Kayaking Stretches
Provided by the sport injury
and soft tissue experts at:
Open 7 days a week ? 9am to 9pm ? Schedule Online!
1640 Broadway (In Boulder)
303.938.0388
CWWA Members receive 10% any MassageSpecialists.com
Products or Services
Stretching before and after paddling is a great way to prevent injuries, reduce fatigue and increase flexibility. Regardless of whether
you are a river runner, creek boater or aspiring freestyle rodeo paddler. Starting your workout with a warm up and stretching will
ensure you have a long and enjoyable paddling experience. Although shoulder injuries are the most frequently reported paddling
injury. many kayakers overlook the need to increase flexibility in accessory paddling muscles. The following series of stretches are
general routine for the entire kayaker’s body. If you are experiencing discomfort due to an injury consult the soft tissue experts at
MassageSpecialists.com
Shoulder Warm-up: (Rotator Cuff, Shoulder Girdle)
1. Standing slowly rotate your arms in opposite directions.
2. Continue for 30 seconds then change directions.
Notes: See our strokes warm up page for more information on paddling warmups
Chest Stretch: (Pectoralis Major, Subscapularis, Anterior Deltoid)
1. Start standing with your elbow and forearm resting against a door frame or post
2. Slide your arm up the door frame so it is above horizontal (elbow higher that the
shoulder)
3. Step forward keeping your shoulders in the same plane.
4. Do all three positions holding for 20 second each on both sides.
Biceps Stretch: (Bicep Brachii, Brachialis , Anterior Deltoid)
1. Place your hand on a wall with the thumb pointed directly down.
2. Turn your shoulders away from your hand and square them parallel surface your
hand is on
3. Step your feet out from under your hips an bend at the knees. Look straight forward.
4. Hold for 20 seconds. And repeat to the other side.
Notes: Play with angling your heel in or out in order to get the best stretch.
Triceps: (Triceps)
1. Using your paddle (or a towel) reach your top hand over your shoulders, behind your
back.
2. With you bottom hand reach up behind you back and grasp the paddle (or towel).
3. Pull down relaxing the upper arm .
4. Hold for 20 seconds. And repeat to the other side.
Posterior Shoulder Stretch: (Posterior Deltoid)
1. Pull your arm horizontally across your shoulder.
2. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat to the other side.
Notes: Try rotating you arm and hand to change which fibers are stretched
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Copyright MassageSpecialists.com, Inc. ® 2005 All rights reserved
Kayaking Stretches
Provided by the sport injury
and soft tissue experts at:
Open 7 days a week ? 9am to 9pm ? Schedule Online!
1640 Broadway (In Boulder)
CWWA Members receive 10% any MassageSpecialists.com
Products or Services
303.938.0388
Cobra Stretch: (Psoas, Rectus Abdominus)
1. Start by laying face down on the ground with your hands under your shoulders.
2. Press up into an arch, keep your hips in contact with the floor.
3. Keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nose.
4. Hold for 20 seconds.
Plow Stretch: (Erector Spinae, Posterior Cervical Compartment)
1. Start by laying face up on the ground with your hands by your sides.
2. Slowly straighten your legs up and over your head . Being careful to move slowly.
3. Make sure your weight is resting squarely on your shoulders and not on your neck.
4. Bend your knees and bring them in towards you shoulders to stretch your back
5. Breathe and Hold for 20– 30 seconds. Slowly lower your legs back to the start position
Back & Inner Thigh Stretch: (Obliques, Quadratus Lumborum, Adductor Magnus)
1. While standing, spread your legs apart until you feel a gentle pull from your inner
thigh to your knee.
2. Bend at the waist, lean towards an ankle. Grab as far down your leg as possible and
hold.
3. Feel this stretch a slightly different aspect of your adductors as well as your low back,
hamstrings and gluteal group.
4. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat to the other side.
Lunge Stretch: (Psoas, Illiacus, Tensor Fascia Latae)
1. Kneel on a soft surface with one knee and extend the other leg in front of you.
(hold on to a wall or something for support if you can) Make sure your front foot is
directly under your front knee.
2. Lunge forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip. Try to rotate your pelvis posteriorly to fine tune the stretch.
3. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat to the other side.
Lateral Lunge Stretch: (Tensor Fascia Latae, Gluteus Minimus)
1. Kneel on a soft surface with one knee and extend the other leg in front of you.
(hold on to a wall or something for support if you can) Make sure your front foot is
directly under your front knee.
2. Lunge forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip. Instead rotating your
pelvis posteriorly, lean lateral dropping your pelvis into the wall you are supporting
yourself on.
3. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat to the other side.
Gluteal Stretch: (Gluteal group, lateral rotators of hip)
1. Lay on your back.
2. Grab one leg an pull it across your chest, hugging it towards the opposite shoulder..
3. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat to the other side.
2
Copyright MassageSpecialists.com, Inc. ® 2005 All rights reserved
Kayaking Stretches
Provided by the sport injury
and soft tissue experts at:
Open 7 days a week ? 9am to 9pm ? Schedule Online!
1640 Broadway (In Boulder)
CWWA Members receive 10% any MassageSpecialists.com
Products or Services
303.938.0388
Low back Stretch: (Quadratus Lumborum)
1. Sit with you knees bent to one side of your hips.
2. Position on heel bone under the opposite side ‘sits bone’ (left heel under right sits bone).
Tilting your pelvis to the side.
3. Lean your arms and upper body towards the high side of your hips.
4. Lean slightly forward to feel it ion your low back. Hold for 20 seconds.
5. Repeat to the other side.
Dual Calf Stretch: (Gastrocnemius, Soleus)
1. (Gastrocnemius) Start standing up and press against a wall or a running partner.
2. Step one leg in front of the other and lock the back knee. Keep your heel on the
floor and your toes lined up with your knee. Lean forward and hold for 20 seconds.
3. (Soleus) Now step your back leg slightly forward. Bend the back knee as you put
weight on the front knee. Lean forward and press in to the wall.
4. Keep your heel on the floor and your toes lined up with your knee. Lean forward
and hold for 20 seconds. Repeat both stretches on the other side
Arch Stretch: (Plantar Fascia, Flexor Digitorum)
1. Take your shoes off.
2. Sit back on your heels with your toes still resting on the floor .
3. Hold for 20 seconds.
Hamstring Stretch: (Bicep Femoris)
1. Sit with your leg extended straight in front of you.
2. Bend forward at the hips, not the chest. Look straight forward to minimize cheating.
3. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat to the other side.
Notes: If you do not feel this stretch, try turning your toe in as displayed on the picture.
Lateral Neck Stretch: (middle scalene, trapezius)
1. While sitting tuck one hand under your hips.
2. Pull your head away to the opposite side with the other hand..
3. Hold for 20 seconds.
Anterior Neck Stretch: (Platysma, Longus Colli, Sterno-cliedo Mastoid, Ant Scalene)
1. Lay face up on a therapy ball. Use your hands to support yourself as you slowly roll
backwards until you plant your head on the ground.
2. With your head planted on the ground, roll slightly towards your head with your
mouth closed. Fell the stretch in the front for your neck.
3. Hold for 20 seconds. .
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Copyright MassageSpecialists.com, Inc. ® 2005 All rights reserved