I have been was thinking on this today as I read a good artical about "cardio" with the great example of Lance Armstrong. Nothing new but it is interesting to realize that it is primarily the efficiency of the MUSCLES rather than the cardio respiratory Vo2max that really makes you "fit" at a certain movement. So you have the guy who can be a top finisher in a marathon and yet get totally gassed doing a short ocean swim. Or be Lance with one of the highest Vo2max ever recorded but get killed in the marathon because the muscles are not efficient in that movement pattern and make demands on the system that even the greatest heart and lungs cannot overcome.
Thus the wisdom of Crossfit for those who take part in the WOD you really get an amazing spectrum of preparation for so many things...even if critics may say jack of all master of none.
I have always been a big fan of the nordic track skiiers. (if you can find one in good condition) If you max out the stride you are really working all the big muscles in the body through a huge range of motion and it seems to carry over better to other activities. I seemed to have pretty good newbie endurance on the OC-1 from using it even thought with my weight my boat is like a damn submarine plowing through the water at 5mph. So here are my novice observations, please add your experience and what experienced OC-1 guys do on the dry land to excel and keep the body healthy.
1) Cardio crosstraining: Nordic track, Concept II, or kettlebell snatches.
2) Shoulders: External rotation, YTWL drill and band pull-aparts for rotator cuff
3) Back: I have no idea. I have been doing Zercher squats, deadlifts and sandbag carries for years, and back is strong. (If I stopped these I would lose weight and probably go faster.) I imagine good paddling form is key here, though looking at JRs photos he seems more rounded and folded over than just about anyone on the water.
4) Other? Pullups and rows?
There are some interesting paddling specific training drills on Rambos site, check it out. Thanks for any thoughts.
Submitted by Shawn Michael on Wed, 04/30/2008 - 9:04pm
I hate them but apparently chin ups are the "duck's nuts" as we say here.
and just simple push ups.
#1 Wed, 04/30/2008 - 9:57pm
They were on Rambo's site, i took them down while i revamp the site. Back up soon.
R
#2 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 1:13am
Goto likes to do chin nuts.
#3 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 2:36am
I like cardio 20 mi, like step master or tread mill. then weights for 20 min, cardio 20 min, They have this on you sit on and twist holding bars it works the same muscles as you would kayaking. Or the one you lean forward on and do back exercises its like backward sit up's.
#4 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 3:35am
Although I`m an admitted wannabe I still posses a vast storehouse of canoeing and training knowledge.
Private message me for highly valuable training secrets
http://maineoutriggerchampionships.blogspot.com/
#5 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 4:36am
Kanu The Rock
Nordic Trak is even better if you set the slope to max, replace the toe cups with real XC ski bindings / wear real XC ski boots and do torso rotations instead of arm pulls. One you're fixed to the machine like that (like being clipped into a racing bike) you can't find a similar indoor setup with that level of aerobics and strength training that works to core similar to the torso movement of OC paddling. I do 30 min like that and the machine tells me its 1000 cals. Feels like its telling the truth.
#6 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 7:15am
Holy #%$&!! What a great idea. I have tried the slope but feet ended up slipping, and it is hard to get the level of resistance needed.
Reguarding the torso twising vs. arm pulls are you changing the style of the pull on the standard cords to mimic the OC movement or have you made some other modification?
Very cool.
Which model of nordic track do you have?
Thanks.
#7 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 11:26am
I agree with you guys, the nordic track is a good workout and all that, but you just can't look cool doing it. It makes you look like such a lame ass. And with ski boots? There's no way you're gonna pick up chicks doing that!
#8 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 11:54am
Kanu The Rock
Shawn,
You just rotate your torso rather pull with your arms. You can loop the grips to make them grip better but you don't need to. It helps to wear cycling gloves to grip better. I think it does mimic torso movement of paddling to an extent (I do this mainly during our Newfoundland blizzards when even skiing outdoors is impossible let alone paddling). I have the Nordic Trak pro but the old machines are just as good.
-Poops, I get more chicks running after my toned torso that you can shake a maple leaf at!
#9 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 12:28pm
well we don't have maple leaves here so I guess thats none! Ha!
I am picturing some dude in ski boots wearing cycling gloves, keeping super stiff arms, in a speedo on the nordic track. Its a funny sight in my mind.
Poops
#10 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 2:04pm
Kanu The Rock
Ha! I see your point Poops, then again us Canucks will do anything to stay in shape especially when the sleet is horizontal and winds are up around 120Km/hr! -Our trails around here still have snowcover.
-BTW who ever mentioned anyone needed a speedo when XC skiing indoors?
#11 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 3:15pm
The sport of the new Canadian Ice Age: nude indoor cross country skiing. Nordic combined anyone?
#12 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 4:03pm
Shawn.
What are Kettlebell snathches,YTWL drills,Zercher squats?
#13 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 7:28pm
mojohojo: Go to youtube. Type in zercher squat. The "kenneth jay" video shows ideal form. This is a common assistance lift used by powerlifters to strengthen the back and abs for deadlifting. For the YTWL drill, type in ultimate shoulder warm up (youtube) and you will see diesel crew video. It is a common rehab set for shoulders used in physical therapy. Good stuff. Kettlebell snatch, lots of videos. They get your heart rate up really fast and are done with a timer for intervals. Great because it is totally portable, simple and a total smoker. Used in former soviet union for military conditioning among other things and found to have carryover to many other tasks.
for what it is worth, the zerchers seem to add bodyweight and probably not useful for paddling.
crossfit.com is a great resource and an amazing program for all around fitness and athleticism.
#14 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 9:37pm
from Rambos site, a well know coach:
boat is an one-person
outrigger or other one-person
paddling craft (marathon canoe,
etc.) because there’s no place for a
mediocre paddler to hide
thing to do if you’re not paddling,
because it’s THE sport which uses
the same large muscle groups – lats
and legs.
#15 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 9:34pm
many thanks for replies, interesting.
#16 Thu, 05/01/2008 - 9:39pm
Shawn,
Suggest training your antagonist muscles when focused on sport-specific conditioning. Paddling is a repetitive sport. To prevent injury and promote overall fitness, ensure you concentrate just as much time on the antagonists (ie: muscles that do not contribute much to paddling) so to prevent any imbalances. Imbalances will put a big all-stop to your progress and potentially damage tissues.
Also, paddling is a technique sport. I haven't been OC'ing for very long, but IMO training for good technique will make you faster than training for fitness (doing in parallel is best); especially in the early days.
Good topic though, dryland training/x-training is key to any sport.
#17 Fri, 05/02/2008 - 6:46am
does seem like top guys pretty much run bike and do a little bit of weights (at least per Jr, etc)
The ladies seem to be big on weights. Cross training vid at outriggerchicks.com. As with all things you need to work on you "weakest link" I suppose.
#18 Fri, 05/02/2008 - 10:17am
thanks shawn!
#19 Fri, 05/02/2008 - 2:29pm
Given that you are already training cardiovascularly, doing any extra just adds to your training load and therefore greater recovery. So flick the nordic skiing, maybe off season.
Weights should be sports specific and injury prevention and rehab.
So doing your Endurance wts will be fine preseason but as the season progresses then you should be increasing both power lifts and strength lifts. Reason being that as like in swimmers as the athlete training load gets higher then the increased workload increases the risk of injury. Therefore Rotator Cuff ex's are a must, opposition ex's to the pulling action ie. Bench Press. Ex's on the Rhombiods to bring the Scap's back together and so on an so on.
Get someone to teach you how to do Hang cleans and a Push Press and you'll learn how to increase your power output which the essential ingredient for a succesful athlete.
When you are coming into races then go heavy 3-5RM's because you need to train your anaerobic system. The muscle already has had enough endurance training and all you training is Type 1 fibres and at that wt you won't be promoting muscle hypertrophy but max strength gains.
Too mnay ex's to discuss but go hvy not light and do opposition to mvt patterns and you shouldn't go wrong, and flick the cross training unless you're a fat bastard.
cheers
clancy1
M Ex Sci ( Strength & Conditioning)
#20 Fri, 05/23/2008 - 1:01am