Benefits of Cross Training

Performance Enhancement and beyond

The key to enhancing your performance in paddling, like in any other form of physical activity is comprised of three basic components:

1. Practicing the skill - learning your optimum paddling stroke.
2. Learning from experience - time on the water.
3. Strength Training - time on land.

There has been a recent shift in the areas of sport medicine / athletic training in terms of instructing athletes to strength training in a more "functional" way. Some of us are restricted by time, money or access to good knowledgable trainers and ask ourselves what does this functional way mean?

There is a time in everyones training programme where you need to step it up and increase the intensity and power both on land and in the water - at the moment I am in this phase and I have been getting massive benefits from a program that is not new to the world but new here in Noosa. Crossfit Noosa has provided me with a functional way of training smart on land.

In order to help better understand this approach to exercise, we must first establish some basic understanding about the way the human body was designed to move or operate. While some body parts move others stabilise this results in body balance.

Paddling is a discipline full of multi-planar movement and is done in a multi-sensor environment that taxes our physical abilities to its fullest. This is where Functional Strength training is applied - in my case I have chosen to push my self with short sharp session with Trainer Danny. Doing "simply" exercises e.g. Turkish Pull ups & Turkish Get ups. (Thursday's session) 10 - 1 session taking me 25 odd minutes to complete. I walked away from this session dripping wet and revitalised knowing I had finished the session. After just 6 Cross Fit sessions with Danny I have already noticed a massive difference in body shape and power on the water.

Understanding this principle will surely help you enhance your paddling performance. Consult your coach, specialist to help you put your Integrate Functional Strength Training program together.

This was a Saturday Morning session Full WOD was

Power Cleans (Skilled base move)

2 -2 -2 -2

35 /50 Squats

15/25 Push ups

10 Power Cleans

This set was done as fast as possible x 3

Untitled from Jodie Marsh on Vimeo.

Enjoy the ride

Ma te wa

Woogie