I’ll second that
a good winter alternative to paddling. A great aerobic workout, and the best value you can get in a piece of exercise equipment. Plus, they keep their value, so if you decide you don’t like it, you can sell it for 80-90% of what you paid for it.
Only downside is it is making me want to row, rather than paddle, on the water.
then you’ll hate me for this:
http://www.rowvirusboats.com/virus/sliding_rigger.html
I was looking at the Turbo, for a change of pace from kayaking.
Weight room
Some good stuff here:
http://outriggerchicks.blogspot.com/2008/02/training-in-gym-with-jill-jeane-and.html
Paddling adds to my fitness program
Since I am not a competitive paddler, I have no use for specific exercises to enhance my paddling. My paddling enhances my fitness program. Mostly I am a weight lifter. Stretching and paddling help my flexibility as weight training makes me bulky and somewhat tight.
Bang for buck
Do I work out for kayaking in the off season?
Nope. I don’t have an off season for kayaking 
Anyway…here’s some thought.
Working out for kayaking certainly has value. How much time you can commit per week will determine the bang for the buck.
Some general rules about fitness-
fitness is specific. The best time spent is in the boat.
Cross country skiing can have value, as would swimming, weight training, etc. But your best value is from being in the boat.
Muscles (more specifically, muscle fibers) are specific in their recruitment patterns. What this means is that, if your triceps are sore after paddling, and you choose to weight train in a gym, you must hold the weight in a manner that mimics the grip, and the motion, of paddling (specificity principle).
To get decent training effect, you must also stress the muscles involved. Paddle easy, not much value (overload principle). The overload issue has macro and micro components. Work out once a week…ya might as well do 16oz curls (or 20oz, if you lift imperial pints). Three times a week is a minimum for improvement. For any individual workout, there must also be an overload. How much is determined by the time you can spend per workout, and the goal. If cardio is a main goal, and you work out less than an hour, you have to have a higher intensity.
One huge advantage of doing cardio based workouts in the boat is that adjunct muscle groups (smaller, postural or joint stabilizing muscle), plus ligaments and tendons, get appropriately trained.
An example of creating great overload for adjunct muscles is to paddle a sea kayak without using a backband. You wind up exercising core muscle groups repsonsible for posture, often overlooked.
Enough for now…
Karl
I agree…
… about the resale part anyway! 
Hated to see it go. Sale was part of my ongoing “toys for food” program.
I’ve been tempted, too
But a toy purchase of that size is not in the cards this year. I’ve considered building the CLC Oxford rowing scull, then buying the sliding seat mechanism and oars later. Now matter how you do it, rowing appears to cost more to get into than paddling.
The Virus boat isn’t elegant, but at 16 feet, and with the self-bailing feature, it has some practical elements that make it attractive.
That’s probably the best supplement
Yoga and pilates increase core strength and flexibility, the two things paddlers need most. I’m a recreational runner, but it is not so good for my paddling, as it tightens my already too-tight hamstrings. I was at yoga last night, and making a pathetic attempt at certain poses. When the instructor noticed how I couldn’t even straighten my legs on some stretches, she said “you’re a runner, aren’t you?” It was pretty obvious.
thats great, duly bookmarked
add that to the evil oblique stuff I’m doing in the weightroom
here - as long as we’re dreaming:
– Last Updated: Mar-12-09 8:34 AM EST –
I like that CLC also. Building would obviously save some cash.
I've been daydreaming at some of the Alden rec. shells for awhile now:
http://rowalden.com/
Yes of course!
– Last Updated: Mar-12-09 11:24 AM EST –
I would say 95% of the Elite paddlers Sprint/Marathon oriented train in this order:
1) Paddle
2) Weights
3) Run/swim
I have never heard of a training program that would not ask for some kind of weight lifting. Weights if the most important part of training after paddling.
Your question should be not whether to lift weights, but whether to lift weights to increase performance or to mitigate muscular imbalances...
Above all you have to make sure to reach a sound muscular balance.
your 2nd to last sentence is key
Very good point.
A great piece of Gym Equiment
– Last Updated: Mar-12-09 1:37 PM EST –
any exercise is good and one machine I always use when I go to the gym is the Torso Rotation Machine.
http://www.body-perfect-fitness.com/Torso-Rotation---Machine.html
that is right on the money for tilting and leaning the kayak plus the twisting motion of paddling. I always do pulling exercises too.
I'm not trying to make it sound like I'm in super shape, I can get lazy too but during the winter I try to use those machines in anticipation of the paddling season. I do Yoga too which can be a killer.
Recently resumed weight training
I started it when I was bike racing, continued for years afterward, but stopped several years ago. No question that it helped build overall strength that improved performance on the bike. It even reduced a joint problem from an old accident, though it happened very gradually.
Last year, new injuries had me doing rehab with Therabands, isometrics, and small dumbbells, but I recently resumed weight work in the gym. I have found it helpful with this latest injury already, in addition to just bringing other muscles and joints back into shape.
I do exercises for both upper and lower body, though I could probably dispense with the leg exercises because they get worked year-round via hiking and biking.
Rowing / Paddling
Thinking about getting a rowing exercise machine (not too pricey). While it certainly would benefit me in a lot of ways, not sure how much it would benefit the paddling muscles vs rowing muscles. Any thoughts on this?
Tom
rower
Hi,
I had the same question last winter. I was working out hard 3-4x/wk on the c2 rower at the Y in hopes of increasing paddling fitness. When I finally had the chance to paddle some open water down south I was disappointed that my ‘paddling fitness’ had hardly improved. I ended up buying a kayak erg - which has helped much. While the rower gave an incredible workout at a high HR, the erg specifically targets paddling muscles and has increased my paddling fitness even though the workouts are at a lower HR. It also helps you work on your stroke mechanics. I supplement the erg workouts with weights and xc skiing.
Jeff
If you are training for racing
a kayak erg would definitely be your best option. Rowing exercises different muscles, but is a great full body workout at a high HR. The price differential between a C2 and a kayak erg is pretty substantial. and you can’t beat the quality and value of a C2. but if your primary concern is paddle-specific fitness rather than general fitness, and you don’t mind the price of a kayak erg, that’s the way to go.
Paddling Vs. Rowing
– Last Updated: Mar-13-09 1:54 PM EST –
Paddlers, paddle...
Rowers, row...
Hardly ever you will see a rower paddling and/or a paddler rowing, and I train in an area full of rowing clubs and one the top paddling/sprinting clubs in the states...
I don’t do weights.
I only paddle for fitness be long paddles & high intensity intervals. Weather was bad today so I used my UE exercise bike. This is why:
The Principle of Specificity
The Specificity Principle simply states that exercising a certain body part or component of the body primarily develops that part. The Principle of Specificity implies that, to become better at a particular exercise or skill, you must perform that exercise or skill. A runner should train by running, a swimmer by swimming and a cyclist by cycling. While it’s helpful to have a good base of fitness and to do general conditioning routines, if you want to be better at your sport, you need to train specifically for that sport.
Yes, that’s true
But I suspect 95% of the people who engage in kayaking, and most sports after the age of 25, are really seeking to improve their general fitness, rather than winning races. If your goal is to be fit overall, the best approach is to engage is a range of exercises and activities. But it also has a lot to do with personality and motivation. If being among the best at some activity is highly motivating to you, then sport-specific exercises will keep you exercising, and is a good thing. If you get bored with doing the same thing over and over, then diversity of exercises and activities is better.