Power to the Paddle: Exercises to Improve your Canoe and Kayak Paddling

You love to paddle. If you are like many canoeists or kayakers, you would be in a boat every day if you could. All that paddling catches up with your body though and parts you did not even know you had can start to ache. When you hurt, you tend to move less, and that means doing less of what you love…paddling. That is why I decided to write this book.

The concepts and exercises in this book have helped me be a better paddler and they can make a difference for you too. These exercises will give you a foundation to stand up to the unique demands that paddling throws at you.

You will learn exercises to help you:

•Sit more upright in your seat
•Reduce tension in your shoulders and low back
•Use the power of your torso to create leverage to use less energy with each stroke
•Have the endurance to handle long days in the boat
•Drive through the toughest waves or whitewater
•Protect your body against common paddling injuries
•Improve your balance and agility (so you’ll capsize less)
•Use force generated from your lower body to make your paddling stroke more efficient
•Carry your boat more comfortably when portaging
•While you’re at it, you might even lose a few pounds...and who wouldn’t mind that?