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FITNESS
Winter Training
for Paddlers
By Rich
MacDonald
Are you a paddler?
Do you look to the beginning of each season with trepidation? It has been
several months since open waters first started to freeze and at least
as many months since you last sat in a canoe or kayak. Whether your avocation
is paddling rapids, meandering rivers, or open lakes, take heart because
there are exercises and stretches to ease the transition into the new
paddling season! The key is to be active every day, setting a goal to
be a better, stronger, faster paddler.
Any fitness program
designed for paddling should place an emphasis on cardiovascular workouts.
At least 30-40 minutes a day should be dedicated to elevating your heart
rate. With the busy lives we all live this can be a daunting task, so
set a priority to get and stay in shape. Many people need or like the
structure of a gym, however, it may not always be practical, so look for
alternatives.
Paddling is an outdoor
sport, so when you can train outdoors! So it's cold…put on an extra
layer. It's snowing...don a Gore-Tex shell and go cross-country skiing.
Your favorite running loop is buried under snow...modern snowshoes are
the perfect vehicle for running over the snow. Let the elements help condition
you; feel the refreshing wind on your face.
If you do nothing
else, run, cross country ski or snowshoe. Many communities and ski centers
have trails groomed specifically for cross-country skiing. Ski for an
hour, sweat, and breath hard. For a great cardiovascular challenge, double
pole the flats and the downhills, and work up to double poling the uphills.
When poling is done properly—reaching forward to plant the poles,
swinging your arms back behind you, propelling you forward, bending at
the waist to get that extra oomph. Double poling is a tremendous workout,
exercising your back, triceps, pectorals, and latisimus dorsi, all muscles
groups essential to your paddle stroke.
As you are exercising
your cardiovascular system, think about the past paddling season. Visualize
a long trip; try to get into the same "groove," that mindset
that is only achieved after miles of continuously dipping your paddle
into the water. Set goals for the upcoming season: I need to work on using
subtle strokes for course correction, I need to use shorter strokes, I
need to use longer strokes, I need to get my off-side roll…
Strengthening exercises
can be an important part of preparing for the upcoming season. Crunches,
pull-ups, and push-ups can be done anywhere. Weight train! Be sure to
include an exercise kneeling on a bench, leaning forward on one hand,
letting the other dangle with a suitable weight, a 5, 10, 20 pound dumbbell
to start, then pull it up to your chest and hold. Do three sets of ten
on each side.
STRETCH!!! How long
have you promised yourself that you are going to start stretching tomorrow?
Next week? Next month? Next year? DON'T procrastinate! Just do it! Develop
a stretching routine and stick with it. After a few months of forcing
yourself to stretch, it will eventually become a part of your daily routine
and you will come to truly miss those days when you cannot find the time
to stretch.
Stretch your abdomen
muscles. Drape your paddle across your shoulders, reach out toward the
blades and grab the shaft with your hands, then twist your torso to the
left as far as possible. Do the same to the right. Sit on the floor and
reach forward to your toes and beyond. Stretch your legs; your hamstrings,
your quadriceps, your calves—long hours sitting in a canoe or kayak
can be excruciating—especially if you pinch your sciatic nerve (how
many times have you felt your legs go numb?). A limber lower body will
help. Be sure to hold each stretch for at least 15 seconds. Unsure what
stretches to include in your routine? Turn to a health professional, a
high school coach, or a stretching book.
As with any sport,
nothing truly prepares you better than doing it. Before paddling season
arrives, is the time to build strength and hone skills. Facilities in
many communities have indoor pools. Contact them or a paddling retailer
to learn about any skills clinics that might be offered. If none are available,
broach the idea of organizing open-pool sessions at a facility, for people
to practice at their own pace. Bring a qualified instructor in or be the
instructor yourself. Practicing skills indoors, in a controlled climate
with warm water, is an ideal way to prepare for the coming season.
Search for local
paddling clubs. They may also arrange periodic pool clinics, as well as
providing ready paddle partners most any time of the year. Three clubs
worth investigating are the Champlain
Kayak Club, the St.
Lawrence Valley Paddlers, and the Northern
New York Paddlers. There is a modest membership fee for each.
It may be possible
to actually train on open water. The Saranac River, starting in the Village
of Saranac Lake, usually offers a few miles of moving water for the die-hard
paddler (start at the end of the white-water practice course downtown
or at the Pine Street bridge on the north end of town; paddle downstream
until you are ready to return). Paddling upstream, against the current,
will provide a great workout.
It is also good training
for the first race of the season, the Ice Breaker Canoe Race on March
17, 2001. It will be the 17th offing of this annual five-mile race. For
more details, contact the Saranac
Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. Beware; water this time of year is
cold! Wear a wetsuit; or better yet, wear a drysuit. Above all, do not
paddle alone—go with a friend. And ALWAYS wear a personal flotation
device.
Remember, make it
a priority to get in shape and stay in shape.
Rich MacDonald is a naturalist and paddler who has been exploring
the Adirondack lakes for 18 years. He lives and works in Keene Valley
and can regularly be found on Adirondack waters, guiding trips or researching
stories.
© 2000-2001 Adirondack Sports & Fitness. All rights reserved.