It’s amazing to see many very good athletes in multi-sport races incapable of accelerating through a field or making a break. The ability to paddle faster when you need to is invaluable isn’t it? So how to you go about improving your paddling speed specifically?

In general terms, boat speed is the product of the power propelling it forward  and the resistance of the water to this effort. A paddle is effective when it is engaged in movement through the water. The time intervals that space paddle strokes can lead to a deprecation in boat momentum. This makes the paddler work harder to accelerate the boat to an acceptable speed consuming precious power and energy in the process. Paddling with fewer, longer paddle strokes is more efficient than multiple short paddle strokes at a higher pace - if each long stroke does not move the boat from its course.

Any decent boat offering a sound paddling position, improved stability and control, and the comfort of being able to reduce fatigue and prevent injury by changing positions adds to the paddler’s effective propulsion and therefore may achieve and sustain higher speed.

According to acclaimed paddling coach Chris Hipgrave “Speed and power in any sport depends on genetics, metabolic capacity, muscle strength and size,nervous system capacity, and skill. With the exception of genetics, your training program must address each factor to maximize speed and power for wild-water.”

In terms of weight training, Hipgrave goes on to say that “”while it is very important for developing power for wild-water, it will not be effective unless you can learn to use that strength in the boat. Effective strength (strength you can use while paddling) is determined by your nervous systems ability to control your muscles and the skill with which you execute”movements”.

For a detailed introduction on strength conditioning for paddling please read our article which is a popular piece.

For your nervous system to generate power effectively, it must be efficient in the way it recruits muscle and nerve fibres. Recruitment of these triggers and levers is done during maximum powerful movements. Logically, it follows that your training must provide repeated opportunities for critical motor units ( the muscle-nerve combinations ) based around repetitive explosive movements.

Standard prescriptive measures employed in this kind of training include resistance-based weight training and plyometrics. There are many standard exercises from both approaches that will serve to overload the motor units required for paddling speed.. Hipgrave points out that like strength training, plyometric and”speed exercises are only effective for improving sports performance if you also practice the skill.Research studies show that simultaneously practicing speed and plyometric exercises and the skill produces rapid improvement in sports performance.”

All the power int the world will not translate efficiently to maximal power ( and speed ) if technique is poor; you must have the correct position in the boat and near to flawless technique to make the most of specified strength training.

Read our articles on paddles and technique

Simple training routines to employ in your bid to sharpen up in the boat include:

Reps of upstream paddling; use nature’s resistance.

Short sprints from 5 to 15 seconds to help develop the paddling muscles and ability to accelerate

Zig zag sprints; deploy marker buoys as a zigzag course enabling you to paddle straight for 5-10m, change direction, speed and repeat.

For a full regime of interval work read our intervals article.