Core Training/Paddling from the Core

Location: TBD (but will be within 1 hour of Boston/Cape Ann)

In this all-day course, taught on land and on water, paddlers will learn the essential skills of how to paddle from the core.

On water, you'll learn cadence and power drills and techniques; methods to improve their torso rotation; and will learn on land a series of exercises and drills designed to help you gain an awareness of your core muscles and to strengthen them. You will also learn stretches specific to improving paddling technique and reducing the risk of strain and injury.

Adam Bolonsky will be teaching the class with Mike Harb. Mike will handle the on-land version (core strengthening exercises, stretches, drills) and Adam would teach the

on-water version.

Agenda:

Roughly one hour on land with Mike. Participants should wear loose, comfortable clothing. Mike will discuss core muscles, pinpoint them, introduce and lead a class in how to stretch and strengthen the core

muscles.

BREAK

Three to four hours on water with Adam. Participants should have their own boats, paddles, pfds's, water and lunch. We will run cadence and power drills designed to raise paddlers' fitness levels, learn how to incorporate glide into their strokes, how to engage the core in their strokes, and how to distinguish true from fake torso rotation.

LUNCH

Refinement of the above using varying techniques designed to further refine torso rotation.

END OF CLASS:

Warm down and post-paddle stretching on land.

About the Instructors:

Adam Bolonsky is a contributing editor for

WaveLength Magazine, and has taught countless sea kayaking classes and courses both on-water and off for numerous organizations including Appalachian Mountain Club, ConnYak, and EMS. Adam is also sponsored by Wilderness Systems.

The co-instructor, Mike Harb, is a full-time certified personal trainer. He specializes in core work, stretching and strength training. Mike is also Australia's national Tae Kwon Do champion and an alternate on their Olympic Team.

FEE: $70 per person for NSPN members.

To Register: Send an email to the class facilitator, Paula, at [email protected]. Include your ACA #, boat description, emergency contact name and phone number.

Paula will tell you where to mail your check and will keep the registration list and a waiting list. Paula will only hold your slot when she receives your check made out to NSPN. If you cannot attend you will receive a refund only if your slot can be filled from the waiting list. If the class is oversubscribed Paula will ask if you want to be placed on the waiting list.

All NSPN-sponsored commercial events are run on a "pass-through-the-cost-basis." NSPN may include a very small markup over actual costs to cover incidental expenses and support club activities that benefit the membership as a whole. These classes are still priced well below what commercial outfitters charge for comparable activities. The club does not subsidize activities that benefit only the participants in classes with limited enrollment. Therefore, in the highly unlikely event that the class is canceled due to extreme weather, there will be no refunds. Lightning will obviously keep us off the water, but much can be learned from these talented teachers on shore.