Jack,
Your experience and insight here is very seasoned and I usually agree with you on most points. However, while learning to EC (which seems like our friends goal) the training video had some great points to be made about how to EC and turn with your shoulders, look up hill, and keep you body more straight. It had a great example of the push pull technique and really helped me to visualize a EC.
But all things considered, I would advise to first; listen to all advise and take from others experiences and point of view.. Digest, diagnose and then see what works for you.
L-