Flexibility Exercises

April-May 1999

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Kevin Mansell

Many novice kayakers sit rigidly in their kayaks, whereas they should be striving to achieve a relaxed and confident manner.

There are a number of flexibility exercises which can improve this. While improvements may not be immediately apparent, frequent practice will certainly produce dividends.

The overside draw is a good place to start. Turn in the kayak and face to the right. The aim is to get the shoulders parallel to the centre line of the kayak. Rotate the paddle so that both blades are on the same side of the kayak with it held parallel to the gunwale. Then paddle sideways by pulling the paddle towards the kayak. This is a relatively simple stroke to perform but it encourages the paddler to turn in their kayak. When it has been performed to the right it should be practised on the left.

The next stroke is the overside push. The starting position for the paddle is the same as in the overside draw. The essential difference, as the name implies, is that the blade is pushed away from the side of the kayak as opposed to being drawn towards it. Many people find this exercise more difficult to perform and the effects are often felt in the stomach muscles.

To improve forward flexibility, paddle forwards with the release strap from the sprayskirt held in the mouth, but with the sprayskirt still fixed to the cockpit!

For improving flexibility backwards, try paddling the kayak forwards with the head on the back deck. To achieve this it is often necessary to force the paddler's backside off the seat of the kayak and then lean well back. Directional control is maintained by lining the stern of the kayak up with some prominent landmark. This is potentially an unstable position and care is needed to avoid capsizing especially in the initial stages. When first introduced it will probably result in some incredulous looks but it has very definite benefits for paddlers who are exploring the potential of their crafts.

Another exercise is to try and sweep the paddle around the kayak while keeping the blade in the water. This encourages the paddler to lean well forwards and backwards. It does place the paddler at times in quite a precarious position and care is needed to avoid capsizing.

A useful exercise for developing paddle awareness is to paddle both forwards and reverse on opposite sides of the kayak. Take the right blade and cross it over the kayak and place it in the water towards the bow of the kayak. Pull the blade towards the stern of the kayak, keeping it as close to the gunwale as possible to reduce the turning effect. To remove the blade from the water it is easiest to feather the blade so that the drive face is towards the kayak and the blade can then be easily sliced up and out of the water.

Once forward paddling on the opposite side has been mastered it is possible to switch to perform reverse paddling on the opposite side. Cross the right blade across and in front of the body. Place on the left hand side of the kayak, with the back of the blade facing the front of the kayak and then perform the reverse stroke. Reverse paddling on the opposite side is probably easier to execute than the equivalent forward paddling.

Another useful paddle awareness exercise is to get the group to throw their paddles in the air and then to clap their hands, catching the paddle with their knuckles upwards. With some practice it is possible to increase the number of claps while the paddle is in the air.

These are just a few of the many exercises which can be used to increase flexibility and they should be practised regularly. They will make new paddlers far more aware and confident in the capabilities of their kayaks and themselves.