Learning from a Legend - Q & A with Oscar Chalupsky

You've been giving surf ski clinics regularly throughout the world over the last couple years. Do you feel that your main focus as a paddler these days is on being a coach, rather than results in races?

Well that is a tough question. In my heart I know I can still compete at a high level, even against the best, but I simply don’t have enough time to train these days. I am trying to give my training more priority, and I’m succeeding, slowly. I’ve had quite a long break where I just played golf! I’ve still been paddling, but when I am unfit I paddle more for fun; when it comes to racing, I give it 100%. Coaching and clinics are a great way to stay connected and involved in the sport, especially in those times when I can’t race as much.

Does coaching feel like a logical next step in your life as a paddler? Kind of like giving back?

Yes I think it is. There aren’t a whole lot of opportunities for new paddlers to get professional coaching, particularly for surf skis. I think it’s important that experienced ocean paddlers like myself, Dean and Dawid get out there on the beach and coach paddlers, and share our knowledge with them, so they can improve. Yes, coaching is giving back, you are not going to get rich doing it at this stage! However, it certainly helps more people to get into the sport, which is the important part.

What have you been learning yourself as you work with all these students internationally?

I’m constantly learning better ways to impart knowledge. My biggest problem right now is that I have so many things to tell the paddlers, I take too long and give them more info than they know what to do with! I’m working on keeping it simple, and also making sure that I set up enough dates for the paddlers, as I have found it takes at least 3 lessons to learn everything that they need and put it into practice. Three things I have learned from teaching clinics:

• Female paddlers tend to be better students than male paddlers
• Teaching on land is far easier than when you hit the water
• The longer paddlers have been paddling, the harder it is to change their bad habits

And what have you been learning about the sport and its growing number of participants?

Paddlers are seeing the value in real coaching and genuine experience. Ocean paddling is an art, and students are looking for knowledge that they can actually use and work on. Legitimate lessons are an important part of growing the sport, and I do see surf ski paddling taking off faster than any of the other paddle sports, although SUP is really on fire! There is a lot of camaraderie in the surf ski world, and eager people looking to enjoy a safe, competitive and inspiring sport.

Your clinics cover a wide variety of subjects, from basic forward stroke technique to reading the ocean and race preparation. What is the most sought after advice you hear from students?

The students all want to learn how to catch waves and become better downwind paddlers the most. But when I start with them, I have to go through the basics of the paddle stroke first. Most paddlers have never had coaching, so they don't realize the need for refinement in their techniques. Even if the student has been paddling for 30 years, there is usually something they can work on in their forward stroke technique. I also make sure to make remounting a surf ski a primary focus, as we all know how important that is.

What is the most difficult aspect of surf ski paddling to teach? Why?

The most difficult aspect is actually instilling the concept that paddling is a leg and body exercise, and not just an arm exercise. I’ve noticed that a lot of paddlers hit the gym, but they work on their “beach muscles.” Unfortunately the showy muscles aren’t the most important paddling muscles, and they tend to take over when the paddlers hit the water, which is less efficient. On the ocean I’ve noticed that most paddlers paddle too hard when on the waves. I think they get so excited that they end up running into the next wave, instead of staying on top of the wave run.

And where do you tend to see the quickest progress?

The quickest progress comes when the students do learn to use their full bodies; then they fly along with a lot less effort and become more aggressive in all aspects. Also, paddlers make big gains when they realize that once their paddle goes past vertical, they are lifting and not pulling forward

What are the most common mistakes or misconceptions you need to correct with new students?

The biggest mistakes are found in technique:

• Over reliance on the arms for power
• Pushing with the top arm (often hardest to correct)
• Dropping the top arm as it goes forward to the catch
• These three mistakes get your paddle past vertical a lot quicker than it should be, which forms a very poor foundation to build on for the rest of your paddling.
  

What is your most common, or most fundamental piece of advice for surf ski paddlers?

When getting into the sport, make sure you have a stable enough boat. As you improve and want to challenge yourself stability wise, you can add layers of foam to your seat, raising you up and therefore decreasing stability. You can progressively add layers until you are ready for that elite boat! Also, you can practice on flat water with your seat padded high, and then take out the padding when you go out in the ocean. This will make you feel very stable and confident
Never stop working on your technique
When practicing going downwind, only go hard for 2 minutes at a time, then rest. This way you will stay fresh, so you will catch more runs. When you are tired you catch less runs, and so you don't learn as much.

Can students follow up with you for advice and feedback after their clinic?

Yes, I always welcome that and really recommend that they do. It’s the only way to build upon what they’ve learned. I am very accessible by email and enjoy the exchanges.

So far most clinics are 1 or 2 days; do you envision week long camps in the future?

I hope so! In a week long course you’d really break the back of all problem areas, and learn a whole lot more because you are not forgetting what you have learned. It can be reinforced day after day. It is very good to have continuous instruction, if pro golfers have it, so should your average paddler! Dean Gardiner and I are doing a week long surf ski camp off Western Australia in March. That will be a phenomenal opportunity for ocean paddlers looking for the next level.

Where/when are your next clinics taking place?

My next big surf ski clinics are in Hong Kong at the Dragon Run on Nov. 20 & 21. Then in Dubai, around the Dubai Shamaal, on Dec. 1. I generally schedule them before and after most big paddling races, and then also by request. And as I said, a very unique and exciting course with Dean in March. We are taking a group of 10 paddlers on a week-long surf ski trip, off the coast of Western Australia. We’ll work on technique, downwind skills, etc. Very paddling intensive and it will be a whole lot of fun as well!