Stand up sit down.
Just a fancy trick, only achievable by the coach?
Or a fantastic tool for your coaching tool box? I think it’s a tool, since I saw someone stand in their boat years ago I thought I can do that, after hours of practice I could. What’s the point I was asked on numerous occasions, so as I start to write this I’m thinking what is the point?
Why do I encourage people to stand up? What do they get from doing that that they can’t get from other strokes? What is the point of it all?
Standing up improves balance; that leads in to all sorts of other things from self rescues to difficult landings and is great for improving confidence.
Some people just stand up. Without any problem, others have to learn , and practice, an exercise to get you started, try with your bum on the seat lifting your legs out the cockpit and putting your feet in the water, using your feet for stability (like floating anchors) straighten your legs so your bum rises above the seat, then move your bum towards the back deck, try and get comfy, (by keeping your feet as deep as you can in the water you improve the stability). Now you are sitting on the back deck try putting your feet inside the cockpit straighten your legs, now go for a paddle hopefully you find the quicker you go the more stable it becomes and the more your confidence increases. The less you try and hold on the easier it will be. Now put you r feet on your seat legs bent knees coming towards chest, this probably feels a bit more unstable, when you start to paddle stability will return, this is a fantastic place to practice support strokes, you’ve got to be quick.
Once you are sitting on the back deck feet on seat its time to stand up, I find the easiest way to achieve this is pushing my chin forward and straightening my legs voila I’m standing, remember to hold on to your paddle. Another way for the less agile among us is to hold the cockpit coaming at the front; you can use this to pull against whilst pushing up. TIP, you will find this easier the more you can move your weight above your feet before standing (shuffle your bum forwards) Once you are standing you can use your paddle for support, like balancing on a tight rope. In order to maintain balance especially in moving water I very often put most of my weight on one leg and use the other to adjust balance, some people keep the weight equal and bend there knees to balance, you have to try before you can decide which is best for yourself.
Other exercises along the same lines get in a position where you can shuffle along your boat and kiss the bow, turn round and shuffle to the stern. Sit on either hatch and paddle side saddle, Round the world, from facing the front move one leg so you are side saddle move the other so you are facing back move the first so you are side saddle again then move the second leg so you are facing the way you started.
Can you sit on the back deck of your boat and turn it through 360 degrees underneath you? This is more about awareness, where do the decks stop and the edges start? You have got to be quick, great for balance.
Can you stand on one leg at different points along the boat, I once watched a small girl do this on the front hatch of an Avocet, she was stood straight up hands above her head one foot on her inside knee in a perfect ballet pose.
Standing on the back deck feet just behind the cockpit, a littler bit harder than with your feet on the seat, once your up it’s easy, getting up has to be quick and precise if you falter in the middle you will fall of. Standing on the front deck even harder, your centre of gravity will be further from the water, same as the back deck quick and precise will get you there.
Once you have mastered all of the above then try them all in a different boat, try them in the waves and try them in some tide. And if you still haven’t been challenged try a summersault along the deck or a headstand on your seat. These aren’t tricks only for the expert, I know 13 and 14 year old kids who have no problem with most of what I have been talking about.
Now you can stand up what are you going to do with your new trick? I try and not think of standing up as the skill. The path leading to standing up is the hard bit. On the way to standing I have learned how my boat balances where the edges are, how unfit and inflexible I am I have learned confidence in what I do and I am not afraid to get in the water.
Something for free! Its not often you get something for nothing, if you learn to stand up, and you practice lots, you will learn a means to self rescue absolutely free no extra time needed. Once you are in the water floating beside your boat roll it the right way up (away from the waves less water will enter the cockpit) get yourself to the last quarter of the boat near the stern (on the boat I use this equates to the back of the rear hatch) swim your legs out behind you so you are pushing the boat at 90 degrees to yourself, with a big kick and a pull forwards your chest will be on the rear deck, swing your leg nearest the stern over the boat, and shimmy forwards keeping your head low and your legs deep in the water. Hey presto you are back in the position to stand up again. (As a self rescue method don’t worry about a bit of water in the boat, your boat will paddle fine with 3 or 4 inches of water in it)
Go and try it push yourself, when you fall off get back on and try again, you will get better and your boat confidence will improve hugely, you might even have fun.