One hundred yards of flat water. That’s all it takes for you to drastically improve your whitewater kayaking abilities, says Bruce Lessels. In 1987, Lessels trained in swimming pools and small ponds around Massachusetts before earning the bronze medal at the World Whitewater Championships in France. Since then Lessels has authored the AMC Whitewater Handbook (now out of print) and AMC’s Paddling with Kids. And as president of Zoar Outdoor in Charlemont, Mass., Lessels has taught thousands of paddlers how to get the most out of each stroke. Here’s a flatwater training routine from Lessels that will work wonders.

Warm-up Finding flat water to train on is easier than you may think. Lakes and ponds are ideal, but don’t overlook 50-foot pools or even the tiniest of duck ponds. “There are places to train that most people think are totally worthless. But they’re not,” says Lessels.

Regardless of where you are able to train, Lessels says taking the time to enjoy your surroundings is the foundation to a good workout. Using the same boat you’d bring on the river, paddle around easily for about 10 minutes to warm and loosen your muscles. Keep this part of the workout low intensity. “I’ve pulled a lot of muscles trying to go too hard, too soon,” he says. 

Back-paddling One of the best ways to move your paddling ability forward is, surprisingly, to paddle backward. According to Lessels, this technique prevents shoulder injuries (common among paddlers) by strengthening your shoulders, core, back, and even legs in ways that paddling forward would not.

Starting from a standstill, paddle backward by pushing your paddle away from your body. Like when you are paddling forward, focus on keeping your paddle nearly vertical (the blade should be close to the boat) and moving the paddle by rotating your torso in lieu of cranking with your arms. But learning to paddle in the opposite direction is only half the exercise; preventing the boat from bobbing and spinning requires just as much practice and muscle control. Lessels suggests doing this exercise in short, relatively intense bursts of about 100 yards to amplify particular movements that build strength and teach technique.

DID YOU KNOW?
Kayaking for two hours can burn between 2,000 and 4,000 calories depending on gender, weight, and intensity.

Fast Forward “People don’t sprint,” Lessels says of paddlers who hit the flatwater, “but they should.” He says that being able to accelerate rapidly is crucial for strenuous ferries across rapids, blasting out of small eddies, or catching standing waves. And like lifting weights, sprinting is great for building muscle.

Keep your sprints short. One hundred yards is fine, and Lessels says that “any effort over a minute is definitely not a sprint anymore.” For your first few times doing a sprint drill, the goal is simple: “Just try to get your paddle going as fast as possible,” says Lessels. “It will be sloppy and there will be a lot of splashes, but that’s OK.” As you practice, however, aim to keep your boat even-keeled and have your paddle blade engage the water with no splashes, leaving only small whirlpools.

S-Turns Slalom-like drills build strength and develop the technique needed to maintain speed while making turns—an important skill for rushing through obstacles in whitewater. Lessels says to begin by sprinting forward with three or four strokes to build speed, then make a 45-degree turn using a combination of sweep and draw strokes.

For instance, if your first turn is to the right, sweep your paddle on the left and quickly follow up by drawing water toward the bow of your boat on the right. As you finish the draw, feather your paddle so that you can take a powerful forward stroke to maintain your momentum. Take one or two more forward strokes then initiate a left turn using a sweep on the right. If you maintain the proper intensity, four or five turns should be plenty for this drill.

Like the other parts of this workout, practicing S-turns should be short and sweet. “Rather than paddling without a goal,” says Lessels, “you’re going to be able to focus better on building your endurance and strength when you work on specific drills.”