Just wondering how long it took you to learn to roll? I have a couple of whitewater trips within the next 4-5 weeks with school, and my teacher is going to hold a few rolling sessions (3 or 4 I think, between 1.5-3 hours in a pool each)

Do you guys think that I could pick up a fairly strong roll in that time, or should I try and go to a few rolling sessions with the local kayaking club too? I have picked up all the other basics of paddling that have been thrown at me so far (Railing, Sweep Strokes etc) and feel pretty comfortable in the kayak, if that helps...

Thanks

well i picked it up quick but i would say go with the club as well as the pool because it is much nicer in a pool but it would pay off with the more time you paddle befor the trip

Dan

I would say that you can get a good roll. But I would make sure you take the first opportunity to do a battle roll. Just to get your confidence up.

I taught myself in my pool. A mate of mine (who knew nothing about kayaking) flipped me upright everytime I failed, which was everytime when I started. Cracked my first roll in under 30 minutes. Think I got it within about two, one hour sessions. I had only some pictures to go by and the book 'Kayak' by William Nealy! I didn't know about Playak or rolling videos then.

Some people get it even faster than that, others not. My one ex-girlfriend took ages to learn. With her wearing goggles made a big difference in the learning process so she could see what she was doing. Then getting her to close to eyes still with the goggles on and then finally no goggles, then rolling in a dam/lake and eventually rolling in moving currents/mild rapids on the river. It took me many hours to teach her.. hehehe

I taught myself too. I think I completed my first roll in under 20 min, but everyone is different. I think it really depends on how much control you have over your hips. If you picked up other stuff quick it shouldn't take you too long to learn, but the more practice the better you'll be. So practice as much as you can. It never hurts.

I was just watching them youtube videos of how to roll, then me and my ,mate went down my local lake and tried it... it didnt take long to learn its just when you go in moving water you will find out you do need a really good roll to get up in some cases if you are only getting half way up on moving water then what i do is use a skull brace from half way and you get up straight away. Also if its cold eskimo recue eachother that means nobody has to stand in the water.
Hope that helped
Eliott

or should I try and go to a few rolling sessions with the local kayaking club too? I have picked up all the other basics of paddling that have been thrown at me so far (Railing, Sweep Strokes etc) and feel pretty comfortable in the kayak, if that helps...

Thanks[/quote]

Nothing can beat practice, and lots of it!
Focus on the technique, not 'rushing' to get upright!

But the amount of time you mention is reasonable to have a decent roll...

Go google 'A kayak rolling primer' and read that.

I learnt rolling by my lonesome after reading the primer and spending some time visualising the movement on the floor. Go somewhere where you can hold on to something close to waterlevel and just practice your hip-flick whilst holding on there for a while to get the feel.

After that, take your paddle, a deep breath and just try. It took me about 4 attempts to get up for the first time, but I'm used to visualisation from climbing so that may have helped. I think, the time spent on this mental exercise helped me no end.

my first pool session I was hitting 3 out of 4 rolls. two months later, I was hitting 1 out of 5.. 1 month later I was getting 10 for 10... The roll is a funny thing to learn since it's so technical and new when first starting out.. like everyone says it's practice that makes perfect. If you have a hard time, back off, and come back to it later when your ready and not going to injur yourself. Once you get the roll in a clinic, practice with a buddy spotting you in some nice easy class II water. Rolling in moving water is completely different, plus you have all the disorientation from getting tossed by a hole or having the boat spin as you try your set up to the roll, etc, etc.. So practice in a lower classed rapid with someone spotting you.

When you start doing playboating moves in flatwater, it'll make you flip a lot and force you to roll. I think I roll about 75 times per session (I could be exaggerating a hair but my abs sure felt like the number was higher hahaha:side: ) of learning something new. It's probably taken me about 500+ rolls to feel absolutely confident.

Don't push it. i would say anything over half an hour to fourtyfive minutes is to long for a session. by all means do a session a day but pushing your body to pick up something that isn't natural and against what your brain is telling it to do can in some cases confirm bad habits. Thats why so many people pick up a roll and then often lose it in the same session just because they stay on it for to long. i would say if you pull off a roll in your first session confirm it with a couple more maybe three. then leave it and go home ( trust me you'll visualise for hours) but it will give you time for your muscles to turn that visualisaton and what you have just done into muscle memory.

Learmning a roll in the pool is a great way tostart but it is a far cry from rolling in moving water. Takes a while to get the difference down . And the river will chosse which side you roll on so you need rolls on both sides. Work on good bracing and you won't need the roll as much. With strong high and low braces you can stop many dumps before the need to roll up happens.
Rolling is good fun at the right time I would try and learn as many as you can and get good with them all, this takes a life time of practice but it is our favoured way of spending time anyway .
Greenland rolling is an art and well worth the effort to learn.
The roll is a pretty slick move but is really just a blend of simply body moveds that you blend together. Just remember the head is the last thing out of the water and if you lift it to soon you upside down again. Get good firist and worry about speed later. Trying to do to much at the same time usually blows the roll so find a method that is working for you and stick with it, better to little than too much. Greg

I'd also say that 'less is more' in the beginning. You don't want to commit a tired movement to muscle memory! Always learn new technique in a fresh state (that goes for all technique-type training on the water and off)

After you feel confident with your technique in the pool progress up to moving water. First light then mroe and more difficult. Once your confident in easy whitewater, go to your local playspot!

As _Danger_ said, you get to practice your roll a lot during a playobating session At least I do...

Me and a friend tried rolling two Sundays on the lake last summer and had no luck at all (although he managed to get a roll 2/3rds of the time). Last winter I went to a rolling clinic in a pool and it took to my second session to get it for the first time. After that I had no problems. I got to try out my combat roll a month ago and nailed it 2 times out of 4, so for me, I'm doing pretty well. Once I get to my 500 rolls, I think I'll be pretty confident. Only 420 to go!

Work on your roll everychance you get as it can always get better. Good form is important and bad habits learned early are hard to break. Stick with it and you will master it . Greg

When i first learned to roll we where only doing 20mins a week so by the time you'd got into the rythm are time was up so it took me about 2 months but i took a while to crack it most my mates got it in half the time

I first rolled when I was 11 (I think?). I remember it taking a very long time for me to learn partly through fear of it I think

i rolled pretty quickly in a pool but for a week before hand i read every bit of info off the net and watched loads of videos. i would say that you will have no problem getting a fairly solid roll within that time but be warned rolling in a river is very dark and cold and that messes with your head best thing to do is just go for it whole heartedly and see what happens.

the most difficult part about learning to roll for me was not learning the technique in the pool, but putting it into action in the real world. the water is moving, you are not usually set up like you are in the pool (paddling along, and turning over while moving and without setting up helps), and the sudden cold shock will stop you from thinking clearly, and make you hurry your setup.

getting your roll is all about confidence and practice
the more you practice, the more confident you wll be underwater. Themore confident you are underwater, the easier it will be for you to take your time, set up and roll without panicing.
So id say get as much practice in as you can. Even if you get your roll in 30mins, keep practicing. Once you get good at your roll, helping other people to learn to roll can help you out as well, because you can see what they are doing right/wrong and apply it to your own roll.

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!

Nearly 5 years before I could rely on my "technique".
I am not a natural so to speak. Just learned it myself, no lessons or instructions, what should have been a much quicker way to learn it!!

it took me 2 mounths to get a solid role on. even with instructors

Took me about 4 half hour sessions in a pool took me a while as I was only 12 then so not as strong as others and I'd never been in a kayak before hehe try and think of as many excuses for my crap paddling

i managed to roll on my second try. all i had was my dad telling me that you put the paddle out and across.

i wish i got 3 hour sessions i only get in the pool for about 20 mins a week, but on the loch we get a couple of hours a suppose.

good luck with rolling if you havnt all ready done it.

I originally took a lesson on the gull river, and after my first lesson, I rented a boat for a few days so i could take it home and play around in the lake and take more lessons, and after playing around in the lake for about 40 minutes I had a pretty solid roll. Then from there it just became second nature, and its funny now that people who don't know much about whitewater kayaking ask me can you do a roll, and i have to think that even though i can do them so easily not a lot of people have ever actually seen a person do a roll