legs. Hollow out the pedestal or center wall so that your feet can lie in a more comfortable position.

When you were a toddler, you could kneel on your feet for ages. Why didn't you preserve that ability?