Paddle faster: 5 exercises to increase your canoe speed
What's the story
Increasing canoe sprint speed is vital for competitive paddlers looking to improve their performance. This article details five powerful paddle stroke exercises that build strength, endurance, and technique for faster canoe sprinting. By integrating these exercises into your training routine, you can make notable gains in paddling speed and overall performance.
Ergometer
Power up with paddle ergometer training
Paddle ergometers replicate the resistance encountered in water-based paddling, offering a highly effective means of enhancing stroke power and endurance. By dedicating 20 to 30 minutes on a paddle ergometer three times a week, you can significantly boost your on-water speed. This land-based exercise enables athletes to concentrate on perfecting their technique while simultaneously building muscular strength in the arms, shoulders, and core.
Core stability
Core strengthening for better stability
A strong core is crucial for powerful and efficient paddle strokes. Exercises like planks, Russian twists, and medicine ball slams strengthen your abs, lower back, and obliques. Doing these exercises two to three times a week will improve your stability in the canoe, leading to stronger and more controlled strokes.
Flexibility
Increase flexibility with dynamic stretching
Doing dynamic stretching before paddling sessions enhances flexibility and range of motion, both of which are essential for optimizing stroke length. Exercises such as arm circles, leg swings, and torso twists condition the body for the dynamic movements of canoe sprinting. By incorporating a 10-minute dynamic stretching routine before each training session, you will experience smoother and more efficient paddle strokes.
Resistance
Resistance training for upper body strength
Upper body strength is crucial for generating the power needed to propel the canoe forward. By adding resistance training exercises like pull-ups, bench presses, and dumbbell rows to your workout routine twice a week, you can significantly enhance the strength behind each stroke. Concentrating on building strength in the arms, chest, shoulders, and back will translate to increased sprint speeds.
Interval
Enhancing endurance with interval training
Interval training involves alternating between short, intense bursts of effort and periods of rest or lower-intensity activity. By incorporating this approach into your paddling workouts, you can significantly improve your cardiovascular endurance, which is crucial for sustaining longer sprints. Adding one or two interval training sessions to your weekly routine can greatly enhance your ability to maintain high speeds over distance.