Fitness

We train so that we can live!

What are we training for?

In kayaking we are using the body in the following way: To propel ourselves forward!?

Muscle groups

Legs and hips

In kayaking the the legs can help with the strokes. Contrary to rowing, you are not using the legs as much and are not pushing against the foot-rest. Training the hamstrings and lower back is one of the most important areas you can train, in my oppinion, because it will help you sit straighter in the kayak and you won't feel discomfort sitting with slightly bent knees and a straight back for hours. Sitting straight will lead to a much more powerful stroke and greater stabilization in the boat as well as greater manuverabiity with the paddle to steer the boat in all weather conditions.

To maximise strength I would advocate for using the barbell as that allows you to lift a greater total weight, however one should not forget the dumbbell variations/exercises as they work isolateraly, meaning you can work on any potention muscle imbalances that are due to genetics (humans are left/right symmetrical) or because you are using your right-side more.

Suggested exercises

BB Front sqauat
BB Back squat
BB Romanian dealift
BB Deadlift
Machine Leg curl
DB Romanian dealift
DB Deadlift

Chest

The chest is an area that is easily neglected and something I didn't think of to give special thought before I read The outdoor athlete.

Suggested exercises

BB Bench press
BB Floor press
DB Dench press
DB Floor press

Back

Spending time on training your back might not seam sexy, but it's way sexier to look proportional from all angles and also to have a straight posture. If one would focus only on working out the fron of the body, then for instance the shoulders might become slumped forward, which we might be prone to anyway due to spending time in front of our computers and phones.

When it comes to kayaking, the back is very important to train because it when doing a rowing movement you are using your shoulders and back a lot. Also it's fun because you can load up a lot of weight when lifting and see big numbers, in terms of weight and volume.

Suggested exercises

BB Romanian dealift
BB Seal row
BB Bent over row
BB Pendlay row

Shoulders

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Velit, quis. Tempore tempora eum porro mollitia, magnam rerum eius harum. Accusantium molestiae magnam consequuntur aperiam illo harum suscipit quos molestias sunt.

Suggested exercises

BB Overhead press
DB Shoulder press
DB Latera raise
DB Arnold press

Arms

Suggested exercises

BB Curl
DB Curl
BB Triceps extention
DB Triceps extention
DB Triceps kickback
DB Dirt digger
DB Farmer's walk
Rope Triceps

Core

Suggested exercises

Russian/Oblique twist
Crunches / Incline crunches
Plank and its many variations
Leg-raises
Single leg-raises
Bar Hanging leg-raises
Bar Hanging Knee-raises
Machine Rotary torso
Santana press
Dragon fly

BB Curl
Farmer's walk

Warm-up

Suggested exercises

Streching

Suggested exercises

Injury prevention

Suggested exercises

Training programmes

Here you can read about the different kayaking training programmes I've done over the years. You'll see how my training has changed from nothing prior a trip to programmes lasting months. Of course the length depends on the percieved difficulty of the trip and my fitness level at the time.

I've sorted the programmes yearly as that makes the most sense, to do it chronologically, and also because if I'm kayaking in the summer then likely start training no sooner then the same year. But we'll see down the line ;).

Each year has the headings introduction, philosophy and the programme. Introduction gives a background to the premise for the goal of the trip, and my "starting strength" prior to the programme.Philosophy deals with why i chose this particular programme and its goal and lastly the actual programme is detailed in the programme.

Introduction

Lorem ipsum dolor, sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Labore laudantium modi temporibus ducimus, aperiam a autem dolorem animi, veritatis qui aspernatur ipsa iusto assumenda expedita excepturi, ullam quibusdam recusandae alias.

Philosophy

The programme

Introduction

Unfortunetly, no kayaking was done this year, mostly due to financial reasons.

Philosophy

The programme

Introduction

Having completed the Uppsala - Stockholm two years before, I had for the next challenge two options really; explore the Stockholm's archepelago or conquer lake Mälaren. I've had the book Paddla kayak i Stockholms skärgård since the Ingmarsö trip in xxx and had browsed it many times. However conqering Mälaren proved too tempting a challenge as I had already chipped away a part of it in 2017.

Philosophy

In order to maximise the chances of my success I tried on various occasions to find strength exercises that would be good for kayakers, but unfortunetly I found very little. Especially on youtube all I found was very specialised exerices on equipment not found in gyms. However there were a few exceptions such as the seal row.

The programme

Many things were uncertain with this programme becuase I didn't know when I would be able to do my kayaking adventure - or if even could afford it. However luckily the finaces were secured, but I still didn't know when I was going. This affected the length of the programme and also which components I would use and for how long. The idea was always to use the book "The outdoor athlete", which I had bought for myself for new years, as a blueprint.

re-write in the form of a timeline.

The programme; start at 2019-04-02 with a partial strength test. Break from programme due to work (which was good exercise anyway) until 2019-04-28.

Week number (#)	Session 1	Session 2	Session 3	Bonus session 1	Bonus session 2
0	2019-04-02 Strength test (part 1)	2019-04-04 Work	2019-04-07 Rest/Child-free weekend	-	-
1	2019-04-09 Work Yoga	2019-04-11 Work	2019-04-14 Rest	2019-04-08 Work Yoga	2019-04-10 and 2019-04-12 Work
2	2019-04-19 Ill	2019-04-18 Work	2019-04-21 Rest	2019-04-17 Work
3	2019-04-23 Work	2019-04-25 Work	2019-04-28 Warm-up Stretching Circuit Strength test exercises Deadlift	2019-04-24 Work	2019-04-26 Work
4	2019-04-30 Warm-up Stretching A1	2019-05-02 Warm-up Stretching A2	2019-05-05 Warm-up Circuit Strength-test seal row (BB)	2019-05-03 2 000 m Ergometer rowing Running 10 min @ 10 km/h	-
5	2019-05-07 Warm-up Stretching A1	2019-05-09 Warm-up Stretching A2	2019-05-12 Warm-up Circuit Farmer's walk Seal row (BB) Seal row (DB)	2019-05-10 Warm-up Sport-specific exercises Romanian deadlift Bicep curls (DB) Tricep extention (DB)	2019-05-11 Kayaking day trip!
6	2019-05-14 Rest	2019-05-15 Warm-up Stretching A1/A2 hybrid	2019-05-19 Warm-up Circuit Farmer's walk Seal row (BB) Seal row (DB) Bicep curl (DB) Tricep extention (DB)	2019-05-18 Hike: 4.5 km @ 17 - 20 kg	2019-05-19 Hike: 4.5 km @ 17 - 20 kg
7	2019-05-21 Warm-up Stretching A1	2019-05-23 Warm-up Stretching A2	2019-05-26 Warm-up Circuit Farmer's walk Seal row (BB) Seal row (DB)
8	2019-05-28 Warm-up Stretching A1	2019-05-30 Warm-up Stretching A2	2019-06-02 Warm-up Circuit Farmer's walk Seal row (BB) Seal row (DB)	2019-05-27 Exkursion Stockholm: Minion in child carrier
9	2019-06-04 Strength-test (part 1), lower	2019-06-06 Rest	2019-06-09 Strength-test (part 2), upper
10	2019-06-11 C1 C2	2019-06-13 C3 C4	2019-06-16 Warm-up Circuit Farmers walk Seal row (BB) Seal row (DB)
11	2019-06-18 C1 C2	2019-06-20 C3 C4	2019-06-23 Warm-up Circuit Farmers walk Seal row (BB) Seal row (DB)
12	2019-06-25 C1 C2	2019-06-27 C3 C4	2019-06-30 Warm-up Circuit Farmers walk Seal row (BB) Seal row (DB)
13	2019-07-02 C1 C2	2019-07-04 C3 C4	2019-07-07 Warm-up Circuit Farmers walk Seal row (BB) Seal row (DB)
14	2019-07-09 C1 C2	2019-07-11 C3 C4	2019-07-14 Warm-up Circuit Farmers walk Seal row (BB) Seal row (DB)
15	2019-07-16 Warm-up Stretching Concept 2 rowing 2x2 km < 9 min Sport-specific exercises	2019-07-18 Warm-up Stretching Concept 2 rowing 2x2 km < 9 min Sport-specific exercises	2019-07-21 Warm-up Stretching Concept 2 rowing 2x500 m < 2:05 Circuit BB seal row DB seal row "Dry land paddling" Sport-specific exercises
16	2019-07-23	2019-07-25	2019-07-28
17	2019-07-30	2019-08-01	2019-08-04
18	2019-08-06	2019-08-08	2019-08-11
19	2019-08-13 Strength-test (part 2), upper	2019-08-15 Rest	2019-08-18 Dr. Olssons get-away
20	2019-08-20 Dr. Olssons get-away	2019-08-22 Dr. Olssons get-away	2019-08-25 Dr. Olssons get-away
21	2019-08-27 Dr. Olssons get-away	2019-08-29 Dr. Olssons get-away	2019-09-01 Rest

Kayaking workout playlist

Yoga

Introduction

During 2018 I had no specific kayaking training program as I had no expedition/adventure planned, due to family vacation plans taking priority. I did however have a very productive training/workout year, hitting many goals set out during the year. Although I didn't have a trip in mind, I chose the Romanian deadlift as my main lift since may because I believe it translates well into kayaking strength.

Philosophy

The programme

Introduction

During 2017 a major expedition was planned, my biggest then. Uppsala - Stockholm was almost 90 km and took slightly more than 4 days to complete (Start Monday (170721) c:a 09:00 and finished at c:a 12:00 Friday (170725) ).

I started training for the trip about 6 weeks in advance on June 7:th. During training I did 25 training sessions and did most of my workout on machines.

Philosophy/Goal

The philosophy was to "get back into shape" whatever that usually means. I hadn't done any specific kayaking strength exercises then, but I had my trusted book Anatomy of exercise and my general experience up till then.

The year before I did a 24 hour trip to see how far i would get and if my distance assumption would hold and to try my first solo adventure. It's important to train the mind as well as the body. The trip was very successfull!

I wanted to to be generally fit, but I worked my core and shoulders and back the most. I had experienced back-discomfort/ache, so I focused on training my back.

The programme

Introduction | Back and the Romanian deadlift

Before 2017 I had never had any training programme or regime specific to kayaking. However, when examining my old workout diary last year I did find that I did my very first romanian deadlift back in September of 2011, but I didn't know I was doing an actual exercise at the time, rather I had just "invented" it myself. The weight was an impressive 7 kg (the bar); that I had purchased only a few weeks ago, at träniningsspecialisten in Stockholm and had brought it home with me back to Flogsta, Uppsala. It was an expensive purchace for me at the time, I remember. I just called the exercise Sv. "Skivstång (rygg)" Eng. Barbell (back) and was working in the rep. ranges of 15 - 25 with 3 sets.

It was in September of 2013 that I was able to confirm that I was actually doing the RDL. My notes from before 2017/2018 was not so easy to understand.

Progression-wise it's interesting to note that I attempted my first weight increase in August of 2013 (to 17 kg and 10 reps), then went back to just the bar two more times and then the new weight was settled from September and 15 reps. The number of sets has never changed, while working out at home. From January 2013 I increased the weight to 27 kg (5 reps first time) and from then on it has stayed the same. Mainly because I couldn't increase it more without having to take small plates from the dumbbell and also because I swiched to working out in a gym (Friskis och svettis) since June 2015. The reps moved back and forth between 5 and 10 for some time before (even tried 15 a few times before and after) before settling on 10 reps from May 2014. When I had a longer abscence from training I lowered the weight back to 17 kg.

Arms

Training my arms was part of the very first exercises I did. Partly because I knew of them (bicep curls and tricep extention) but also because I wanted to work on my arms for the aestethics. :)

Progession here has been slow and when I had an abscence from working out it was noticable on my biceps and triceps, and by extention when doing push-ups.

It was only until last year I read that arms are very important for kayaking - yay!

Core

Sit-ups / Crunches has been a core staple of my exercise program.

Exercises

Barbell exercises

Dumbbell exercises

Cable exercises

Machine exercises

Bodyweight exercises

Misc. exercises

Barbell exercises

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Omnis, natus soluta. Libero nobis labore hic quis deleniti incidunt dignissimos praesentium omnis sed iusto. Ex inventore ut, rem tempora ullam, reprehenderit.

Lorem

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Nihil omnis ad totam dignissimos, unde labore odit nemo debitis, nesciunt, ea sit. Quo, provident, eveniet! Voluptatem debitis sequi, ullam sint officia.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Quis aliquam quo expedita, architecto dolorem, dolore deleniti mollitia ea fugit neque, nihil vero eligendi distinctio ducimus porro exercitationem sit nisi ipsum?