Troubleshooting Checklist Teaching the Twisting Sweep roll
Marker (what you observe):
The head comes up and the paddle dives.Mechanism: The head usually comes up in a failed roll. But it is only sometimes the root cause. Solution: Probably something else.
Marker: Paddle gets pulled down. Mechanism: Pulling on paddle to seek resistance. Climbing blade angle seeking something to pull on. Best Solution: Shed resistance by aiming for exaggerated finish position blade angle. Seek torso twist.Solution: Float the blade wide through sweep. “Don’t try to get upright.”
Marker: Paddle dives or gets pulled down. Mechanism: Initiating movement in wrong direction.Solution: Rightside up drill to practice direction of initial movement.Solution: False sweeps with instructor hinting correct blade direction. False sweeps to rehearse starting in correct direction. Offside hand drills (below).
Marker: Stall Partway. Depth charge (‘kerplunk’) after paddle moves one foot from setup.Mechanism: Using arms to pull up. Initial movement then torso rotation ends.Solution: Watch the watch to finish. Lock offside hand to shoulder. More drills to rehearse torso rotation.
Marker: Offside Hand punches.Mechanism: Loss of linkage between torso and shaft.Solution: Offside hand to shoulder. Pinch dollar bill in elbow to eliminate punch forward. Pinch dollar bill in armpit to eliminate punch up. Another Solution: Torso rotation practice lap to finish position. Torso rotation practice better linkage. Aim for torso rotation all the way back to the finish position (and exaggerate sweep).
Marker: Excess power. Rush. Paddle goes down.Mechanism: Disorientation.Solution: Finish position not exaggerated. Try half speed. “Don’t try to get upright.”Another solution: Underwater comfort. Boat rotations minimizing force. A swim mask and noseplugs.
Marker: Head comes up early.Mechanism: Wrong knee engaged. Lifting for Air. No belief.Solution: Boat rotation drills. Are both knees hanging on? Take offside knee out of thigh hook. Solution: Try rolling without “trying” to get upright. (requires assistant.) Swim mask for orientation. Positive reinforcement.
Marker: Delayed boat rotation.Mechanism: Knee not activating early (student doing C to sweep). Solution: Take one knee out of brace, trigger active knee earlier.
Marker: No attempt. Failed combat rolls.Mechanism: Rush. No belief.Solution: Setup, wait for cool air on hands. Mantra. Teaching C to C Rolls:
Marker: Failure to leave setup tuck with torso. So arms alone are trying to do the movement.Marker: Not enough wind up with one knee so other knee can hip snap
Marker: Hand not over butt crack at First C, paddle shaft not at 90 to boat
Source: Kent Ford “The Kayak Roll” Performancevideo.comAdditions and corrections appreciated! Use contact page at performancevideo.com