Wednesday 1 May 2013

Summer dates for courses

Welcome to Fluidskills.com. We are a UK based company who work all across the United Kingdom and worldwide. Headed up by managing director Darren Joy Fluidskills delivers high quality courses using only recognised and established coaches most suited to the coaching you require. Not only do we offer National Governing Body awards but bespoke courses to suit your Paddlesports needs
New dates for BCU and UKCC courses at Fluid Skills

May 2013
14th – 15th May 2013 – BCU 3 Star Canoe - £155
17th May 2013 – BCU Aquatics first aid course - £60 – Devon
19th May 2013 UKCC Level 2 assessment – Exeter - £120
20th – 21st May 2013 BCU 3 Star Surf kayak – Devon - £155
27th – 28th May 2013 - BCU 4 Star assessment white water kayak £165 - North Wales

June 2013

7th – 8th June 2013 – White water safety and rescue - £155 French Alps
15th – 22nd French Alps progressive course (grade 3/4+) full board - £800
22nd – 29th French Alps Classics course full board - £800
15th June -13th July French Alps coaching and Guiding £150 per day

July 2013

1st – 2nd July 4 star white water Leader training – French Alps - £155
4th – 5th July 4 star white water leader assessment – French Alps - £155
6th -7th July White water safety and rescue – French Alps - £105

August 2013

26th August 2013 - Foundation safety and rescue - £60 – Devon
27th – 30th August 2013 – UKCC Level 1 coach course - £250 –Devon
31st August – 1st September 2013 - BCU 3 Star surf kayak - £155 – Devon.

September 2013

2nd September 2013 – UKCC Level 2 Assessment - £120 – Devon
16th – 19th September 2013 – UKCC Level 2 training - £250 – Devon



Thursday 18 April 2013

Alpine classics

We still have spaces on the Alps Classics in June this year , £800 all inclusive including accommodation and food , free pick up from Turin airport and full tuition and kayaking equipment.

With 15 years experience in this area you will progress and have a great time on the water

Darren Joy a BCU Level 5 Coach and professional alpine guide will be running this trip

For full details contact us today www.fluidskills.com



BCU Foundation modules from fluidskills

We offer the following modules at your club or centre as well as direct from us. Contact us for a group booking for your modules. darren@fluidskills.com www.fluidskills.com

Fitness for Paddlesports
Not just for our Olympic athletes! Ever felt tired at the end of a paddle, ever felt you could do with a little more energy .This module could help you to last that bit longer on the river, and still have enough left to style that last rapid.

Coaching the Mind
Psycho mumbo jumbo? Definitely not! Ever had to psych yourself at the top of a rapid, ever had to talk one of your students into pushing their comfort zone a little, this module is designed to give us all the mental edge to improve our coaching and paddling.

Performance Planning for Paddlesport Coaches
This module is great for planning those progressive sessions, working on establishing students wants and needs and designing a plan to help them achieve their goals.

Mentoring Skills for Paddlesport Coaches
This one is a great introduction to this highly rewarding aspect of coaching. It Is particularly useful to anyone looking to mentor new coaches, whether you a current Level 3 or above who has been asked to mentor a new TL2, or if you are a Trainee Level 2 one of your roles will be to mentor new Level 1s , this module will start to give you those skills.

Outdoor Education and Paddlesport
Lots of us use paddling to help deliver other educational objectives, this module looks at how we can do that more effectively, it also looks at how we can use paddlesport to help our students have a better understanding of the environment.

Coaching Young Paddlers
This one looks at how we as coaches can adapt our sessions to cater for the needs of our young, developing paddlers. It looks at how we develop physically, mentally and socially and how that effects our paddling, it also looks at all the BCU initiatives to help you to become a better young paddlers coach.

UKCC Level 2 assessments with fluidskills

Are you ready for your UKCC Level 2 assessment? Do you need a re assessment ?

Contact me today to get your assessment done at your centre or club, this is the preferred way for you to gain your level 2 award.

Darren Joy assesses in a non interventional way to allow you to show your Level 2 coaching behaviours with your long term students. Darren is a BCU level 5 coach and a UKCC Director for Canoe England. He is also the regional coaching organiser for Devon and Cornwall.

Please get in contact if you have questions or would like go get the ball rolling towards your assessment

Darren@fluidskills.com / 07946763776


Darren Joy passes BCU Level 5 coach award

A very long journey and I successfully passed my BCU level 5 inland coach award . This is the highest coaching award the national governing body Canoe England has.
With river levels looking good and lots to come the weekend started at Plas Y Brenin with a brief and interview with my unknown students that I was to coach the next day . A good session with my two students Chris and Hannah on day one on the River Dee, thank you so much for your time And such a pleasure to coach you both.

Day two was with my long term students Dan Daley from Lee valley Watersports site and Darren Sherwood from Chanel training . The water was super high and hitting a great level for us on the River Dee , the rest of North Wales seam to be in super flood?

Over all a great weekend and with great mentoring from Lee Pooley and a lot of thanks for his time and energy over the last 2 years.

A big thank you to everyone that has supported my development towards my L5 , the main person being Kate and your amazing way to keep going and support me all the way.

A very large smile still is on my face and I look forward to just getting out and coaching

Happy paddling
Darren Joy





Monday 18 March 2013

French ALps snow pack info

as you can see snow is good here and had to dig the cars out after snow for the last two days, our house is at 1000 meters in the Durance valley

We have Rob Benton who is a Fluidskills team member living in the area full time , for uptime date information keep an eye here



Tuesday 12 March 2013

Kayak training for white water

At some point you have to train for the sport that you take part in. Here are my 3 too tips

IMPROVING TECHNIQUE
Technique is the most important component to improving in any sport,The kayak stroke consists of powerful rotation of the upper body, combined with a driving of the legs against the foot rest, As you strive to improve your technique, focus on maintaining an upright posture, keeping your arms straight at the catch and rotating your body rather than pulling your arms toward you.

KAYAK-SPECIFIC STRENGTH
To really begin to see improvements in your time, you need to get strong in the gym. Begin with body weight exercises such as pull-ups, pushups, sit-ups and squats. Once you can do these with ease, begin lifting weights. The kayak stroke requires tremendous strength in the torso, core and legs, so emphasize these areas. Perform sets of six to 12 repetitions, using 65 percent to 85 percent of your one-repetition maximum to increase muscle size and strength.

EXPLOSIVE POWER
Power is a specific type of strength that combines lifting heavy loads with explosive muscle contractions. Power is essential for getting the kayak up and moving from the starting position. Power exercises that are effective for kayaking include power cleans and snatches. Only attempt power lifts under the watchful eye of an experienced coach or strength and conditioning professional. Sets of three to six repetitions, using about 75 percent of your one-rep max will increase power needed for kayaking.


French Alps Snow testing 2013





Some testing for Fluid Skills in the French Alpes

When Darren asked me what the snow was like for this year, and how it was shaping up for the kayaking season, I decide being a diligent member of staff I aught to do some testing, so my mate Mat came over.

                  Day 1
We decide to go for a tour, we were planning to do the Tete de Vautisse, but after Mats long drive from the UK and some very important beer testing we had a later start, so went instead for a tour around the Roche Charniere both are above Le ponteil a great rock climbing venue, high above the Durance valley, it was a really hot day.
 



Day 2
After another night of beer testing, we decided that some other testing should take place, think what else makes a good paddle trip, Sunshine and warmth, so we went rock climbing at sector Jonathan at the Traverses, to catch some rays, it’s a great crag that being a sun trap you can climb year round ( yes top off climbing in March)




 

Day 3
Back on the ski’s for some more snow testing, with bad weather due, we went for a trip up to Pre de Madam Carle high up in Ailefroide


Day 4
After the snow and some wine testing time to hit the board for some off piste at Put St Vincent 
















 
Day 5
Back on the skis for a tour, a binding issue cut the day short.

Conclusion

Well I feel I have done some good testing and research for the up and coming season, in short there is lots of snow here, the sun is great, and the beer and the wine well I not 100% so I think I will keep testing that to make sure. Look forward to see you in the Alpes

About

Rob lives out in the Alpes full time and is one of fluid skills staff as well as running his own stuff through dream-trail.com.

Wednesday 9 January 2013

AWE training

Last weekend was the advanced water This two day course provides the training required to progress to the BCU Advanced Water Endorsement Assessment. The aim of the course is to develop your coaching knowledge to transfer the coaching skills from the BCU (UKCC) Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Paddlesport into a discipline specific advanced water environment. This will build on the Moderate Water Endorsement skills and focus particularly on the techniques and tactics of coaching in the challenging advanced water environment. With this in mind the course will be spent primarily looking at ‘what’ we coach in the advanced environment with the specific boats, and then ‘how’ we do that with the skills that we already have.a strong course delivered by lee Pooley on the south west rivers