Building up to Challenging Types of Kayaking - a Quick Discussion - Kayak Hipster

How often do we go all out on our first day back on a wave, or playing in current, or in a rolling session? Our mind is ready to go, but our body sometimes might not be. For the first time I did the smart thing and built up over three surf sessions instead of going all out on the first day, and my shoulders have been thanking me big time.
Cheers!

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[HeadwatersKayak]

Your videos are always spot on. Great bit of advise!

[christophersousa]

This is spot on. With two kids under age 4 (and me at 40), I don't get out nearly as much as I used to. When I do, I end up pushing too hard a lot of the time... pick up the wing paddle and swing it like I'm in prime racing/training shape, when in reality I should be going low and slow with a Greenland stick and enjoying the scenery. Its catch-22 though too, since when I've taken too much time off of paddling, the little things like lifting the kids or carrying laundry upstairs are much more likely to throw my back or neck out of whack.

[iampongo]

Good advice indeed. Randomly, this applies equally in motorcycling. I used to be a track day junkie, and found out the hard way you can ruin your season opening in a morning.

Always best to run at 70%for a few days, and stretch off religiously 👍

[cterrell]

Good video.. excellent point you make. Even when I'm in condition I try to make myself take some time to warm up and stretch, especially shoulders, before entering the water on board or boat... it also helps me to calm my over-excited mind and take a clearer view of what's actually going on with the waves, rocks, rips and others on the water. Pain = No Gain! Have a great season!

[kebolton]

My people never say "last run" or "one more run" when skiing and snowboarding. It is a superstition, but injuries seem to happen on the declared "last run". Instead, we ask, or insist, "again" or "more", when we get to the bottom without putting an upper bound on the number of "more". I apply the same philosophy to beach breaks and tide races.

[johnelshaw]

Luke. Thanks for the great video and your channel. I always learn something and your comments and insight give me something to reflect on as I get more experience kayaking here in the Pacific Northwest. I have found from talking to friends in other sports, e.g., skiing, and from my own experience riding high performance motorcycles at race tracks, before I began to get heavily into sea kayaking, that we all can fall into the temptation of going too hard early in the season (or early in the track day). At the race track I learned very quickly to go easy the first couple of sessions. Let my body, my timing, and my brain catch up to what I am doing and the speeds I was now running. Too often I saw accidents in the first session and the last session of the track day. They would go out too hard, too fast or have that “one more run” mentality trying to get that perfect lap or get their best lap time. That is where accidents and injuries occur. We then find ourselves in recovery mode rather enjoying the sport. I have tried to apply these lessons to my kayaking and your video helps me to work up slowly as I start to get out on the water more frequently. Thanks agin.

[jimmyjazz]

Could you do a video on exercises to do at home to stay in kayak shape? Apologies if you’ve already done one.

[vicvaclavhunkabushcraftout]

i sea kayak tody on lake Michigan and level of the water condition was to much for my skill level. I tried two difrent times go back. Next think i know there are rescue boat and rescue choper and Law enforcement around Racine. Later i find out that two people 9 and 16 yers old drawn today and one older guy got rescued and bearly make it. I feel therible for those families. Im glad i shit my pants and return. I still like to build up beter skills, its just harder when selfe told. Hope i get beter. Butifle skills and great video again. Be safe! Vic

[TomVetterl]

Nice one...! Took me also some time to realise can't go in 300% after a longer winter break...

[bryanb]

This past winter I picked up a Seaward Luna and was dying to take a trip in it. So as soon as the weather broke I packed up my camping gear and headed out. With us having a long winter this year everything was frozen a lot earlier and a lot longer than previous years so I did not get out and paddle near as much. My first trip out I did 19 and 1/2 mi upstream in the Ohio River and camped overnight and then returned to my truck the next day. Above Willow Island Lock and dam I had a pretty decent headwind and chop between two and three foot. I pulled a muscle in my neck. Had to go get me neck worked on and take it easy for a couple weeks after that. At the end of last summer that trip wouldn't even wore me out. Getting old sucks.

[MrAryehd]

I think a lot of paddlers neglect proper and structured strength training to ensure that the muscles and flexibility is still there for the harder seasons/paddling

[phantomspaceman]

Be glad you learned before you tore your rotator cuff. You don't get over that in a week. Injuries always rob you of more activity time than just being patient.