First post, here goes...

I'm learning to "floop" at the minute, using a Molan, with JK overthruster in it. I've got my bow stall dialled in pretty well (well I guess I've got the right technique, as I can hold it pretty much indefinetly) and have started work on the bounce. I used to paddle a more slicey playboat and was getting the hang of it, but in my new molan, I find that a big bounce spits the boat out backwards, rather than forwards. Basically, when I get a big bounce, I'm landing flat the right way up, the way the boat went in, rather than being able to tuck forwards and go for the move.

Any ideas on how to rectify this please?

As an aside, when I move my paddle down in to the water (to pull it back up for the bounce stroke) it sometimes goes past the end of my bow. Does this mean its diving too low, or the paddle should perhaps be further out infront of me?

Cheers

Go into a comfortable bow stall, then stand up on your feet. What will happen, is that you'll fall on your face... You should know this, and this should already give you a clue as to what to do. When you do the bounce (I find 1 or 2 is enough), as you do the final bounce (coming up) you need to have the boat fairly vertical already, then stand up to get it slightly over vertical (as you are about to throw your body forwards again) and the rest is another matter...

Hard to tell if this will help you. It'll be wise to put your pride aside and post a video of yourself, best way to learn. When I see people doing a lot of bounces they concentrate so much on being stable and bouncing a lot that the boat usually doesn't achieve that more vertical position when it needs to, as it's more unstable and hence you have to commit at that stage. Throwing weight forward and then pushing your legs away, which I found was key for me. Hope this helped. Any questions just shoot.

Thanks for your help! Here's a video of today's efforts:



I still can't get the bounce right, but its getting there. Going on the 2nd bounce whatever happens seems to work better than bobbing forever though, like you said.

Getting the boat to bounce up and forwards is still quite hard - I need to learn to stand up tall I think. The other bad habit i've got is "pushing" rather than "pulling" the boat under.

As for the next bit, remembering to push the legs away also really helps! But what about throwing the weight back - when do you do that please? As the stern catches, or before?

Well, I have good news, you can almost loop. All you need to do now is learn to throw your legs away from you. This is the same as ripping your upper body back again. The mechanics are the same, it's just how to prefer to think about the movement. If you look at the video, all that the boat needs to do is for that tail to bite into the water and continue over, then you're there!!! I would imagine 1 or 2 more sessions and you'll be looping, for sure.

Just one thing I did notice with the paddle, it will help to bring the paddle almost parallel to the boat at the end, so that 1 of the blades (towards the rear of the boat - you decide which side (left or right) is comfortable for you) can also help to bring the boat over right at the end. You'll see a lot of guys do that in holes and the once upright the blade is acting as a stern rudder already. If it's not clear what I'm saying I'll post a photo of someone doing it.

Let me know how it goes mate I assume we'll see a video of the complete loop in a day or two! Good luck and have fun

Thanks again, for a really useful response! I hope that others will find these videos and tips useful as well.

I went out again today, but think I have regressed (although, in a good way, if that's possible!) Basically, I realised that I've been bow stalling "wrong" all this time - with the paddle close and deep to me, rather than shallow and far from the boat. I did manage to get the boat quite far over today:



The technique was dirty though, and I was still pushing, rather than pulling. Then the bow stall realisation hit:



Hopefully the technique there is better - although the bounce was a bit limp! I can feel the difference though - my weight is on the boat now, not the paddle. This made it easier to pull the bow down and felt more stable. I just need to get used to this now, going back to basics with the bounces, before concentrating on throwing my legs away and pulling the bow through with the paddle.

I'm hoping to get another 2-3 session in this week, before it gets any colder in the UK!

Thanks again, I'm loving the journey

You are doing an excellent job. You only need to 'throw your legs away from you' now, then you'll do it. Think of it in your mind as right at the end, that you need to lean hard and fast back onto the back deck, this will complete the loop, or, floop

Check out this video at 01:10. I throw my weight forward quickly and then immediately I'm back again. It's a quick movement, but the exact timing comes with practise, you'll feel when it's right



It's all in getting your lower body away from your upper body right at the end, I promise

Many thanks for all the advice, as always! I'm afraid that cold water induced man flu has stopped play this week, but the enthusiasm to get out there again is high

Cool stuff!! Keep at it now, and have fun Any more questions just shoot. But you've got it dialed I'd say

Check out this detailed article by New River Academy student Eric Bartl:
www.newriveracademy.org/kayakblog/how-to-flat-water-loop/

Success!

Well, all things relative. I managed to do the floop and then went over out of shock! I think the key was to do with angling my blades slightly to pull them back towards me, rather than having them completely flat.

I've only managed the one so far, but I'm looking forward to having another go soon! I threw the move into a small stopper in a novice freestyle competition today - a complete faceplant, but won the competition

Awesome stuff!!!