You love sports, water and you could spend hours and hours paddling both on the sea and on the river: working as a kayak instructor is a great way to combine these passions of yours and dedicate yourself to a rewarding profession in contact with nature.
But love for sport is not enough. Kayaking is a demanding discipline, where physical and mental balance has a great impact on the result (and on risk management).
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We talked about it with Emanuele Costa, a kayak instructor in Rimini, who has a long experience in teaching the discipline. With him we saw kayaking from a new perspective: not only fun, but also technique, coordination and a pinch of courage to overcome normal beginner fears.
- Hi Emanuele! Can you tell Jopla’s audience who you are and what you do? How did you start kayaking and when did you become an instructor?
I take care of kayaking courses both in the sea and in the river in Rimini. I started kayaking thirty years ago as a self-taught at sea, but then I realized that without courses I could not grow up and go out safely.
I followed more and more challenging courses to learn how to kayak both in the sea and on rivers. I also participated in personal improvement courses with the best instructors in Italy to refine the technique and go down even on difficult rivers in safety.
I became an Instructor of the Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation thirteen years ago, following and passing courses and exams at the Federation of Bologna on the Reno river.
- What are, in your opinion, the main characteristics that a good kayak instructor should have (both from a technical and personal point of view)?
The main characteristic that a good instructor must have is first of all the passion for this sport. Then I would add a solid personal technique in both flat and choppy water; desire and patience to pass on a difficult sport to people; finally, a great spirit of empathy to understand each student and work on their potential.The thing I love most is being able to convey to people the passion for this sport and share adventures with them both at sea and river.
- Do you find kayaking a sport suitable for anyone? Who would you recommend it to?
During the courses I always specify that kayaking is not a sport for everyone!
I recommend it to those who love being outdoors and in contact with nature. Kayaking tests our balance on the water, therefore it requires sensitivity, agility and perseverance.
This is why it is important not to be afraid of water or strong emotions: those are never lacking, both with the waves of the sea and with the rapids of the river!
I do not recommend the practice of kayaking even for people who cannot swim and for those with particular conditions that limit body mobility.
- What are the main benefits of practicing a sport like kayaking?
The benefits of kayaking are many.
One of the great advantages is the harmonious development of the body: my teaching technique is based on the use of the whole body with efforts of varying intensity, combining aerobic and anaerobic actions in a harmonious way. This work strengthens all the muscles, strengthens the heart and increases both coordination and balance skills.
It’s also a great way to burn off calories in a fun way!
- What are the main fears people have when they approach kayaking?
Among the most common fears of students are tipping upside down and being tied to the cockpit due to the splash guard. And then I often notice the fear of the power of water.
These are fears that almost always fade during the first course.
When you try the maneuvers in the water, you find that, once you have mastered the technique, the risks are very low and you can get in harmony with the water.
- When teaching kayaking to children and young people, how do you teach them to remain humble and respect the sea or the river?
An example that I like to use during my courses is that of the grain of sand: when we are in the water, whether in the sea or on a river, we are like a small grain of sand in the desert.
A paddler with his kayak weighs on average around 100 kg, while a single cubic meter of water weighs 1000 kg: 10 times more than us!
What can we do then against the sea or the current of the river? We can only refine technique and sensitivity to get in tune with water and use its strength to our advantage. We are dealing with an element that is infinitely larger than us and this is one of the aspects that fascinates me most about the practice of kayaking.
- Today it is very easy to find videos of people kayaking and shooting their experiences with action cameras on YouTube and social networks. Do you believe that the dissemination of this type of content can have a negative impact and fuel risky behaviors?
Both Youtube and social media are potentially means very useful for the diffusion of sport, but it all depends on how they are used
Testifying your experiences with an action camera, when they are performed correctly and in compliance with safety rules, can be very interesting for those who have never tried them.
On the contrary, videos that show reckless and out of control actions can undoubtedly encourage improper and very risky behavior.
- When it comes to taking risks while kayaking, what are your recommendations for evaluating them correctly?
Kayaking is a sport that involves risks, some visible and some not. Even the sea, although it may appear calm at times, always hides some risk. To learn to recognize them you need experience and dedication.
During the courses I dedicate part of my lessons to talk about risks, deepening the safety rules to follow both before going into the water and during the outings.
Some basic recommendations, for example, are the following:
- never go out alone;
- always use the safety vest, even in summer;
- always evaluate your physical condition well;
- constantly work to refine the technique.
Mastering the technique is one of the most important safety tools: it allows us to prevent problems, maintain complete control of the kayak and take it exactly where we want and when we want.
I would like to remind you, then, that caution is never too much: you have to face difficulties higher than your technical level only when you are in the company of the instructor, carefully following his instructions.
Let us always remember that kayaking is not a sport where you compare yourself with other human beings, but a discipline that allows us to confront the infinite!
Have a nice job!
