Log rolling is inherently and instinctively a competitive sport. From the first moment you step on a floating log with another person, you'll be vying to see who can stay on longer. It’s as simple as that!
The 4th of July week is primetime for friendly log rolling challenges. As beginners, you don't need to do anything special, just throw a Key Log® into the lake or pool, fill it up with water, and let 'er rip!
Growing up in Wisconsin, my competitive family of world champions would typically take a break from training and enjoy the holiday like everyone else. But with the portable and easy to learn Key Log Rolling system, we've been able to introduce log rolling to our relatives and lake neighbors, and share the fun and fitness of the exciting water sport.
Whether you're trying to add a splash to your family gathering; or you're facilitating small group activities at a camp or resort, here are a few of my favorite ideas for inspiration.
Partner Rolling. Log rolling doesn't always have to be a dual! This is a simple challenge to insert into a larger “Olympics” or decathlon-type event where you have pairs or teams. Two teammates work together to see how long they can stay on the log together. (Keep your feet moving, use small steps!) The pair with the longest time wins. If it's part of an obstacle or relay race, you could subtract the length of time that the team stays on together from their overall time.
Around the World. This is essentially “winner stays on” until someone beats the entire group consecutively. To keep it moving fast, you can do just one-fall matches, but if you have a small group, you can do 2-out-of-3 or 3-out-of-5 fall matches.
Log Rolling Team Challenge (this one's a three-parter). Traditionally, log rolling is an individual sport, but this is a fun way to team up for three challenges. The number of people on each team can vary with the size of the entire group. Four to eight people on each team works well, but it truly doesn’t matter.
1. Timed rolling. Each person gets one (and only one!) chance to step up onto the Key Log and roll for as long as they can. Add up all the times on each team, and the team with the longest time wins that challenge.
2. Speed Rolling. The goal is to get as many full revolutions of the Key Log as you can as a team in a pre-determined amount of time. For example, set the timer for 2 minutes (or 3 or 4). The first team member steps up and tries to make as many revolutions as they can before falling in. As soon as they fall off, the next person steps up, and so on. The goal is to be quick but controlled. You’ll be more efficient if each teammate gets several slower revolutions in a row, rather than one or two rapid revolutions, falling in, and the next person going. The team with the most revolutions within the time period wins that challenge.
3. Face Off. Each person will challenge someone on the opposing team in a one-fall match — except you won’t know the pairing until both rollers step out to face off against each other.
Here's how it works. Both teams huddle up to secretly determine who they will send out first. This is mainly for dramatic effect, but is also useful to avoid reliving your 4th grade kickball line-up anxiety. It avoids the “you two are the best so you should face off against each other, and you’re the worst so you should go against each other” scenario.
Both competitors step onto the Key Log, making sure to get a good start. "Ready, Steady, Roll" is a good starting cadence. Don't forget to "never stop moving your feet". Repeat until every team member has faced off against someone from the opposing team. A "win" earns one point for your team, so if a team loses the first two challenges, there is still time make it up! A few notes:
- If the teams are small and you have time, you could do 2 out 3 matches.
- If you have a big group, you could split into more than two teams, and after the first two challenges, have the top two point winners "face-off" against each other to determine first and second place, and the second best point winners "face-off" to determine third and fourth place.
- Each of these challenges could be a game unto itself, or as part of a bigger water Olympics/Decathlon.
And my personal fave...a good old fashioned head-to-head bracket. You can do single or double elimination. Count up the number of people who want to participate, and draw up a bracket on a piece of paper or white board. Click here to download a few different bracket sizes. If you have a particularly competitive group, you might want to check out the official log rolling rules and regs at USALogRolling.com, just so you don’t create a bitter feud that lasts until next year’s 4th of July family reunion. (I’m talking to you Uncle Fred!).
Ready to try some log rolling challenges? Rent a Key Log for a week or weekend.