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Tone up with kayaking drills

By Daisy Carrington | dcarrington@am-ny.com

August 1, 2007

Now is the point in summer when we curmudgeonly city-dwellers are stacking up on attitude, thanks to the summer vacation that never was.

While a weeklong hiatus may not be in reach at the moment, there's no reason not to take a three-day weekend at some lakeside cabin. And while you're there, why not get your arms in shape for Thanksgiving turkey wrestling by partaking in a little kayaking?

If you feel you don't have the strength to push a paddle through water, Josh Fly, a personal trainer at The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers, has developed an upper body workout for you.

"You want to be fully prepared so that your body is conditioned to go the distance in the calm water or the crashing waves," he says.

1. Seated one-arm row with twist Sit with your knees slightly bent, your chest out and your shoulders pushed back. Hold the paddle handle straight in front of you with your right arm fully extended. Now pull your right elbow straight back while rotating your body to the right side. You should feel a nice squeeze and contraction through your shoulder and back. Rest, then switch sides. Perform four sets of 12-15 repetitions.

2. Body push/pull on floor mat Stake out a large space, such as an indoor basketball court, and set up a rug, mat or blanket on the floor. Sit in a kneeling position on the soft surface. Using both your hands and your arms, push yourself across the floor (as if the mat were your kayak and your arms the paddles). Rest, then repeat the exercise with a pulling motion instead of a pushing motion. Perform two to three sets each of push and pull (four to six total) using the length of half a basketball court, approximately 20 yards.

3. Paddle drive Using a cable machine and a straight bar, stand with your arms extended straight out in front of you with an overhand grip on the bar. Push the bar straight down with your arms fully extended until it hits the front of your thighs. Let it back up slowly, then repeat. Perform four sets of 12-15 repetitions.

4. One-arm clean and press Start with your body in a squat position and one of your hands gripping a dumbbell. Next, flip the weight up so your elbow is under the weight. Then, using the full force of your body, push the dumbbell above your head. Drop your body back down into a squat position and return the weight to the floor before immediately repeating the movement. Start with a light and easy weight so that you become comfortable with the movement pattern. Then as you gain strength and efficiency, increase the weight in small increments.