Paddler Magazine: Functional vs. Interpretive Freestyle Canoeing

[Glenn MacGrady]

"So, what is FreeStyle, and what is the difference between Functional FreeStyle and Interpretive FreeStyle? One of the best definitions of FreeStyle is ‘The art and science of precision canoeing.’ That definition is a catchy phrase and quite accurate, but it requires more discussion."

Functional vs interpretive FreeStyle canoeing

One of the best definitions of FreeStyle is ‘The art and science of precision canoeing.’ That definition requires more discussion.

paddlerezine.com

Functional axle solo:



Interpretive axle solo:

 

[tketcham]

Good article with perfect photos for reference. It is unfortunate, though, that there isn't a simple term for functional freestyle, similar to how in the Nordic skiing world "skating" is used to describe "freestyle skiing". I haven't come up with a good term for functional freestyle canoeing but "functioning", "canoodling", and "quadranting" just don't work.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Yes, good article.

It is unfortunate, though, that there isn't a simple term for functional freestyle...

I have chosen to just call it control. Either you are in control of your boat or something else is.

 

[gumpus]

I've participated in about half a dozen freestyle workshops. The only goal I ever had was simply to "add tools to the toolbox". That's also the only way I've ever tried to promote freestyle yet I often get a strong (almost violent) negative emotional reaction..."I don't want to do that!" since many equate freestyle to doing maneuvers to music so they just shut down when they hear the word freestyle.

I can understand and accept introducing new terminology to try to reduce the stigmas associated with freestyle however the terminology and description don't make much sense to me. Freestyle anything by definition is unconstrained yet freestyle canoeing is highly constrained. And sure it's all about the total connection between paddler/paddle/boat/water but so is every other type of paddling like NikonF5's goonstroking or Al's stern carving or me driving a boat using a straight shaft paddle on both sides (with more function than a paddler that stays on one side). I wonder how racers and ww paddlers and really any paddler that doesn't identify themselves as a freestyle paddler feels when they hear that freestyle claims to be all about precision, science and art.

But that's just me. I hope the functional freestyle concept helps canoeing.