{"id":3771,"date":"2023-05-22T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-22T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/?p=3771"},"modified":"2026-02-09T16:15:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T00:15:22","slug":"river-guide-commands-101","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/river-guide-commands-101\/","title":{"rendered":"Whitewater Rafting Paddle Commands \u2013 Watch and Learn"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div><p>\r\n<i class=\"fa-regular fa-clock\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i> <span class=\"bsf-rt-reading-time\"><span class=\"bsf-rt-display-label\" prefix=\"Reading Time\">\n\t\t<\/span> <span class=\"bsf-rt-display-time\" reading_time=\"3\"><\/span> \n\t\t<span class=\"bsf-rt-display-postfix\" postfix=\"mins\"><\/span><\/span>\r\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whitewater rafting is a team sport in which each individual participates in propelling and steering the boat. When you\u2019re out on the water, it\u2019s crucial to listen to your raft guide\u2019s paddle commands. This not only helps you and your crew get down the river but also keeps your raft on the splashiest, most fun route. Working together will move the boat effectively, help you and your friends stay in, and make for an epic day of whitewater excitement. Let\u2019s take a look at some of the most common whitewater rafting paddle commands, and what to do when your guide calls them out on the water!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"su-youtube su-u-responsive-media-yes\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rSq4V5_KnEk?\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture\" title=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-forward-paddle\">Forward Paddle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the most used paddle stroke of the trip. For a more detailed explanation of the paddling technique itself, please refer to our video focusing specifically on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/rafting-101-how-to-paddle-in-a-raft\/\">how to paddle in a raft<\/a>. It is important to remember to follow the person in front of you when performing this stroke. If you are the front paddler, pay attention to the person across the boat from you to maintain synchronized paddling strokes. This will allow the folks behind you to keep pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another key part of the Forward Paddle command is to use your whole body. With your weight primarily on your feet, really engage your abdominal muscles to lean forward and pull back without putting unnecessary stress on your arms. There are a lot of miles to cover on a river trip so it is important to use your energy efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-back-paddle\">Back Paddle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of the forward paddle command but in reverse! The number one thing to remember when performing this stroke is to use your body as leverage. It is best to place the paddle on your hip and use your body as leverage to pry the water away from you. If you have a small bruise on your hip at the end of the day, you were a rockstar back paddler. When performed correctly, this stroke is the most powerful and efficient while using the least amount of muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-stop\">Stop<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When it\u2019s time to stop, simply take your paddle out of the water at the end of the stroke you are currently performing and listen for the next paddle command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-left-turn\">Left Turn<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While the guide has unique leverage in the back of the boat, everyone needs to work together as a team to make quick adjustments to successfully navigate the river. The Left Turn command is a combination of the Forward Paddle and Back Paddle commands.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When performing this command, the folks situated on the left side of the boat will perform a Back Paddle stroke while the folks on the right side of the boat will perform the Forward Paddle stroke. If done correctly, the raft will quickly turn with only a few strokes. A tip to help you remember what you\u2019re supposed to do when a turn is called: if your side of the raft gets called, you will perform the Back Paddle command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Right Turn<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is exactly the opposite of the Left Turn command. Remember, if the side you&#8217;re positioned on gets called, you\u2019re performing the Back Paddle command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hold On<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Things can change quickly when you are out on the river and it is important to know how to best stay in the boat. The Hold On command is usually given when encountering some turbulent waters, bumping into a small rock or another raft, etc. This one command is not necessarily mandatory, however, it is always a good idea to be alert and lean forward even if you can\u2019t grab something right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get Down<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike the Hold On command, this one is mandatory. You may hear \u201cGet Down\u201d in larger rapids where the consequences could be more serious should you find yourself in the water. The sole purpose of this command is to give everyone the best possible chance of remaining inside the raft while keeping the raft upright. To perform this command successfully, you just sit on the floor of the raft. Remember to keep your paddle and your arms inside, and hold on tight, it will be a wild ride!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Over Left or Over Right<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your guide may call the Over Left or Over Right command in a variety of situations. You could hear it when approaching an obstacle or hitting a big wave. The goal is to get as much weight as possible on the side of the raft that\u2019s called. This command is important to practice throughout the day. Even though it isn\u2019t used much, it is imperative that it is performed successfully when it is called.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>And that covers it! There may be a few other commands that your guide might call, but they\u2019ll cover those on the day of your river trip. If you have any questions about these, or other commands, be sure to talk to your guide about them or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/contact\/welcome.htm\">contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div  class=\"calls-2-action-cpt\">\n    <div class=\"container-fluid\"> \n            \n                <div class=\"row\">   \n            <div class=\"col-sm-8\">\n                <h2>Raft the American River!<\/h2>\n                <p><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>This could be you!<\/strong> Paddle through fun, splashy rapids on the South Fork or take on the exciting wilderness of the Middle Fork. With options for first-timers and thrill-seekers alike, there\u2019s an American River rafting trip for everyone!<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:shortcode -->\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:shortcode --><\/p>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"col-sm-4\"> \n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/american-river-rafting-cta-2025-1-300x200.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"Raft the American River!\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/american-river-rafting-cta-2025-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/american-river-rafting-cta-2025-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"col-sm-12\">\n                <div class=\"text-center\">\n                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/river\/american-river-rafting.htm\" class=\"btn btn-primary\">\n                            American River Rafting                        <\/a>\n                                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                            <\/div> \n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div  class=\"related-posts\">\n   \n<h3>\nKeep Reading &#8211; There Is More to Explore:\n<\/h3> \n <div class=\"container-fluid\">     \n     <div class=\"row\">  \n     \n        <div class=\"col-sm-6\">\n         \n        <div class=\"rp-wrapper\">\n                <div class=\"col-sm-5\"> <div class=\"row\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"172\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/how-to-paddle-feature-300x172.jpg\" class=\"alignleft img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"Rafting 101: How to Paddle in a Raft\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/how-to-paddle-feature-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/how-to-paddle-feature-1024x587.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/how-to-paddle-feature-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/how-to-paddle-feature-1536x880.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/how-to-paddle-feature.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n                <div class=\"col-sm-7\">\n                 <h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/rafting-101-how-to-paddle-in-a-raft\/\">How to Paddle in a Raft \u2013 Watch and Learn<\/a><\/h4>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n         <\/div>\n        <\/div> \n       \n        <div class=\"col-sm-6\">\n         \n        <div class=\"rp-wrapper\">\n                <div class=\"col-sm-5\"> <div class=\"row\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"172\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/whitewater-river-terms-featured-300x172.jpg\" class=\"alignleft img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"Whitewater Rafting Terms\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/whitewater-river-terms-featured-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/whitewater-river-terms-featured-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/whitewater-river-terms-featured.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n                <div class=\"col-sm-7\">\n                 <h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/whitewater-rafting-terms-explained\/\">Whitewater Rafting Terms Explained<\/a><\/h4>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n         <\/div>\n        <\/div> \n       \n        <div class=\"col-sm-6\">\n         \n        <div class=\"rp-wrapper\">\n                <div class=\"col-sm-5\"> <div class=\"row\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"172\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lumsden-falls-2-300x172.jpg\" class=\"alignleft img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"Lumsden Falls - Tuolumne River\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lumsden-falls-2-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lumsden-falls-2-1024x587.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lumsden-falls-2-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lumsden-falls-2-1536x880.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lumsden-falls-2.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n                <div class=\"col-sm-7\">\n                 <h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/river-moves-and-scenarios-a-rafting-glossary\/\">River Moves and Scenarios &#8211; A Rafting Glossary<\/a><\/h4>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n         <\/div>\n        <\/div> \n       \n        <div class=\"col-sm-6\">\n         \n        <div class=\"rp-wrapper\">\n                <div class=\"col-sm-5\"> <div class=\"row\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"172\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/rivers-features-300x172.jpg\" class=\"alignleft img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"River features\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/rivers-features-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/rivers-features-1024x587.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/rivers-features-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/rivers-features-1536x881.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/rivers-features.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/div><\/div>\n                <div class=\"col-sm-7\">\n                 <h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/river-features-rafting-glossary\/\">River Features &#8211; A Rafting Glossary<\/a><\/h4>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n         <\/div>\n        <\/div> \n                  <\/div>\n<\/div> \n    <hr \/>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"post-author\">\n      <div class=\"container-fluid\">\r\n    <em><small>Posted on May 22, 2023 by<\/small><\/em>\r\n    <div class=\"author-bio\">\r\n\t    <div class=\"col-sm-3\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/jack-armstrong-grandson-of-founder-george-armstrong_avatar-192x192-1.jpg\" class=\"author-avatar img-responsive\" alt=\"Jack Armstrong Bio\" \/><\/div>\r\n\t    <div class=\"col-sm-9\">\r\n        <h3>Jack Armstrong<\/h3>\r\n\t\t<p>Jack grew up 35 minutes from AO headquarters, and is the grandson of our founder, George. His education includes a film degree and art studies from Biola University, as well as lots of experience breaking camera gear outside. After graduating college, he started an outdoors\/action sports focused production company and is largely responsible for our video, photo, and social media content. Jack\u2019s favorite trip is the Cal-Salmon, because of the river\u2019s awe-inspiring beauty and the sweet rapids. When he\u2019s not rafting or playing with cameras, Jack can be found skiing, surfing, visiting art galleries, or eating tacos.<\/p>\r\n\t    <\/div>\r\n        <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>  \n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Get educated about the most common whitewater rafting paddle commands you can expect to hear on your next river trip, and find out how to properly execute them in this helpful video.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":704,"featured_media":11121,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[118,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ao-rafting-university","category-video"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Whitewater Rafting Paddle Commands<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Get educated about the most common white water rafting commands you can expect to hear on your next river trip. Forward paddle!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/river-guide-commands-101\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Whitewater Rafting Paddle Commands \u2013 Watch and Learn\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Get educated about the most common white water rafting commands you can expect to hear on your next river trip. Forward paddle!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/river-guide-commands-101\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The AO Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/alloutdoors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-05-22T16:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-10T00:15:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/guide-commands-101-feature.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"573\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jack Armstrong: grandson of founder George Armstrong\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jack Armstrong: grandson of founder George Armstrong\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/river-guide-commands-101\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/river-guide-commands-101\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jack Armstrong: grandson of founder George Armstrong\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/75a2a0c72ea25ae8c096a1b6974dfe65\"},\"headline\":\"Whitewater Rafting Paddle Commands \u2013 Watch and Learn\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-22T16:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-10T00:15:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/river-guide-commands-101\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":864,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/river-guide-commands-101\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2011\\\/08\\\/guide-commands-101-feature.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"AO Rafting University\",\"Video Gallery\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/river-guide-commands-101\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/river-guide-commands-101\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/river-guide-commands-101\\\/\",\"name\":\"Whitewater Rafting Paddle Commands\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/river-guide-commands-101\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/river-guide-commands-101\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.aorafting.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2011\\\/08\\\/guide-commands-101-feature.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-22T16:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-10T00:15:22+00:00\",\"description\":\"Get educated about the most common white water rafting commands you can expect to hear on your next river trip. 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