How to do the Kayak Roll- PHASE 5- EJ's ROLLING AND BRACING

[@Farenheit451NY]

This is SO true! I can roll in flat water, phase 4 but have never tried phase 5. Which is why an always panic in the river. Thanks for pointing this out and providing a solution.

[@breizhsurge]

Great exercices

[@jonkayak5307]

Eric , the number one!

[@gw6797]

How do you get the right position of the paddle under water. Are you visually checking the blade is flat on the water, are you feeling the paddle shaft in your hand or are can you feel the blade is flat on the water ( control hand blade)? I seem as if I get various answers to this from different instructors.

[@jcgoble3]

For me, as a beginner that hit 5 out of 6 combat rolls yesterday during a surf session, it comes down to muscle memory in relation to wrist angle. You can't really rely on sight underwater on the river, because you have no goggles usually and rivers vary in clearness (most of the ones I've flipped in have been very murky), so on the river you are relying entirely on feel most of the time. I first learned in a pool with goggles, so I could visually see that the blade was flat. Through repetitions, I developed the muscle memory to be able to position the paddle correctly through proper wrist angle. I know what angle my right hand (control/dominant hand) has on the paddle normally (and have the paddle indexed with tape so I can find that angle without sight if it gets dislodged), and know how to get the paddle flat via feeling my wrist position. If you practice in the pool with goggles, it's important to wean yourself off of them and be able to roll in the pool without them, or if you don't want to be in the pool without goggles, try it with your eyes closed to better simulate a river.

[@gw6797]

@@jcgoble3 thanks great info there and muscle memory makes sense I suppose if I lost grip with my control hand I'd probably be swimming anyway