Practice Rolling in your yard?

[FrankR]

I just found this page called 'Kayak Rolling on Dry Land' ( http://www.creativepursuits.net/kayaking.htm ) and wondered what folks thought about it.

Its details a series of fairly simple ways to improve balance, conditioning and rolling "muscle memory" while sitting in a white-water kayak in your yard. Think it would work for sea kayaks? Would it be worthwhile getting an old beat-up white water kayak to do this? Would it tempt the men in white suits to come and cart me away?

Frank

[chetpk]

Ben Lawry of P&H demoed a nearly identical technique of this dry land rolling last spring at the Kittery Trading Post's paddling trade show held at UNH. I tried it with my Explorer in the yard and it seems to work at aiding one in getting the hang of how one should work their muscles and body position. I thought I read some where that Lawry has a video with it in it.

[djlewis]

Ben Lawry of P&H demoed a nearly identical technique of this dry land rolling ... I thought I read some where that Lawry has a video with it in it.

The only place it's sold, I believe, is Savannah Canoe & Kayak... http://tinyurl.com/2n9pfs.

--David

[JohnHuth]

Looks like it could help. I guess the only tricky thing would be that you have to resist the urge to push off the ground with your shoulders, which could lead to bad habits (or expectations).

Speaking of back-yard tricks - I got inspired by Maligiaq Padilla's rope tricks and tried tying ropes across some trees in my back yard. The results were hilarious and my wife thought I was crazy.

[Gcosloy]

I just found this page called 'Kayak Rolling on Dry Land' ( http://www.creativepursuits.net/kayaking.htm ) and wondered what folks thought about it.

Its details a series of fairly simple ways to improve balance, conditioning and rolling "muscle memory" while sitting in a white-water kayak in your yard. Think it would work for sea kayaks? Would it be worthwhile getting an old beat-up white water kayak to do this? Would it tempt the men in white suits to come and cart me away?

Frank

The technique looks worthwhile. I think it should work as well with a seakayak. If you can do what Mandy does in her video you are well on your way to rolling up in water. In fact I would suggest that rolling on dry land is more difficult in that you need stronger abs to overcome gravity. Water as you know provides bouyancy and with a PFD on requires no where near as much torque as is required on land. Good luck!

[FrankR]

Speaking of back-yard tricks - I got inspired by Maligiaq Padilla's rope tricks and tried tying ropes across some trees in my back yard. The results were hilarious and my wife thought I was crazy.

Have no idea what you''re talking about, but it sounds interesting. Is a kayak involved? For my next trick....

[brwells]

Have no idea what you''re talking about, but it sounds interesting. Is a kayak involved? For my next trick....

Go buy or borrow This is the Sea I DVD (I'm sure there are other videos/DVD's that have this included, but this one gives a nice "intro" to this extreme but odd set of excercises.) The ropes are used to train for both balance and the steps one would use for certain rolls.

Brian

[JohnHuth]

Here's a simple rope trick:

http://www.qajaqusa.org/common_images/rg_qajaasaarneq.mpg

the idea is to build up strength and flexibility on land. These are part of the Greenland quajaq competition. As stated, they are supposed to help your rolls, but my first attempt on ropes was a hilarious failure.

[FrankR]

Think I'll stick to dry-land rolling. Did you get beyond your first attempt?

If anyone's interested, I found directions for entire sequence here:

http://www.qajaqusa.org/gallery/main.php?g...9&g2_page=6

[subaruguru]

Think I'll stick to dry-land rolling. Did you get beyond your first attempt?

If anyone's interested, I found directions for entire sequence here:

http://www.qajaqusa.org/gallery/main.php?g...9&g2_page=6

I tried one of these with my hammock but fell asleep instead.