Additionally, the paddler's arms stay in front of the torso, in the strongest position. Slalom racers, however, use a different torso action in sweep strokes. Racers point their head and chest in the direction of their turn from start to finish. This continual wind-up forces their legs and boat towards their destination, even though this forces the trailing shoulder into a weaker position. The ending position differs from the recreational paddlers' sweep, and requires shoulder strength and blade dexterity.
Anticipation is a factor in determining technique.
Racers, with their carefully calculated paths, usually use the first part of the sweep to initiate turns or make subtle corrections. Beginning recreational paddlers, on the other hand, are more often reactive, and need the last part of a sweep to make a course correction. Evaluate the condition of your shoulders, your flexibility, blade dexterity, general strength and boat design. A few racer-dominated paddling schools use the chest leading system and claim excellent results. Most instructors, on the other hand, use the traditional system, as a teaching trick to maximize strength and maintain proper blade angle at the end of the sweep.