TRAINING TIPS FROM THE PRO'S - Karen Wrenn

Hey guys, I have had a lot of you asking about off-season training lately. A lot of people say they do not have a lot of time to train in the off-season due to kids/wife/husband/work/cold weather etc. So I figured what better way to get idea's on training then from the best paddlers in the world?? I know some of them just from going to different events and some of them I just contacted and they were cool enough to help us out with some tips. One of the coolest things about this sport is that even the best paddlers in the world are down to earth. I plan to post tips every few days from different pros that responded. The question I asked them was "if you had less then an hour a day to get a workout (Off Water) what would you do?" Here are their responses


Karen Wrenn



Karen is one of the best paddlers in the world, she is from Oregon and is always on top of the leader boards in every race she competes in. We were lucky enough to see her at the Carolina Cup last year and she was VERY FAST and finished 1st in the women's Elite class. She was also the first person to paddle the Catalina Islands solo 39.8 miles from Avalon, Catalina to Dana Point, California. You can learn more about Karen on her website below. Here are some great tips from Karen


"How do I train in the off-season? This is the biggest question I get from people this time of year. I live in Portland, Oregon and it is cold during the Winter and I am also a mom of three kids. I am extremely busy with my kids activities. It is hard and can be dangerous to paddle in very cold weather. I know how hard it is to stay motivated and find the time to keep up with training in the winter. But, finding even 45 minutes of time will make a huge difference. When Spring rolls back around you will be ready to start paddling again.


I do a lot of cross training in the gym in the Winter. Circuit training is great because you can get your heart rate going, build muscle and muscle endurance. I will first do something that elevates my heart rate followed by a couple exercises that include strength and balance. For example, I might do 20 double jumps (or you could do 100-150 single jumps) with a jump rope and then move right into 20 kettle ball swings (from a squat posistion swinging the kettle ball to shoulder height coming to a standing position) and repeat. Then I would move into a plank position with elbows on a ball and roll the ball forward and back for 20 reps. I would do this circuit 3 times and then move on to another circuit.


Another idea of a circuit is to do 15 split jumps on each leg (http://www.livestrong.com/video/5310-split-jumps/) and then 20 tri-cep dips then 20 reverse crunches (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVVlXA0dqGg) and repeat this circuit another two times.


Basically, come up with some circuits of three exercises. Have the first exercise of the series be something that will elevate your heart rate ( jump rope, running stairs, sprints on a rowing machine) add a strength exercise ( kettle bells, push ups, tricep dips, pull ups, etc...) then add in a core exercise ( reverse crunch, plank, medicine ball sit up and throws). After you finish one circuit of three then move on to another.


I run a lot during the Winter. Running is a great way to keep up your cardio endurance and a great thing to do if you only have 45 minutes to spare. If you are not a runner... biking and swimming are great options too.


I hope this gives you some ideas. Feel free to check out my website, http://www.karenwrenn.com/ it will be going through some construction soon and will be updated with information like this. You can email from my website and I will do my best to help you with your questions. For more information like this, follow me on facebook or @SUPkaren on twitter for the latest on what I am doing or learning!


Happy Holidays!"



Thanks for the tip's Karen

Sup Annapolis