freestyle fundamentals: mastering stomps and enders

episode 1 | watch episode 2 here

Hi there, Brandon Willms here from the Alberta Play Boaters League. We're thrilled to partner with AQ Outdoors on this freestyle fundamental video skill series. In this first lesson, we will focus on core body movements: leaning forward and backward, or as we like to call them, trunk tucks and trunk extensions. These simple movements are frequently used in play boating and will help us progress to a fun trick called the ender.

What You'll Need

To get the most out of this video, ensure you have:

• A well-fitted modern play boat.
• The smallest boat you can fit into for a reliable roll or T rescue.
• A helpful partner or coach.
• A flat water location that's deep enough to get the end down. A gentle current can be an excellent option for future progression.

These movements form the core foundation skills for bow stalls and loop-based tricks.

Understanding stomps and enders

An ender is a freestyle kayaking maneuver where the paddler uses momentum to vertically submerge the bow or stern of the kayak, causing the boat to pop up dramatically. A stomp is the technique used to initiate this maneuver by dynamically tucking forward (or backward) to sink the bow (or stern) underwater, creating the necessary force for the ender.

Getting Started

To begin, let's learn the basic flat water stomps and enders:

1. Stomp Technique: This is more than just aggressively leaning forward without a boat or paddle. Sit in the frog leg position and dynamically tuck forward with your chest to your knees. Notice the upward force on your legs, similar to the scissors analogy with equal and opposite reactions.
2. Weight Shift: Now, address the weight shift while sitting still. In a boat with a paddle, get into the basic active body position with the paddle held in front of your face. Dynamically tuck all the way forward, nearly kissing the deck. Keep the paddle position locked so your upper body and paddle move as one. Hold this position until the boat settles.

The goal here is to sink the bow as deep as possible and get a big splashback. Repeat the weight shift steps in a more dynamic fashion.

Amplifying the Movement

Once this feels good, amplify the movement:

• As the bow starts to sink, open the scissors. This will help get the boat more vertical.
• Reverse all the steps to work on the stern stomp.

Balancing the Stomp and Performing an Ender

The final step is balancing the stomp and performing an ender:

1. Use momentum to get the stomp as vertical as possible. Paddle forward at a steady pace to build a small wake.
2. Stop paddling and coast with the wake for a second. Get into the same basic active body position as before.
3. Before your momentum runs out, follow the previous steps to stomp. Notice how much more vertical you can get the boat when you open the scissors (trunk extension) than with a simple weight shift.

Common Problems and Solutions

Here are some common problems we see paddlers having while trying to execute the ender, along with solutions:

• Boat Size: The boat might be too big, either too much volume or too long in the bow or stern. This is easier with smaller, stubby boats.
• Range of Motion: Not using the full range of motion.
• Core Engagement: The paddler swings the arms instead of using the core.
• Incorrect Stomp Technique: Leaning back too far initially, which can sink the stern underwater and add resistance to the forward stomp.
• Timing: The paddler is too rushed after paddling to pick up momentum.

Key Points

This flat water progression eliminates the added input of moving water, allowing for easy separation of key points:

• Build momentum and create a wake.
• Let the boat coast with speed and set the body position to complete the stomp.
• Close the scissors (bring the chest to the knees) and pause to feel the end catch.
• Once you feel the catch, open the scissors.

Additional Tips

• Add water to your boat to help get you vertical.
• Have a partner on shore give you a push to help get you close to vertical. Focus on starting forward and then standing up (trunk extension) to maximize your verticality.
• Once you're comfortable on flat water, try getting vertical using current.

Conclusion

That's the end-to-end version of the stomp and ender. We hope you found the breakdown engaging and useful, and you're excited to move on to the next step in your freestyle progression. Thanks so much for checking out this video. Subscribe to our newsletter at the form below for the latest instructional videos, or browse our courses.