Paddling Warmup Exercises

 

Paddling Warmup Exercises

 

(adapted from Benny Marr)

 

Be mindful as you move; focus on your body and breath; do not move into pain

 

1.     Standing Cat Cow to warm up the spine

Stand with your feet parallel, about hips width apart and keep your knees soft.  Move slowly and let your hips lead the movements.

On an exhale, move your hips back, roll your shoulders forward, draw your belly button in towards the spine, drop your chin toward the chest.  On an inhale, move your hips and belly forward, slowly raise your head, open your arms and look forward or slightly up, depending on your mobility.  Repeat 8-10 x

2.    Shoulder warmup

Stand tall but relaxed.  Keep the shoulders away from your ears throughout this exercise.  Move your arms into cactus position, then reach up, then back to cactus, rotate at the shoulders so your hands are pointed at the ground, straighten arms to the ground, bend your elbows to return to cactus with your hands facing down and then rotate at the shoulders so your hands are pointed at the sky. Repeat 8 x.  If you have sore shoulders do this with your hands resting on your shoulders.

3.    Shoulder warmup #2

Stand tall but relaxed.  Move into cactus position with one hand pointing up and one hand pointing down, upper arms parallel to the ground. Keeping your upper arms parallel to the ground throughout this exercise, rotate at the shoulders to move the top hand up and the bottom hand down. Keep good posture, knees soft, and remember that the movement is from the shoulder only.  Repeat 8 x

4.    Shoulders #3

Stand tall with your arms straight out to the sides., fingers and thumbs stretched out, with one thumb pointing up and one pointing down.  Leading with the thumbs, rotate the arms in opposite directions, moving from the shoulders only.  Repeat 8 x

5.    SLOW Hip Circles

Stant tall, feet hips distance apart, knees soft, hands on your hips. Circle your hips starting small and working to big.  Change directions working big to small.  Could to this again using a wide stance.

6.    Twist for lower back

Stand tall with your feet shoulder width apart. Put your right hand on your left hip or shoulder and rest your left hand on your back.  Inhale, exhale and slowly twist left, looking over your right shoulder. Go back to centre and repeat a few times. Switch arms and put left hand on the right hip or shoulder and right hand behind your back. Slowly twist right on an exhale and look over your left shoulder. Repeat.

End with a few easy arm swings, letting the arms flap against your hips/belly and back.  Keep your body relaxed and move from the hips.

 

Donna Roy for PGOSA Paddlers

 

Warmup videos that you may want to try, being mindful of your fitness level :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U-yod4P3OM&authuser=2

https://youtu.be/f_ljhmqOdfk?si=x0ejWX9LSlrLTQlX