Paddling Posture
One of the most important parts about whitewater kayaking that is also some of the least discussed is paddling posture. You will not be able to get as much power or control while kayaking if you do not develop proper paddling posture.
The first thing you need to do to develop great paddling posture is to fit your kayak properly. A good kayak fit is one that incredibly comfortable, very cozy and allows for you to just sit back and relax. This is awesome if you are going out for a paddle on the lazy river with your mother, but if you are going to be charging rock gardens and waterfalls, you are going to need to sit a lot more upright. Adjust your kayak so that you will be forced to sit upright in it. If you are allowed to laze or lean back you will quickly lose any advantages your refitting did.
When you are sitting upright, it allows you to be much more flexible, have a large range of motion available to you and to increase your paddling power greatly. Also when your sitting up it allows you to use your torso muscles instead of your arm muscles to move the paddle around. When you just use your arm muscles, you will find they tire out very quickly and you will not have the power you need to get through long rapids or tough spots in the middle of a rapid. With practice, you will discover that when you sit upright you can use those torso muscles which will not tire out for a long time to paddle and go much further and with more powerful strokes. And as if you needed any other reason to adjust that paddling posture, when your upright, your chance of shoulder or chest injuries is lessened.