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Kayak / Freestyle Tricks / Grind |
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Video Clips
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General Overview – This trick can be used for sliding down the face of a wave, which is an awesome feeling. A Grind can also be used to keep your bow or stern from pearling and washing you off the wave. Its a great trick for all around boat control. Prep - You will want to know how to flat spin, side surf, and know your edges pretty well to do this trick. Your head is going to have to be in it from the start, if you are not mentally prepared for this trick you could catch your upstream edge and window shade. To start this trick you’re going to want to be front surfing a wave and also you will need to have a pretty steep wave so when you start your grind you don’t wash off. Gravity is on your side for this trick so the steeper the wave, the better. How To - Step 1 – This is going to be grinding with your left edge facing upstream. As you are going down the wave face you want to rotate your body and boat so you are 90 degrees with the wave face (this is essentially the start of the flat spin you but just stay in control and don’t rotate all the way around 180 degrees, you stay sideways). Step 2 - As you are rotating your body, you are going to want to have your body leaning downstream with your weight a little right of center and enough edge lifted so is not to catch your upstream edge. Step 3 - With your paddle blade, stick it in the wave, and rudder to help control yourself and allow yourself to be looking upstream. You should feel yourself sliding down the wave. Finishing - Now you’re grinding! You will feel yourself sliding down the face of the wave fairly quickly, essentially grinding the wave face. Just like a skateboarder grinds a rail your kayak is grinding the wave. Some ways to control yourself on the wave are rotating you body and also try using your feet by pressing your feet on the side walls. This causes you to turn the boat slightly depending on the way you press your feet. Now you can move yourself around the wave while in the trough of the wave, this is also a good way to get to the top of the wave by slowing yourself down without using breaking strokes. Common Mistakes - Often people fail at thsi trick becasue they are not lifting their edge, not rotating their body, or getting to agressive and over rotating and flat spinning instead of grinding. General Tips - Try to Grind on both sides and get comfortable withthis as it will help your overall boat control. Also try doing your flat spins very slowly or stalling them a bit at 90 degrees to help get the hang of the felling of falling down the wave sideways. Adding Style – A Grind is a great way way to set up for a trick especially if you have a really steep wave that causes your bow or stern to pearl. To add some style try going from a Grind into a flip turn or helix. If you want to go old school you can add a paddle spin in there or try spinning one way into a grind then spinning the opposite way. Tricks to Try Next - Blunt, Backstab, Helix, Flip Turn, Air Screw, Clean Spins or Super Clean Spins Have you got another way to do this trick or any suggestions for other paddlers? Please let us know and contribute to Niftytricks. Please report all problems to Webmaster | Copyright 2001-2006 NiftyTricks Media | All Rights Reserved |
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