Fix your whitewater roll

[kayakmamma]

Come to the roll clinic at Rendezvous 8am at the pool! . If the pool has a chemical imbalance like last year, come to the lake.

But seriously - are you having trouble? There is an answer and it works.
Rx:
Roll 50 times in a session 3 times per week for six weeks. That's it! No pain no gain, you have to be dedicated. This will develop deep muscle memory, so when your brace fails and you're upside down, your body will automatically roll up - every time.
Notice that whitewater isn't really required.

Note: perfect practice is required. Get a good roll and then dial it in, 50 times per session 3 times per week for six weeks.
Do not practice bad form. Do ten rolls and then go do something else and then do five rolls, and then go do something else, roll, roll, until in a session you've done 50.

Note: take care of your ears and sinuses, wear nose plugs, use drops
Also: if you have back problems this isn't going to work for you. Enjoy paddling easier water where you don't flip and swim so much until you heal.

Roll 50 times per session 3 times per week for six weeks every season, and then roll regularly -- all the time after that. Are you sitting in an eddy? Roll. Gentle current? Roll.

Roll! Roll! Roll!

[RobM]

Thanks Lorraine! Sounds like a great workout too. I know I will do this to prefect my roll in any boat I row & I'd advise every white water paddler to do this too no matter how good you feel your roll is. Great advice!

[Eric Esche]

Having someone there to watch and "spot" you and tell you what you are doing right or not can be a help. If you are in NW Arkansas and are willing to roll in Beaver Lake and want some help, give me a shout and I will work with you morning, noon, or night, at a time that works for both of us. A few folks have said it was a help. This offer may only be worth what you pay for it ( I do not charge. ) I do it in friendship, to "pass it on", and to maybe keep from having to rescue someone. No guarantees, as some folks learn faster then others, other than I will keep working with you at what ever speed you want to work at. I have even worked with others on their rolls when the air temperature was in the 20'sF, but it sure is a lot nicer for both of us when it is warmer. IF you have a roll on one side, start working on the other side, and keep at it until you get it.

Eric Esche 479-721-9101 cell or spesche@aol.com to email
Call or email me - I'm enough of an old fart to not be much on texting.

Please note - This is sort of a time limited offer. Do it now while the water is warm. I'm having surgery December 11th in OKC to finally do a "revision" to my right knee which had a total knee replacement 2 years ago and which "went bad". Doctor tells me that I will be out of service for at least 8 weeks, so I will miss many, if not most, of the pool sessions at the Jones Center this winter where I have volunteered for the last several years with the NW Chapter. Jon Kennedy had promised to help me more there this year, so now there are 2 of us who will need to be replaced. There is almost always someone else there to help out at these roll sessions, but we have never promised that there would be - Just that the pool would be available. I hope more folks step up to make sure that we are not missed on those Saturday mornings this winter.

[Charles1967]

Thank you, Lorraine. That was such an awesome thing for you ya'll to do. I've NEVER practiced my roll in a pool and it was really, really cool. Really allowed me to focus on my ROLL and not what the current was doing to me, or if that thing in the water is a snake, stick, or Baby Ruth bar. Got some good work on my offside roll and plan to keep working on it. So great to have folks like you so willing to take time and teach others.

[Chrissy]

Thanks for the pool roll session, Lorraine! And thanks to everyone who helped out (Heather, and others). This was my first time practicing my roll in a pool. And, I wore my drytop to try to get used to rolling in it (because it does feel different).

I like your advice about 50 rolls per session. I'm not sure that I've ever done 50, but I like to practice several rolls at a time.

ps Jonah thought you were the best teacher, ever, Lorraine!!
pps Good luck with your surgery Eric.

[kayakmamma]

Thanks to everyone who helped and came out to roll! It was good fun. Thanks for the kind comments. Chrissy- it was a Baby Ruth bar

[fzburk]

Muscle memory/repetition is important. Also repeating a good roll is important, not just quantity. Quality is sometimes more important. I've seen people develop "so-so" rolls in a pool - practice that so-so roll relentlessly, and then be amazed that they blew a roll on the river. Lots of factors involved, but mostly poor practice and a roll that gets worse, not better.

For that reason is is important if you can have someone who knows what they are looking for watch your roll – have them critique

Rolling multiple times without making corrections leads to 'slippage.' Your roll will become less efficient over time. You will start 'muscling' the roll to make up for the lack of technique.

You need to practice form, slow it down, smooth it out, become graceful. Your roll should be without any sense of urgency or stress.

So, if you're going to do 50 rolls, do the first first five from setup, no more.

The next ones will be from various ways to go over.

Lean forward
Lean backward
Over left
Over right
Put the paddle in your strong hand
Put the paddle in your off-hand
Toss the paddle into the air - go over - find it - set up - roll
Put the paddle on your back deck - go over - find it - set up - roll
Have a friend hold the paddle on the side of the pool - go over - have the friend count to ten or fifteen before they throw the paddle near you - find it - set up - roll

If you have a break down paddle – take it apart – roll with only one half

Go over with the paddle separated - put the paddle together- set up - roll.

Go over, handgupside down and count to twenty or more – then set up and roll

Blow all your air out first – go over - count to twenty – set up – roll.

If you carry a spare on your front or back deck (sea kayaks) go over – find your spare – roll with half, find your spare and put it together- set up roll

if you like to have your eyes closed – open them

if you like to open your eyes – close them

take your nose clip off a couple of times

let water go up your nose and fill up the sinus cavity – set up – roll

If you have a friend around, close your eyes and have them tip you over unexpectedly (as much as possible). If they can, force the kayak to flip forward or backward, have them not let you roll by holding you down for ten or fifteen seconds

Start near the edge of a pool – go upside down and swim to the side

Go further from the edge – repeat

Find out how far you can swim to the side of the pool before you run out of air

Pull your spray skirt - go over - set up - roll
Repeat a number of times with a blown spray skirt - find out how well you roll with a boat full of water

Rolling in real conditions seldom happens when you are ready, to the side you want to set up on, with plenty of air, with the paddle firmly in both hands, with your nose clip on, and in a situation where you can set up quickly and roll. Being able to hang around while upside down and relax is sometimes more important than anything else.

You'll also want to develop a 'mantra.' Mind is "set up - roll." No matter what is happening I only concentrate on 'set up - roll."

If I blow the first roll (it happens) my second mantra is "slow the eff down."

Keep them doggies rolling - rawhide!

Mark

[Eric Esche]

GREAT suggestions Mark. Good post.

[Charles1967]

One missing:

Drop paddle - catch ball - make sure as you're falling the other team sees you spike the ball with a smile - dive - realize as you laugh underwater you are losing air - find paddle - setup - roll -take your imaginary point and celebrate with team.

[RobM]

Sounds like your playing boatball Charles!

[kayakmamma]

Haha y'all are awesome