Gym work and paddling

Hello all

How do you include gym work or any arm exercise into your fitness program? I try to paddle every second or third day (Live a long way from the sea) and on the days I dont paddle, I run or would like to add a little gym.

The issue is that if I do any arm work on my non paddling days my arms are dead when I next paddle, I have even found that doing push ups after my run comprimises me the following day. I realy suffer with my Anterior Deltoids if I do anything but paddle.

Any input would be appreciated
Ryan

HI

some gym work it advantageous for any endurance sport.so keep it up though look at the type of work you doing at gym. you could currently be using too much resistance(weight) and working until failure(until you cant lift anymore) or even focusing to much on eccentric part of the exercise movement, A sure way of developing delayed onset muscle soreness.

for improvements in muscle endurance lower your resistance to somewhere around 70 -80% of your one rep max and increase the amount of reps you do , do 15-20 of lighter rather than 8-10 of heavier resistance. This will less likely destroy you for the next paddle

exercise everyday is totally possible , though recovery strategy and nutrition becomes more important. Get plenty of good quality sleep and eat good quality food that contains protein and some carbs within an hour post workout. A big mac contains protein and carbs but dont eat it.

there is a wealth of information on this topic fairly easy to find. if you enjoy a bit of reading check out this site, its targeted at Ironman athletes but the science is transferable.

endurancecorner.com

enjoy

Brett

If your front delts are taking a hit, you sound like you are trying to paddle too much with your arms and not enough with the rest of your body.

If you have strong body rotation then they do very little actual work during the stroke.
If you are trying to use them by pushing hard forward with your top hand, you are simply not engaging your larger trunk muscles.

Hello there, thanks for the feedback.

Water to deep, you described how I aproach my gym, 3 sets of 8 reps as heavy as I can lift, last set till failure. I will do as you suggest. Another point you make is the post work out nutrition, I usualy dont eat anything after a paddle, with washing the boat, changing kit and the fair drive home it is well after an hour until I get a chance to eat.

RAB I realy focus on my technique and focus on the rotation, the point the delts suffer most is at the end of the stroke when I pull the blade out of the water and set for the next stroke, that movement of getting my trailing blade out the water and then the upward lift to get my hand up to head level, that is where the hurt lies.

I used to have a firm grip on the shaft and force the paddle up out of the water but looking at the good guys they all have their hand on top of the shaft and pluck the paddle from the water with a realy relaxed grip, this has helped alot but I still cant gym and paddle.

I will try what water to deep sugests.
Thank you
Ryan

Quote: "I usualy dont eat anything after a paddle, with washing the boat, changing kit and the fair drive home it is well after an hour until I get a chance to eat."

that there is part of the problem, i.m.o.

Get yourself a meal-replacement/supplement (powdered), and keep it - unmixed - until you are finished, e.g. whilst washing your boat - add regular tap water to it, and drink it down - MUCH easier than eating solids after exercise- then you have already started recovering WITHIN the 1st hour of exercise (paddling, in this case, but could just as well be any endurance-type sport).

I did an (MTB) event 3 years running, each event 8 days long, and this one 'trick' alone made a difference to my recovery: eating in the 'golden hour'
Cheers

"I usualy dont eat anything after a paddle, with washing the boat, changing kit and the fair drive home it is well after an hour until I get a chance to eat."

Agree with Zebra.
I'm lucky to have only a 5 minutes drive to my home after my training sessions. I ALLWAYS drink a shake. Sometimes it's just protein powder mixed with water, sometimes it's frozen bananas blended with milk and chocolate.
It makes a big difference and if I recover much faster.

With my friends, we train 6 days a week (outrigger canoe, surfski, running and some gym). We also STRETCH after sessions. And when I don't, the next morning I feel like beaten.

The magical 1 hour window is well recognised in all coaching circles.
Get something into you as soon as possible and a good solid meal within 3 hours.

I am sure when i read this the first time you were "eating in the golden shower". The mind plays funny tricks.

Hey Fellas, Thanks for the feedback, seems as if I was missing a trick with the nutrition. I will go and see what there is available it terms of recovery/ protein shakes, and get that in soon as I finish my sessions.

Thanks again
Ryan

Good excuse to get a handful of lollies down ya as soon as you get off the water while you are cleaning and loading up.

If Lollie means Lager, then I like your thinking Bud, ha ha.

So I got a hold of a recovery product, PVM reignite www.pvm.co.za/index.php?option=com_conte...cle&id=20&Itemid=132

Chugged it down whilst still wet from the paddle, Wow that stuff packs a punch, I was still buzzing hours later and battled to sleep last night. Feel good today so I will see how it goes in the long term.

Thanks again
Ryan