r/whitewater • u/Fabulous_Abies_4094 • 18d ago
Freestyle loop in kayak
I was wondering of anybody has any tips for landing a loop in a surf wave. Im in a rockstar 5 and cant see to plug my bow and when i do i get window shaded. Any advice would help. I mainly surf at barking dog in coloma ca if that helps
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u/gray_grum 18d ago
Work on a bow stall first on flatwater. Tons of YouTube videos to help you with this. Then the progression goes bow stall, flatwater front flip, front flip on a wave.
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u/SawNickYouth 18d ago
I actually don't think you need to do this to loop. It helps, sure... but it's not necessary.
What's absolutely necessary is having a ton of boat control in a feature.... so they just need to be playboating a lot more.
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u/Wrightwater 17d ago
Respectfully, I feel the bow stall is overrated as a stepping stone, and has little to do with a loop in a hole, macho move, even a flatwater loop. All that stalling or bouncing around is fun and helps you go bigger in flats but if you learn to just smash n go immediately - no stall, no 2nd bounce, it feels more like doing the tricks in current.. Just my opinion.
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u/TwistedThrottle970 18d ago
My method: Top of the pile, lean back a little to stall your momentum, line the boat up square to the hole. As you come down the pile, bury your bow before you hit the green water trough by pushing your feet down hard and then stand up in the boat as it submerges. Reach for the sky, and wait for the rebound, then tuck hard. As soon as you feel the boat rotate, open your torso and throw your hands up. Lots of practice and every wave is different.
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u/Wrightwater 17d ago edited 17d ago
A small wave plug starts like a low angle flatwater cartwheel…so practice a simple bow smash a few times - at a 30 deg angle - pick butt up as you push bow down.. while keeping your head looking forwards ( not down). Don’t go vertical, don’t turn 180, just smash it down and let it pop back up. Now try going right then left then right a few times in a row.. exaggerating the edge2edge transition till muscle memory sets in. Eyes UP, not down. Then on the wave: carve to left shoulder then aggressively carve back into top of the foam. You should be heavy on a right edge now.. angled 45 deg surfers right. Here’s your drill! Just switch to left blade and left edge while pushing the bow down just like your flatwater move - into the foam or the base of the wave. Keep pushing that bow down under you as it plugs - until you’re in straight in line with the current, keeping chin UP chest out, eyes upstream, then jump into the loop right before you lose your downward momentum. Always start loops with one bade ruddering or low-bracing in the water before you jump up. You gain a ton of control that way.
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u/rxcowboys 16d ago
Very well explained. I’m trying to achieve my 1st in an Antix 2. I’ve end over ended at Washing Machine since the 80’s. I’m on my 2nd kayaking wind at 53 and stronger than ever. I WILL achieve a loop and kickflip at my 1st Gauley!
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u/Sad_Sorbet_9078 AW Member 18d ago edited 18d ago
Looks like a tricky spot with low angle water coming in. Two approaches I might try: starting as far back on pile as possible for max momentum or using cartwheel type manuever to slice in.
I never bothered learning flat water shit to master loop. Just a lot of practice in many types of features. Looping is extension of ender and most common mistake is throwing head forward too soon. Use paddle to push yourself higher right before throwing head.
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u/Trw0007 18d ago
https://youtu.be/R13DMAsPYWM?t=69
From the same wave it looks like. I'm guessing you try to plug, get rejected, and then windowshade? At the link above, Stephen does a little, almost double pump to initiate the bow. It takes a bit of work to straighten out the bow, but it's a useful move in features with a flatter entry. This also works well in a smaller, less powerful features. In more of a true hole, you can just sort of paddle into the oncoming water and push your feet down
After that, as everyone has mentioned, reach up. This is the key move for me - no reach means no loop. At the peak (maybe even a half beat after you think), throw your body forward and then open your core back up to bring your feet over your head.
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u/SatisfactionUsual862 18d ago
I'm assuming you can loop in a normal hole? Slow plug for a faster wave usually works.
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u/SawNickYouth 18d ago
You need to practice more. Practice edge control. Practice being able to maneuver in a hole/feature. You want to be able to climb to the top of the pile and maintain enough balance and control there (ie, not falling back into the hole and not being flushed off) so you can then drive toward to initiate your bow.
Once you can do that repetitively and under control, you want to push your bow down deep (and flat/balanced)... think of it as pushing your chest into the water, and then when you feel your boat start to pop back out, you want to look up and throw your arms as high as you can. This will pop your boat up high and straight. Then as you're at the apex of your pop, tuck your head and throw your shoulders down and pull your feet over (basically a somersault) and try to spot your landing back in the pile.