EJ's rolling/bracing method is very different than C-C
I just bought EJ's new video on rolling and bracing for a friend. I have a good roll and brace but watched the video for pointers.
To my surprise, he teaches something very different than what I do. I do a C-C or sweep, trying to come up on the front deck in an aggressive position.
EJ teaches a back roll and brace. His logic is that you lean way back to lower your center of gravity. That makes sense, but that requires strong stomach muscles and leaves you in a bad position. It does look easy, but coming up while leaning forward should also lower your center of gravity.
Any comments?
Perhaps the back brace roll/brace is better for play boating and the C-C is better for river running? Perhaps he's just making it easy to roll for the first time so you can later progress to different rolls?
BTW, Confluence Kayaks is hosting a rolling/bracing class with EJ soon. I guess I can ask him about his technique then.
For you newbies, EJ is Eric Jackson, who has won a few cool events, has a some good instruction videos, and is behind the new Jackson kayaks.
I learned from EJ (back deck roll) and can attest to the fact that you don't need as many stomache/core muscles as you think. It's more about the hip snap, which is necessary with any kind of roll. If the core muscles were more necessary, I wouldn't be able to do the roll now, cause I'm much more out of shape than when I learned the roll. The main focus was hip snap, hip snap, hip snap (which I need to work on now...).
The brace that EJ teaches doesn't leave you in a bad position. Try it and you will see. DO YOU REALLY THINK that EJ would teach something that leaves you in a bad position...and then print it on a DVD!!! COME ON, Ej is the most proficient paddler out there. Just because its not familiar to your teaching methods doesn't make it a bad thing. In my opinion C-C sucks and should go away. The only reason we teach it is because its the easiest way to break down the roll.
I litterally just had a clinic with EJ yesterday on the Browns section and you are right. I come from a C-C background and he tore my old method down and worked me into the quickest easiest roll I have ever done. I must admit that the c-c will be a hard habit to break as I have been doing it for over 7 years, but it is a superior roll.
According to EJ, technically it is not a "back deck" roll, although you come up towards the back deck. He also taught me an actual back deck roll which is much different.
If you can get to that clinic at Confluence... you will be very glad you did so. I learned A LOT.
Craw
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I have the video. It's definitely a different roll than we were taught. It looks easy, with the emphasis on "head down and hips" while using the paddle to brace, not pull. Also key, I though, was to keep the upper hand from touching the boat, so the boat can roll uninhibited. The way he teaches the brace is to be low on the back deck, with you head almost touching the water.. then the roll is just an evolution from there. Also, he emphasizes a quick forward stroke once upright to bring your body forward in the correct aggressive paddling position.
hey craw! probably saw you on the ark, I borrowed a demo jackson from someone waiting for their new one to arrive and played for a couple right above zoom flume (btw, I apologize again for getting sand in your boat, rookie mistake. )
boy that is one fun boat!!! I was pulling straight vert squirts in no time, and it felt oh so stable in all directions! I cannot wait until one of you guys has to have the next year's model so I can afford one of these boats!!!
I'd be interested to see this roll, it sounds rather like what I've evolved to, tho it's hard to say.
EJ was a great guy to paddle with, even for a couple minutes, very helpful, encouraging and ready with a quick tip! great to see such a great guy on the water, and his kids are rockin too! !!!!
I paddled with him in Manhattan on the Hudson River at Manhattan Kayak Company (right by Pier 63 at the end of 23rd St for those knowledgeable on the NYC geography) and the fact that even in the wake of the cruise ships and ferries barelling past us, he was pulling all these sweet tricks. And apart from the tricks, he's got speed too--beat our 'record' of paddling around the barge we store our boats on, roughly a 600m distance.
Anyone who gets the chance to paddle with EJ I think is a lucky one...cause he's always keen to point out tips to improve your paddling and just absolutely loves the water. Seriously, I think he was born with gills...
As some of you may remember I posted some questions A while back about the roll. Someone recomended the EJ video to me,and I would like to say THANKS because my new roll kicks ass. It makes so much sense to swing your body back. I was doing the roll all wrong,and also bracing the same way. EJ F#@KING ROCKS!
When a log has no branches, it rolls at lot easier. By leaning on the back of your kayak, you remove the branch (being your body).
Whatever roll works best for you is the one you should use, if you keep trying to come up on the front of your boat, and it doesn't work everytime, try coming up on the back (laying on the back of you boat is one of the most stable positions) - whatever works consistently for you, USE IT!
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