USK's Featured Skill

USK's Featured Skill

The purpose of this page is to educate and motivate. If you have never seen the featured skill before then you will be learning something new. Even if you have seen it before perhaps there may be a different twist or variation in the way it is being presented. Even after I think I have mastered a skill I see a student try it in a new way and I am again reminded that one is always learning if they stay opened to new possibilities.

As an educator and motivator I challenge those who know the "Featured Skill" to get out and try it again. In fact, I ask you to take out a paddler who doesn't and try to teach it to them in controlled conditions. At the very least, you and your regular paddling partners should get out and spend a morning or afternoon playing with the "Featured Skill" and see the many ways you can improve your efficiency in the skill.

Imagine if you were to go out once a month and practice one of the featured skills and/or teach it to others. Over time, which I find goes by very quickly, you will have practiced and improved a number of techniques. The overall skill level of you and your paddling partners will have improved more than you will initially realize.

How often does one get out to practice their skills? Most paddles, once they have taken classes (if they ever have taken classes), spend their time paddling. Unless there is a club where active paddles run training and review sessions it is not common for the average paddler to go out specifically to practice skills. Please do not misunderstand me about going out for a paddle. I love getting out for a an hour, day, or week of paddling. However, the high percentage of my touring is spent doing the forward stroke unless the conditions are challenging. I don't believe most of us take the time to polish up some of our lesser used kayaking skills. If the day comes when you need to use one of those less practiced skills will you be able to perform them? If some of those skills can keep you alive then I suggest you get out and practice them BEFORE you need to depend upon them. See USK article, "The Transient Nature Of Skills."

I can say some of my greatest days of kayaking occurred doing multi-hour practice sessions while not paddling anywhere. I just stayed in the harbor or right outside of the surf zone working on my skills. As my skill level improved so did my self confidence and more importantly my understanding of the small nuances involved in skill development.

I would feel very gratified if a nation wide "Featured Skill" club evolved. Not an official club, but groups of paddlers who would regularly go out and practice the featured skill and hopefully many others while out there. If you do go out and find effective variations please e-mail them to us and we will try to get them on the web site. Perhaps starting a local network to practice the "Featured Skill" could help motivate one another to get out regularly for practice sessions.