technique

Something I've been noticing lately. A lot of paddlers, non-elite, tend to keep their control side bottom elbow tucked in in comparison to the non-control side pulling elbow. I've been told to paddle like there are balloons under your arms. Helps to lock into rotation and set up for a nice strong catch. Anyhow, just curious why we are more prone to tuck the elbow on the control side. I fight it too. Any thoughts? Is this significant or should I forget about it and have a beer. Prob gonna have the beer either way.
Here is a clip of a guy with a good stroke but does this tucking thing also. More noticable from the rear view abot 2 min in.
www.epickayaks.com/news/details.aspx?nid=685&id=5314&tImg=8089

Whenever you think your stroke sux, use this for encouragement:

Ok fine I'll put my own 2 cents into the question. Why is the control side pulling elbow more likely to be tucked than the oppposite pulling side.
I think it has to do with the hand position, whether the wrist is flat or cocked back. A lot of us cock the control side hand back when pulling on the non-control side to feather the blade square. I think this postion my carry over when pulling with that arm. When it is time to exit if the wrist is cocked it is harder to raise the elbow. Try it. Cock the wrist up and try to raise the elbow, then bow the hand down as the exit occurs and it seems to make the elbow easier to get into postion. No I'm not drunk.

I notice this as well - particularly on the erg. My guess is that it has to do with the control hand having a secure grip on the paddle. When the control hand comes across in front, it 'likes' to be more horizontal than in the 'pinky up vertical position' to feel secure and like it's controlling the paddle. When the control side hand is pulling the blade in the water, it has secure control of the shaft so the top arm of the non-control side can afford to have a less secure more 'pinky up vertical' position.

If anyone has ever dislocated their shoulder or almost done so, they'll tend to keep that elbow down and in as much as possible as it is much more secure down and in as opposed to in the elbow up position. This might come into play as well in some paddlers.