If you want to get better at kayaking, try doing some of these land-based exercises from Kayaking Nation, an online resource for kayaking enthusiasts.
Kayaking is a physically demanding sport that requires you to be at a high fitness level. But doing any old exercises won't get you to where you need to be—you need to do sport-specific exercises that will prepare you for the challenges of the water and Kayaking Nation has highlighted a few of them for you to try!
Their new guide recommends the top exercises you can do to improve your performance out on the water. The exercises are designed to target multiple muscle groups and can all be performed in the same cross-training workout.
Go to https://kayakingnation.com/what-exercises-should-i-be-doing-to-be-a-better-kayaker to find out more.
According to the guide, the five most beneficial exercises are dumbbell squats and presses, kettlebell swings, planks, bent-over rows, and high and low wood chops. For each exercise, Kayaking Nation provides a step-by-step breakdown of how to safely and effectively perform them, as well as suggestions for how to incorporate them into your broader workout.
Kayaking Nation selected these exercises primarily because they work the muscles used most frequently while kayaking, namely the core, shoulders, arms, and obliques. However, they also require very few pieces of equipment to perform, which makes them accessible to a wider audience.
If you can’t perform the exercises due to a lack of equipment or physical limitations, the guide provides some alternatives that might be more suitable, including Russian twists, sit-ups, and push-ups. Whatever exercises you perform, your goals should be to improve your core and upper body strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance, and to prevent yourself from getting injured.
To get the most out of the exercises, Kayaking Nation encourages you to perform them in conjunction with your paddling drills. By working on the two in tandem, you get a real-time progress report and you can more easily identify specific areas where you need to improve.
You should also be progressively increasing the intensity, duration, and complexity of your exercises over time. By doing so, you avoid plateauing and you give yourself the chance to try variations of the exercises that will force you to adapt and develop new skills.
“Becoming a better kayaker involves a comprehensive approach to training,” said a spokesperson for the website. “By incorporating exercises that target core strength, upper body strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and stability, you can enhance your kayaking performance and reduce the risk of injuries.”
To help you improve your kayaking further, Kayaking Nation has included a video tutorial as part of the guide. The tutorial is provided by River Kings, a kayaking YouTube channel with over 20,000 subscribers, and it concentrates mostly on how to paddle flat; however, there are several other tips included in the video to help you get better.
About Kayaking Nation
Kayaking Nation is a one-stop resource for kayakers of all skill levels who want to improve their performance and get the most out of the sport. In addition to coaching guides, the website provides unbiased reviews of everything from kayaks and paddles to safety equipment and apparel.
Make your next session out on the water a better one by visiting https://kayakingnation.com/what-exercises-should-i-be-doing-to-be-a-better-kayaker
