"What are common pitfalls in the learning curve?"

Longboatin · Post by **Longboatin** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 1:31 pm

+1 for what the blue guy say

ian123 · Post by **ian123** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:28 pm

Longboatin wrote:Tommy, u an all the others that think cross strokes mean sumthin, r makin me rethink my skill level...NOT .

I would argue that rethinking one's skill level from time to time is a positive thing.

I agree with FG

. Offside power is pretty important and, at least in my area, it distinguishes the good from the not so good.

Get a roll too. It makes the trial and error process at lot easier for you and everyone in your group. The only folks to argue that a roll isn't important are the ones who can't do it.

Creeker · Post by **Creeker** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:09 pm

Not sure if my last post came off wrong trying to use a little of tommy's "future of this or that" jargon but. I've had a pretty good dose of exposing my weak offside lately and I'm not too full of myself to think I've got something really going on.....But I'm trying. I've canoed 8 of the last 11 days at wide range or class. I've got a less than great left shoulder so as a righty when I need to cross strong to the left in a downsteam fashion I'm having tail washout issues. I just can't seem to charge the nose to the left and keep that tail in line. Does wonders for running enourmous holes sideways and giving my friends a good laugh

Just Trying giving yourself the chance to succeed.....that's the way to work around any pitfall sooner or later, stumblingblocks fall to the side.

Longboatin · Post by **Longboatin** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:34 pm

Absolutely agree on the importance of offside power. I just disagree wid the way most choose to put it down. Cross strokes are useful, but why limit yerselves an never switch?

Creeker · Post by **Creeker** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:50 pm

SMURF:

I was inferring that people are trying to progress quicker than their skills have matured while skipping some of the building blocks for a strong skills foundation.

I hear ya smurf.... not sure if that is directed at me or not, but if so it's a fair enough comment as I only have 24 days in a canoe. Now I gotta go back and work on that cross bow J some more cause I just can't get that right.

TheKrikkitWars · Post by **TheKrikkitWars** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 4:48 pm

Smurfwarrior wrote:When I said ego, I was inferring that people are trying to progress quicker than their skills have matured while skipping some of the building blocks for a strong skills foundation.

Well Tommy?

Smurfwarrior · Post by **Smurfwarrior** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:02 pm

Nope, not aimed at you at all, just an observation is all. Keep it up man, you're doing really well. Just make the easy stuff hard before trying to make the hard stuff easy.

cheajack · Post by **cheajack** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:26 pm

Wayne, it might not be your cross stroke at all but your lean. If you are leaning upstream on offside downstream ferries the stern will have a tendency to wash out. If that is not the issue then try finishing the cross forward stroke with a cross stern draw, but be careful or you will entertain your friends by entering that hole not only sideways but out of the boat.

Brewbeer · Post by **Brewbeer** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 7:31 pm

Gotta add to what longboatin said. In my short experience as a relatively novice boater, switching sides has allowed me to progress fairly quickly and feel comfortable in class III, as well as learning to perform (and enjoying) some snappy eddy turns and fast water ferries. Is switching really that bad?

ian123 · Post by **ian123** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:05 pm

HAVING to switch is what's "bad"

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:27 pm

communication

Ther's (just 4 Kimie) times to be quiet and times to talk. Many times people try to emulate what they think they've seen, and fail because of not actually knowing what's really going on. And if they had simply asked how to do the move, those hidden parts would have not escaped them. In my experience the worst that usually happens is a smart-butt response, and even then if followed up an explanation.

For instance a good friend this weekend asked me to critique a move they were doing. After watching I noticed that everything inside the boat was missing. The paddler knew what they wanted to do, could read water, knew the strokes, had the timing down.... but.... wasn't using those big in the boat muscles, The ones they had been carrying around and not bothering to use. After about 3 minutes of flat water drill in an eddy, the light went on. The missing part for this lady was using her core. She does yoga, had about 3 ounces of extra weight, paddles OC1-kayak-n-C1, has rock climber balance and endurance ... but for some reason didn't realize not using these muscles.

The same can be said for boofing drops. And the same can be said for play boating. And the same can be said for water reading. It may be a little weight shift, maybe a minute delayed rudder, or perhaps a head move. These are to hard to see sometimes, but can make a big difference. And only require asking, "Hey - how did you do that". Of course knowing when to talk and when not to, could be a thread of it's own. Along with listening.

Longboatin · Post by **Longboatin** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:38 pm

Brewbeer...I say if yer comfortable switchin keep doin it. Wait to limit yerself to cross strokes until u attain the "god"like status of decked cboater

ian - bad how?

Sir Adam · Post by **Sir Adam** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:46 pm

Nothing wrong with switchin'.

Jim Underwood was paddling before Davey Hearn. While not as fast as Davey, he's STILL much faster than me.. and a better all around boater (I might be a "better" cquirtist). And he primarily switches.

Personally I think being able to do BOTH is preferable, as different situations call for different strokes. But then again, I feel the same way about boats and look where that's got me....

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:49 pm

how bad is a muscle imbalance?

While I always go left in a pinch, and wouldn't have a chance rolling on that other side. My body likes me better, now that I use both sides.

ian123 · Post by **ian123** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:18 pm

Longboatin, The being able to paddle both sides is awesome. The problem is switching to avoid learning cross forward strokes... We re taking about pitfalls in the learning process after all.

C-Forum

"What are common pitfalls in the learning curve?"

Re: tommy, tommy, tommy,