Strength Training for

Canoe Kayak
Integrating Strength & Power in your Program

Greg Wells, Ph.D.

Canadian Sport Centre Ontario
All Slides © Greg Wells, Ph.D. 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Adaptation

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Key concepts in strength training

Strength

Power

Endurance

Growth & development

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Key concepts in strength training

Strength

Power

Endurance

Growth & development

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Strength vs. Power

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Strength

Force (strength) x Distance (mobility)

Depends on
muscle X area (hypertrophy)
Sets of 8-12 reps (fail @ 10-12)
PROBLEM: No speed component (body
builder training)

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Successful strength training

For optimal development of athletic strength
exercises should:
Be multi jointed
Use tri-plane motion- saggital, frontal,
transverse
Maximize ROM amplitude
Control speed - unless objective is power
Work proprioceptive demand
Minimize use of machines

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Key concepts in strength training

Strength

Power

Endurance

Growth & development

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Power

Force (strength) x Distance (mobility) / time

Depends on strength + NS recruitment

Training must have a high speed or high

force component

i.e. Medicine ball or sets of 1-6 reps or plyos

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Strength & Power in Canoe Kayak

& Need muscle endurance (stroke rates ~ 80+)

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

How do you develop more power?

How do you develop more power?
Move a mass, body, or object faster, i.e.,
apply a force faster.
Move a bigger (greater mass) mass, body, or
object at the same speed, i.e., apply more
force in the same time.
Move a mass, body, or object farther in the
same amount of time.

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
 Power Pyramid Model
More experienced athlete

Sport Specific
Power Development
Power Development
Zone

Fast Speed
Low Force Movement

Slow Speed
Strength High Force Movement
Development Zone
Skill Technique
Core Strength and Stability
Less experienced athlete
Quality and proper technique of the movement is
of highest importance at all levels of the pyramid
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Key concepts in strength training

Strength

Power

Endurance

Growth & development

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Muscle Endurance
High rep load >20
Build complexity

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Set Design S & C Canoe Kayak
Muscular Endurance - the ability of a muscle (or muscle group) to continuously exert force against resistance.
Sets:! 3 to 5
Repetitions:! 15 to 30
Intensity:! 40% to 65% of 1 RM
Rest:! 30 to 90 sec. between each set
Frequency:! 3+ times per week
 
Muscle Hypertrophy - increase in muscle cell size.
Sets:! 3 to 6
Repetitions:! 8 to 12
Intensity:! 70% to 92% of 1 RM
Rest:! 2 to 4 minutes between each set
Frequency:! 3 times per week
 
Strength - the ability of a muscle (or muscle group) to maximally exert force against resistance in a single repetition.
Sets: ! 3 to 6
Repetitions:! 3 to 5
Intensity:! 85% to 100% of 1 RM
Rest:! 4 to 5 minutes between each set
Frequency:! 2 times per week
 
Power - the amount of work done per unit of time.
Sets: ! 1 to 10
Repetitions: ! 1 to 5
Intensity:! 50% to 80% of 1RM
Rest:! 5 to 10 minutes between set
Frequency:! 2 times per week

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Key concepts in strength training

Strength

Power

Conditioning

Growth & development

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Growth & development

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010
 Windows of Opportunity – Motor Learning

Gender: Boys are offset to the right one column

Trainability: L = low; M = moderate; H = high

Note: Windows are based on biological age: late developers shift to right

Saturday, January 23, 2010

 Windows of Opportunity – Physical Abilities
Gender: Boys are offset to the right one column

Trainability: L = low; M = moderate; H = high

Note: Windows are based on biological age: late developers shift to right
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Concepts S & C Canoe Kayak

Growth & development

Implications for < 11 yrs?

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session
Saturday, January 23, 2010
 Strength Development
Always trainable

Critical window of accelerated adaptation to strength

training:

Window 1 for females immediately after PHV

Window 2 for females with the onset of menarche

12 – 18 month after PHV for males

Strength training before maturation is Central Nervous

System training and motor coordination improvements

Medicine balls, Swiss balls, Own body weight

Saturday, January 23, 2010

 Endurance Development
VO2max shows significant growth from 10-13 to 14
years and peaks between 17-21 for males and 12-15
for females.

Pre-pubescent athletes don’t show significant

improvements in long duration, low intensity events

Coaches should optimize aerobic training during this

“sensitive period” (12-15 for females / 17-21 years for
males) to maximize athlete’s aerobic development.

It is suggested that pre-pubescent athletes (ages

9-12/15) should focus on longer distances for reasons
related to both skill development.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

 Speed Development
Always trainable
Critical window of accelerated adaptation to speed
training:
Males:
Window 1: 7 - 9 years of age
Window 2: 13 – 16 years of age
Females:
Window 1: 6 – 8 years of age
Window 2: 12 – 15 years of age
Window 1 = Agility, Window 2 = anaerobic & HEP

Saturday, January 23, 2010

 Mobility Training
Always trainable

Critical window of accelerated

adaptation to skill
development DURING PHV

Key performance factor in

swimming

Saturday, January 23, 2010

 Skill Development
Always trainable
The best age for acquiring sports skill is considered
to be 8-12 for girls and 8-13 for boys (Adams, 1981;
Nadori, 1985))
Critical window of accelerated adaptation to skill
development:
Before & after PHV + / - 12 months ~

Use transitional skills

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Questions? S & C Canoe Kayak

Questions?
gwells@cscontario.ca

Canadian Sport Centre Canoe Kayak Strength Education Session

Saturday, January 23, 2010