MISSION: with billy harris: Mission: Snapping the Ivory and breaking the rules

VICIOUS.........

I grew up getting beat up pretty regularly, school busses playground, hallways.... I sucked at fist fights still not that brilliant. One day I was taught a great lesson by a great man named Pat O'brien. He had 12 brothers and sisters. I asked, "Who won the fights around your house Pat". his reply, ""the guy that got to the shovel first of course". I was shocked. "Dude, I said, thats not right. he laughed, "there are no rules to fighting", he said. "Billy", he said, " use that farm boy power and get em on the ground. Once there BITE THEM IN THE FACE!" I said, "WHAT!?". He says to me, "you never want to fight again, put the old ivory to em and bite them in the face." He was right, it worked like a charm…….. that bite festered for a month, and everyone was horrified that I would break this unwritten rule of fighting…..

ROLLING IS THE SAME WAY………………. read on.

Did a clinic on the weekend. Got to work with two ladies from the dorset area. One girl who's partner paddles. Just got a nice e-mail about how I teach, and the change, but something that just keeps coming up again and again needs to be addressed.

Big Bird and Elmo clowning around.

Rolling is just as much a psychological test as it is a kayaking manover. Rolling is more about the right approach and anxiety control as the physical move. People think they are lifting their body out of the water… WRONG. you are rolling the boat under neigh yourself…. and that explanation is where it starts.

If your going to teach your friends try these tips to help them on their way.

Control their language about rolling.

Be sure that they are happy and excited and their language ESPECIALLY yours is all positive. Remind them they are to flip the boat under their butts. that is it.

Control their experience and use no short cuts.

Get a dry suit or wet suit and get in the water with them. Flip them, roll them swim in the water with the kayak. Even take the time to swim with the paddle and put their head up inside the boat when its upside-down. Comfort is everything when upside down.

Be consistent. Rolling to some person's rules Don't work. Teach the roll that you use and be sure you have a couple different ways of teaching it.

USE THE PALADA!!!!!!!!!!!

Teach the roll as you normally would, (head down, paddle high big sweep at the start hip flick) is how I do it. But when frustration and they are close, teach the Palada. Make sure that its when they are close. Make sure that YOU KNOW they can get it, every time….

RULES!!!!!!

The Rule for the plalada is simple. Once the right way or standard way and, once the palada. Its a psychological crutch as much as it is a method to get air….

Anyone who has a beef with this can contact me and tell me why. I would be happy to crush their argument…

One last thing, GET A DUO and take em for a ride.....