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Session ideas
Here are a few session ideas so you can mix up your training .
• Endurance session : paddle for one hour . Start slow for a 10-minute warm-up , then increase your speed to a moderate pace until 50 minutes . Cool down for 10 minutes by working on technique . To build your endurance , extend the middle part – a simple yet effective session .
• Speed session : The rule of three interval session . This one is made up of effort intervals and rest periods , with one of each making a set . To keep it simple , it ’ s three minutes of effort followed by three minutes of rest . Aim to do ten of these or ten sets , so you ’ re doing an hour session . The aim here is to build your speed throughout the session , so start slow and gradually increase to a very fast pace at the last one . Then cool down by working on your technique for 10 minutes . If you need to shorten the session , reduce the number of sets .
Training
Training , does it work ? The simple answer is yes , any training you do will have benefits . It is , however , not quite as straightforward as that . Whilst time on the water is a very beneficial way to spend your time , if you constantly repeat the same training repeatedly , your fitness will likely plateau , and you could lose speed over time . Considering we train to increase our fitness or gain speed , we need to change things to keep finding more from ourselves .
Different types of training Your training will depend on what kind of event you ’ re doing , so for this example , we will stick to the most popular mid-distance events , including technical and distance races up to 16km . Generally , you can do three types of training without getting too complex : endurance , intervals , and whatever the conditions allow .
Endurance is best trained using time . This way , you ’ re not restricted by your speeds against the water or conditions on the day . Instead , you set your time and paddle until you reach it . Paula Radcliff used this method for endurance training a lot , and it ’ s a great way to build your mental strength as you lengthen your paddle time .
Interval training can be a very complicated way to train , partly due to the almost endless nature of sessions you can run . Interval training can build endurance , help your tolerance for the lactic build-up and , of course , build speed . One of the biggest mistakes with interval training is the tendency to overdo it by not having enough rest time , so it ’ s best to run a shorter effort and longer rest than you might think to get the best returns .
Paddling to the conditions might not seem like training , but it teaches you paddle and board control and mimics potential conditions you might face come race day . For example , getting into a strong headwind and paddling for 20 minutes will push your body in ways you can ’ t do through other methods in calm conditions . It also allows you to take advantage when the conditions are good and push your ultimate speed or get out on the water and have some fun through your training .
• HIIT session : short and sweet HIIT workouts have become a popular form of exercise , and this session is taking the principle of HIIT Training onto the water . Go hard or go home and trust me , you won ’ t be asking for more at the end of this one ! It ’ s super simple . Just do one minute of effort and one minute of rest and repeat ten times . Don ’ t sprint them . Just go as fast as you can on your efforts and make sure you warm-up for ten minutes first .
Overtraining One of the biggest mistakes keen amateurs make in any sport , such as running or cycling and SUP , is not managing their training load . It usually comes from trying to fit training sessions around daily life or a lack of knowledge that less is often better than more .
This is particularly true if all the sessions push you to a heavy state of fatigue by doing the most distance you can or pushing a fast pace every time without sufficient days to recover .
What you end up with is someone who ’ s never quite recovered , and so the fitness benefits drop off as the sessions become increasingly harder due to fatigue before your start . This can trigger injuries and a lack of motivation . You need to listen to your body and mix your training up sufficiently .