By
eHow Sports & Fitness Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
Step1
Sit or kneel in a stable position in your canoe.
Step2
Hold the paddle with your inside hand on top and your outside hand 1 to 2 feet down the shaft.
Step3
Insert the blade of the paddle into the water directly next to the canoe on the side opposite the direction you wish to move.
Step4
Hold your top hand out with your arm extended and your bottom hand close to your body.
Step5
Pull with your top hand and push with your bottom hand.
Step6
Use the side of the canoe as a fulcrum for the paddle to push against the water.
Step7
Turn the blade of the paddle sideways, perpendicular to the canoe, and slide it back through the water to the starting position to begin another stroke.