By Karyn DuLaney

Paddling:

The best way to prepare for the paddling section of a race is to practice by being on the water or training with an indoor ergometer.  Learning proper form and technique can maximize the use of the trunk muscles to prevent arm fatigue.  If you are limited in how much paddling you can do prior to a race, keep your arms, back, and legs strong to improve your efficiency on the water.  Decreased stability in the trunk and shoulder muscles can lead to over-gripping and overuse of the elbow muscles, which can cause tendonitis.  For the arms perform: 

1. Shoulder strengthening - resisted shoulder external/internal rotation, serratus flexion, and prone T/Y exercises

2. Tricep exercises - skull crushers, dips, or pressdowns 

3. Latissimus Dorsi strengthening - lat pulldown

If you tend to suffer from low back pain, consider the mechanics of your posture for prolonged sitting in a canoe or kayak. Work to improve your flexibility to sit in these positions and the endurance of your muscles to maintain them. Try these exercises:

1. Trunk strengthening  - Russian twists, wood chops, seated butt scoots

2. Back strengthening - Bird dog (bonus if performed with a row instead of a reach), Romanian deadlift or deadlift, bent over row 

3. Mobility exercises 

1. For your legs: hamstring stretches, sciatic nerve glides, piriformis stretches

2. For your back:  rotational stretches such as threading the needle or open book stretch

Finally, for racing, be prepared to help your team carry your boat to the put-in. I’ve experienced a variety of distances for carrying gear and boats at races, sometimes as part of the standard course design and other times for a strategic portage. The following exercises can increase your strength for finagling boats, paddles, and team gear.

1. Overhead Carries

2. Farmer Carry

3. Suitcase carry

Hart Adventure Racing Team has a great resource for kayak-specific exercises, strength training, and exercise programming. Pictures, videos, and written instructions can help you perform many of the above-mentioned and other paddle-specific exercises. Another valuable resource for improving your paddling is Packrafting Adventures where Eric Caravella offers regular skill and river safety courses as well as gear rentals. And of course, we have our West-coast-based coaches. I’ve seen photos of Jen Seggar doing some amazing paddling adventures in Vancouver and have witnessed Bend Racing towing a boat with a sleeping teammate to a first-place finish at Endless Mountains! Invest in an AR coach to meet your personal goals, whether it be a podium finish or helping you finish your first race.