Leg drive - newbie question

Everyone mentions that leg drive should be done by pressing with the foot on the stroke side. To me it seems that I can get a little extra hip rotation by simultaneously pulling with the other foot on the footstrap. Is that a common technique?

More common in sprint kayak paddling but I know some surfski paddlers who do it. Some paddlers even install foot bars to facilitate this in their surfskis, although this again is much more common in kayaks.

My ski (Nelo) has a hard strap which gives a solid anchor for the pulling foot. That makes it feel easy and natural to work that way.

Hey Hardy,
I have a 550 with the same strap. Instead of pulling, I like to think about bending my opposite knee which enable my hips to move more freely. This way it doesn't upset your balance.

I find that just hanging one leg over the side works best.

never tried that, but it sure looks good!