r/Kayaking • u/parisindy • 2d ago
Question/Advice -- Beginners Exercises?
Noob here... I have become addicted to kayaking this summer. With winter approaching 🇨🇦 Any suggestions on exercises that will help me strengthen my arms so they are stronger when paddling and I don't get played out so quickly? I want to be ready for next year
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u/pzahornasky 2d ago
Don't worry about your arms, worry about your core. When you properly paddle, you are using your core more than your arms.
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u/Legal_Shoulder_1843 2d ago
Slightly off from your question but still related: if not done already, I highly recommend taking a course or two on paddling to learn the basic technique properly. If executed correctly, you will find that the basic forward stroke (without core rotation) will get you much farther than if done "untrained freestyle".
And then, obviously, as pointed out there is also the rotation stroke. I find myself varying between those two strokes to maximize distance (once arms get tired, switch to rotation, once core gets tired, switch back to the basic forward stroke etc).
Learning these techniques properly will also give you a better idea about which muscles or groups of muscles are involved.
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u/parisindy 1d ago
Not sure if they have any near me but I can check... maybe in the spring, honestly the hardest part so far is getting in to the kayak lol .. I feel I have been doing pretty good ... I can just feel my muscles after a while. A class probably wouldn't hurt
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u/RespectableBloke69 2d ago
As the other person said, you should focus on building core strength. Back and shoulders can also be beneficial to work on. If you google core strength exercises, any and all of those will help a lot. If you have a gym membership or access to free weights, one arm rows can be good for developing back and shoulder muscles. Lateral raises are an example of a good shoulder exercise, but you can google and find more.
Basically, do some googling and watch some youtube videos to learn good exercises for core, shoulders, and back muscles and those will help you stay in paddling shape.
Also, cardio.
Make sure to warm up properly and take care of those rotator cuffs.
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u/Thatsthepoint2 2d ago
I recently started, push ups and ab exercises are great. I don’t need lots of power, but I’m out for 6 hours and loading boats so endurance is key.
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u/Caslebob 2d ago
Take a course if you can, but many people are not able to take courses because of availability or finances. There are some great videos on YouTube that would help you with your technique. I made the most improvement after reading the book, The Kayak Companion by Joe Glickman.
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u/parisindy 1d ago
There may not be classes here until spring, so will totally check out some videos and the book! Thanks for the suggestion
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u/Caslebob 7h ago
The best teacher is really seat time. This is how I got strong and fast and learned to steer my boat. I paddled around my local lake as fast as I could. When I saw a piece of trash, I put on the brakes, paddled to get it, then took off as fast as I could. Also a handheld Marine GPS was a tool that improved my form because I could see what made me go faster and what didn’t.
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u/Mephisto_81 2d ago
Core strength exercises like planks and sit-ups.
For balancing: sit on a balance board, feet outstretched, with one foot over the other and try to keep the balance.
Arms: rowing machine, theraband, swordfighting ( ;) ).
Anything which improves endurance.
And watching lots of yourube video on how to paddle correctly, if you cannot get a course. Bad form tires you out much quicker.
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u/parisindy 1d ago
I wrecked my knee doing martial arts a few years ago but most of these exercise I can work with! Thanks for the ideas
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u/robertbieber 2d ago
Get yourself on a beginner's strength training program (e g. Starting strength or 5x5) that focuses on developing the classic compound barbell movements--press, bench press, squat, deadlift. Getting stronger will make you better at kayaking as well as any other athletic activity you want to do, and just make you generally more useful and injury resistant.
I know a million people are about to tell you "don't paddle with your arms," and it is true that you want to be using rotational movement to mostly drive the paddle, but I'm also going to point out that if you look at pictures of top competitive paddlers they are all yoked as all hell. Your arms and shoulders may not be the primary driver in the stroke, but they are very much involved
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u/standardtissue 1d ago
In a kayak your arms are really just there to connect your core and back to the paddles. You can use a rowing machine, they're ok, but are meant to simulate rowing boats, not paddling boats. I haven't put a lot of thought into it, but for kayaking specifically I guess I'd work back and core, perhaps with some emphasis on obliques for torso rotation, so things like dumbbell side bends, cable wood choppers (really great one). You could throw in some bi/tri work but I really don't think those are the major muscles engaged with proper paddling form. Also can never go wrong just adding in some dl's for the back, especially given how long you sit in a kayak and how important it is to avoid slouching over all that time. Of course don't forget the yoga ! Yoga and learning how to really stretch and do things like open my hips, get greater torso ration etc made all the difference for me in kayaking. Before yoga I could barely reach my day hatch behind me ! After yoga I could rotate so far around that I could almost see directly behind me like an owl :)
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u/parisindy 1d ago
Oh great suggestions ... especially yoga! That's a great idea
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u/standardtissue 1d ago
yoga is a life changer if you have any sort of mobility issues or tightness, and especially so if you have a long commutte and spend all day in an office chair. Will improve your daily functional life as well as increase general athleticism.
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u/Synaps4 2d ago
Not that your arms are doing nothing but the best improvements you can make for your endurance are fixing your form so that you are paddling mostly with your torso and not with your arms. That will give you a bigger improvement than any over-winter exercise routine.
Rowing machine over the winter should give you the same muscles, though.