Paddling is a full-body workout that is great way to strengthen and tone upper-body, core and legs. While the legs and hips provide anchors and balance, the core and upper body generate the power to put and keep the boat in motion. Paddling is more fun than going to the gym. Spend a day on the river instead of a hot gym. Lessons and guides provided.
Here are three fantastic exercises to splash up paddle fitness: Do 10 of each exercise twice.
Burpees: A combination of squat thrust, push-up and vertical jump, this is a full body exercise that’s time efficient and muscle effective.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart
- Squat by bending knees and pushing butt back
- Jump feet behind you as you drop hands and body to floor getting into push-up position
- Press-up as doing the up portion of a pushup
- Jump feet forward getting back into squat postion
- Jump into the air while clapping overhead
- One down more to go!
- Jump up in the air while clapping overhead
- Do 10 repeats.
Seated Ball Rotations: A core strengthener that focuses on paddling muscles like obliques and inner TVA.
- Sit on floor with legs extended and knees softly bent and heels on floor. Keep good posture.
- Hold weighted ball (1-3 lbs) close to chest and exhale while twisting shoulders, torso and ball to the right. Inhale while return to center and then exhale while turning to the left.
- Repeat 10 repeats on each side.
- NOTE: can use laundry detergent jug instead of weighted ball.
Lunges: A quad, hamstring, glutes and calf strengthener.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hands on hips, engage core and step forward with right foot.
- Bend front right knee to 90 degrees (leg parallel with floor) and with weight on front toes bend rear knee to barely touch floor.
- Push up to starting position and then repeat with left foot. Do 10 repeats on each side.
