Utilising the best sites in the UK coupled with our coach’s vast experience allows us to tailor our courses to your exact requirements. This makes our skill’s weekends a superb option for anyone wanting to develop.
We offer a range of designer and BCU course programs that provide progressive opportunities to assist your development. All the programs we provide are designed and delivered in a way that will expand your skills, grows your confidence and give you specific objectives, whilst providing the best course framework so that you go away inspired and fuelled with the right knowledge and skills to progress as easily and quickly as possible. You can be sure Sweetwater courses use the latest thinking and each and every programme has been established through experience and the very best practice drawn from many sports.
We recognize that just as each individual who comes to us for coaching is unique, the courses we provide should also be unique. That’s why we work within a framework rather than to a fixed program. We will work with you to set the pace you like, and focus on the skills that will allow you to get the most fun out of this incredible sport.
Our skill development courses have been specifically developed to:
- Identify your training needs and deliver a tailored learning experience.
- Motivate and encourage you to make the most of your time on the water.
- Help you to reflect upon your performance and identify your achievements.
- Improve your ability to understand what and how you are learning, and to review, plan and take responsibility for your own ongoing development.
- Provide you evidence of your skills and achievements.
- Deliver a course to meet your expectations.
Synergy
This is an exciting practical based course where you will learn how to become a fluent, decisive and more creative paddler. The unique program is designed to address skills that have the greatest effect on balance, control and confidence. Throughout this practical course you’ll learn a range of mental skills that will enhance your focus and empower you to become a more confident and consistent paddler.
The learning outcomes:
- Injecting new creativity and personal growth into your paddling.
- Learning the latest boating techniques and tactics.
- Develop a sound understanding of white water dynamics.
- Using visualisation to enhance your learning and performance.
- Building confidence in your ability by strengthening your focus on the right things.
- Dealing with adversity and managing arousal and anxiety levels.
- Become a self-directed learner through your experiences and targeted reflection.
- Improving your learning curve through goal setting.
Pre requisites: In order to get the best out of this course you should have fundamental boat control on Grade 3/3+ water. This includes manoeuvres such as breaking in/out, ferry gliding, and the beginnings of a white water roll (60%+ effective). You should also be reasonably fit.
Free-ride
Free-ride is a style of paddling that involves maximising utilisation of as many river features as possible to flex and progress your skills. This is a sound way to practice the necessary skill sets that may be required to deal with the diverse demands of more advanced white water environments which are less forgiving.
Throughout this two day course our coaches will refine and enhance your river running skills through the art of Free-ride whilst getting to know your river boat like never before; the overall aim of the course is to throw your boat around with precision, confidence and style.
An integral part of this course is dynamic risk assessment of river features and identifying windows of opportunity, whilst not forgetting being coached some of the coolest moves around.
The learning outcomes:
- Learn the latest river running skills and current thinking.
- Overcoming a plateau in your performance.
- Tactical knowledge of reading, selecting and achieving lines.
- Efficiency in your application of technique and manoeuvres.
- Learning how to fine tune input from your senses and focus shift.
- A greater understanding of mental rehearsal and how to best develop and apply it.
- Increase confidence in your paddling abilities and benchmark your level of performance.
- Using video analysis to enhance your development.
Pre requisites: In order to get the best out of this course you should feel confident on grade 3(4-) water. You must have a reliable white water roll (80%+ effective). You should also be reasonably fit. If you have little confidence or your roll is not confident then check out our Synergy course.
Steep Creeking Intermediate
Are you interested in developing the skills that will allow you to explore the exciting possibilities of steep creeking? If so, this course is for you! This two-day course is designed specifically for intermediate paddlers to gain a first taste of this exciting environment whilst developing a baseline of skills in a supportive environment to deal with drops and small falls with confidence. By the end of this course you’ll have acquired a solid foundation from which to further explore steep creeking and continue your development.
The learning outcomes:
- Fundamental steep-creeking techniques.
- Increase your knowledge of this steep river environment.
- Tactical knowledge of selecting and achieving lines.
- The beginnings of understanding of mental rehearsal and how to best apply it.
- Confidence in your boating abilities, and understanding your limitations.
- The first taste of an adventure paddling experience.
Pre requisites: In order to get the best out of this course you should feel confident on grade 3+ water. You must have a reliable white water roll (80%+ effective). You should also be reasonably fit as there is a certain amount of trekking with boats involved.
If you have little confidence with drops and falls or your roll is not consistent then check out our Free-ride or Synergy courses.
Steep Creeking Advanced
Join us and immerse yourself in this exciting environment with one of the UK’s leading coaches in this field.
This is a two day action packed program aimed at intermediate to advanced boaters who want to improve performance and gain experience in this challenging environment. During the course you’ll explore a handpicked selection of the best runs the UK has to offer. You’ll get the best coaching available to tackle this environment with precision and understanding using the latest coaching tools including technique, tactics, manoeuvres, scouting, managing safety and foremost, knowledge of your own limitations.
The Learning Outcomes:
- All the latest steep-creeking techniques.
- Increase your knowledge of the steep river dynamic environment.
- A greater understanding of mental rehearsal and how to best apply it.
- Scouting techniques and risk assessment.
- Confidence in your boating abilities, and understanding your limitations.
Pre requisites: In order to get the best out of this course you should feel confident on grade 3/4 water. You must have a reliable white water roll (90%+ effective). You should also be reasonably fit as there is a certain amount of trekking with boats involved.
If you have little confidence with drops and falls or your roll is not 90% consistent check out our Free-ride courses.
