How to Refine Your Roll for Whitewater Kayaking

[@lilathomas3564]

I’ve been struggling with my role and this video offers so many empowering strategies mentally, emotionally and physically. Thank you Anna!

[@moniquebrown4936]

Thank you Anna 💓 it is very much a whole body experience.. I started off kayaking class 3 and 4 in my teens then wasn't able to get back into whitewater in the kayak until this past year, my thirties.. starting over from the basics, learning properly, and my priority is to learn my roll before i really kayak river journey.. sadly most of our rivers we are unable to be in right now in western north carolina... so, just a different focus these days.. then longer journey to clean, safe rivers when we need that, you know.. so thank you, looking forward to trying your teaching of rolling and all

[@patrick764]

09:35 and after: Good point about the paddle not needing to be perfectly on the surface for a sweep roll to still be successful. I'm also glad you left in the subsequent less-than-perfect roll where you had to save it by sculling. Very realistic situation! Thanks for being genuine!

[@SteveHofsaess]

I have only had 5 kayaking classes in Ecuador, Spanish is not my first language. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to learn the roll. I have decided that the roll is important, but it will come eventually as long as I practice proper techniques with qualified instructors. A non kayaker would look at your rolls and think, a roll is simple.

[@DennisEOwens]

Thank you Anna, great step by step break down’😎

[@lwilliams7077]

Thank you for spending so much time discussing the mental aspect of the roll. I grew up swimming in the ocean getting pounded by waves-I’m a really poor body surfer that had a lot of fun anyway. I also swim laps. I’m very comfortable in water. But there was something that happened after several roll sessions where fear entered in. I would start and panic would set in and would affect my lung capacity. I would tense up which made it hard to roll up - or not to. I took some time off trying to figure out where the fear came from. The best I could figure was more a feeling of if I can’t get this in a pool it will be so hard on the river. I gave myself permission to fail. I like swimming afterall. What’s the big deal? (Besides emptying the boat😂). When I went back I was still a little anxious and then my instructor and I realized about the same time I was thinking too much. Shut off the mind. Relax and do. Too many directions was closing my mind. Now I think set up punch and go - look. Punch my right hand up which starts the sweep, go with the momentum, look down so the head is last. Punch and go. 😂 The consistency started coming back. Fear is part of why I kayak. Facing fear is something I avoided but now I understand a healthy dose and confronting it, embracing it, and moving on is an amazing thing. My kayaking friends helped me embrace this and understand that we are all facing some degree of fear when we kayak and we are paddling for healing. So cool! Your videos are so often about that mind set and zen mindfulness. Thank you!

[@AnnaLevesque]

Thanks for watching and glad you're finding your zen in kayaking. Have fun out there!

[@Hakudog5]

I've been kayaking since I was 12 years old and got my first combat roll when I was 15 (they didn't teach rolls as early in the learning process in the 90's). I'm in my 40's now. I took a few year break in my 30's then eventually came back to whitewater and such via private rafting trips but also have been getting back in a kayak a few times a year. I've taught a bunch of people how to roll over the years, but I've really been struggling to get mine back and reluable after being away and have been very frustrated by that and feel like I'm "survival boating" and always scared of flipping. I used to be a Class V boater and had a pretty solid roll and think I'm at least a Class IV boater these days except for the fact that my roll is unreliable. I do a sweep roll as well, but I always seem to come up laying back on the deck no matter what I do and how much I focus on trying to stay centered on the kayak. Its double trouble since laying back that far can kind of dislodge my hips form the hip pads so the hip snap is less effective. I probably need to get with an instructor to iron this out, but just curious if you might have any insight into what might be happening and any pointers to try out. I really want to kayak a lot more and can feel my skills coming back every time I get in a kayak and tend to be relatively comfortable in up to Class IV whitewater(but have been focusing on Class II/III and building skills/confidence back), but tend to default back to my raft/cataraft because of the likelyhood of swimming if I do flip in my kayak. I wouldn't say I'm scared of swimming necessarily, but more frustrated and embarrassed and it sucks having to get everything to shore and empty the boat and all that.

[@SarahCoomber-j2j]

Mentally I just focus on being upright but pretty good at waiting and feeling the water upside down! I'm going to try the relaxing of the opposite hip bit next time I get a chance as I'm a terrible head lifter even if I normally roll successfully.

[@AnnaLevesque]

How did trying that go for you?

[@brentwade9346]

Love the videos - the yoga in particular, Anna. I fought with the roll for a couple days and went with a private instructor. His big focus was not that I necessary left there with a roll (we both would have been happier though), but that I left with 3 main reference positions so that I practiced proper physical mechanics. Like most, even though I'm very comfortable in the water, putting it together in the head and committing to what seemed unnatural was the battle. Now my mindset is pretty simple - DO. If I think about rolling I revert back to positions, but then it's disjointed and I either make my old mistake of punching my left hand and diving the paddle, or I end up with a sweep to c - a weird hybrid of the two. It also leads to me wasting air-time trying to get in a perfect starting position. Having faith in my sculling brace now feels more important to me, and I look at rolling much like flipping in the first place - it's a part of kayaking, it's gonna happen, and what goes down must go up...just DO, don't think. ;-)

[@AnnaLevesque]

Awesome! If you ever want to try a roll session with me- here is the link and a testimonial: “Within the space of the one-hour lesson, Anna had analyzed where I was going wrong, coached me through correcting the mechanics, explained helpful visualizations to get me picturing what my body needed to do, and I was rolling. It was incredible! The time I spent with her in the lesson was worth every penny, and more.” - Helene, Asheville, NC mindbodypaddle.com/private-whitewater-kayaking-instruction-with-anna-levesque/

[@AnnaLevesque]

So glad to hear the yoga is helpful!

[@PALSRide]

Very good video and information I practice all year for me when the water is cold ear plugs helps so much, looking forward to seeing the next video

[@AnnaLevesque]

Thanks- glad you found it helpful!

[@ChrisBataille-i8l]

You focus on the sweep and associated hip movement and extension from the boat is right on. Excellent resource. this will be a go to video for myself and anyone else I know looking to work on and refine their roll. Thank you so much Anna.

[@AnnaLevesque]

Yes pease share! I'm so glad you found this helpful!

[@seanohaimheirgin1047]

Much appreciated wisdom. I've done maybe 20 rolls and am looking to get it bulletproof. Still only rolled in the pool and calm sea so not yet tried in white water. I found visualising the roll every night when I go to bed has helped hugely.

[@AnnaLevesque]

That's great, and visualization helps a lot!

[@leebrown257]

Working to twist instead of tucking may be a difference maker.

[@isabelscheidegger4869]

Great video! Very helpfull 🙏thanks

[@Nick.Carl.]

This is awesome! I started whitewater kayaking about a year ago. I had a lot of trouble learning to roll, I think partly because my first boat was difficult for me to learn with as it seems to demand very good technique to get it upright. I’ve developed a solid flat water roll but I’m moving water I still find I’m sometimes having problems. Now I’m working on refining my technique by deliberately capsizing in waves and current, and it’s weird because the water in those situations, when I’m bobbing around upside down, causes me to be unsure about my setup as I can’t quite tell where the surface of the water is, so I’ve been putting a lot of attention on keeping calm and getting my paddle to where I think it needs to be, which has helped. But there seemed to be something else that needed work, and I couldn’t figure it out. Now, after watching your video, I think it might have more to do with some subtle problem with my hipsnap, and when you mentioned releasing tension in your opposite hip, that hit home for me because I think I’m trying to force my boat upright by throwing my opposite hip (the one on the side I setup my paddle on) up and over rather then focusing on bringing my hipsnap hip down and under… I think that is causing tension in my opposite hip so now I’m going to focus on relaxing it when I roll. Due to your explanation in this video I believe that I will soon have a much more solid and reliable roll and therefore feel more confident and have more fun kayaking! Thank you 🙏

[@AnnaLevesque]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing and let me know how it goes for you. I love that you are practicing in waves, and also that you're really paying attention to how your set up position feels. Let me know if the 'relax your left hip' helps you when you try it again.

[@Nick.Carl.]

@@AnnaLevesque so I’ve been on the water several times since I watched this video, but today was the first time I was out there and actually remembered to try this😂. Anyway, I capsized my boat, hung out upside down for a moment to focus on what I was doing, and when I initiated my roll I deliberately left my opposite hip and leg pretty much limp and relaxed. When I rolled up I felt like my hipsnap had so much more power and it was way easier! I even noticed that while doing an offside roll my opposite (right) hip would become really tense, I think because it’s my dominant side (I’m right handed), and when I did as you recommended my offside roll was also much, much better. I even experimented with poor paddle setup and, doing as you explained, I noticed my roll became less dependent gaining purchase with the paddle blade and much more dependent on my hipsnap. I’m fact, now I feel much more confident to learn a back deck roll to reduce my need to set up my paddle at home base for a sweep and therefore be better at rolling from wherever my body ends up when I’m upside down in whitewater. My buddies and I watch your videos often, particularly because of the way you explain things and how you incorporate mindset AND body into paddling, which for us makes experiencing rivers so much more awesome! Thanks so much.

[@AnnaLevesque]

@@Nick.Carl. Awesome! I'm stoked my suggestions were helpful. Thanks for letting me know, keep up the great work and have fun out there!

[@ReneV.]

Hello Anna, Thank you for the video and sharing problems with the roll. I've also a dominat right side. This season I had problems on my left side. I guess that I've too much tension in my opposite hip. My head comes up first, than I (nearly) fail. What do you do to consciously relaease the opposite hip? Is there a trick? Sorry I didn't get it from the video. Warm greetings from Munich! 🥨 René

[@EmkioAKayaK]

Thank you for the vidéo, best explanation i ever found. I have a question, what is the model of you dagger kayak?

[@AnnaLevesque]

In this video I'm in the Dagger Axiom size small

[@ericstephenson145]

Thank you

[@AnnaLevesque]

You're welcome

[@srpandya1]

Fantastic video. Since most flips are unplanned, is there a good way to figure out paddle orientation - since there was no initial setup and now you are under water? Thanks!

[@AnnaLevesque]

Yes, always have a good set up when you are practicing in flatwater. Pay a lot of attention to how your body feels in that set up position so you can find that same feeling when you flip over unintentionally.

[@chadhudson842]

When you practice, don't setup before flipping over. Flip over sitting upright and your paddle sitting on your cockpit. Once upside down, then setup. Have someone next to you to help make sure you are setup properly and then roll. You can progress to flipping over with only one hand on the paddle. Then you have to find your paddle with your other hand and then setup.

[@colestjohn3348]

When surprised, once reaching your setup position either verify paddle orientation based on some "index" on your paddle (kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqrHpWOVeMSVqKM) (assuming you have straight shaft) or by quickly running your forward hand up to the blade and adjusting as needed. That said, having a clear index on your static paddle handle is quicker and preferred.

[@ryanfarley4463]

Great video! Mindset has some much to do with it.

[@AnnaLevesque]

Yes it does!

[@powskier]

You only showed 360 full Eskimo rolls. But what about actual combat rolls where you get flipped and have to roll up on the same side?

[@tammiebardowell5930]

Baby Safe!

[@wmbeverleyblanco]

Anna Namasté Can you adresse visualisation Especially création of à visualisation from ones own POV gleaned from observing others or vidéo Gracias Bill