“I have been prone paddle boarding for a few years now. In January I started to swim with the local USA Masters Swim team to get mileage in, get stronger and learn better stroke techniques. My question is, I started two swim with paddle tools like swim paddles for the hands, so have you used these in your training programs or do you suggest these?”

What we think you are asking is “should I work on my muscular endurance while training?” If that is the case then our answer is yes. Although it is outside the scope of this article to discuss all the ways that strength training can help your paddling lets just assume that what goes for runners and cyclists applies to paddlers .

After critically reviewing the literature for the impact of CT on high-level runners, we conclude that resistance training likely has a positive effect on endurance running performance

Now, keep in mind that with all of these studies you need to dig a little deeper and define what they are talking about as far as resistance training. Some of them look at lifting weights (what we call strength training) and others look at what can be thought of as “big gear training” or what we call “muscular endurance training” or moving an increased load over time.  What we think you are asking about is muscular endurance training. In our opinion, muscular endurance training is as beneficial as resistance training and you should consider incorporating it into your training program.

We are not alone in thinking resistance training is important for paddlers.  This is probably why you see images of Zeb Walsh lifting kettlebells and Jack Bark is doing pull ups in their excellent (and highly recommended) documentary “ A Date with the Strait”

ALL OF THAT SAID (caps for emphasis) – the strongest (e.g. paddler who can lift the most or paddle the biggest blade) does not always (or even usually) win the race. Taking strength training to the extreme, if strength was all that mattered in a race,  paddlers would look like sumo wrestlers or powerlifters. They don’t.

Strength is important BUT it is not the primary factor that will determine your success as a paddler. As such, although you should incorporate strength training (e.g. gym work) and muscular endurance training (e.g. what you are asking about here) into your overall paddle training program IT CANNOT BE OVERSTATED THAT aerobic endurance and technique are the two primary factors that will determine your success as a paddler.  Again, focus on endurance training and technique and add in muscular endurance work at specific times in the year to augment your training.

When to do muscular endurance training

Muscular endurance training is a very specific type of endurance training. You are training your muscles to carry a heavier load over time. This is different than strength training where you are focusing on moving a maximal (or submaximal) load for a short amount of time. As a reference that most of us can relate to, muscular endurance training in cycling requires “big gear” work and riding long hills. In paddling you have some options (we will get to those shortly) to increase the resistance while you are training.

Our recommendation is that if you want to incorporate muscular endurance training into your program you should do it sparingly and selectively.

1. Do muscular endurance training for short blocks of time. Consider doing 2 x 3 week blocks early in the season (at the end of your base training) before you start racing in earnest.

2. Don’t be surprised if you find that you are going a little slower when you are doing muscular endurance training. That is ok. Once you switch back to regular training your will reap the benefits and find your form.

3. Do not do muscular endurance training unless you are an experienced paddler. You should have a few solid years of race training under your belt first. Again, strength is not what will determine your success as a paddler

How to incorporate muscular endurance training into your SUP training program .

For the stand up paddle racer, muscular endurance training is a no brainer. As we concluded in a previous article

“In addition to improving your paddle technique,  the biggest change you can make to your paddling is improving your power output and this requires paddling at a faster rate and/or putting more torque on the paddle.  If you are either able to paddle a bigger paddle blade at the same cadence you currently paddle OR if you are able to paddle your current blade face at a faster cadence than you currently paddle you are going to paddle faster.  To do so will require you to directly train your neuromuscular system to increase your cadence and/or improve your muscular endurance with specific torque training.”

That means getting a paddle with a larger blade. Our suggestion is to read the rest of that article to get the skinny on muscular endurance and torque training for the stand up paddler.

The one item we would like to add is that changing out blades is getting easier and easier all the time. We will soon be reviewing a paddle system where the blade is attached by a screw so it can be changed on the fly in the parking lot right before your paddle session. This allows you to have a quiver of paddle blades just like a cyclist would have gears on their bike.

Here is a link to our previous article about muscular endurance training for SUP athletes.

How to incorporate muscular endurance training into your prone paddle training program.

Getting back to the original question “should prone paddlers use swim paddles to train muscular endurance on their prone paddleboards?” our answer is no. In our opinion, swim paddles put too much stress on the shoulders for the prone paddler. As opposed to swimming, prone paddlers who are knee paddling pull with their legs, core, and back  and this generates much more torque on the shoulders than we feel is appropriate for most paddlers. Truth be told, we are even bearish on using swim paddles for many inexperience swimmers (who may also have poor technique) for similar reasons. Use caution with swim paddles.

All is not lost, however, prone paddlers have some options they can use to work on their muscular endurance.

1. Bungee cords: all you need to do is tie a bungee cord (just a cord you get from the home improvement store – nothing special needed) around the nose of your board. The bungee cord will add resistance and essentially destroy the glide of your prone board.  We realize on paper adding a bungee to your board doesn’t sound like much, but trust us – it is.  When you paddle with a bungee you are going to have to power a little stronger on every stroke. The added resistance from the bungee cord should be enough for most paddlers.

2. Use an old, fat, wide, heavy, slow paddleboard in your training:  Nothing says you need to paddle your superfast carbon machine at every workout. Maybe save that board for the races and paddle your beater board. The added resistance will make you stronger and make your race board feel faster too.