Quark TnadT 50 Final:Treasna na dTonnta 16/01/2012 22:11 Page 31
IRISH SEA KAYAKING ASSOCIATION on the great rivers of Ireland instead. Consider Devises to Westminster Kayak race!!
Aerobic Power (efforts lasting 4 mins and beyond)
The basic principle of training is to stress the body so that it heals stronger and better than before. Huge improvements in basic speed, feel for kayak, efficiency can be easily had.
Think of towing someone home, getting around a headland or getting home thru a tough headwind
The most widely used method is called 'Interval Training.' It involves performing a repeated bursts of speed alternating with adequate recovery. Frequent rests allow elimination of lactic acid and replenishment of energy stores. Sea kayakers training for an objective say three or four times per week might consider one interval session per week. (Racing kayakers would use intervals far more frequently) One session involves stressing one of each of the three main energy systems of the body.These are the;s
Typically examples would be three or four 5-6 min efforts or the last 20 mins of kayak home You should be breathing hard throughout. Maintain full deep breathing and a high fast loose controlled stroke- always trying for the perfect paddle motion through the water. You should be both tired and empty by the end.
Position in your Kayak
ATP-Power system ( lasts <30 secs) Anaerobic system (lasts 1 min- 4 mins) Aerobic system (4- 20+ mins) Always do a good warm up, paddling steadily for a minimum of 10 mins. Non – elite athletes have glycogen stores for about 16 mins between liver/ muscle. So the efforts usually add up to about 16 mins eg eight by two mins, four by four mins. Emphasis always on your style and your stroke. ATP- Power ( efforts last <30 secs) Think surf landing, sprinting in before a breaking wave, catching a swell to surf, sprinting through a gap in rock garden etc Little O2 used. Develops muscle mass. Develops coordination An example would be 20 reps of thirty second sprints. Take a good one- two min recovery between. Maybe you could use it to break up a long boring paddle home. Anaerobic Power (efforts last from 1 min to 4 mins) Think pushing thru a tide race, sprinting into the lee of a headland Examples could be four by 4 min efforts or sixteen by 1 min “Burn in entire body afterward, gasping for breath by end and half a min after” Control your breathing/coordination during effort
Modern kayaks are designed with knees splayed. This allows you better control on leaning, edging, rolling etc. However, it is not the most efficient position from which to propel your kayak. Paddling with your knees together, as in upright and touching, allows you to cycle your kayak, in other words incorporate the immense power of your quadriceps into your stroke. Can you fit your knees upright inside your coaming? Try to get your bum higher than heels. This allows you open up your chest and cycle down your legs. Maintain a neutral position- not leaning forward nor back. Dont push on your backrest. Pushing into the backrest is wasting effort, this effort should be used in pushing past the paddle. Remember to pull the kayak past the paddle as if the paddle shaft were a pole in the water. Try hard to rotate your trunk with every stroke. Two mental tricks to use are; 1-Try to keep centre of your paddle shaft in line with zip of your PFD. 2-Try to show the front of your PFD to people on the shore and out to sea as you rotate. Remember not to source all of your trunk movement from your low back- try also to slide your bum back and forth on the seat. This will enhance your trunk movement. As important as training, is your paddle stroke. One's paddle stroke is never perfected. We are
ISSUE 50