My knee kicker angle was wrong for 6 years, found out on Tuesday

I've been installing carpet for a long time and always kicked with the pad angled too far forward. I thought it gave better stretch. Last Tuesday in Portland, an old-timer walked past my job and just said 'you're fighting the tack strip, not the carpet.' He showed me to keep the kicker more upright and use shorter, sharper pops. I did a 12x14 bedroom in half the time and my back didn't ache. Anyone else had a basic move corrected after doing it wrong for years?

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emmap167d ago

Tbh, I read a thread once where a guy said the same thing about his hammer swing, and it stuck with me. Tools that feel off usually cost you more energy than you save, but your back not aching is the real proof. It's wild how a tiny angle change can flip everything, and old timers just see it in one glance. Makes you wonder what else we've been grinding through the hard way for no reason.