The Kayaker's Playbook! [Paperback]

Kent Ford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1998

This pocket personal trainer teaches drills that improve whitewater kayaking skills. Simple explanations of dozens of exercises make learning easy! Explains and pictures of 100 drills, tips and hints that lead to easier paddling. Includes waterproof crib sheet. 64 pages.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Excellent! Practiced diligently, these drills will elevate anybody's skills dramatically...could eliminate 10 years of trial and error learning." -- Brian Brown, Former US Team member and coach

"The Authors are so confident the book will improve the skill of any paddler that it includes a money back guarantee. Impressive" END -- Outfitter Magazine

Excellent! Practiced diligently, these drills will elevate anybodys skills dramatically...could eliminate 10 years of trial and error learning. -- Brian Brown, Playboater, Former US Team member and coach

From the Publisher

Author Kent Ford has a remarkable background for producing a paddling text. A two time World Champion slalom paddler, and former coach for the US Junior Team, Ford has considerable experience observing and developing systems that help improve paddling skill. Assisting with the text were instructional authors Phil & Mary DeRiemer. These veteran instructors are well known for their concise articulations of paddling techniques. The authors are so confident the book will prove helpful to any paddler that it includes a money back guarantee to improve paddling.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Performance Video & Instruction Inc (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966056914
• ISBN-13: 978-0966056914
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,204,284 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #77 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Kayaking > Whitewater Kayaking

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a fine resource for both paddlers and instructors, December 16, 1999

By 

L. Guilar - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Kayaker's Playbook! (Paperback)

On the cover of this book there's a picture of what appears to be a gnome with an atomic grin sitting in a kayak. The picture is the clue to both the book's underlying philosophy and its explicit message: kayaking on white water is fun. And the best way to have the most fun is to get the basics right. The book is unique in that it consists of nothing more than a series of well illustrated drills which are aimed at developing good boat control, and good paddle technique, so the next time you get on a white water river you can do whatever you want to do better. It's not aimed at wanna be rodeo stars. Text is kept to a minimum and the book is remarkably uncluttered and direct. Unless you're a champion slalom paddler there's lots here that is useful to help you refine and improve your technique and you don't have to wait til your next white water trip to get on with it. If you want to improve your paddling, buy this book. The authors offer a money back guarantee that it will improve your skills. If you've got a frend who's just started paddling, buy them this book. (And read it yerself!) If you're an instructor, especially a new one, buy this book. It's a ready made repetoire of drills and activities you can use to help your students improve facets of their paddling. For instructors it's also good on the little differences between the way racers and recreational boaters do things. Which given the authors' backgrounds is hardly suprising. (You might want to deduct half a star from the rating if you don't like yo-dude-speak)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Along with Bombproof & Nealy's book, one of the best!, April 24, 2000

By 

JayBe (Birrwill) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Kayaker's Playbook! (Paperback)

I've been kayaking whitewater for about 5 years, seriously the past 2 seasons. I stumbled on this while on a visit back to the States last summer. It is clear and concise and builds on a series of simple paddling and 'awareness' excercises - as if a gifted 'professor' collected his/her lecture notes. No kayaker should be without this book, even if you're a pro, there's bound to be some thought-provoking new material here for you or a new spin on how to pass on techniques to newbies. Nealy's book ('Kayak') opens your eyes about 'reading' water and routefinding, this book opens your eyes about boat control. It's a gift, worth 3X the price...

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for a training program, May 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Kayaker's Playbook! (Paperback)

As soon as I found the laminated exercise card in the back of the book, I knew that this was much more than a book to be read. It was written in such a way that the info inside could go with me in the boat! The B & W photos are more than adequate for the purpose and Kent Ford never writes DOWN to the reader, World Champ though he is...A great resource and confidence builder