Core Strengthening Exercises: The Medicine Ball Lunge and Twist

Use This Three Step Core Drill to Strengthen Your Abs, Lats, Quads and GlutesAs any sports coach or experienced athlete will tell you, one effective way to improve athletic performance is by strengthening the core. The same holds true for sea kayaking. Stroke mechanics, paddle type aside (wood vs. fiberglass vs. carbon fiber paddle, Greenland paddle vs.
�Euroblade), the best way to improve your sea kayaking stroke is by learning to paddle from the core.The core includes the abdominals, obliques (the muscles over your hips), the hip flexors (the muscles at the front of your hips), and the lats, or latissimus muscles, which run from behind your armpits up to your hips. Singly and together they are an all too often underutilized muscle group among sea kayaking enthusiasts. Beginner sea kayakers, even whitewater paddlers with several seasons' experience under their belts, tend to neglect this muscle group simply because -- unless they've tried yoga or are in the habit of training with a Swill ball -- because they aren't aware that the core muscle group exists. Sea kayaking almost exclusively solely with their arms and shoulders, they fatigue quickly, develop tendinitis, and sea kayak more slowly with greater effort. Sea kayaking from the core eliminates many of the above physical problems. Sea kayaking from the core smoothes out your paddlestroke, eliminating the awkward arm and shoulder flailing, the so-called kangaroo punch, where sea kayakers push and pull their paddles with the wrists, shoulders and elbows. Sea kayaking from the core allows you to draw use a wider variety of muscles on a long trip. By engaging your core muscles, you give your arms and shoulders a break. You rest your legs as well. The first key is first become aware of, and then strengthen the core. Here's one way to do both, using the twisting medicine ball lunge. (For a less advanced drill, try a seated medicine ball twist first). The drill involves three moves. Combined, they use a full of range of motion, strengthen the core muscles, and mimic the dip and rise motion of a rotated, fluid sea kayaking paddle stroke. If you don't have a medicine ball, a heavy phone book or big can of soup will do.Core Strengthening Exercises: The Medicine Ball Lunge and Twist

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