Although I disagree with your learning order (= the order of the steps you take/teach), this video is among the best I've seen, especially the simple, straightforward problem diagnostics. Well done!
@ja_berm4422 thanks for checking out the video and for the kind and constructive words. I'd love to hear the order you use as always looking to improve and iterate on our progressions.
this is a very well done video that highlights some key points. Well done. I can use this before going to pool sessions or boating to reinforce good technique. Excellent job
While this video is an excellent instructional movie for the sweep roll in a whitewater kayak, I believe that this link to a video is the gold standard instruction for all kayak sweep rolling - ruclips.net/video/xfaRhZkazpU/видео.html
Ha ha.. with my gimpy shoulders these days I try to avoid it as much as possible.. This winter in the pool.. ha ha ha. Thanks for the kind words Karen!
Class video, really well explained. Trying to roll last week in a pool with instruction, but my brain just turned to mush, so embarrassing. After watching this a few times, I cant wait for the next session to slowly take my time and try glide through it. Thx a mill
This video was highly recommended to me, but I was perplexed after watching it. Surface tension is a technical term relating to the physical properties of water, which is not at all how the narrator uses this term. The video was pretty useful once I realized what he meant by surface tension, but I was totally thrown for a loop at first.
Thanks for checking out the video Scott and for taking the time to comment. We are glad to hear that ultimately the tutorial was useful, in spite of the confusion generated around the terminology. The use of surface tension is most certainly an instructor speak adaptation to describe creating tension and pressure on the paddle blade (with the water ie. Pulling) vs shedding that resiatance/tension. An example of in-person context and rea station versus the video medium. Thanks again for checking this out.
@@AQOutdoors That would be AWESOME to see. For some reason the positioning just messes with me when I'm upside down, so being able to see the leg/knee work would be sweeeet!
Wow, I just had a total epiphany reading your blog post at Kokotat, another writeup, and rewatching this. I want to favor my left shoulder (getting old!), so I want to sweep with my right hand, with my left mostly just acting as the static pivot point. My mistake: I was rolling over into the water on the RIGHT side, setting up on that side, and trying to sweep back on that side. But I was on the WRONG side, with my right hand stern-ward and my left hand bow-ward!!! I was only getting a quarter of the body rotation, totally wasting the setup! Plus I was trying to power the blade, not shed it. So the fix is to roll over into the water on the LEFT side, with my right hand bow-ward and my left hand stern-ward. Then, with the blade slicing properly, I'll get a HUGE rotation of my upper body from the left side, around across the bow, and around the right side to the stern. That makes use of the full torso windup that the setup prepares. What the girl in the orange Dagger is doing.
@@simoncoward34 Success! I wouldn't say I nailed it, because it took a number of failed attempts and wet exits before it worked. And that one was almost a surprise as it came together and I popped over. Managed to repeat it twice more (with more wet exits), then called it a day. I was still making all the common mistakes, paddle going straight down, leading with my head. The key was really concentrating on following the flat sweep around with my eyes and leaning way back. Biggest impediment is a weak hip snap. I'll write it all up in a post on my woodworking blog. Thank you!!!
@@stochasmvid thanks for the update and stoked you made some progress. With the shedding power it is super surprising when you come up the first few times as it feels effortless... keep us posted...
Knowing how to scull for support will prevent you from panicking if your roll fails. Also, once comfortable, you can have buddies push you in (and watching you to make sure you succeed the roll).
Hey Ryan. Thanks for checking out the video and the comment. What year were you on the kicking horse? Seems like a lifetime ago that I was guiding there..
I'd say it would have been 4-5 years ago. Whenever the fires were. Sounds like you've got a year round thing going on! I just bought my first whitewater kayak so I'll be watching alot of these videos. If I hadn't have moved back home to New Brunswick I'd be coming for some live lessons! I'll spread the word to my buddies in cowtown though.
@@AQOutdoors That would be awesome! Unfortunely, as most of the whitewater federations, we are on a broken shoestring budget! I will pass the word in the organisation, maybe we can find a volunter... I'll let you know about it!
I also want to add - that since I lost 40 lbs and got into better shape - that the roll is much much easier if you are a 'big guy' and are struggling with the roll - try losing some weight and doing some core work on your midsection and you can't do enough practice hip snaps by hanging onto the side of a pool - don't push down, just barely hang on and let your midsection rotate to turn the boat
Great video mate. Like others, the only thing I don't fully understand is "shedding tension off the paddle blade". Does this imply that the roll would work using exactly the same technique and movements WITHOUT a paddle? (Please give it a try one day and let me know). Alternatively is there an amount of pulling pressure on the blade from your arm/shoulder giving your body just a bit of lift, even though the paddle blade is remaining level with the water surface? That is, there's vertical drag pulling your body up but not horizontal drag as you sweep. Hope you can understand what I'm getting at.
Thanks for the kind words and the comment. In theory, this does work without a paddle, however, in my experience it isn't quite the same body dynamic to perform a hand roll. The shedding of resistance is simply allowing the blade to slice through the water. This allows the body to continue to rotate. If the roller allows resistance to build on the blade (ie. Pulling water with the power face) this stops body rotation and in turn the roll fails (often presents as a partial roll and then the roller falls back into the water) So, the answer to your question is, a little resistance/ pull on the blade is OK, though the less the better. Less minimizes the likelihood of body rotation being compromised and, in an aerated water situation if you can roll with no surface tension on the paddle blade you are more likely to be successful. Hope that makes sense?
Thanks for the comment. You drive the paddle around from nose to tail. It will slice down a little but maybe only at a 10 degree angle. Hope that helps
Very nice! I like the breakdown of steps. Can you give specifics of the knee drive? Does that mean lifting the lower knee up into the thigh brace, powering the lower body while the upper body is rotating?
Thanks for the comment Steve. That is correct. Easily practised off the edge of the pool or the bow of someone's boat. When you get really comfy with it you can easily complete it with only one or two fingers on the boat or side of the pool
Hi Kimber. The knee not driving basically goes a little loose in the thigh brace. It doesn't really do much . I tend to straighten it a little.. until you are upright and ready to engage in paddling again it is pretty passive
Ive been struggling with rolling for years. Its good then bad then good again......Came across this video and will try this today in the lake. The part that I struggle with is pausing and following through after the tension hits. Any tips to help with these two steps?
Thank you for checking out the video and commenting. The following through piece is a difficult one. One thing we find works is having students grip the paddle very lightly, the reference we use is to take the pinkies off the shaft. Using this tactic when the pressure hits if you keep your grip light the paddle will naturally feather and release the pressure. The trick here is to not brick the paddle tightly as the pressure comes onto the blade, as this still allows you to pull on the play with pressure. The releasing of pressure on the blade helps with continued body rotation and following through on the wrong. The pools face is just a mind game thing we will tap on the bottom of the boat for people in one second increments. This allows people to know how long they've actually been underwater for. Hopefully a couple of little tips that will help keep us posted on how it goes. Thanks again
@@AQOutdoors I will try the pinky thing today and let you know. Im only going to work on one thing at a time as I feel like both would be too much. Once I get the follow through consistent, I will continue on to increase pausing before starting the roll. Thanks so much for the tips!
I recently switched to the sweep roll as I found myself having trouble while flipped mid rapid. Check out my “Savage Swim” video for a great example lol. This whole time I thought you needed surface tension during the sweep!! I kind of catapult myself up while sweeping back. Can’t wait to try slicing the paddle through the water instead. Still not sure how that rolls you up but I will try it
Thanks so much for the comment. Sorry to hear about the swim.. a good motivation to switch up the roll... ha ha. The shedding power off the blade has to be combined with body rotation, otherwise it wont work. Play around with it and let us know if it goes well or if you have any struggles/ questions.
Just to say there are lots of variations in the mental model of the "Knee Drive" with different emphases (often different parts of the body) but to the same effect. If folks aren't quite getting it (the effect), then it's worth shifting to a different view of what moves relative to what, be that foot pressure, hip twist and rotation, head posture and rotation, gaze direction, core muscle, elbow to thigh, etc. Avoid the fixation of doing the wrong mental thing righter when it's not working. Plus if you/they are nearly rolling but with roll variant (C-2-C etc), then redirect there. And then there is the 'hands along the shaft' paddle extension to avoid the swim and try again.
@@AQOutdoors Thanks, one problem for this type of sweep roll is the conflict between the Inuit style 'lay on the back deck' finish (similar to the hand roll finish) and the white water 'sitting up, forward, ready to paddle' desire that the C-2-C seeks to obtain. There is a lot of posture choice in between. It often seems like the problem is in the last few degrees of rolling up, which then overwhelms the students (and sometimes my) desire for a 'good' roll ;-) At my age, off-side rolls aren't as smooth as I'd like !
I discovered the not waiting for the knee drive in a pool session. by starting the hip snap early, you eliminate the pull down on the paddle while upside down.
I have a glorified recreational kayak. I'm determined to roll it but I'm having little success. What would you recommend for rolling a big stable boat?
It really depends on how wide the boat is. If it doesnt have thigh braces and is quite wide it will be a really struggle. Probably best to learn in a class in a whitewater boat and then once mastered try in a more recreational boat. You would likely be better served learning a deep water re entry for your boat.
When people roll they naturally want to 'pull' on the blade and feel pressure build (like a power stroke). For this roll you need unencumbered body rotation so of you build power on the blade body rotation stops and you fall over (often presents as a roll that makes it halfway up and then fails). For this sweep roll you turn your wrists back to shed resistance on the blade to allow body rotation. Hope that helps..
Hi Thomas. Thanks for the kind words. In this roll of you build power on the blade it throws the mechanics off. You basically want the blade to slice through the water with little to no resistance. To shed power, when you feel resistance (ie. Pulling water), simply turn your wrists back (like throttling on a motor bike). This releases the power off the blade and allows the body to rotate. Hope that helps. Feel free to quiz further if you need more clarification
@@simoncoward34 Ah, thank you, I didn't understand that subtlety. I was thinking you wanted a lot of pressure from the blade, so I had the concept backwards.
Hi there. We have adapted this for a couple of paddlers with lower body paralysis. I must confess, there was no 'science' behind it they were more of work with the individual scenarios. The guy we had the most success with would set up as per this roll he would then do the following: * begin the sweep, however instead of slicing the paddle we encouraged a slight climbing angle on the blade which created surface tension * From there he would drive up from his obliques (rather than hips and knee). * This would get momentum out of the water * Body rotation would continue until he felt like he was going to fall back over (this seemed an unavoidable function of not being able to 'roll' the boat up with the hips/knees) * Once this feeling of being about to fall back over happened he would then start to move the paddle the opposite direction (stern to bow) with surface tension on the blade * again here, engaging obliques, 'sculling' the paddle forward. * a successful roll would be achieved when the paddler was leaning all the way forward back centered over his boat. I hope those words can create a visual as it is not something we ever filmed. It did however work consistently in Class III whitewater. It may be worth noting the paddler in this instance raised his seat a little to create additional leverage. Cheers for checking out the video. Hope this helps. Would be happy to troubleshoot with you along the way..
Probably one of the best examples shown. But in my opinion, too many steps, and I tend to skip teaching (the Pause) for reasons being. People tend to pause to long in real world scenarios.
I don't get out to the side enough and I pull on the blade to get up - which is why I can only do it in calm water I'll try your suggestions at the bottom of a rapid and see if I can improve
Good luck with the progression. If you start tour knee drive (hip flick) at the same time as the sweep it will help. Also think about 'pushing' the paddle away from the boat to start the sweep rather than pulling. Keep us posted..
@@simoncoward34 I like the idea of starting the hip snap when you start moving the paddle My best new improvement is: NOT leaning back in rapids - keeping my chest down and not extending my forward strokes so far back that it makes me lean back I lean forward (while still up ) in rapids and end my strokes earlier - I also do more low bracing - this keeps my stern up high and if I do flip, then I get in my setup position instantly after the flip - instead of hanging down upside down and having to do that really difficult underwater sit up the pause also helps - because it helps me focus - and try to keep my blade high during the sweep what I have found is the real key to success is - using your core muscles properly - the sweep and hip snap are skills - the crunch to get the paddle as high as possible - is the ticket and .. in general, I have been doing easier rapids - so I feel I can compete with river (not against it) and try to have good form all the way down the river - instead of doing rapids that are too challenging for me this allows me to 'keep my head' instead of being sketchy and panicking also, just playing around in eddies and bottoms of rapids is a great way to gain confidence and how to develop that instinctive feel for being in control of the boat whether you are right side up or upside down - you are still kayaking (as long as you are still in your boat!) the underwater hip snap is just another skill - like bracing is a skill the good boaters are the ones whos bodies can do what their minds tell them to do - and do it quickly and make it look easy no substitute for quality time on the water
Thanks for checking out the video. How can we help explain the knee drive? In our progression it initiates the commonly referred to hip flick. Grab the bow of another boat, edge of the pool etc. Just something solid. Pit one hand on top of the other and then basically lay your head on your hands. From there, roll the boat over on top of you. Your head will still be on your hands out of the water. Now, keeping your head on your hands, drive your boat towards being flat thinking about your knee driving into the thighbrace, do this a bunch of times without even taking your head off your hands. Once you feel the connectivity and drive going through the thigh brace you are on the right track. The next step is to fully right yourself. The knee drive initiates and the 'hip flicks finishes it off. For us, once we have a paddle in the hand, the knee drive starts at rhe same time as the sweep. The hip flick follows on from that dynamic power 'move'. The hip flick is a bit more finesse and ends in the finish position. Hope that helps and feel free to reach out with more questions.. Good luck..
Hi Leslie. They both have their place and one or the other tends to be easier for different body types. We choose to reach the sweep roll as it doesnt require surface tension on the paddle blade to work. So, when in whitewater, where surface tension is lacking in aerated water we find the sweep roll more reliable. Both, if performed correctly work great. We have just chosen the sweep roll for a few reasons as the main roll we teach.
@@AQOutdoors Check out one of my videos. I've had to change the way I teach rolling. With the over 50 crowd getting into the sport. See if this works for you. I've managed to teach people who have never kayaked. To roll independently within 15 minutes.
Hi , I was really doing well with this roll but I have lost a bit of confidence with it as I failed once or twice in moving water during a flip , I tend to miss the first roll but generally get the second attempt and the occasional swim 🥶 I think I am rushing first attempt , I am also guilty of not looking down the paddle shaft , any suggestions? Cheers👍
Hi Colin. Thanks for the update. Without seeing what you are doing it is hard to say. However, more often than not it is a bit of patience and ensuring the setup is correct before attempting that first roll. When practicing in moving water try the following: - force yourself to count slowly to at least 3 (ideally 5) before attempting to roll. - during this count, make sure you are getting your body out to the side of the boat and lips as close to the surface as you can - when you initiate the sweep, make sure your knee drive / hip flick, activate at the same time. Best of luck and hope this helps Simon
A set of noseplugs work great for this! Alternately, when in the pool some people wear diving masks. This allows you to see the paddle and also prevents water getting into your nose. On a side note, for the roll we teach you want to focus on reaching out to the side of the boat underwater, not so much leaning forwards
I think it would be great to show the roll without the set up - in other words, just flop over and then roll up. When I set up my roll is perfect. However, when I flop over, I tend to look up at the blade and that, I think, makes my paddle dive just a little bit.
Thanks Greg. I have added it to the list of potential videos. One thing worth trying if you are having issues with the setup. When you flip over, take a second to let the boat settle upside down, then (and this is counter-intuitive) extend your body at 90 degrees to the boat (on the side you roll). Now when you are out to the side, try and get your lips to the surface (as if trying to take a breath), this will help wrap you up to the side of the boat. At this stage reach both hands up to the surface into the start position. To help prevent the paddle diving ensure your knee drive (or hip flick as some people refer to) starts at the same time as your sweep. Give it a try and I'd be stoked to hear if it helps!. Simon
I don't have a problem with my roll - I am just striving for perfection! I want to achieve a sweep roll where the paddle blade barely enters the water. I try to avoid practicing with the set up because (let's face it) when you get flipped over you are rarely in the set up position. What I like about your video is the five step breakdown, especially the pause. No matter what the situation I always count to three before I try to roll up, even in class 3 rapids. Very good advice. Anyway, I have my own channel. I'd love to get some comments from you on my (unprofessionally created) videos. ruclips.net/channel/UCL2ob-p59lb6jIOv6bu4hsA
Thanks Greg. Just checked out some of your videos. Cheers for posting some great information. I just posted a comment on your Katana review. One of my favorite boats by the way. It was odd watching your video, wherever you shot it looks like the pool we teach kayaking in on our Costa Rica Trip. The surroundings are different but pool is identical.. ha ha
Hi Tom. Thanks for the message. We monitor our you tube channel pretty closely! OK, so the sweep, it is often the hiccup for people. In this roll, you want to think of the paddle being 'pushed' away from the boat to start with. If you pull doing the sweep roll the paddle dives and it doesn't work. The best option is to have someone film the trajectory of your paddle from above the water, watch it, and if the paddle is moving down rather than away from the boat then you are likely pulling down to much. Once you get that movement correct, if the paddle starts diving later in the sweep, that is where the 'shedding the resistance' piece comes in by turning your wrists back. Hope that helps and feel free to check in for additional insight
Hi Rob. The knee drive is basically a different way of breaking down what has historically been called a hip flick. We have found in teaching that we have had greater success with students using the knee drive description. Essentially, as soon as the sweep starts, the paddler creates the 'rolling' momentum in the kayak by building pressure on the knee/thigh brace. This energy is then transferred into the hip and the body rotation completes the roll. I hope that helps. We are going to do a video on the knee drive alone at some point. Will post in the comments here for sure once done.
Die Frau führt das Paddel schön flach. Der Mann hingegen zieht es steil nach unten. Zwei gravierende Unterschiede. Hier eine weitere Variante. Eher ein Mix zwischen flach und steil: ruclips.net/video/WdM2gzy1DhE/видео.html
Eine gute Beobachtung, Peter. Beide sind nicht falsch, das Schlüsselstück ist, dass Sie nicht an der Klinge ziehen wollen. Lieber durch das Wasser "schneiden". Ich habe mit google translate auf diese Frage geantwortet, daher entschuldige ich mich, wenn Grammer / Tempus inkorrekt ist
@@ytusersumone im a year further into the sport noticed your comment and im wondering the same thing about you i currently got 3 different spray decks and 4 kayaks and some of these spray decks dont go off as easily as others and not every kayak exits as easy as the other when going upside down as a beginner it can be quite a panic experience and its quite easy to get stuck while trying to get out
Thanks for the comment. In this roll the paddle isn't vertical, you just shed resistance off the blade through the sweep to not impede body rotation (dame concept as a hand roll). Agreed that a vertical paddle is not the way to roll.
Although I disagree with your learning order (= the order of the steps you take/teach), this video is among the best I've seen, especially the simple, straightforward problem diagnostics. Well done!
@ja_berm4422 thanks for checking out the video and for the kind and constructive words. I'd love to hear the order you use as always looking to improve and iterate on our progressions.
I went out and tried rolling like in this video, it works so well it's crazy! It's like my roll got a 10x powerup!
Oh man.. that is so great to hear. It is so counterintuitive but so effective. So fired up to get this feedback.. thank you.
Yes let's roll baby! Encouraging comment for me as well
Watched this one at least 10 times. Great visuals for learning the sweep.
Thanks so much for the kind words. So stoked it is helping you!
Best video to break down sweep rolling I’ve seen.
this is a very well done video that highlights some key points. Well done. I can use this before going to pool sessions or boating to reinforce good technique. Excellent job
Thanks so much for the kind words Jennifer. Really happy to hear you are finding this video useful.
About time a good sweep roll video came up! Brilliant job, going to show it to every student before they come to our rolling sessions!
Thanks so much for the kind words Archer. Super stoked you found it useful. Hope it helps your students in the future!
While this video is an excellent instructional movie for the sweep roll in a whitewater kayak, I believe that this link to a video is the gold standard instruction for all kayak sweep rolling - ruclips.net/video/xfaRhZkazpU/видео.html
going for lessons today excited I think I have it Lol.... Great video Thanks
Simon, I just realized that I've never seen you have to roll! The rest of those guys look super awesome! Great video, as always!
Ha ha.. with my gimpy shoulders these days I try to avoid it as much as possible.. This winter in the pool.. ha ha ha. Thanks for the kind words Karen!
Class video, really well explained. Trying to roll last week in a pool with instruction, but my brain just turned to mush, so embarrassing. After watching this a few times, I cant wait for the next session to slowly take my time and try glide through it. Thx a mill
Still learning to roll here too. From what I have seen this is the best way. I wish you well on your rolling journey 🤙
Very well done, just watching for the second time looking forward to practice
Thanks Lloyd. Keep us posted on how it progresses for you!
This video was highly recommended to me, but I was perplexed after watching it. Surface tension is a technical term relating to the physical properties of water, which is not at all how the narrator uses this term. The video was pretty useful once I realized what he meant by surface tension, but I was totally thrown for a loop at first.
Thanks for checking out the video Scott and for taking the time to comment. We are glad to hear that ultimately the tutorial was useful, in spite of the confusion generated around the terminology. The use of surface tension is most certainly an instructor speak adaptation to describe creating tension and pressure on the paddle blade (with the water ie. Pulling) vs shedding that resiatance/tension. An example of in-person context and rea station versus the video medium. Thanks again for checking this out.
Good video. You know what would make it perfect though........a see through kayak!
We are actually working on it for an update to this...
@@AQOutdoors
That would be AWESOME to see. For some reason the positioning just messes with me when I'm upside down, so being able to see the leg/knee work would be sweeeet!
Wow, I just had a total epiphany reading your blog post at Kokotat, another writeup, and rewatching this. I want to favor my left shoulder (getting old!), so I want to sweep with my right hand, with my left mostly just acting as the static pivot point.
My mistake: I was rolling over into the water on the RIGHT side, setting up on that side, and trying to sweep back on that side. But I was on the WRONG side, with my right hand stern-ward and my left hand bow-ward!!! I was only getting a quarter of the body rotation, totally wasting the setup! Plus I was trying to power the blade, not shed it.
So the fix is to roll over into the water on the LEFT side, with my right hand bow-ward and my left hand stern-ward. Then, with the blade slicing properly, I'll get a HUGE rotation of my upper body from the left side, around across the bow, and around the right side to the stern. That makes use of the full torso windup that the setup prepares. What the girl in the orange Dagger is doing.
That makes me so stoked to hear. Really pumped that this video and some of our words have helped.
@@simoncoward34 I'll let you know tomorrow!
@@simoncoward34 Success! I wouldn't say I nailed it, because it took a number of failed attempts and wet exits before it worked. And that one was almost a surprise as it came together and I popped over. Managed to repeat it twice more (with more wet exits), then called it a day. I was still making all the common mistakes, paddle going straight down, leading with my head. The key was really concentrating on following the flat sweep around with my eyes and leaning way back. Biggest impediment is a weak hip snap. I'll write it all up in a post on my woodworking blog. Thank you!!!
@@stochasmvid thanks for the update and stoked you made some progress. With the shedding power it is super surprising when you come up the first few times as it feels effortless... keep us posted...
Knowing how to scull for support will prevent you from panicking if your roll fails. Also, once comfortable, you can have buddies push you in (and watching you to make sure you succeed the roll).
Thanks for checking out the video and for the comment!
Uncle Si from Australia (kidding)!? Had this guy on the Kicking Horse as a guide. Amazing time and was in good hands. Cheers
Hey Ryan. Thanks for checking out the video and the comment. What year were you on the kicking horse? Seems like a lifetime ago that I was guiding there..
I'd say it would have been 4-5 years ago. Whenever the fires were. Sounds like you've got a year round thing going on! I just bought my first whitewater kayak so I'll be watching alot of these videos. If I hadn't have moved back home to New Brunswick I'd be coming for some live lessons! I'll spread the word to my buddies in cowtown though.
@@ryanbresson2447 thanks so much Ryan. Enjoy the first steps of whitewater.. pretty bloody fun. Hit us up anytime for tips and tricks..
Superbly clear instruction, will be a big help! Thanks 😁
Jules Roberts thanks so much for the kind words..
Very nicely explained. Great Video.
COB thanks so much for the kind words. Really stoked it made sense.
Very nice video!!!
I wish it was in French for our local paddlers here in Québec...
Alex, VP of whitewater Quebec Federation (Eau Vive Québec)
Thanks Alexandre. I wouldnt be against doing a translated version if someone in the EVQ was keen to help out!
@@AQOutdoors That would be awesome! Unfortunely, as most of the whitewater federations, we are on a broken shoestring budget! I will pass the word in the organisation, maybe we can find a volunter... I'll let you know about it!
I would like to see more done right to left as I am a leftie struggling to get my sweep roll.
@@andrewscott1253 thanks for the feedback. We are working on a more detailed version of this video and it will include both right and left
I also want to add - that since I lost 40 lbs and got into better shape - that the roll is much much easier
if you are a 'big guy' and are struggling with the roll - try losing some weight and doing some core work on your midsection
and you can't do enough practice hip snaps by hanging onto the side of a pool - don't push down, just barely hang on and let your midsection rotate to turn the boat
Thanks for the input.. the flexibility definitely really helps with rolling.
Great video mate. Like others, the only thing I don't fully understand is "shedding tension off the paddle blade". Does this imply that the roll would work using exactly the same technique and movements WITHOUT a paddle? (Please give it a try one day and let me know). Alternatively is there an amount of pulling pressure on the blade from your arm/shoulder giving your body just a bit of lift, even though the paddle blade is remaining level with the water surface? That is, there's vertical drag pulling your body up but not horizontal drag as you sweep. Hope you can understand what I'm getting at.
Thanks for the kind words and the comment. In theory, this does work without a paddle, however, in my experience it isn't quite the same body dynamic to perform a hand roll. The shedding of resistance is simply allowing the blade to slice through the water. This allows the body to continue to rotate. If the roller allows resistance to build on the blade (ie. Pulling water with the power face) this stops body rotation and in turn the roll fails (often presents as a partial roll and then the roller falls back into the water)
So, the answer to your question is, a little resistance/ pull on the blade is OK, though the less the better. Less minimizes the likelihood of body rotation being compromised and, in an aerated water situation if you can roll with no surface tension on the paddle blade you are more likely to be successful.
Hope that makes sense?
Great explination. Do you drive the paddle down or around from the nose to the tail?
I hope that makes sense.
Thanks for the comment. You drive the paddle around from nose to tail. It will slice down a little but maybe only at a 10 degree angle. Hope that helps
@@AQOutdoors youve helped a lot, thanks
Very nice! I like the breakdown of steps. Can you give specifics of the knee drive? Does that mean lifting the lower knee up into the thigh brace, powering the lower body while the upper body is rotating?
Thanks for the comment Steve. That is correct. Easily practised off the edge of the pool or the bow of someone's boat. When you get really comfy with it you can easily complete it with only one or two fingers on the boat or side of the pool
If I’m rolling up on my right side utilizing right knee, what should the other leg be doing? I asked my instructor & she yelled at me. Lol
Hi Kimber. The knee not driving basically goes a little loose in the thigh brace. It doesn't really do much . I tend to straighten it a little.. until you are upright and ready to engage in paddling again it is pretty passive
@@AQOutdoors thank you!
@@KimIrby any time.. please let us know how it goes..
Ive been struggling with rolling for years. Its good then bad then good again......Came across this video and will try this today in the lake. The part that I struggle with is pausing and following through after the tension hits. Any tips to help with these two steps?
Thank you for checking out the video and commenting. The following through piece is a difficult one. One thing we find works is having students grip the paddle very lightly, the reference we use is to take the pinkies off the shaft. Using this tactic when the pressure hits if you keep your grip light the paddle will naturally feather and release the pressure. The trick here is to not brick the paddle tightly as the pressure comes onto the blade, as this still allows you to pull on the play with pressure. The releasing of pressure on the blade helps with continued body rotation and following through on the wrong. The pools face is just a mind game thing we will tap on the bottom of the boat for people in one second increments. This allows people to know how long they've actually been underwater for. Hopefully a couple of little tips that will help keep us posted on how it goes. Thanks again
@@AQOutdoors I will try the pinky thing today and let you know. Im only going to work on one thing at a time as I feel like both would be too much. Once I get the follow through consistent, I will continue on to increase pausing before starting the roll. Thanks so much for the tips!
@@AQOutdoors Well it worked!!!! and to confirm it worked I did a combat roll last night. Thanks so much for the wonderful advice.
@@debrahudson3334 that is so amazing to hear! Thanks so much for letting us know about your success.
I recently switched to the sweep roll as I found myself having trouble while flipped mid rapid. Check out my “Savage Swim” video for a great example lol.
This whole time I thought you needed surface tension during the sweep!! I kind of catapult myself up while sweeping back. Can’t wait to try slicing the paddle through the water instead. Still not sure how that rolls you up but I will try it
Thanks so much for the comment. Sorry to hear about the swim.. a good motivation to switch up the roll... ha ha.
The shedding power off the blade has to be combined with body rotation, otherwise it wont work. Play around with it and let us know if it goes well or if you have any struggles/ questions.
The same way a sail slices through air to drive a boat⛵️, or how a wing slices the air to lift a plane ✈️ 🍻
Just to say there are lots of variations in the mental model of the "Knee Drive" with different emphases (often different parts of the body) but to the same effect. If folks aren't quite getting it (the effect), then it's worth shifting to a different view of what moves relative to what, be that foot pressure, hip twist and rotation, head posture and rotation, gaze direction, core muscle, elbow to thigh, etc. Avoid the fixation of doing the wrong mental thing righter when it's not working.
Plus if you/they are nearly rolling but with roll variant (C-2-C etc), then redirect there. And then there is the 'hands along the shaft' paddle extension to avoid the swim and try again.
Thanks for checking out the video and for the great insight and thoughts. Cheers
@@AQOutdoors Thanks, one problem for this type of sweep roll is the conflict between the Inuit style 'lay on the back deck' finish (similar to the hand roll finish) and the white water 'sitting up, forward, ready to paddle' desire that the C-2-C seeks to obtain. There is a lot of posture choice in between.
It often seems like the problem is in the last few degrees of rolling up, which then overwhelms the students (and sometimes my) desire for a 'good' roll ;-) At my age, off-side rolls aren't as smooth as I'd like !
I discovered the not waiting for the knee drive in a pool session. by starting the hip snap early, you eliminate the pull down on the paddle while upside down.
Such a great addition to the rill progression. Stoked in the comment and thanks for checking out the video.
I have a glorified recreational kayak. I'm determined to roll it but I'm having little success. What would you recommend for rolling a big stable boat?
It really depends on how wide the boat is. If it doesnt have thigh braces and is quite wide it will be a really struggle. Probably best to learn in a class in a whitewater boat and then once mastered try in a more recreational boat. You would likely be better served learning a deep water re entry for your boat.
What do you mean by shedding tension on the blade?
When people roll they naturally want to 'pull' on the blade and feel pressure build (like a power stroke). For this roll you need unencumbered body rotation so of you build power on the blade body rotation stops and you fall over (often presents as a roll that makes it halfway up and then fails). For this sweep roll you turn your wrists back to shed resistance on the blade to allow body rotation. Hope that helps..
Thanks for making this video.
What does "shedding tension off the paddle blade" mean?
Hi Thomas. Thanks for the kind words. In this roll of you build power on the blade it throws the mechanics off. You basically want the blade to slice through the water with little to no resistance. To shed power, when you feel resistance (ie. Pulling water), simply turn your wrists back (like throttling on a motor bike). This releases the power off the blade and allows the body to rotate. Hope that helps. Feel free to quiz further if you need more clarification
It basically means to have less tension this means your less tensed so more relaxed
@@simoncoward34 Ah, thank you, I didn't understand that subtlety. I was thinking you wanted a lot of pressure from the blade, so I had the concept backwards.
so, im paralyzed, how would one shift the movement of the knee drive further up your body to the core?
Hi there. We have adapted this for a couple of paddlers with lower body paralysis. I must confess, there was no 'science' behind it they were more of work with the individual scenarios. The guy we had the most success with would set up as per this roll he would then do the following:
* begin the sweep, however instead of slicing the paddle we encouraged a slight climbing angle on the blade which created surface tension
* From there he would drive up from his obliques (rather than hips and knee).
* This would get momentum out of the water
* Body rotation would continue until he felt like he was going to fall back over (this seemed an unavoidable function of not being able to 'roll' the boat up with the hips/knees)
* Once this feeling of being about to fall back over happened he would then start to move the paddle the opposite direction (stern to bow) with surface tension on the blade
* again here, engaging obliques, 'sculling' the paddle forward.
* a successful roll would be achieved when the paddler was leaning all the way forward back centered over his boat.
I hope those words can create a visual as it is not something we ever filmed. It did however work consistently in Class III whitewater.
It may be worth noting the paddler in this instance raised his seat a little to create additional leverage.
Cheers for checking out the video. Hope this helps. Would be happy to troubleshoot with you along the way..
Probably one of the best examples shown. But in my opinion, too many steps, and I tend to skip teaching (the Pause) for reasons being. People tend to pause to long in real world scenarios.
Thanks so much for checking out the video, the kind words and for your insights. So many ways to teach this, I love hearing how others go about it.
I don't get out to the side enough and I pull on the blade to get up - which is why I can only do it in calm water
I'll try your suggestions at the bottom of a rapid and see if I can improve
Good luck with the progression. If you start tour knee drive (hip flick) at the same time as the sweep it will help. Also think about 'pushing' the paddle away from the boat to start the sweep rather than pulling. Keep us posted..
@@simoncoward34 I like the idea of starting the hip snap when you start moving the paddle
My best new improvement is: NOT leaning back in rapids - keeping my chest down and not extending my forward strokes so far back that it makes me lean back
I lean forward (while still up ) in rapids and end my strokes earlier - I also do more low bracing - this keeps my stern up high
and if I do flip, then I get in my setup position instantly after the flip - instead of hanging down upside down and having to do that really difficult underwater sit up
the pause also helps - because it helps me focus - and try to keep my blade high during the sweep
what I have found is the real key to success is - using your core muscles properly - the sweep and hip snap are skills - the crunch to get the paddle as high as possible - is the ticket
and .. in general, I have been doing easier rapids - so I feel I can compete with river (not against it) and try to have good form all the way down the river - instead of doing rapids that are too challenging for me
this allows me to 'keep my head' instead of being sketchy and panicking
also, just playing around in eddies and bottoms of rapids is a great way to gain confidence and how to develop that instinctive feel for being in control of the boat
whether you are right side up or upside down - you are still kayaking (as long as you are still in your boat!)
the underwater hip snap is just another skill - like bracing is a skill
the good boaters are the ones whos bodies can do what their minds tell them to do - and do it quickly and make it look easy
no substitute for quality time on the water
I can't roll yet next time I go out I am going to try this the knee drive wasn't explained well though 🤔
Thanks for checking out the video. How can we help explain the knee drive?
In our progression it initiates the commonly referred to hip flick. Grab the bow of another boat, edge of the pool etc. Just something solid. Pit one hand on top of the other and then basically lay your head on your hands. From there, roll the boat over on top of you. Your head will still be on your hands out of the water.
Now, keeping your head on your hands, drive your boat towards being flat thinking about your knee driving into the thighbrace, do this a bunch of times without even taking your head off your hands. Once you feel the connectivity and drive going through the thigh brace you are on the right track.
The next step is to fully right yourself. The knee drive initiates and the 'hip flicks finishes it off.
For us, once we have a paddle in the hand, the knee drive starts at rhe same time as the sweep. The hip flick follows on from that dynamic power 'move'. The hip flick is a bit more finesse and ends in the finish position.
Hope that helps and feel free to reach out with more questions..
Good luck..
So what is the better roll....C to C or the sweep roll?.
Hi Leslie. They both have their place and one or the other tends to be easier for different body types. We choose to reach the sweep roll as it doesnt require surface tension on the paddle blade to work. So, when in whitewater, where surface tension is lacking in aerated water we find the sweep roll more reliable. Both, if performed correctly work great. We have just chosen the sweep roll for a few reasons as the main roll we teach.
Great direct simple instructions. But, still too complicated for newbies and older paddlers with surgical repairs.
Thanks for the kind words and for the annecdotal comments. Much appreciated...
@@AQOutdoors
Check out one of my videos. I've had to change the way I teach rolling. With the over 50 crowd getting into the sport. See if this works for you. I've managed to teach people who have never kayaked. To roll independently within 15 minutes.
ruclips.net/video/9rSKU6u-kzs/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/BvbFL1vOkAg/видео.html
@@georgewilliamssr5230 thanks for this. Do you have a link to a specific video? Would love to see the rolling progression
I have managed to nail this technique , my head and body are coming up as one , is this ok ? A lot of instruction is saying head should be last up
Thats is great to hear! Body and head as one is no problem. Should just feel effortless..
Hi , I was really doing well with this roll but I have lost a bit of confidence with it as I failed once or twice in moving water during a flip , I tend to miss the first roll but generally get the second attempt and the occasional swim 🥶 I think I am rushing first attempt , I am also guilty of not looking down the paddle shaft , any suggestions? Cheers👍
Hi Colin. Thanks for the update. Without seeing what you are doing it is hard to say. However, more often than not it is a bit of patience and ensuring the setup is correct before attempting that first roll.
When practicing in moving water try the following:
- force yourself to count slowly to at least 3 (ideally 5) before attempting to roll.
- during this count, make sure you are getting your body out to the side of the boat and lips as close to the surface as you can
- when you initiate the sweep, make sure your knee drive / hip flick, activate at the same time.
Best of luck and hope this helps
Simon
I’m unable to lean forward in a kayak as water immediately rushes into my nose and I have to wet exit any tips on this?
A set of noseplugs work great for this! Alternately, when in the pool some people wear diving masks. This allows you to see the paddle and also prevents water getting into your nose. On a side note, for the roll we teach you want to focus on reaching out to the side of the boat underwater, not so much leaning forwards
I think it would be great to show the roll without the set up - in other words, just flop over and then roll up. When I set up my roll is perfect. However, when I flop over, I tend to look up at the blade and that, I think, makes my paddle dive just a little bit.
Thanks Greg. I have added it to the list of potential videos. One thing worth trying if you are having issues with the setup. When you flip over, take a second to let the boat settle upside down, then (and this is counter-intuitive) extend your body at 90 degrees to the boat (on the side you roll). Now when you are out to the side, try and get your lips to the surface (as if trying to take a breath), this will help wrap you up to the side of the boat. At this stage reach both hands up to the surface into the start position. To help prevent the paddle diving ensure your knee drive (or hip flick as some people refer to) starts at the same time as your sweep. Give it a try and I'd be stoked to hear if it helps!. Simon
I don't have a problem with my roll - I am just striving for perfection! I want to achieve a sweep roll where the paddle blade barely enters the water. I try to avoid practicing with the set up because (let's face it) when you get flipped over you are rarely in the set up position. What I like about your video is the five step breakdown, especially the pause. No matter what the situation I always count to three before I try to roll up, even in class 3 rapids. Very good advice. Anyway, I have my own channel. I'd love to get some comments from you on my (unprofessionally created) videos. ruclips.net/channel/UCL2ob-p59lb6jIOv6bu4hsA
Thanks Greg. Just checked out some of your videos. Cheers for posting some great information. I just posted a comment on your Katana review. One of my favorite boats by the way. It was odd watching your video, wherever you shot it looks like the pool we teach kayaking in on our Costa Rica Trip. The surroundings are different but pool is identical.. ha ha
I am in between Austin and San Antonio, Texas. Sightly different weather than you!
Hello! You prob won’t reply to this because it was two years ago but I can’t do the sweep part
Hi Tom. Thanks for the message. We monitor our you tube channel pretty closely! OK, so the sweep, it is often the hiccup for people. In this roll, you want to think of the paddle being 'pushed' away from the boat to start with. If you pull doing the sweep roll the paddle dives and it doesn't work. The best option is to have someone film the trajectory of your paddle from above the water, watch it, and if the paddle is moving down rather than away from the boat then you are likely pulling down to much.
Once you get that movement correct, if the paddle starts diving later in the sweep, that is where the 'shedding the resistance' piece comes in by turning your wrists back.
Hope that helps and feel free to check in for additional insight
Thanks!
@@biggsy9310 No worries. Let us know how it goes!
Sooo...what's a 'knee drive' look like?
Hi Rob. The knee drive is basically a different way of breaking down what has historically been called a hip flick.
We have found in teaching that we have had greater success with students using the knee drive description.
Essentially, as soon as the sweep starts, the paddler creates the 'rolling' momentum in the kayak by building pressure on the knee/thigh brace. This energy is then transferred into the hip and the body rotation completes the roll.
I hope that helps. We are going to do a video on the knee drive alone at some point. Will post in the comments here for sure once done.
We have questions.
Would love to answer them. Fire away!
Die Frau führt das Paddel schön flach. Der Mann hingegen zieht es steil nach unten. Zwei gravierende Unterschiede.
Hier eine weitere Variante. Eher ein Mix zwischen flach und steil: ruclips.net/video/WdM2gzy1DhE/видео.html
Eine gute Beobachtung, Peter. Beide sind nicht falsch, das Schlüsselstück ist, dass Sie nicht an der Klinge ziehen wollen. Lieber durch das Wasser "schneiden". Ich habe mit google translate auf diese Frage geantwortet, daher entschuldige ich mich, wenn Grammer / Tempus inkorrekt ist
Thank you for your comment. It`s really good in german. It`s nice to see that you write just as well in Geman as I am able to write in english.
See some more rolls in the pool: ruclips.net/video/WdM2gzy1DhE/видео.html
I don’t get the knee drive.
Do you prefer hip flick as the descriptor?
why am i watching this
is it verry stupid to go and practise this on your own, without annyone to save you if you cant finish the roll
or is it only medium stupid ??
Have you even kayaked?
One can easily pull off the cover (there's a handle) and get out. And with a floating vest it is effortless.
Sit on your lounge, hold your breath and time how long until you need to breath. You have about that long to get out of your kayak. There's no rush.
@@ytusersumone im a year further into the sport noticed your comment and im wondering the same thing about you
i currently got 3 different spray decks and 4 kayaks and some of these spray decks dont go off as easily as others and not every kayak exits as easy as the other when going upside down as a beginner it can be quite a panic experience and its quite easy to get stuck while trying to get out
bending branch, keep your head down
Don't you DARE try to teach yourself how to kayak!
Wrong. If the paddle is vertical, usually, nothing works
Thanks for the comment. In this roll the paddle isn't vertical, you just shed resistance off the blade through the sweep to not impede body rotation (dame concept as a hand roll). Agreed that a vertical paddle is not the way to roll.
Those rolls are dissaster! You shouldn't put those as a pattern!
Thanks for the feedback. We have found this to be a very successful and repeatable way of teaching rolling. Would love you to share your technique.