RE: [Paddlewise] Request for exercise advice

Hi Bill,

After many years of teaching roll, I can tell you that women usually learn
the technique faster than men. But you will wonder how can this be possible
being women "weaker" than men ? The answer is exactly that ... women know
they don't have the same strengh ( generally speaking, ladies ... ) so they
rely on their technique, developing it, finding the way to do it without
strengh. And they succeed.

By using our strengh for everything, we men always fall on the same mistake,
we concentrate on finding the right spot, the proper moment when to apply
our strengh, and forget about the technique. We fail.

Unless you specifically know that your hips are weak ( I mean, said by the
physician ), you may be on the wrong path. The fact that there are so many
different ways to do the roll, is indicative that not everybody feels
comfortable with the same technique. You may like the C to C roll, and be
failing it just because your body doesn't feel completely comfortable with
it, or even when you think you understand it step by step on your mind, your
body just don't respond as supposed to.

This is a very common problem, happens to everybody, your age shouldn't be a
problem at all. There is no need of strengh for any rolling technique, not
at all. It is just a smooth continuous movement, but very unusual and
generally dificult to understand by the body. My suggestion is this ...

Take a brake with the C to C. Try other techniques, I would suggest the
screw or the pawlatta. Screw is my favorite for being absolutely efortless
and smooth, easy to understand. Develope it untill you feel confident that
no matter what happens during your practices, you can rely on it as a bomb
proof backup roll.

Then go back to the C to C, practice it wearing a snorkel mask. This way you
can take your time underwater, see what you are doing, see if your body is
doing what you want him to do. Get asistance from an instructor or a friend
with a good roll. Analyze every simple movement and find where you fail.
Then you can practice easily, so if you fail your first chance with your c
to c , you will still be able to reposition yourself for that bomb proof
roll you have achieved before.

I have recenly teaching the roll to a friend. After a few days
sistematically failing the c to c, ( he saw it on a video and wanted to
learn it ) I convinced him to try the screw roll. He made it in only half an
hour. 2 hours later he could do it on both sides. Now we will go back to the
c to c which I am sure he will complete without trouble.

Being able to roll with any of the techniques lets your body get used to the
new movements and gives you that extra confidence that you can rely on it
and not bail anymore. Then you can concentrate to work out all the other
techniques.

The hip snap of the c to c is meant to supply an extra impulse that will
roll the boat very fast. You also position your paddle well above the water
level when you reach the first "C". These two characteristics are very
desirable in white water, where you are dealing with rocks and rapids ...
the faster the better. But in seakayaking all you usually have is water,
sometimes wind, so you can use any of the other techniques which don't
require the hip snap at all. As I said, the screw is very easy, efficient,
and you finish in a position from which you are ready to paddle or brace as
required.

I hope I have been of your help.

And thank you for showing all of us that age is not an excuse when you want
to learn something new, even when it is fisical and demanding. Go to work
"kid" ... you have a lot of practice ahead !!!

Best regards !

Fernando Lopez Arbarello
***  KAYAK ARGENTINA  ***
http://home.earthlink.net/~kayakargentina

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