Racing season is just a couple of months away! You are probably busy training and starting to get your body ready for a few months of some killer paddling in the spring. Here are a few tips to keep your training moving in the right direction and help you keep from getting over trained.

Pick a Specific “Goal” Race

Instead of training for a general ballooned season, it’s a good idea to train for one specific race later in the season. This will help keep your eyes on the prize and your workout program more streamlined. You will be able to perform well in the races leading up to the “big race”, and you should have your best performance at the race you peak for.

 

Periodize Your Training Routine

“Periodization is an organized approach to training that involves progressive cycling of various aspects of a training program during a specific period. It is a way of alternating training to its peak during season. The aim of periodization is to introduce new movements as you progress through the macrocycle to specify your training right up until you start the season.” Periodizing your routine means that you will separate your plan into sections, even as simply as pre-season, season, and post season. Pre season would consist more of conditioning work, the season would consist of sport-specific skills, and the post season would be resting. Periodizing helps you get fully prepared for a season without forcing you into over training, which could ruin your season. There are several theories of periodization models out there.  A great book to find periodization concepts and models is called “Designing Resistance Trainng Programs” by  Steven Fleck and William Kraemer.

 

Get to the Gym

SUP’s are not the most efficient craft on the water. It does take a lot of strength to pull it, and more strength to make it go faster.

Your body won’t get stronger on it’s own. You will need to make it that way. There are a lot of theories out there about strength training. If you don’t lift weights very much, start off slow. A non-agressive approach is always safe when you are just starting out.  Start with using the machines, then work your way into free weights, then into more functional exercises. BE CAREFUL. Jumping too high too soon can really set you up for injury. But, making yourself strong gradually can help you avoid injury and go faster.

 

Cross Train

Cross training is essential when you are on a strict training program. If you did nothing but SUP 7 days a week, your body would eventually get burned out.  Cross training allows you to work the same body parts and energy systems you would work when you are paddling, but you aren’t paddling. Some examples of good cross training for SUP are outrigger paddling, swimming, rowing machine, running, elliptical machine, and pretty much anything that gets your heart rate up.

 

REST!!!

It’s a four letter word that no one wants to hear, but it’s ESSENTIAL. Rest allows your body to heal after all of the work you’ve been doing. When you train hard, you tear your muscles on a microscopic level (which causes soreness). This tearing is normal, but your body does need to heal. If you don’t give it the time, your body will eventually quit working properly. When the repeated weeks of training with no rest add up to be too much, your body will start to show signs of over training. Symptoms of over training are depression, poor sleeping patterns, decreased appetite, poor sports performance, a feeling of chronic fatigue, lowered immune system, and increased rate of injury. Giving your body at least one day of rest per week will really help your body feel and work better.

 

Keep these tips in mind when designing your training program this year. Hopefully, you’ll reach your desired goal, stay healthy, and uninjured this season. See you on the water!

 

This entry was posted on Friday, February 17th, 2012 at 3:02 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.