[Paddlewise] handsroll vs paddle roll

 From a pure thought experiment standpoint, it seems to me that there is a 
simple explanation why some people can learn the hands roll much easier 
than they learn the paddle roll.

With a handsroll, you have to flail away with the arms to set up the 
hipsnap. With a paddle roll, if you flail with the paddle,  the paddle will 
dive and the hipsnap will fail.  This is an essential difference. Some 
people just cannot understand that rolling requires almost zero upper body 
strength. There are very few instances in life where upper body strength is 
a distinct disadvantage. However, eskimo rolling is one of them. Apply too 
much force on the paddle during the sweep, and it dives, and no amount of 
hipsnap can overcome that. It's that simple.

Handsrolling is the exact opposite. The more force you can apply with your 
arms, the less strong your hipsnap needs to be, and the more likely you are 
to make a successful roll. You still need to have a strong hipsnap, but 
perhaps some people are more receptive to doing a strong hipsnap AFTER they 
have done a strong upper body contraction. Regardless, the natural tendency 
to flail away with your arms is an advantage.

I think the essence of the conundrum here is that human beings are used to 
using their arms to accomplish physical tasks. We are not used to using 
lateral hip rotation to accomplish anything physical. Perhaps salsa dancing 
uses this motion, but that is not a physical task to overcome and conquer. 
I can't think of any other sport or physical endeavor that requires the 
same lateral rotational motion as hipsnapping in kayaking. Can you?

Kevin



especially for upper-body centered males. Wailing away with the arms is 
something everyone understands, but rotating the lower body sideways and 
independent of the upper body is something nobody does on a regular basis 
(except kayakers).

Kevin Whilden
Your Planet Earth
http://www.yourplanetearth.org
(206) 788-0281 (ph)
(206) 788-0284 (f)


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