13 Activities That Will Keep You In Great Paddling Shape This Winter
13 Activities That Will Keep You In Great Paddling Shape This Winter
After all the winter holiday feasts are behind you, there’s likely an urge inside you to move around a bit. The problem is cold winter temperatures can make paddling activities difficult, and sometimes dangerous. Still, you must do all you can to stay in peak paddling shape so your body doesn’t struggle once the weather warms up and you pick up a paddle.
Many great winter activities help you stay in shape when it’s too cold to paddle. Swim in an indoor swimming pool, hike and walk on pleasant days, and practice yoga regularly. Consider becoming a member at a gym or indoor rock climbing facility. Try shoveling snow instead of using a snow blower, and attempt some kickboxing or pilates to engage your core.
Even with the bitterly cold weather, it’s possible to maintain your paddling physique by engaging in several popular winter activities. You might not have to change your daily routine much to keep your muscles toned and ready for the open water. Make sure you read the list below to ensure your body is always prepared for an epic paddling adventure, even in the dead of winter.
13 Winter Activities That Will Keep You In Great Paddling Shape
1. Use Your Local Indoor Swimming Pool

One activity that will help you stay in great paddling shape is to seek indoor water sports when temperatures drop. If you have an indoor swimming pool nearby then consider signing up for a membership during the winter.
Swimming gets you in the water, and while the water is chlorinated, it is also heated. If you’re a watersports lover, then no activity compares to getting in the water. You can even try to organize kayak pool sessions in certain areas.
Furthermore, swimming is a full-body workout and will keep you in perfect paddling shape. Make sure you practice the freestyle stroke in the pool, as it uses the same muscle groups as when you paddle in a kayak or canoe.
2. Give Indoor Rock Climbing A Try

If your love of heart-pumping sports isn’t limited to the water, then consider giving rock climbing a try. There are indoor rock climbing walls sprinkled all over the world. You should have no trouble finding one in any larger municipality.
Rock climbing is a fun way to get a full-body workout in the winter. It improves your balance, works your abdominals, and builds muscle. These are all great ways to keep your body in excellent paddling condition.
3. Take Longer And More Frequent Walks
In the winter it’s far too easy to sit on the couch, snuggle up with a blanket, and then watch television for hours. This sedentary state is the fastest way to lose all the strength you built during peak paddling season.
Instead of spending your days indoors, do your best to take walks whenever possible. Check the forecast and then schedule long walks on the nicest days. Do your best to keep some afternoons free, as this is the warmest time of day.
4. Consider A Building Project

With little to do outside, the winter is a great time to complete larger building projects around your home. If you have a woodworking or remodel project you've been contemplating, consider starting it this winter.
Building projects are often great exercises, as they work your upper and lower body. This is a way to keep your body in good shape while making your home look better than ever. Best of all, the more projects you finish in the winter, the fewer you need to tackle during peak paddling months.
5. Go Hiking On Nice Days
Even in the harshest climates, there are usually a few calm and sunny days sprinkled throughout the winter gloom. If there are nice days in the forecast, try and plan a pleasant nature hike. Hikes with inclines are ideal, as they keep your legs in shape and it’s a great cardiovascular workout.
You can even plan a hike along the shore, and scope out potential future paddling vessel launching and landing locations in your area.
6. Find A Gym With Weight And Rowing Machines
Some people live in a place where it’s too cold to exercise outside at all in the winter. If this is your reality, a gym is probably your best bet. Most gyms have ample machines to help keep your physique in order. Before signing your life away in the form of a gym contract, however, scope out the equipment.
Try to find a gym with ample machines for lifting weights. Furthermore, any gym with a rowing machine is perfect. Using a rowing machine a few times a week will keep the most important muscles for paddling engaged and strong.
7. Go Cross-Country Skiing
Living in a cold winter climate has some perks, including snow sports. When you live somewhere snowy, cross-country skiing is often possible. Cross-country skiing is one of the best outdoor winter exercises.
It is also great for paddlers. It’s a fantastic cardio workout, and it also activates some of the same upper body muscles you use when paddling.
8. Take A Boxing Or Kickboxing Class
You can also use the winter months to boost your self-defense skills while staying in great paddling shape simultaneously. Boxing and kickboxing are both incredible full-body workouts that can whip you into shape quickly.
If you want to boost your paddling endurance and strengthen muscles, boxing and kickboxing are both great options. Learning how to properly throw punches like a pro is an added benefit.
9. Use A Shovel Instead Of A Snow Blower
If you live somewhere that gets lots of snowfall in the winter, then use snow as an excuse to get an off-season workout. If you aren’t paddling in the snow, then let shoveling be your winter workout. You can burn more than 500 calories in one hour of shoveling snow.
The act of shoveling also works your upper body, including some of the shoulder and neck muscles you use a lot when paddling. So next time it snows, consider reaching for a shovel instead of the snow blower.
10. Start A Yoga A Ritual
Yoga is an incredible activity that can have all sorts of positive physical and mental health outcomes. Best of all, you can even do yoga on a SUP board. In addition to these benefits, there are a few reasons that yoga is a particularly perfect activity for paddlers in the winter.
For one, yoga is one of the best activities to improve your balance and understand your center of gravity. Good balance is essential when paddling. Furthermore, yoga is great for flexibility as well. Staying flexible in the coldest months helps reduce the risk of muscle injury when you start paddling again.
11. Do Pilates At Home
Pilates is an excellent winter exercise that you can do in a studio, or even in the comfort of your living room. Pilates is one of the best core workouts, making it ideal for paddlers (especially SUP boarders).
This activity not only builds your core muscles but also improves your posture and stamina. This makes it helpful in strengthening your forward stroke. Strong paddling posture and stamina will help make you an even better paddler come spring.
12. Climb More Stairs
One easy way to sneak in extra physical activity in the winter without changing your day around is to take the stairs more often. If you work in an office with several floors, opt for the stairwell instead of the elevator.
Stair climbing is a great way to keep your lower body muscles strong, and it also burns calories. Calorie burning is important to ensure your wetsuit and PFD fit correctly in the spring.
13. Incorporate Paddling Into A Winter Trip
If you take at least one winter vacation per year to thaw out and enjoy some sunshine, then try to head to a paddling destination. Even if you don’t have the time or money to visit a bucket-list-worthy paddling location, you can probably find a river, lake, or bay to activate your paddling muscles.
Vacations are all about relaxing, but you can also take advantage of the good weather and enjoy a few paddling adventures.
Whatever You Do, Keep Moving!
The winter can be a season of laziness and muscle atrophy, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many popular activities you can engage in to keep your body in peak paddling shape, even if you don’t pick up a paddle once.
Some common winter activities that can keep you strong during the paddling off-season include shoveling snow, cross-country skiing, and walking or hiking on pleasant sunny days. Consider joining a gym, or scoping out a place with an indoor pool or rock climbing gym. If you take a winter vacation somewhere warm, try to sneak in at least one or two paddling adventures while you’re away.
Related Articles
Fitness for paddling has been on my mind a lot lately and I thought maybe my story on why I've been…