[Paddlewise] Is the roll good? It getting better !!

Mark, 
    What a great list of questions. You will certainly be a rolling teacher 
someday. Please excuse the length of this post but your questions were so 
interesting that I felt the need to address each one of them.

In a message dated 3/18/00 4:16:31 AM, MJAkayaker_at_aol.com writes:

<< Thanks again to all the people who answered my questions about which rolls 
I 
should be working on.  I am 20 for 20 over the last week.  A little over half 
were extended paddle and the rest regular screw rolls (both types with my 
Greenland paddle).  I even did some out in the bay.  It really was not much 
rougher than the pool, but it was a psychological barrier.  >>

    Mark, congratulations it sounds like you are on the right track. Keep 
pushing yourself and your rolls until you can feel every nuance of body 
position in every water condition. The bay roll is a big step. Keep looking 
to test your roll in real life situations.

<< 1) Less force on the paddle = better roll  ? >>

    Yes, the best technique is to work towards a "hands roll". The more you 
can pull yourself to the surface with your kayak's buoyancy (while inverted) 
the less is required of the paddle and then the greater your margin of error 
= higher success rate. The more effective the Hip rotation and layback the 
less the paddle is required.  Watch a good rolling video like "Grace Under 
Pressure" and see how they roll sans paddle.  Note: The term "Hip Snap" is 
somewhat of a misnomer. The movement is the same as for a "C to C" roll, a 
hip rotation of varying speed but not always super fast.

<< 2) Almost going over the other way = better roll ? >>

    Yes, and no, this shows you have the power but don't yet "feel" the 
righting of the boat. Try to visualize verticality as the target and measure 
success in part by how accurately you can hit vertical without 
adjustments/braces at the end of the roll.

<< 3) Paddle blade depth at finish of roll - shallower = better roll? >>

    Yes. The goal is to keep the paddle less than 12" below the surface. 
Shallower is better! This shows that the other components of the roll are 
effective and doing the lion's share of the work.

<< 4) You just know it when you feel it you over analytical dummy >>

    Well,...yes. But if you are the type that likes to analyze then go ahead 
and study the h*ll out of it! After you micro-analyze each component, take a 
step back and consider the roll as a system or, truer yet, as a dance 
movement. Once you have found your roll all of the components blend with much 
redundancy, as you start to feel the righting of the boat the faults are less 
pronounced and less one particular issue and more of a system issue.

<< I am not feeling a "hip snap" the way it has been described to me.  I am 
aware of a change of pressure from one knee to the other and I feel my 
lay-back, but I do not feel the bending from one side to the other that I 
think I should feel.  Is it just happening so quickly that I miss it (I am 
getting up) or should I really be aware of the bending? >>

    If you're rolling now without a hip snap then you will love the extra 
power that you have in reserve. YES, you should feel your body move from the 
starting position (cross-side shoulder to hip, bent into a "C") to the ending 
position (on-side shoulder to hip, bent into a "C"). Watch a professional 
video for this! For my money this is the heart and soul of competent rolling.

<< I was thinking of trying some rolls with just half a paddle to help me 
check 
my technique.  Is this a good way to improve?  Should I be working longer 
with a full paddle before I try this (ie can it hurt my technique)? >>

    I would be reluctant to advise you to play too much before the hip 
rotation is dialed-in. While in general the playing helps round out your 
understanding and 3 dimensional awareness, I am a little concerned that bad 
habits might form if you don't have the "Hip Rotation" committed to muscle 
memory.

<< I will also be trying my first offside rolls this weekend.  I hope its 
easier 
than going from a stern rudder to a cross-draw.  >>

    With proper technique the off-side roll is a piece of cake. Work in it 
until it's as strong as your on side. Then play with people by making your 
off-side roll better than their on-side roll.

    One of the best ways to "find" your roll is to slow the whole thing down. 
With a screw roll, see how slowly you can do it, exaggerate every aspect of 
the movement. The lack of momentum will quickly point out weaknesses. Many 
men have such explosive power in their upper body that they don't feel their 
weight on the paddle. Slowing the movement will let you feel each component 
more clearly.  Also try using a face mask so you can watch the whole 
movement. This will help you to visualize the rolls later in your career. I 
roll with closed eyes because I know where vertical is and don't need the 
visual clues to right myself. I can't see worth a damn underwater anyway, 
never could. The face mask will let you fine tune your blade angle, monitor 
your position during the movement and speed muscle memory by adding a visual 
image of the dance.

    By next year you'll be sharing your learning experience and expertise 
with the next crop of budding rollers. You have the right approach, a great 
attitude and apparently improving form as well. Enjoy the ride, this is where 
the real fun begins!


Jed

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