best crossover sport for kayaking?

[jermdog]

Next time we're on the river I'll show you some sweet moves hog.

[Louiscov]

Swimming freestyle provides some excellent specificity-of-training benefits for paddlers and is great crosstraining activity.

There's the obvious: paddlers do swim, and pool time creates confidence and familiarity with being in the water, establishes breathing rhythms (long swim down a bouncy wave train, time breathing at the top of waves), holding breath when necessary, strong efficient strokes for when aggressive swiming to an eddy is needed.

Both sports are heavily and correctly powered with torso rotation timing and strength in which the arms are simple linkages to transfer power from the torso to the paddle (or hands). Nothing's more inefficient than paddling or swimming with the arms. Swimming can really hone awareness on this.

Both sports involve a "plant" in which the paddle or hands should grab and hold the water while rotation of those torso muscles pulls the boat or body up through the water up to the hand rather than the stroke pulling backwards through the water. A great training exercise for either is to "plant" the hand or paddle, concentrate totally on holding the water (hand or paddle doesn't move) and focusing on using the torso muscles to pull yourself or the boat to the hand. An efficient stroke in either will have the paddle or hand stationary (finishes where it starts in the water) at the end of the pull or even ahead of where it started. Try that as a paddling excercise: plant next to a rock or limb and see if the paddle finishes where you planted it or even ahead of where you planted it. Also paddle from one point to another for 25 - 50 yards counting your strokes, then repeat a few times and try to cut your number of paddle strokes each time by becoming more efficient. Swimming really enhances your feel for the water and awareness of efficiency and muscle application that can make us all stronger paddlers.

And if you're a certain Ark-La-Tex president you'll be doing plenty of both. SYOR and in the pool!

[bmartin]

Not sure there can be a single best crossover, but wakeboarding is one of my favorites. Builds strength, balance, and definitiely gets you used to unexpected contact with water.

[KAYAKN]

[hdh]

Louis, you just got the " crap" talking fairy "on your bad side, ask Joe !

[hdh]

ouachitachallenge.com. If it rains boat , if not ride!

[waterhog]

crap talkin ferry ha hey hdh you leave that reciept in the coat to rub in how you made 35 bucks off me

[Louiscov]

HDH:

Surely you didn't take my recognition of your multidimensional proficiencies in a negative light? Remember my earlier Oct 15 post:

"Harlan is a multifaceted, multisport endurance athlete combining whitewater paddling with extreme swimming. As such a gifted colossus of athletic accomplishment he has no peer"

Is this a "save" or am I still on the bad side?

[painterbob]

how about ROLLER BLADES!! http://www.gamaniak.com/embed.swf?file= ... click=link" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[waterhog]

rollerbladin is way to dangerous

[knu2xs]

During the training camp here in Charotte...

[Renee H]

rollerbladin is way to dangerous

I can attest to that

[Prairie Tater]

How about this for C1? Looks like fun to me. Anyone here tried it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lbPdX5b67k" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I like the way that at about 56 seconds into the video, the player is actually able to do a stern pry to get back on the course.

T.P.

[hfunkhouser]

I've played it...it's fun but my major criticism is no J-strokes.