I'd prefer the circular action... but my club goes with the linear. I think the circular is more natural as well because the exit sideways flick makes it seamless to end up in the circular motion. I never thought of it but you're right that the circular motion adds extra momentum to the catch. My team is not big on the exit flick and we're fairly linear with both arms. By the way, the circular movement can be so spectacular, some of the Asian teams almost interlock their internal arms in between the exit and the catch.
thanks for the comment hope the training's going well! Yes the Asians are certainly spectacular to watch......even more so to be amongst in the boat. Yes the extra distance the top hand travels through the circular motion allows more speed to build up which translates into more momentum going into the catch. The circular style is much more fluid and so I'm leaning more and more towards it but like your team, the linear style is probably the predominant one in the Wellington dragon boat scene and probably across New Zealand as well
I'd prefer the circular action... but my club goes with the linear. I think the circular is more natural as well because the exit sideways flick makes it seamless to end up in the circular motion. I never thought of it but you're right that the circular motion adds extra momentum to the catch. My team is not big on the exit flick and we're fairly linear with both arms. By the way, the circular movement can be so spectacular, some of the Asian teams almost interlock their internal arms in between the exit and the catch.
thanks for the comment hope the training's going well! Yes the Asians are certainly spectacular to watch......even more so to be amongst in the boat. Yes the extra distance the top hand travels through the circular motion allows more speed to build up which translates into more momentum going into the catch. The circular style is much more fluid and so I'm leaning more and more towards it but like your team, the linear style is probably the predominant one in the Wellington dragon boat scene and probably across New Zealand as well