here is a video of my cartwheeling.. I had some fun with the video editing, so I hope you enjoy it..

I wanted some input on my technique, what I could do better.. suggestions?

I'm not a playboater, but it looks like you need to lean back a bit, because you keep on leaning forward with every cartwheel.

You need to keep your weight central over your boat using edge control and body wind up, try practising lean cleans, or practise rotating your body by leading with your head looking in the direction you are throwing down. You seem to stall after three ends or so, which may be down to relying on your paddles too much or leave them in the water just a it long before reaching round for your next stroke and end.


This takes practise and it will soon get better and become easier and you will be linking ends till you get tired.

Hope this helps n happy paddlin

Thanks! I'll take the tips out with me next time i'm out

I cant load the vid here at work but Ill tell youthe things that helped push me along

The big factors for me were

Concentrate on trying to put your face in the water when you initiate your bow
Wind up and have your shoulders/paddle parallel to the surface
initiate off center... If doing leftys you want to be initiating at 1 o'clock
Look through the cartwheel (aka lead with your head)
Try to flatwater freewheel your stern through so you are not behind the turns

The big ones for me were

Getting my face to the water and initiating at 1 o'clock... If you thing about it it is easier to scoop the bow through then just such it sideways

OH... BTW... The power comes from your abdominal muscles...It is hard work but once you get it it feels awesome, I rank my first flatwater wheels with my first loops!!! Both of which i finally got consistant this year


Good luck and keep us informed

Laddie, what exactly do you mean about the 1'oclock thing? I'm right handed, and initiate on my right. Do you mean my boat should be facing slightly left? AWAY from my paddle? Or the opposite (slightly toward my paddle)?

I know my problem with the double pump is I lean too far back and lean on my paddle, I'd be interested to try your angle thing, but it sounds like your technique would just make this worse?

Are you just doing that because you get more power if you push away a bit before you pull back in?

thanks laddie!

If you are initiating on your right... imagine you are on a clock, and when you bring the bow up and on edge, drop it in at about 11o'clock (since you go on the right.. 1 on the left)... the few degrees help you scoop the bow under as opposed to pushing it under

Also, if you fail at your wheel then you should have to roll... if you get rejected and your head is dry you need more edge

Did that help?

Yeah thanks. Thought I knew what you were saying but just wanted to be sure. I'll give it a go next time I'm in the yak (currently on the sidelines with injury)

Was out at the lake and focused on pure technique, and can now officially bowstall:woohoo:

Although it's only for a matter of 4-6 seconds.. I hear you on the head thing. It's a constant problem of mine, My main problem I think is edge transition as I cartwheel and staying balanced over the boat as I do all these moves, but I'm getting better:lol:

Cool, keep practising it gets easier and well done on the bow stalls they can be just as fun to learn

I think that you probably lean forward because of a fear of falling back, whether you realize it or not. Try staying as far back as you can before you fall over and if you fall back, then that part of your cartwheel is fixed .

Oh I don't fear fallin back.. I love to roll

I lean forward a lot in the stern stall position to try and stay balanced and over the boat- then that position kinda continues through the bow initiation and cartwheel.

I have a question though: so with the lean clean practice you have to change edges from one to the other to "scoop" the bow and stern.. are you wanting to do this in the cartwheel or are you basically holding the same position and rotating like rotating over the axis of your body..

It eill end up at the same angle/ same rotation, encourages good body posture and better technique, rather then relying on brute strength and ignorance. Scoop the bow then the stern continuosly and by using edge control you will soon be getting super clean cartwheels.

CJCC by leaning back you push your legs down thus making your boat fall forwards whilst on the bow and it actually flattens the boat whilst on the stern as you are pushing your legs down. By keep your weight central to forward you pull with your legs keeping the boat more vertical through both. (also helps with boofing)

Hey Dan,

Check out this video:

playak.tv/view_video.php?viewkey=9f0dcae6b937cf440aeb


Hopefully it helps a little to fill in the grey areas. Any questions, just shoot.

And well done on doing the bow stall -> 4 to 6 seconds shows you know what you're doing. Your progress will probably be quicker now!

I can get 12 seconds now!!! WOO

Thanks for the video!! Wish I could learn this stuff off of you first hand cuz you be good

Thanks Urge, I was watching myself in the video more and can really see that I'm not using enough of my edges, I can also tell because of my oddly tight circle that I do the cartwheel in, as opposed to being able to cartwheel down and invisible line.. I'll keep trying that edge control.

Pishk wrote:

I know my problem with the double pump is I lean too far back and lean on my paddle, I'd be interested to try your angle thing, but it sounds like your technique would just make this worse?


thanks laddie!

Hey Pishk lemme tell you what helped me.. before you start your double pump, take a couple strokes and focus on staying nice and tall in your boat, chest out and leaning forward. You should feel your groin area tighten up (because you've just engaged your hip flexors) and your lower to middle back feel tight and flexed some. now try and keep that feeling going as you go into your double pump.. Now. once you've made your initial stroke where you bring the bow up, STOP LOOKING AT YOUR BOW! and turn your head down to the water or even better towards the paddle blade you pushed down with. for me I initiate on the left, as soon as i take my first stroke, I look to my left hand and by this time my paddle is completely parallel with the water, and the bow sweeps under on its own.. the whole time I keep my back pretty straight and lean forward at the hips..

Hope that helps?? good luck on the recovery

_Danger_ wrote:

I can get 12 seconds now!!! WOO

Thanks for the video!! Wish I could learn this stuff off of you first hand cuz you be good

Awesome! By next week you'll be doing it one handed, then while going down river in some fast moving current... The list goes on!

Glad the video helped.

I finally had a bit of a paddle last weekend. I'd have to say that the advice on trying to initiate at "11 o'clock" as opposed to straight ahead probably helped me the most. I knew my problem was that I wasn't initiating enough edge, and when I'd try to do more, it just wouldn't work. So just trying to initiate on a larger angle automatically engages more edge!!

I think also having a break for a few months helped a bit. I'm pretty rusty, but I think I was starting to develop some bad habits. Now after having a break I have to re-learn a bit, and I'm learning better technique...I think

im pretty crap at playboating but i helped my friend to bow stall the main thing is to stick your paddle out as far as you can in front of you and about 6 " under water
evan put your face in the water to find the balence point then slowley take your face out then u should get better every day .
hope this helps

Dan


my friend was bow stalling for about 12 secs now his longest is about 6 mins

sorry if there is any crappy spelling

alright man
your getting there a cheeky combo of practice, and trying tnot to rely on peshing down on your blades, think of your blades are there for ballence, you need to use your boat and that edge transfer still brng your body round like you are though
good luck bru