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.
Momentum River Skills Series
The momentum series is designed to provide progressive steps towards achieving your white water aspiration, through a highly customised development pathway. ‘Momentum’ is a key concept used to describe the path of the kayak moving through the medium of white water, not merely its motion, but the power residing in it. It’s the quality of the kayaks motion interacting with the environment which allows us to choose a course of action that guides us through our challenges and experiences…
Momentum 1
Aimed at those wanting to explore the new possibilities of white water kayaking, whilst developing a solid skills foundation through our top coaches. There is no better way to start your white water journey, guaranteed.
The learning outcomes:
- Exciting introduction to grade 2/3 white water.
- Develop confidence in the white water environment.
- Gain a solid skill foundation using the latest up to date river techniques.
- Reading and understand white water hydrology.
- Identifying & understanding hazards.
- Create an easy to follow action plan to continue improving long after the course.
Pre requisites: In order to get the best out of this course you should have fundamental boat control on Grade 2 moving 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.
Price: £160 Dates: See Calendar
Testimonial:
“Dennis, just a quick few words to express my thanks for a fantastic weekend of coaching. Whilst I really enjoyed being on the water, the manner in which you coached and the continuing progression through the days made the weekend really special – thanks again.”
Ian
Momentum 2
Ready to take the next step up in your white water quest? This course is all about becoming 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 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 dynamic boating techniques and tactics.
- Develop a sound understanding of white water hydrology.
- 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 water. This includes manoeuvres such as breaking in/out, ferry gliding, and the beginnings of a white water roll (70%+ effective). You should also be reasonably fit.
Price: £160 Dates: See Calendar
Testimonial:
‘After recommendations from several friends, I’ve worked with Dennis a couple of times over the last year, once to improve my paddling skills and another time to aid with my recovery from a serious injury. On both occasions I felt that due to Dennis’s coaching skill and his overall enthusiasm for the sport I came away as a much better paddler. He seems to have an ability to analyse your level and find the correct manner to communicate the changes needed. I’m always amazed at how much we can cover in a session and most importantly how enjoyable they are!’
Mark
Momentum 3
The last in the momentum series involves maximising utilisation of as many river features as possible to flex and progress your skills on grade 3(4) rivers. 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 (grade 4/5) which are less forgiving.
Throughout this two day course our coaches will refine and enhance your river running skills whilst you get 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 sickest of lines possible.
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 to deal with challenging environments.
- 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.
Pre requisites: In order to get the best out of this course you should feel confident on grade 3/4 white 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 Momentum 2 course.
Price: £160 Dates: See Calendar
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.
Price: £160 Dates: See Calendar
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.
Price: £160 Dates: See Calendar
Video Analysis Sessions
Try our one-to-one video analysis sessions. This is a three hour session with two hours of coaching on the water, recording an agreed predetermined set of exercises that provide valuable data on your chosen areas of development. After the water session your coach then provides a 1hr feedback session that integrates this information into a comprehensive development plan to improve your performance. After the session feedback is presented with digital session notes and video.
Sweetwater have extensive experience in providing both recreational and competitive paddlers with video analyse in order to accelerate learning and increase performance.
Video analysis sessions have the following benefits:
- Identifying bad trends in technique form.
- Accelerate the learning and acquisition of new river running skills.
- Improve tactical application of rive running strategies.
- Identify key performance indicators.
- Setting out training and/or performance goals.
- Video record of your performance.
If you would like any further information or to check your suitability for video analysis session, please call our office or email: service@sweetwater.co.uk and one of our team will get back to you.
For details on how to arrange a bespoke white water course, trip or experience please click here > customising your course
