Say NO To Sore B's when Paddling

That’s right, you read it correctly!  Say No to sore B’s.  The B’s being your Butt and your Back of course!  Let’s face it, as kayak anglers we love being on the water and chasing our new personal best.  This usually means we are out for a number of hours and usually sitting down for the majority of that time.  While companies have vastly improved the seats to help keep us comfortable as long as possible our butts and back still get sore!  Say NO to the soreness and give this ONE easy stretch you can do while you’re in your kayak.

First, put your rods in their holders or strap them to your kayak.  Also, strap your paddle to your kayak or place it by your feet.  Sit tall in the seat and have your feet flat against the floor of your yak.  To do this you will need to bring your feet closer to the chair.  Then put the calf of your left leg on top of the quad of your right leg.  You may need to help it up with your arms.  Keep your back tall and lean forward over your left calf.  You should feel the stretch in your left butt cheek and lower back.  Exhale and breath deep for a couple breaths.  Then put your left leg down and change legs.  

If you are unable to get your calf on top of the your quads, then keep your feet flat against the floor and lean forward keeping your back tall.  You should feel the stretch in your lower back and buttocks!

Want more? Then as you lean forward twist outward so you head and shoulders turn towards the leg that is planted firmly on the kayak.

Try this move when you start to feel the soreness start to set it!  Where do you get sore when kayak fishing?  Let me know in the comments or tag me on Facebook or Instagram and I can help you (and others) find ways to relieve it!

Get a Grip on your Paddling

We put hours in our kayaks every year and paddle countless miles all in search of new destinations,a personal best catch, or just creating new memories with family and friends.  When paddling shorter distances or if you aren’t out that long then your hands may never get sore.  However, if you are paddling any length of time, especially consistently paddling like when you are trolling your hands and wrists can get sore.  These 4 tips will help keep your hands and wrists feeling great and ready to take you on your next adventure.

Change Grips

Yep, it can be that simple.  Just change your grip.  Start out by paddling with your hands on the paddle about one and half shoulder lengths apart.  After a little while, bring your hands closer together.  Switch it up as your paddling.  I usually like to switch every 10-15 minutes but you can do more or less, whatever is comfortable!

Stretch ‘n Roll

Let’s bring this classic back. Set your paddle in your lap open your hands stretching each finger (at the same time) to make it as long as possible.  You really want to feel the stretch across your entire hand.  As your fingers are stretched out bring one finger down stretching it downward.  Bring it back up and go to the next finger.  Repeat two times and the bring your hands into a fist.  Now roll your wrists in a clockwise direction two times.  Then roll them counterclockwise two times.  Open your hands and repeat the stretch and roll sequence.

Open your hand

This is a simple one but can do wonders.  As you are paddling, open your hand keeping the shaft of the paddle in your palm.  Pull back with the opposite hand (using proper paddling technique) and gently pushing forward with the open hand.  When you are out as far forward as you can go, wrap your fingers around the paddle and start pulling backwards.  Open your other hand that is now on top.

Paddle Grips

This one accessory has helped my hands stay comfortable when paddling for hours.  They are Yakgrips!  It is basically a small cushion sewn into a tube that fits around the shaft of your paddle.  They are a little tricky to get on but helps you from getting white knuckles as you’re paddling.  I’m sure there are other brands out there but I’ve had two pairs of Yakgrips and used them for many years and love them.  I get mine from Rutabaga Paddlesports in Madison, WI.  Check them out, you won’t regret it!  http://www.rutabaga.com/cascade-creek-yakgrips

Gaining Courage

Gaining Courage...but how? Why?  Is it really going to help me at all?  You bet your best yak it will!  And you know what?  You don’t even need to go to Oz to get it.  We all go through ups and downs in our life.  There are moments when we feel like we can conquer anything and others where we feel bruised and battered.  Surprisingly for us fisherman, this sometimes gets us a little more when we have to take a skunkset picture.  Our best lure isn’t producing, things just kept going wrong, etc.  We lose our courage at times but we can get it back and have it stick with us longer if we follow the couple tips below.

1) Baby Steps.  Yep!  Take life at smaller chunks so that you can achieve them.  By breaking it down into bite size chunks you will have many successes behind you and will gain courage to go after your goals again!  

2) Be consistent!  This is one of the hardest things to do for most people.  But again, if you take baby steps you should be gaining the courage to be even more consistent.  Make a plan, put it on your to do list, write it in your calendar, whatever it takes just keep going and go after it.  The smaller chunks will help you be consistent and gain success!

3) “Fake it ‘till ya make it!” That’s right, fake your confidence!!  I actually tell my choir this quite a bit.  Why?  Because having confidence in yourself, in what you believe, and what you stand for will help you gain the courage to achieve what you want.  For us fisherman, sometimes we lose confidence in ourselves and baits that we use.  So you will have to dig deep and tell yourself you got it and hit the water again.  For me, I think of the other reasons I enjoy being on the water.  Being outside, enjoying the fresh air, look at the beautiful scenery, etc.  I enjoy other reasons to be outside.  But I don’t let it stop me.  I dig up the courage to head out again and fish again and catch fish.  I tell myself that “I’m going to catch a fish!” and leave with a positive attitude.  Even if I didn’t truly believe it, I faked it!  So I use other reasons to help me dig up the courage!

Hail, Pinch, and Fly - Glamour Muscles

It’s cold outside and many of us are starting to dream of warmer weather.  While we wait and try not to freeze let’s get our glamour muscles in shape and ready for Summer.  What are your glamour muscles?  Those would be your Shoulders, Bicep’s, and Triceps.  Not only will these 3 moves help sculpt your muscles you will find that paddling, casting, and lifting your kayak will become easier!

1) Hail to the Chief! This move I took straight from Tony Horton.  Grab a single lighter weight to start with.  You can always up if later if needed.  Lay on your back and hold the weight in your right hand.  Put your left arm by your side and extend your right arm and hand in front of you.  Keeping your upper arm (bicep/tricep area) straight up bend your elbow so the weight goes to left side of your face.  The goal is to pick a weight so you can do 6-12 reps.  Remember 6-8 reps build muscle and 8-12 helps tone.  You will want to feel the burn in the last two reps, so after your first time, adjust weights as needed.  Repeat the exercise with the weight in your left hand and your right arm by your side.  Be CAREFUL not to smash your face!

2) Fly baby Fly You’ll be feeling your shoulders after this move!  Grab some light weights.  And in this case, make sure they are light, like 3-5lbs.  Stand tall with your feet shoulder length apart.  With a weight in each hand raise both arms so they are parallel to the ground.  Keep your arms straight and not bent.  Lower them intentionally.  Then raise them up keeping a steady motion the entire time.  Again 6-8 reps help build muscle and 8-12 tones muscles.  

3) Twist N’ Pinch Yep, you read that right.  Let’s twist and pinch….your bicep!  Grab a medium weight.  Standing tall with one foot slightly in front of the other about shoulder length apart bring the weight in your right arm across your body.  It should come along your left side.  Keep your right elbow stationary, just bend it to allow the weight to move.  Then keep bringing the weight up until it is by your right pec.  As it reaches your pec start twisting your wrist bringing your pinky towards the inside.  Continue the curl until the weight is right by your bicep.  As you approach the highest point of the curl really twist your wrist causing the muscles to almost pinch each other.  Then untwist your wrist and bring the weight down going across the left side of you body. (tracing the way you brought it up)  Repeat the sequence with your left arm.  Again, 6-8 reps or 8-12 reps.

5 Healthy on the Water Snacks

Ever get the munchies?  I know I do!  Especially since I started working out and eating well it seems like I am constantly snacking throughout the day.  Needless to say when I’m spending hours on the water I get hungry.  Here are some healthy snacks that work great when you are on the water and keep you on your diet.

Apples

  Red Delicious, Honey Crisp, Gala, or any others for that matter.  Apples are a fantastic quick and easy snack to have while you are on the water.  Not only are they easy to eat they provide you with some hydration!  

Seeds

  Snacking on seeds while on the water is a great way to keep to enjoy a simple snack and get some fiber and healthy fats.  Pick your favorite ones and snack away!  My favotires are roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.  Especially the non shelled sunflower seeds.  Grab a mouth full and keep on fishing and/or paddling away!

Nuts

  Nuts are a great source of protein and healthy fats.  Plus they are a quick and easy snack when you are paddling and/or fishing!  The biggest thing is to try to stay away from the salted variety.  Try to grab lightly salted or just plain roasted.  Even Honey Roasted works well.  Some of my favorites are peanuts and almonds.

Carrots

  Grab some baby carrots! You only get in a vegetable but have a fun finger food snack. I portion some out in a bag when I know I'm going to need a snack and put it next to my kayak seat and snack away.  It’s easy to quick grab one in between paddle strokes or casts.  You can keep on munching and paddling/fishing.

Granola Bars

  Granola Bars are one of the easiest snacks to grab on the go and are a great source of fiber, protein, and much more!  There are many on the market but not all of them are healthy.  The tricky part is finding one that fits your tastes and needs.  If you rather not shop, you can always make some at home and bring them with you.  Just search the internet and you can find lots of recipes.  So find or make your ideal ones and snack away! Here is one of my favorites (Energy Ball) https://youtu.be/Jxk-6mjZN6U

Stay Hydrated on the Water

 Whether you are just paddling for fun or trying to catch a fish of a lifetime you will want your wits about you.  Especially during the summer when the sun gets up in the sky and the temps are on the rise you need stay healthy.  It’s no time to be dehydrated which could increase your risk of heat stroke.  Having a water bottle onboard with you is obviously the easiest way to ensure you are set but how much should you drink? What about other beverages?  Let’s take a quick look at those questions.

What should you drink?  To put it simply, water.  Other drinks like soda, energy drinks, coffee, alcohol, and other drinks of the sort may make you feel full and trick you that you’re staying hydrated but you are not.  Instead, they are actually dehydrating you!  So try to stick with just water.  If drinking plain water is not something you enjoy, look at adding fresh fruit to it and flavor your water.  And if your like me and won’t give up your coffee for anything, that’s ok.  I drink my coffee on the water.  But I make sure I bring an extra water with me to have to ensure I stay hydrated.

How much should you drink?  Your body uses up the water you drink naturally but it needs even more when you are sweating.  When the sun is beating down on you and reflecting off the water you’ll dry out even faster.  (Although it may not feel like it)  OSHA suggests that outside workers working in over 103 heat index should drink 4 cups of water every hour.  This should be done throughout the hour and not all at once.  Now even if we aren’t out there in that kind of heat you should be drinking throughout the day.  And try to drink a total of 2-4 cups an hour when you’re out paddling around.

I want you to have an amazing time on the water so don’t let getting sick and dehydrated stop this from happening.  Bring bottles of water with you and remember to drink up when paddling around!  

The Ultimate Paddling Exercise

You can look at almost any body of water during the Summer and there they are, people standing and floating on the water.  Wait, they are standing and paddling on a board!  That’s right, paddle boarding, and now our addiction to fishing is starting to take a hold.  Heck, many of you probably already fish from one!  Let’s get you to your secret hot spot quicker and easier, all with this one workout move.  Well, let’s not waste anytime, here is the ultimate move to gain a stronger paddleboard stroke.

The Floor Figure Eight

Sit on the floor with legs in front of you with a slight bend in your knees.  Keep your back straight, tighten your abdomen, and lean back.  Having your back at a 45 degree angle would be fantastic but get as close to that as possible.  Clasp your hands and make a sideways figure eight.  The top of your figure eight should be at least to the top of your head.  When making the lower part of your figure eight twist at your body in the direction of your hands. (Similar to a strong kayak stroke).  Do this for 30 seconds.  Once you’ve mastered it here are some ways to challenge yourself and get even more from this great move!  First, lower your back closer to the ground.  Second, do this move longer, 45 seconds, 60 seconds, more!!!  Third, hold onto a weight.  Start with a little weight and work your way up.  

Build up your core strength and you’ll be in our spot faster than ever before!

Check out the video below or click HERE and subscribe to our channel!

OUCH! Get Sweet Relief from Casting BIG Lures

You are on the water before the sun rises and come in after it sets.  With every cast you are eagerly anticipating a huge tug on the end of your line. So whether you are chasing bull reds, stripers, muskie, or anything else for that matter your casting arm may get sore after chucking lures hours on end in hopes of catching a new personal best.  Try these 3 stretches to find relief from soreness.

Wrist Relief

After casting and reeling all day your wrists take a beating.  To find some sweet relief keep your palms up and extend your arm in front of you.  Gently bend the wrist of the extended arm toward the ground.  Then with your other hand slowly and gently press the wrist of the extended arm toward the ground even more.  Do this until you feel a stretch in your forearm.  Be careful not to go too far.  It should be a mild stretch and not a painful one.  Hold for 10 to 20 seconds and then repeat 3 times.  Repeat with the other wrist.

Soothing Shoulder Soreness

After paddling and casting for hours on end my shoulder is sore.  To soothe that soreness extend your right arm straight ahead of you and bring it across to the left side of your body.  With your left hand hold onto your bicep and gently pull your right arm closer to your body.  Ensure you keep your chin out of the way and look forward.  Hold for 10 to 20 seconds.  Then raise your right arm above your head like you are eager to answer a question from your favorite teacher.  Keeping the upper part of your straight arm up, bend your forearm and drop your hand towards your back.  With your left hand hold onto your right elbow and gently pull it towards the left side.  Do this until you feel a mild stretch.  Hold for 10 to 20 seconds.  Repeat both of these moves 2 times.  

BONUS MOVE!!! Check it out here and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Page! Watch below or click here: https://youtu.be/9fLDJXcx7AU