If you’re having trouble learning rolls, try the lie back technique.
The lie back is an important part of eskimo rolling technique. This will make it much easier for you to do the rolls you need to do, as well as help you to kayak better in general. The reason for this is that the lie back will cause you to have a lower center of gravity – which makes it less likely that you’ll flip upside down – and the roll that you’re trying to do will be that much easier.
Once you’ve learned the hip flick, then you should make sure that you practice the rest of your rolling while leaning back in the kayak. While this is not necessary in all cases, it is generally a good way to make rolling that much easier for you. Since rolling in the kayak is hard to begin with, it’s usually a good idea to make it as easy as possible. Another result of the lie back is that you’ll probably end up rolling from the back deck instead of from the front of the kayak.
Similar to the lie back, another thing you should consider is that there are a few other things you should do when it comes to technique both while learning the hip flick and other parts of the eskimo roll. For instance, it’s generally a good idea to keep your elbows bent, and to not move your arms behind your shoulders. That way, you won’t strain your shoulders or arms.
If you’re not sure how to use the lie back to make your rolls easier, then you may want to try taking a class about eskimo rolling – almost any instructor should be able to give you some good advice about what you need to do to perfect your rolling.
If you’ve been using the lie back in order to learn how to do the eskimo roll, then you should also try to learn how to do it without using that technique. That way, you’ll know how to do the roll both ways, which will just mean that it’s more likely you’ll be able to get your kayak upright again after you capsize while you’re on a kayak tour.
