Whether you want to indulge in cave kayaking, whitewater kayaking, or salt water kayaking, the foremost need is to be fit. Kayaking is not everyone’s cup of tea because it demands a high level of fitness. You have to be physically fit enough to be able to paddle for long durations and in extreme conditions. You also have to be mentally fit enough to push through the surf or the rapids. Accidents happen; not because the river currents are too strong but because people are not fit enough to maneuver their kayaks or they are not able to handle the brutal force of the gushing waters.
So how can you keep yourself fit enough to enjoy this sport? The best way to be fit is through paddling. Like the cardinal rule for any sport, “The more specific your preparations, the better your performance”, it also applies for kayaking. You have to practice paddling, every day for a couple of hours.
The best plan that you can adopt is take short paddling sessions dedicated towards fitness and improving the techniques. You can take a boat ride on a nearby lake or flat-water river to practice paddling. It does not have to be in a only. While you are paddling the boat, try to relax your body, mind, and soul while focusing at paddling. This paddling exercise is designed to improve your cardiovascular fitness as well as increase your shoulder and arm strength. When you paddle, you will be straining your chest muscles, muscles of the forearm and the shoulder and back.
Alternatively, you can also join a gym before starting your kayak paddling lessons to tone your muscles and improve your fitness. Conditioning your body beforehand will make it easier for you to paddle. Aerobics is also a great form of exercise although you will need to concentrate more on keeping your chest, leg muscles, arms, and shoulder fit. The more you paddle, the more will be your endurance power.
With improved fitness, you will be able to derive more joy out of paddling. You will feel more energetic and paddle greater distances without fatigue or muscle cramps. This will also make you strong enough to handle unexpected difficulties like sudden changes in the course of the river, blind bends, eddy’s, waterfalls etc. At the same time, this fitness exercise will make you flexible enough to be able to use your entire body behind the strokes to move the kayak at great speed.
One of the important exercises is the stretching exercise, which will help you to control the paddling motions. If you practice stretching before you start paddling then it will help prevent injuries like muscle soreness, tendonitis, strains, and dislocations. You can always pick a Coleman kayak from any of their stores and practice in the nearby lake. The inflatable kayaks available with Coleman are perfect for beginners and help you to exercise paddling in calm waters. These kayaks are sturdy and NMMA certified.
