Leg Length in a Ski

Hello all, new paddler here and am having a torrid time.

I have bought myself an Epic V10S in Ultra Layup.

Never paddled before, and for good or bad thought that this ski would best suit my needs.

Needed a paddle so bought a Fenn 3.

My biggest concern amoungst others is sore Hip Flexors. So much so that I can't spend too much time on the water and actually look forward to falling off (Which I do most of the time) just to be able to stretch.

I was told to have a "Fist" clearance between the bottom of the ski and my knee, done that and found that I am unable to extend my leg in so called "Leg Drive" because I am already at the back of the seat.

The foot rest makes awful sounds if I do press with my heels whilst making a stroke.

I have lengthened the settings and find that my legs are too low, and stability suffers, what am I doing wrong?

I have many issues that I will be asking help with, just did not want to post here till I was sure of the help I need.

Bio 55yrs old, was 110kg, now 100kg (Having invested in a ski, thought it a good idea to start training again, height 1.9m...

Any help would be appreciated, thanks Raymond.

I would go back towards the fist under your knees setting, hip flexor pain is common, the first cpl of weeks I did in a ski I could almost not walk afterwards, longer settings usually make it worse.

Goose I had the sore hip flexor problem in my V10L, to the point I had to take a two week break because it was just to painful to paddle and even after the two week break the pain returned straight away in my V10L. Then I took a Stellar SES out for a trial which had a much lower hump in front of the seat. My hip flexors were still sore from paddling the V10L but on paddling the SES they were only sore for part of the stroke. Bought the SES and stopped paddling the V10L and the pain went away completely. My research indicates that some hill walking to build up the glutes is supposed to help the muscle balance and I did this to help but I still got pain in the V10L and had to sell it. Now any ski I look at has to have the lower hump height of the Stellar skis.

I have found that if I have tight hamstrings/glutes it plays havoc with my hip flexors and lower back as they are fighting to keep me sitting upright and forward.

Stretching them may help you as it has done me.

Surprised Physio didnt throw in some stretches

AR_convert wrote: Surprised Physio didnt throw in some stretches

Trying not to preach too much, but I don't buy the old school stretch,stretch,stretch as its usually not done effectively but if people find something that works for them then go for it

I'm not talking about the odd stretch before you get in the ski more the daily stuff that improves range of motion/flexibility. I've noticed into my 40's that this is soooo important now.

I get on a foam roller every day, and get all my athletes on them, I think the overall effect is better than stretching. It fits more with a muscle facia approach, that stretching doesn't get to.

I have one of those rollers and use it on my back every night, never tried it on the hip flexors, so you just roll around face down on it each side at a time? How long for do you suggest?

Yep

Lie on the roller with it just below your hips. Keep your knees apart and raise your ankles into the air with your heels touching. Using your elbows on the floor, roll yourself back and forwards so it massages the top most part of your quads (hip flexors).

I do this one leg at a time bending one leg up and weight on that side with the other legs toes still on the ground to rock forward and back on. then roll the entire thigh as well.

Here is a link to one of the manufacturers sites on how to use.
www.obie.co.nz/how_to_use
However looking through they have put the wrong pic on three of the exercises one being the hip flexor one they show how to do gluteal release. the gluteal release they show an itb release and the flexion shows hamstring attachment roll.

im sure there will be other resources out there.

Cheers, thanks for the link too, very helpful.

When we going to see the finished pics of that ski of yours?

i'm guessin, when its finished..
no but seriously the golden rule, if you dont want to pay retail yr toys get worked on between other jobs. It is together, just waiting on jkk to finish the steering etc.