4 Exercises to Get You Ready for Kayaking

You may have stored your kayak for winter, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want to be ready first thing in the spring. Stay in shape during the off season with these exercises and make your first days back on the water more enjoyable.

Open Book Exercise

Enhances range of core rotation, for efficient strokes.

1. Lie on your side with your legs in front of you and bend them at 90 degrees. Extend both arms straight in front of you at about shoulder height, with palms touching.
2. Slowly lift your top hand and arm while you rotate your torso and head to look behind you.
3. Rotate as far as you can. You should feel a good stretch along your side and the front of your shoulder. Don’t force your arm to the ground if it is too tight or painful.
4. Rotate back to the original position.
5. Repeat 15 times on one side, then flip and do the exercise lying on your opposite side.

Skater with Uppercut

Engages glutes, quads and abdominal muscles to develop your rotational power and balance. The uppercut motion increases shoulder strength and endurance.

1. Start in a standing position holding a lightweight dumbbell in each hand.
2. Hop to the side, landing on your right foot, while bringing your left arm up diagonally across your chest as if doing an uppercut punch using your torso and core muscles rather than your arm muscles.
3. Hop back to left leg, bringing your right arm diagonally up across your chest.
4. Repeat 15 times on each side.

Rotating Medicine Ball V-Sit

Core exercise to target the obliques and mimic the rotation of paddling.

1. Sit on the floor or ground with your legs together and in front of you and hold a lightweight medicine ball or dumbbell in front of your chest.
2. Keep your back flat and your chest up and lean back 45 degrees. With knees bent, lift your legs so that your calves are parallel to the ground. Balance on your glutes as you hold a V shape between your torso and thighs.
3. Twist at the waist and move the medicine ball toward your right hip. Touch the medicine ball to the floor and return to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite side.
4. Complete 3 sets of 15 reps on each side.

Book Grab Exercise

Builds endurance in your forearm muscles to grip and manipulate a paddle.

1. Stand upright with your arms at your sides gripping the spine of a large hardcover book in the center of your right hand and hold it (with your arm and the book hanging straight down) at your side.
2. Hold for 10 seconds then repeat on the other side (holding the book on your left side with your left hand).
3. Complete 15 reps on each side, alternating between sides and hands as you go.

Work these exercises into your workout routine a few times a week and when it’s time to take your kayak out of storage, you’ll be ready to paddle.

Custom Kayak Storage Solutions

If you are looking for a custom storage solution for your kayak, we’ve helped many customers design their perfect kayak storage. For specific questions, inquiries, or customer orders, contact Log Kayak Rack at 1-715-543-2006.