Well I survived the pool session today. I am thoroughly convinced that the "you will know it when you feel it you over analytical dummy" approach is the best for me. Trying to slow down did not seem to help. One person did comment that my "normal" speed was real smooth and did not seem that fast. I got in and did my first two rolls (non-extended) with no problems. I then thought "Slow down and feel what is happening". Missed the next three. I am sure these will be highly featured in the "What not to do! " section of the video that was being taken. With my confidence really shaken, I went back to the extended paddle roll and I came right up on the next two without trying to slow down or really thinking about what I was doing. I decided to try the non-extended roll again but at my "normal" speed. I made it up on each of the next 3 tries. The thing that did seem to make the most difference was adding some "punch" with the paddle at the very end while I was laying back. By "punch" I mean extending my left arm (pushing the out of water blade up) and at the same time bending my right arm (pulling down on the blade in the water). I would end up with the paddle at between a 30 and 45 degree angle to horizontal. When I did the extended paddle roll I ended up with the paddle almost horizontal (less than 15 degrees) and my left arm still slightly bent. I may need this "punch" just because of poor technique, but it really seemed to help on the non-extended roll. The off-side was hysterical. I started working with no paddle and using a spotter for a little support. I laid over sideways and tried to "hip snap", lay back, and with a little pressure on his arm get up. You would think a person would know up from down on either side, but rather than bending my head down into the water I just kept lifting it up. Finally managed to get myself up (but only with pretty heavy pressure on the spotter's arm). My time was running out , so I decided to go for it. I set up on the off-side and turned over. The first thing I noticed was that I had no idea where the paddle was. Finally got it above the surface and after a few seconds of thinking "Which hand do I sweep out?", I executed the most brillantly done off-side paddle dive that anyone has seen. I put that blade to the bottom of the pool in record time. I did not even wait for the spotter. I just did a wet exit and headed for the side of the pool. Well there is always next time. Thanks again for all your helpful comments. Despite my earlier "over analytical dummy" stattement, I really do think they helped. Mark J. Arnold MJAkayaker_at_aol.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
MJAkayaker_at_aol.com wrote: > I decided to try the non-extended roll again but at my "normal" speed. I > made it up on each of the next 3 tries. The thing that did seem to make the > most difference was adding some "punch" with the paddle at the very end while > I was laying back. By "punch" I mean extending my left arm (pushing the out > of water blade up) and at the same time bending my right arm (pulling down on > the blade in the water). I would end up with the paddle at between a 30 and > 45 degree angle to horizontal. When I did the extended paddle roll I ended > up with the paddle almost horizontal (less than 15 degrees) and my left arm > still slightly bent. I may need this "punch" just because of poor technique, > but it really seemed to help on the non-extended roll. It sounds like you're relying too much on the paddle and not enough on your hips. Or perhaps you're lifting your body or head prematurely. Whatever it is, it's forcing you to rely on paddle force to get up. That'll work until you really need it, then you'll be practicing a self-rescue. When you finish with a layback, the kayak should be pretty much horizontal with your head and shoulders slinking onto the back deck. Your head really follows everything else. If the kayak isn't horizontal, perhaps you need to work on the hip rotation. It may be late (initiated well after the point your paddle has swept straight out to the side) or lazy (not rotating enough or lacking emphasis). The rotation is continuous, starting at the beginning of the roll and fully moving by the time your paddle is perpendicular to the kayak. Make sure your ear is "glued" to your shoulder and you're looking at the paddle blade (or imagining if you keep your eyes closed). The paddle sweep should come from trunk rotation, not arm movement. That is, you're moving your whole upper body with the paddle, pivoting from the waist. If someone can demonstrate a layback hands roll, it can give you a good image of what the "slink onto the rear deck" is all about. In this type of roll, the person will appear to be floating horizontal in the water for just a second, then the kayak is righted and the body slides from the water to the rear deck with just a tap of the hand on the water. The head and shoulders are well back and down the whole time. Sounds like you're learning!! Mike PS - by extended, do you mean a full Pawlata? If so, try using a short Pawlata as an intermediate roll rather than go straight to a screw roll, just for a while. The short Pawlata is where your rear hand is at the point where the blade and shaft meet. More leverage than a screw roll, less than the Pawlata. The idea is to work on your _timing_ and _smoothness_ with decreasing emphasis on paddle power. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Mike Daly's advise is spot on as far as I'm concerned. If the roll is more difficult with the paddle not extended, then you are over-relying on the paddle. If the roll fails when you slow it down a bit, that's an indication that your technique and timing have room to improve. The fact that your roll failed at the slower speed is not surprising. You know how to right the boat...in a warm heated pool. You've shown that you can right the boat in a pool with your paddle extended and also some times with your paddle in the normal position. What you want to learn now is how to right the boat when you are cold and tired and too exhausted to paddle or swim and the wind is howling and the seas are steep and your paddle just broke and you've lost your contacts and you feel nauseous and you are 5 miles from land and there is no one to save or help you and your sinuses are full of salt water and you've swallowed some more salt water and you believe in sea monsters..you thought you saw a dorsal fin..and the water is god-awfully cold...and your significant other needs your help to get back to terra firma. The ideal roll can be no more difficult than rolling over in your bed. We practice our rolls to make them easier to perform which coincidentally makes them more reliable. If you are a serious student of rolling and advanced kayak skills you will incorporate all of the advice people have offered into *your* own unique rolling style. Not all at once but over the years. You will find your self starting to think about keeping the boat from turning on the x/y axis. You will strive to lighten your push on the paddle. You will experiment with slowing down and speeding up. You will strive to keep your ear on your shoulder. You will play around with the timing of your roll, when you start the hip rotation. You start to stretch more before you paddle so your hips are more limber. The exploration of all of these nuances is what will lead you toward *your* roll. All of them will add up to that roll that is too complicated to analyze, but is felt. And it will feel very good indeed. Enjoy the journey Jed *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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