How to Train to Kayak

Even recreational kayaking requires strength and endurance.

Kayaking is not a sport for the faint hearted or those that are not physically fit. Whether you are planning to race kayaks, take part in extreme kayaking or merely do it on flat water for recreational purposes, always be prepared. Kayaking requires strength and endurance. You may have to build up some core muscles before you go anywhere near the water.

Things You'll Need

• Dumbells

Instructions

1. Perform cardiovascular exercises to give your heart a workout. Kayaking uses a lot of energy and your heart must be up to the job of pumping the blood that your organs need. Cardiovascular exercises, sometimes called aerobic exercises, include running and swimming and are designed to build up muscle endurance. Run, swim or ride a bike four times a week for half an hour at a time. Vary the cardiovascular exercises you perform to help build stamina and work different muscles in your body. Rotate the exercise pattern once or twice a week.

2. Build up the muscles in your upper body. You use the muscles in your arms a lot when kayaking. Make them strong enough to manoeuvre you and the kayak through the water. Do push-ups to build up the muscles in your chest and arms. Do as many push ups as you can and use that as your starting point. Gradually build up the number that you do as your strength increases.

3. Build strength in your legs, as well as your arms, by doing squats. Stand with your feet apart and your arms out in front of you. Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel with the ground. Hold that position for a few seconds and then push yourself back up. Gradually build up the amount of squats you do as your strength increases.

4. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and rotate the wrist. This is the same movement that your wrists make when using the kayak paddle. Strong wrists make the task easier. Go for more repetitions, rather than heavier weights, as the constant rotation gets your wrists used to the motion of kayaking.

References

• Anabolic; Strength Training for Kayaking; Dr. Linda Kennedy
• Canoe and Kayak: Extreme Kayaking Workout

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish