Some Tips from Meek on Paddling

I found this on their site. Since flatwater K1 is and surf ski paddling is similar, you guys might get something out of the article. Here's the direct link www.meekkayaks.com.au/index.php?page=ouradvice

Nutrition

You'll need to spend alot of time and be prepared to continually adjust and discover the best way to nourish your body for both sprint and marathon racing. Marathon racing and the nutrition required can be a very tricky combination to master in terms of fluid and food intake. Everyone is different so what works for one person may not work for you.

There are some fantastic sport supplements on the market today, however if not tried during training and used for the first time on a race day be expected to get some unfavourable results. Note the quantities and amounts to take of most supplements depends on your genetic make up and more importantly your body weight and not to forget weather conditions.

Being under nourished and under hydrades is not good but over doing it can also have an impact when racing when the body is trying to process and digest too much nitrition! It's about training with your supplements and guaging the amount of energy of general feeling and fine tuning as to what your body needs.

Note the below is to be used as a guide...

Nutrition for Post Exercise Recovery
Skye Taylor
Bachelor of Exercise Science

Recovery is one of the basic principles of training and performing well. Adequate Recovery maximizes the adaptation to training and reduces residual fatigue allowing the athlete to cope with workloads more effectively.

Guidelines to promote recovery:

* Consume high Carbohydrate (CHO) meal or snack within 30mins of completion of a strenuous session (Organize suitable food and drinks with you)
* Aim for an intake of 50- 100g CHO (1g.kg-1 BM) every 2 hours until normal meal patterns are resumed.
* Make high GI foods the principle CHO source for speedy glycogen recovery
* Eat small frequent meals- limits problems with gastric discomfort
* Don't consume high fat or excessive amounts of protein as a replacement for CHO.

Factors slowing recovery

* Damage to the muscle (contact injury or DOMS caused by eccentric exercise).
* Delayed intake of CHO
* Inadequate amounts
* Reliance on CHO rich food with low GI
* High-intensity exercise during recovery.

Guidelines on the amount of carbohhydrate

* Immediate recovery after exercise: (0-4 h): 1-1.2g/kg/hour
* Daily recovery: moderate duration/low intensity training (5-7 g/kg/day)
* Daily recovery: mod/heavy endurance training (7-12 g/kg/day)
* Daily recovery: extreme exercise program (4-6+) hours day: 10-12g+/kg/day

Rehydration

* A Sodium content of 50-60mmol.L-1 is considered optimal for recovery. Commercial sports drinks have (10-25mmol.L-1).
* You may need to consume 150% of fluid losses to allow for complete restoration.
* Taste makes all the difference, you are more likely to drink more of something that you enjoy and sits well in your stomach.

Lollies / processing sugar foods

Lollies are often used as a post exercise recovery snack. Are they really a good post-exercise recovery food?

* Lollies provide a source of CHO that is easily eaten and enjoyed
* They cause an insulin burst followed by a rapid drop in insulin and a sugar craving. This is not ideal for an athlete aiming to loose body fat as you will want to eat more after eating them.
* Do not provide protein, fluid or other nutrients that aid recovery.
* Athletes often consume more than the 60g recommended- jumbo size family packs 500g.
* It is up to the individual athlete- they are easily consumed and do provide quick Carbohydrates but perhaps there are better options.

Nutritional strategies should always be fine tuned with individual considerations of specific total energy needs, specific training needs and feedback from training performance.


Paddling Technique

There are many videos available on the market today that claim to address the correct way to paddle a kayak. Some of these videos are old and so are the techniques being demonstrated. Every paddler will have their own opinion as to what is "technique" but very few really know.

Find below a few simple steps to keep in your mind whilst paddling, however there is no substitute for seeking a good instructor and having someone critique you as you paddle. If this is not available then possibly try setting up a video camera for side and head on footage of yourself.


Step by Step Guide to Paddling

1. Holding the paddle

* Hold the paddle above your head with elbows at 90 degree angles
* Move your hands in slightly (2-3 cm) making the angle in your elbows < 90 degrees
* Mark your paddle with electrical tape - wrapping it around many times creating a lip so your hands don't slide in when paddling

2. Seating, body position

* Free yourself from the boat
* Sit Naturally, with a straight back and slight lean forward
* Knee's raised at a level slightly higher than your belly button
* Knees are to be close and 1 inch apart

Common Faults

* Back slumped
* Leaning forward or backwards
* Knees to high too low
* Knees pressing on the outer shell of the kayak

3. The catch

* Claimed by most as the most important part of paddling
* Leaning forward, insert the left paddle into the water as close to the boat as possible
* Left arm is to be as straight as possible and paddle not gripped allowing fingers to pull the paddle / like you are hanging from monkey bars and swinging
* The left leg will also bend the right leg will straighten allowing you to reach further
* Right arm will start at 2 o'clock, wrist at eye level and elbow as vertical as possible, at the end of the stroke the wrist will be at the same height however it has moved around to 10 o'clock
* The right arm is there to support / stabilise rather than push hard

Common Faults

* Not reaching forward and having a bent arm
* Not using your legs which will create instability
* Elbow pointing out and forearm horizontal
* Top hand dropping low and not staying at eye level

4. Twist of torso

* Twisting the trunk should provide 80 Percent of power and 20 percent provided by the arms
* Trunk twist is assisted by the movement of the bottom, legs and a slight push by each foot
* Your paddle in the forward pull position should reach the same forward point on both sides of the boat
* When you PULL, it's the shoulder first abdominals second and a little from your arms that are now bent

Common Faults

* Angle of twist to small
* Twisting the top of your torso more so from your lower torso
* Stiff immobile legs and knees
* Moving head from side to side

5. Pull of arm and rotation of torso

* Aim is to pull as long stroke as possible from the front of the boat to no further than your waist
* Sink the blade close to the boat and as far forward as possible
* Keep the arm straight, trunk twisted and pull first part of stroke with the trunk muscles as well
* Apply pressure on the same leg for which the paddle is in the water

Common Faults

* Shorter than maximum stroke
* Keep the paddle in the water too far paste your waiste
* Arm bent when starting to pull
* Blade to far from boat/ kayak or allowing it to extend too far from the boat at the end of the stroke, this will be evident if you are not rotating enough
* Whole blade not in water - submerge it up to the paddle neck/shaft

6. Lift of arm

* Stopping the stroke when your pulling hand is on level with your belly button (remember you are rotating)
* Leg on the pulling side is now fully extended
* Quickly lifting the blade from the water, with hand ending 6 inches from shoulder
* Paddle is loosely held in the back hand at the end of the stroke
* Paddle shaft should be parallel to the water
* Forward hand and arm is starting to straighten and get ready for the next catch
* In preparation for the next "catch" back hand starts to grip the paddle, front hand relaxes as if you are about to spear a fish
* When the paddle hits the water the front hand will then receive pressure to pull the paddle on the back of the finger tips

Common Faults

* Too slow pulling the paddle out of the water
* Paddle not parallel
* Not relaxing hands in the right order
* Not spearing the paddle into the water

Motor Control & Learning - The Kayaking Stroke

By Skye Taylor
Bachelor of Exercise Science

Performance and learning variables are key components in the process of learning a new motor skill. The differences between performance and learning variables as they relate to learning a new motor skill will be examined for the paddling stroke in the sport of kayaking.

Performance

Performance variables relate to the individual, the task and the environment. They considered temporary in nature, fluctuating from time to time because of many potentially operating variables (Singer, 1975). They include factors such as arousal level, drugs, fear, motivation, fatigue, physical condition and physical maturation (Singer). In kayaking, performance variables also include wind strength and direction, water current and the type of kayak and paddle used. Performance variables may affect the ability to perform a task and can have a positive or negative effect on the outcome of learning

Learning

Learning is relatively more permanent than performance (Singer). Learning requires a degree of exposure to certain conditions that will result in a change of behavior (Schmidt & Wrisberg, 2000). In order for an individual to learn a motor task they must engage in performance attempts in practice (Schmidt & Wrisberg).

The process of learning occurs in stages. In the initial phase, the Cognitive phase, the learner identifies and develops the component parts of the skill (Mackenzie, 2003).
For kayaking these include; paddle grip, balance in the kayak, the stroke set-up, catch and exit. In the second stage, the associative phase, the component parts of the task are linked into a smooth action (Mackenzie). In the final phase, the autonomous phase, the learned skill is developed so that it becomes automatic (Mackenzie).

Coaching & Measurement of Learning & Performance

Permanent changes in motor behaviour, or learning, are made possible through coaching and instruction. By developing the learning variables and creating a permanent change to the Generalised Motor Program (the storage of a movement pattern), an individual can progress through the stages of learning and reach their personal potential (Schmidt, 2000).

The ultimate aim when learning any new motor skill is mastery of the task with a high level of "skill" (Singer).

"To do something with skill is to bring about some end result with maximum certainty and minimum outlay of energy, and or time and energy" (Guthrie, 1952).
The eventual goal in sprint kayaking is to move the boat forward at maximum speed, completing the race with minimal energy expenditure, in the shortest possible time. To consistently do this, all stages of learning must be established. Some form of measurement is required to show that improvement has been made and that learning from the Cognitive phase to the Autonomous stage has occurred.

Performance is measurable in two ways: response outcome and response production (Maschette, 2003). A response outcome indicates the actual result but not the level of performance, for example, the time in a 1000metre kayak sprint race. A response production illustrates how the body behaved when producing the result (Maschette). An example of this is the technical performance and kinematics of the paddling stroke such as stroke rating, stroke length and arm height.

Learning is an internal process and is therefore not directly measurable (Gallahue & Ozmun, 2002). The changes in performance are the only evidence of learning (Schmidt & Wrisberg). A change in performance is known as inferred learning (Singer). The two performance measures aforementioned are used to measure learning.

A measured change in performance is not always an indication of learning. An example of the effect of this in kayaking is an improvement in time recorded over a 1000meter sprint race. The improvement in the response outcome may have been due to a performance variable such as a strong tailwind and not an improvement in learning. In a simular way, a change in the performance variable can affect the response outcome and/or the response production in a negative manner. If arousal level at the beginning of competition was low underperformance and a slow time may result (Bond, 2001). The participant may be quite an advanced learner yet the time does not indicate the level of their learning. The interaction of these factors highlights the need for performance variables to be kept relatively constant when measuring learning to ensure it is a true indication of learning.

Instruction of Motor Learning

Kayaking is an open motor skill that is continuous in nature (Rothstein et al, 1981). It takes place in an open environment where environmental conditions vary (Bishop, 2000). The performance variables that may be experienced in competition need to be incorporated into training. However, during the Cognitive phase of learning, the priority is for the basic requirements of the kayaking stroke to be learnt. This is done through structured practice and quality instruction (Schmidt & Wrisberg).

The importance of quality instruction is great in regards to the internal process and progression of learning variables. "Researchers posit the existence of various internal processes in which learners participate during the practice of a movement task. They attribute to the quality of these processes the success or failure of motor learning." (Pinto-Zipp & Gentile, 2002). Methods of instruction important in the learning process include verbal instruction, demonstration, description, video, diagrams and photo sequence (Mackenzie).
Initially, task instruction needs to be kept simple and the number of variables introduced, minimal. The introduction of performance variables during the Cognitive Phase could have a negative effect on learning because of the large amount of concentration required to complete a new task (Schmidt & Wrisberg). If a beginning kayaker was placed into windy conditions then they would be concentrating on gripping their paddle and staying in the kayak rather than the fundamentals of the paddling stoke. The process of learning would be delayed and they would most likely begin to learn an incorrect technique. A change in performance variable, such as the windy conditions illustrated above, can clearly affect the ability of an individual to learn.

Once a higher level of learning has been reached, performance variables can be introduced to increase learning. The ability to transfer the skills learnt in training into the race situation will be improved by incorporating variability of practice because the skill is an open skill. This may include training in windy conditions or paddling up and downstream, all of which are factors that can be experienced in a race situation. Mental rehearsal, imagery, breathing techniques and muscle relaxation can be practiced in training to assist in the control arousal, fear and motivation in competition.

An individual can improve performance through changes in equipment but so can an opponent. Weather conditions are uncontrollable in the competition environment. Personal performance in the race ultimately comes down to the level of learning that has taken place and the ability to transfer the skills learnt in training into the race environment.

A simple method of instruction that summarizes the important principals of quality instruction is the Show, Practice, Instruct and Reinforce (SPIR) method.

Instruction ultimately needs structure and consideration of the individual, the task and the environment. In the early stages of learning, quality demonstration and instruction and the elimination of unnecessary variables will positively shape the learning process. When initially learning the kayaking technique the instructor can place the participant into an environment where there are few variables, such as wind and water flow.

Variability of practice and consideration of the performance variables that will be experienced in competition is important for improvement in learning variables in the later stages of learning. There is a strong relationship between the use of learning and performance variables in practice and their affect on the learning process. Performance variables and learning variables can be manipulated by an instructor to increase learning and develop an individual to their potential.