ENTRY 32 Club fun day

Heres a few pictures of our clubs fun day, including the sinking of the Titanic twice, water was only cold the first time in

Forgot one shipmate

Ready for the off......push of war

Boats filling with water quickly 

She's going

Gone

Ballon bursting

One slippery customer

Hes gona have leg ache tomorrow

ENTRY 31

Ive finally got my self into my new boat the VAJDA Supersonic 02, I put it off for a while whilst I got used to a slightly more stable boat, if Im honest I was also putting myself off a little as well, not long ago I was in a stability 6 boat from Marsport the epsilon and struggling in rough water.


With the winter timing I ended up spending a bit longer in the stable Marsport cirrus, when the warmer waters finally came I was still a little reluctant to go the next boat up, but after the mileage put into throughout the winter series it was straight off,
the blue boat came next, officially more wobbly but to me it felt more stable, does have quite a large forgiving tilt and the whole boat felt like it fitted compared to epsilon, its quite a bit faster too and an ideal marathon boat. 
Finally quite quickly into the Supersonic, I had put it off for a while, finally realised the waters weren't ever going to get above arctic tempuatures,  but I had also been determined not to get to it too quick and constantly spending my time being thrown out and knocking my confidence.
Nearly chickened out from the first launch, John held the stern to steady me whilst I sat in it with the paddles, 2 minuets later I was still upright, gave her a couple of strokes and away I went, stability really changed with some speed, she was a lot more stable than I thought it would be, wooops now its time to do a slow tight turn, nope still quite stable, back to the jetty still dry I was really pleased with it, far more stable and forgiving than I ever thought it would be, the whole boat is so comfortable and fits me and the seat is comfy too.
Just to prove it wasnt a fluke I did the run again and no problems, next day I did an 8 mile run in her and 8 portages, still dry and really happy with her, the only problem was the sprint rudder, it picked up every weed and Lilly pad going, feels like someones got hold of the back of your boat, so a new marathon rudder is on order to overcome the weeds, the nose being a sprint shape too picks up nearly everything, where the nose is deep its hard to shake of anything caught, again really surprising what a difference it can make in speed, with no weeds you really feel the boat glide through the water.
Overall Im very pleased with the boat and would definatly recommend a VAJDA, Ive heard from a few people now that they are a surprisingly stable and forgiving boat.
Its taken a few miles and a few steps to get in the wobblier boat, most of all its surprising how much its a mind over matter with stability.





Ive got 3 weeks to get used to her before the next race, Im expecting its going to take a couple of races plus quite a few miles training to get used to her before I can really push her and myself, for the moment staying dry's been a good result :-)

ENTRY 30 Core workout

These bunch of exercises are worth doing on top of any normal training routine to help with stability, there is so much advise out there for training programs to suit Kayak  marathon racing, Ill post my training schedule that Im able to fit in round my lifestyle.
I dont feel qualified enough to suggest routines for individuals, but the exercises below will help with stability, ever wondered why the top guys are so quick, STABILITY..........to get the best from your fitness and  paddle technique you need stability, its the main platform for everything else, so core strength is not to be ignored and essential.
Dont forget the cardiovascular side, from running to second sports like squash, if you dont like running skipping is spot on, its harder than you think    4 x 5 min x 4 twice daily with a 2 minute break in between, sprinting is good as well and training schedules with 2 minuets hard paddle and one minute off repeated.


Last one which i see very few people doing is warm up exercises before a race or stretching after a race, 
think about a race car, would you start it up on the start line and floor it, nope you'd get the engine up to temputure first, same after a race, if its an ali/turbo engine you leave it running to cool down first before switching off.
5 minutes skipping or jogging before you get on the water and as much time as you can get on the water warming up with some short sprints, and then dont forget to do your stretches after your race  :-)   

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Core Workout for Month 1

The first month’s workout focuses on core stability. During core stability exercises there is little to no movement in the lumbar spine. The goal is to re-train your deep core muscles so that they keep your pelvis and spine stable.
Here are the core exercises:

Core Exercise #1: Bridges
Core Exercise #2: Plank (half or full)
Core Exercise #3: Back Extensions on the Floor
Aim for 12-20 repetitions per set (10-60 seconds for the plank) Complete 2-3 sets. Move in a slow and controlled manner. Rest 10-60 seconds in between sets. Do this workout 2-3 days a week for 3-4 weeks and move on to the next workout.

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Core Workout for Month 2

The second month’s workout focuses on core strength. During core strength exercises you move through the full range of motion for the spine.
Here are the core exercises:

Core Exercise #1: Ball Crunches
Core Exercise #2: Back Extensions on the Ball
Core Exercise #3: Bicycle Crunches
Aim for 8-15 repetitions per set. Complete 2-4 sets. Move in a steady rhythm. Rest 30-60 seconds in between sets. Do this workout 2-3 days a week for 3-4 weeks and move on to the next workout.

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Core Workout for Month 3

The third month’s workout focuses on developing power and speed. In order to develop power you must move in an explosive way.
Here are the exercises:
Core Exercise #1: Medicine Ball Soccer Throw
Core Exercise #2: Medicine Ball Sit Up Throws
Core Exercise #3: Medicine Ball Rotational Chest Pass
Aim for 5-10 repetitions per set. Complete 3-4 sets per exercise. Move in a fast and explosive manner. Rest 60-90 seconds in between sets. Do this workout 2-3 days a week for 3-4 weeks.

ENTRY 29 Pull Bars

Pull Bars!!!!! none of the club boats were fitted with pull bars so I never got introduced to them when I first started, most of the faster guys had them fitted, mmmmm must be a reason. 


They are not as their name suggests, first thoughts were you pushed with one leg and pulled with the other against the bar, same as you do with cycling, I was adamant they would work with the same principle, after a few conversations and trying it out my self, any pulling energy exerted on the pull is wasted and can quite quickly result in toe cramp, and thats horrible, looking into the bio mechanics it does confirm theres no benefit in pulling.


Ok!!! so why have a pull bar!!!! whats the advantage's,  what I have found is comfort, the feet (toes) fit snuggly, keeps the feet in the same place, guess you could call it that locked in feeling, especially when youre sprinting hard the feet are kept on the foot plate and reduces your foot lolling around, but saying that they dont trap your feet in so if you fall out your feet still slide out with ease.


The main advantage I have found is with stability, when youre pushing your paddle stroke hard theres a little more body movement and leg extension, the tendency for the boat or yourself is you can become a little more unbalanced on your left and right, more so when youre starting out in a  wobbly boat and still trying to get to grips with balance, what I have found is on the full leg extension side I tend to feel a little tippy to that side, I find that if I do pull (just enough force to keep up-right) with the opposite leg I can keep my body more upright and oppose the wobble direction and result in keeping my core more upright.
I defiantly feel more stable overall and has been quite helpful when Ive got my self in a spot of bother with balance.

Disadvantage, is on your steering, your feet movement is restricted for when full rudder is need on a slow turn as the support bolts restrict your left and right movement, I tend to take my left foot away when doing a left turn, not ideal but the best solution I have found is to change your rudder wheel to a smaller diameter, this reduces the tiller input for more responsive steering, also prefer this by miles when wash hanging and  have to keep playing with the steering to keep on track, nothing worse than having to Keep playing the tiller bar full left and right just to keep on track which results in a lack of getting leg extension and torso twist.

Available from Marsport

  
After wanting one I couldnt find a supplier that was selling the pull bar, Marsport were doing one but only with a foot plate assembly priced at £65.
The one in the above pictures I made myself using aluminium tubing and stainless steel threaded rod, to buy the items needed it worked out expensive for a one off. 


Now I have full workshop facilities available I can offer the Pull bar under 
CEDAR RACING PRODUCTS  or cedar_racing@yahoo.co.uk  for £25 inc p&p or fitted for the same price if local, just drop me a line with your requirements, hopefully coming soon will be custom made aluminium/steel V bars and a new web site for Cedar Racing with shop should appear over the next few months

ENTRY 28

I found this clip today, you may find it useful, does emphasize how much effort has to be put into technique and an organised training regime, I hope over the next few weeks after a couple of training courses to put together a training program of my own for on and off the water for those that have just started

 

Training Talk with Oscar - Technique

Oscar Chalupsky

In your estimation, how important is technique training compared to fitness training for the average paddler?
Is it 50/50?

I love this subject as I spend more than 3 sessions a week doing technique. I constantly try to reinforce with people that technique is far more important than fitness! All of us, including the pros, can only improve and paddle our best with a dedicated focus on technique as part of our training routine. Training hard with bad technique will get you nowhere.

It is so important, I believe that newer paddlers should be spending up to 80% of their training time with a focus on technique, and 20% pure fitness training. For more experienced paddlers the balance can shift to around 50/50. Most top sportsman in all sports have personal coaches that stay with them 80% of the time, from practice to competition. This is especially true of sports with a focus on technique and form, such as golf, tennis and swimming. Today, many of these athletes maintain high levels of fitness, but they excel through refining their specific skills.

I recently worked a young swimmer who had no paddling experience. In just 2 months of technique work in a K1, he broke 2 minutes on a 500 meter course.

What is the most important factor in technique? (efficiency, injury prevention, reducing fatigue, etc.)

It is a combination of all of these. By refining your technique, you are learning to utilize your whole body to paddle, not just your upper body. You are maximizing your own strength, and utilizing the paddle to its full performance. This increases your speed, reduces your fatigue and helps prevent injuries. You’ll end up paddling faster over longer distances. It can take a long time for people to realize how important the legs are in the kayak forward stroke, and even longer for them to get comfortable with it. Practice is the only way.

If a paddler has 5 days to train on the water in a week, say 10-15 hours, how many hours do you think should be spent on form and technique?

I might be a bit biased, but I would do technique training 3 times a week. Some people get paranoid about losing focus on fitness, but in my technique sessions we are actually accomplishing both. For experienced paddlers, technique training can be done just by controlling the workout a little more, staying conscious of your blade placement, hip rotation, etc.

Would you rather be very fit with poor technique, or moderately fit with excellent technique?

Again, I would rather have better technique. These days I often end up having to rely on technique to get me through some of the bigger races, as I simply haven’t had the time to train the way I would like. For the Durban World Cup I had to get by on three 50 minute sessions a week leading up to the race, so my focus was form and technique.

Where do you work on technique? Ocean, flat water?

Flat water is the best for technique work. All my technique sessions are on totally flat water. This is the only way you can be totally focused on your form and all the components of the stroke. When I’m paddling downwind, I treat that as a separate discipline, and my “technique” training is aimed at catching runs and surfing.

What is your most important piece of advice when it comes to paddling technique? (blade placement, leg extension, blade exit, etc.)

There are several different components of the kayak forward stroke, and they have to work together to be truly efficient. Proper blade placement is essential, but can only be achieved with good leg extension, hip rotation, etc. If you have a kayak forward stroke DVD, study it. If you don’t, get one and watch it repeatedly. When practicing, spend different segments of the session focusing on a different component of the stroke. Paddle 500 meters at a controllable speed while paying close attention to your leg drive. Paddle the next 500 meters focusing on paddle angle, etc. Or break it into time segments. Personalize the training so it remains fun, but productive

ENTRY 27 Norwich Hasler 22 May 2011

If you look at the picture of the Norwich clubs lake it looks fairly placid, wait until you actually get on it, we were blessed with sunshine but the wind was gale force, it was around the 50mph mark.
I traveled up with Toby and Paul and we were all looking forward to this race, think we all changed our minds once we got out on the water, because of the balls up with the timing and placing at the last Hasler race my promotion to division 5 had been reduced to division 6, looking at some of the div 5 paddlers perhaps I was better of in  6 lol,
it was still double the distance from my previous races which I prefer and 2 portage laps around the lake then the next 2 with a portage each before the finish line.


Out on the water for a warm up and my mind changed about this race, the wind had suddenly picked up more and with the lake being exposed you felt like a pea being pushed around by someone blowing down a straw, a few hundred yards out and then a turn to come back youre hit with the full force of the wind side on, everything suddenly became a lot tippier, I opted to use the Epsilon, Im stable enough but just cant get comfy in this boat and dont like it, with a white knuckle turn and confidence knocked I wasnt too sure how this race would go, staying in was the biggest priority, a second practice turn wasn't much better, better just to shore up and wait for the race I thinks and let fate do the rest.


The start area was fairly sheltered, that was good lol but this start was backing up to the main jetty for the start, a bit manic and fraught with 18 boats trying to maneuver in place, especially as I dont feel comfortable in this boat.

My start was lousy as usual, why cant they go "ready steady go" lol instead of suddenly "go" wasnt worried too much as it was easy to get in a group and wash hang, 2 on the front went like rockets, no body seemed too bothered about catching them up, unlike my cycling days if someone got out front and thought a threat they'd stay there everyone worked together to catch them, not with this racing or at least this level, the group was a little slow so I had to pull out and was doing quite well then we hit the full force of the wind from behind, low paddle strokes now as the wind catches the paddle and try's to rip it out of your hand, the waves were quite high now with nose to cockpit being underwater when you catch a wave, not been used to that and was a little un-nerving, it was surfing now when you catch a wave, a totally new experience but fun, 

I was expecting nice calm waters at the turn, how wrong could I have been, it was like sitting in your bath in a rictor 15 earthquake, instead of 1 buoy it was 3 which prolonged the exposure to the side wind and the waves being whipped in with the wind also tried to stop your turn into the wind, it was an extreamlly ungraceful turn all made up of support strokes that somehow had some forward motion, finally got the nose into wind, phew, how I stayed in I dont know, how the hell I was going to do that another 3 times I didnt know, 

into wind wasnt too bad, head forward and low paddle, frustrating you cant get the speed but I wasnt struggling with the strength side and was easily making up distance on the others, then I would struggle with stability and loose ground and the catch up again, the second turn was like the 1st but I still stayed in, just lol,

time for the first portage, a small area to get out of then a short run and into a beech launch, would have gone ok but a K2 suddenly appeared on the left and another on the right just as the wrong time, landing space taken up completely, no choice but to wait, mmmm to gentlemanly I think, Ive gota get more aggressive and push in.

The 3rd lap was when the wind reached its maximum, downwind was surfing and reaching speeds of up to 15kph and looking down and seeing no water under the cockpit in between waves, the waves now getting higher were washing from behind and each one putting more water into the boat, mmmmm this wasnt good, I was loosing ground not because I was exhausted but just trying to stay in the damn boat, the 3rd turn was worse, turns 1 and 2 put together, someone up there liked me and kept me in, into wind with the wind whipping up the white horses this time and the nose of the boat permanatly buried underwater, was starting to notice loads of boats the wrong way up and the rescue boat busy, so did not want to go in the water in the middle of this huge lake, at the winds worse the best I could manage was 2.2 kph and couldnt get the paddles any lower, loosing loads of ground now, the 2 I had been chasing had vanished, think one had gone in and the other I dont know, that was very draining lap, the last portage and there was a few boats anchored up doing nothing and 2 club mates standing there, It looked like the race had been stopped, phew!!!!!!    how wrong, the anchored boats were from other class's and had finished, it was made clear that when finished to get out the other side and not at the portage, no choice but to get out of the boat in the water, lol try doing that gracefully, place behind had caught up and a mad dash to get in the water and off, struggled again to keep the speed in the wind and lost the place to him at the last turn, wasnt as bad as the other 3 times, I opted to take the straight route to the finish line whilst the guy in front took the longer sheltered route, it worked for him and pooped back out in front of me and left me trailing him by 50 mtrs, with 500 mtrs to go I wasnt going to be beaten that easily, this close to home it was s*d the wind and falling in, gave it everything and was catching, not quick enough, this Epsilon boat does not go any faster than the old bus Cirrus and is still like pushing a brick, with 50mtrs to go no choice but to dig even deeper, im not going to be beaten, made it by 1 second in front, long long time since Ive had ab's screaming like they were, the 100mtr saunter to the portage was like 5 miles and had nothing to even get out of the boat. Final position was 5th, under the conditions I was pleased with it, if it had been calm im confident I could have finished a lot higher.

I think it was an achievement for anyone just to have finished that race, it was an experience and a confidence builder staying in the boat as nearly a 1/3 of the entire entries had dunkings and retirements, it has helped me with stability and my blue boat feels so comfortable and stable and can even sit stationary in wobble 2 boats with no paddle, that was an impossibility 6 months ago, Im going to stay with the blue boat a bit longer and do a race in it before tackling the red boat head on, having a break from the next Hasler and concentrating hard on technique and distance training for the next race.

Congrats to team mates Spencer who won his Div 8 race to get promoted to Div 6, and young Paul getting a good finish in Div9 in lousy conditions and well done to Toby who had 3 dunkings and avoiding Davey Jone's locker, the next race has to be a CALM one, fingers crossed it is....................till next time :-)

ENTRY 26

I had a go at our club summer sprint series last week, 500mtr and 200mtr, we had the 500mtr down what we call the channel which has the concrete sides and notorious for the waves bouncing around as if in a bath tub, what can i say, what an experience, Ive never been the quickest of the line but most of the races were against guys a lot faster and 4 abreast  I was finding within 10ft i was firmly in their wash and struggling just to keep upright together with the wash bouncing straight back of the walls it was a wild rodeo, the boats nose was buffeted from side to side and a pain to keep straight, the first 50 mtrs were just a hang on before i could get the paddles working, managed a 2.36, ive done a 2.22 in calmer conditions,
the 200mtr races followed the same format and was a struggle, dont think im ever gona make a decent sprinter as I do very much prefer the longer distances, but all good experience and I stayed in the boat.


Thought that was the end of the racing for the day but Mo put me and John together for the K2 distance race, haven't done much K2 work and me and John had only done a short trip together in the winter, but this time is was going to be 5 min's practice then full on sprints for 2x 200mtrs before the distance one, took a few minutes before we could get our paddle speed to match, had a couple of good runs actually and fairly good on paddle timing, there were no official timings so a little hard to judge how we did against the faster crews, we used the old bath tub "Condor" as it was our safest bet to stay dry, all be it its like being in a washing machine sitting on the back.


We set of in the second group for the distance race, most of the younger ones were in our group and the faster ones were in the first group, the first corner was fun trying to get the tub round quick, think we pushed one crew out wide, no problem getting out front, paddle timing was good and the old bus was picking its skirt up, could see we were closing ground on the group ahead, 
We had a really good race, stability was not a problem in this boat and allowed for the first time to really get some power down, we did finish fairly high up and had beaten some of the faster crews, not bad in a tub and our first ever race together

Next Hasler race this Sunday at Norwich, not sure what Im up against for this race, The Bedford race results were really mucked up and my previous promotion to Div 5 has now been reduced to Div 6, not bothered really as its still the longer distance race which I prefer, and this race I dont have to wear a\ life jacket as the other Divisions were mandatory, I so hate wearing them whilst racing, think ill have 2 portages, ive got a faster boat to use and hopefully my non smoking may give something back to me, 

see you soon