Freestyle Unlocked
Ready to fall in love with freestyle kayaking? It is more than just learning tricks! Developing freestyle skills will progress your kayaking by making you feel more confident on the river and more comfortable and controlled in challenging situations. So, are you ready to play?
The book is intended to be an encyclopedia for freestyle kayaking that will help you to fall in love with the sport. Something that you can take and seek what might be missing from that trick that you have been trying to get for months or to guide you through your progression. To help you with embracing it.
“All I dreamed of since I started training freestyle was having a coach. Somebody who will lead me, tell me how, in what quantity, where and when. How does it feel to have a plan? Know what to do? Take a step-by-step in the way that makes a difference. I had to train for years, study at university, and talk with other coaches and paddlers to come up with all pieces thanks to them and the people I met. For you, this and hopefully more will be found in the book. It starts with the hourglass concept of training, helping you to understand what you seek and then leading you to organise your sessions and helps to grasp how to train, eventually leading you to each trick breakdown.”
A bit of history
It was straight after I started my Physical Education university that I knew I wanted to write about the theory and methods of freestyle kayaking inspired by books for other sports. It was, however, 08.09.2013 when for the first time, I started writing out the ideas for the book. I was seeking a way to understand the sport by reading about others and was trying to transfer the knowledge into freestyle.
I crossed paths with Sam Ward, and between discussions, we found out that we used to share the same dream, and he has also started writing a little bit for his version of the book. On the path when I finished my studies and left my academic career behind, a time of the year came during the fall when I was feeling empty. The season was over, and that would be when I would start doing a lot of writing for university. But as this was done… I have found an old project. And I started writing.
“At the beginning, I thought it would take me two months to finish, and I should be able to publish it just before summer starts. That was autumn 2021.”
100 reviews
Well, I have always been optimistic. The writing itself was smooth. Sometimes it felt like kayaking; you hop in the flow and let it carry you to the desired effect. Yet I still needed to learn how complex the publishing process would be. Collecting photos, shooting the videos, and arranging everything in the book and reviews. So many reviews – well, ask Nick! Anyway, after over 100 reviews and three years later, I’m holding a finished copy in my hands.
It is impossible to describe how good it feels. But I would not be here if not for long chats with Sam Ward, whose knowledge, passion and understanding of kayaking drove me forward and planted motivation in me again over and over and for Nick Beavis and managed to help, support, review, carry and listen to my thoughts and doubts adding invaluable parts of his pen and correcting my Polish-English to be easier to understand.
It was my long-time dream, but I wanted it to be a heritage of our generation and not only a ton of photos of myself doing the tricks over and over. Kayakers I grew up with, those that shared surfs at the Nile Special, competed in the events in Europe and around the World or paddled together in new locations on the other side of the ocean. Everybody who we share a bit of story with. The book is also intended to be an album with pictures of the best paddlers that we all love looking at doing their favourite tricks in the best locations.
From foundation skills to advanced tricks
So, where to start? Where is a point that distinguishes a beginner paddler from an intermediate? Intermediate from a pro? Somebody who does kayaking casually to somebody who wants to train? Who will know what to do and how much of it to progress?
You start with foundation knowledge, going through all basic terms and equipment, talking about features and finishing with the most basic techniques that can be learned at flatwater to finally lead you into the more advanced hole and wave tricks. You will find included descriptions, pictures, and top tips to understand each trick.
Additionally, you have a set of exercises where you will find a QR code leading you to a video showing how to perform them. All of that is featured on our youtube channel.
Hole, Downriver & Entry and Wave moves
So how does it work? All the moves are split into main categories, each describing how to make the most of them. Every trick is split into a few parts:
- 1. Cover shot.
- What is it?
- Step by step.
- Table breaking down the trick into phases for boat, body and the blade.
- Key pictures step by step showing the main phases.
- Common mistakes.
- Top tips.
Now the books are available for shipping – we are slowly starting to work on the next chapter – Whitewater Unlocked! We hope you will like this book and help you fall in love with kayaking even more!
You can get your copy at https://kayakingunlocked.com
