Paddling
Tonic for the upper body, with a twist

Whitewater kayaking and canoeing are grueling endurance sports, true. But oddly, it's rarely a lack of aerobic capacity that stands between you and the ability to bang a quick U-turn and ferry against the current to catch an elusive standing wave. Without sufficient — nay, formidable — upper-body strength, your arms and shoulders will give out long before your lungs, leaving you bobbing like a cork.

Of course, as Chris Huffins would tell you, such strength doesn't emanate solely from your limbs and their respective joints. To generate the powerful rotation that's central to paddling, boaters also need to develop the muscles of the trunk, including the latissimus dorsi, the abdominals, and those in the lower back. "People think they know what muscles they use to do certain things," says Huffins. "But almost every athletic movement requires these core muscles, which keep everything working as a cohesive unit." The good news is that, as with climbing, you don't have to worry about pumping iron for your legs beyond what Harvey Newton already has you doing.

In the Gym

You'll be tacking three upper-body drills onto Newton's routine, which brings your maintenance obligations to eight exercises. Of the paddling moves, one is for the deltoids, which help bring the blade forward; another works the forearms, which help pull it through the water; and a third targets the obliques, which provide rotational power.

For the deltoids, do standing dumbbell raises: Holding dumbbells at your sides, palms facing inward, raise the weights straight out like wings until your arms are level with your shoulders, and then lower them. On your next gym visit, hold the dumbbells at your thighs instead and lift them to the front. Alternate methods each workout. Do three sets of 15 repetitions.

You can target the forearms with a nasty little exercise that requires a dowel rod outfitted with a two-foot length of cord that has a weight tied to the end. Gripping the dowel overhanded, twist it like you're rolling up a poster until the weight tops out, and then unroll it. Repeat four times. For the obliques, try the Russian twist (shown below), which'll have you twirling like a rodeo star in no time.

In the Boat

Assuming your upper body is tuned up enough to keep your heart rate properly elevated, you can tick off Dave Scott's cardio workout right on the river. Indeed, the goal of a paddler is the same as that of a distance runner or cyclist: to steadily increase the time you can hover just below your lactate threshold. If you need a break from the river, there are a few machines — such as a rowing ergometer or a hand-crank stationary bicycle — that can provide a comparable upper-body aerobic workout. Cross-country skiing will do the trick too.

T H E   C R U X   M O V E

Russian Twist Sitting on the floor with your legs forward and knees slightly bent, place a six- to 12-pound medicine ball next to your left hip. Keeping shoulders squared, twist your torso left, grab the ball with both hands and twist to the right, swinging the ball over your thighs and placing it by your right hip. Reverse the motion and repeat 15 times. Do three sets.

Photograph by Doug Merriam