Marathon Canoe

The Paddlesport Training System’s Canoe Adapter offers a near perfect simulation of the marathon canoe stroke. Watching the Concept2 monitor, you can easily pick up on any disparity in strength between your left and right sides, allowing you to train to make your sides equally efficient.  The Paddling Adapter allows you to vary your workouts, sustaining a sprint speed to simulate a race start or grinding a steady consistent speed over a longer period of time to build up endurance.

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More advanced marathon paddlers often make use of subtle changes to their stroke technique to rest specific muscle groups for a period of time during a race.  The Adapter allows the racer to compare the efficiency of different techniques by comparing the power output on the monitor.  Most importantly, the combination of both rowing and paddling will give the marathon paddler dramatically better fitness than using either mode soley.  The powerful combination of these two modes is key to the effectiveness of Paddlesport Training Systems.

Marathon paddler Rocky Caldwell, 2009 and 2010 USCA Aluminum Canoe National Champion states:

The Vermont Waterways paddling adapter is one of the best ways to to stay in paddling shape all year round.  If you already have the Concept 2 rowing machine you already know what a great  machine it is. The adapter is a great addition to Concept  2 and lets you do both rowing and single blade paddling with one piece of equipment.  It only takes a couple minutes to switch back and forth between the two.

The paddling adapter feels almost identical to paddling in a pro boat especially with the damper set on about 3 or 4. It makes you want to keep a high stroke rate at about 70 spm or more.  Then set the damper at 10 and it feels like an aluminum in junk water, really good for a strength workout.

There is no delay in the catch at all just like in the boat. The monitor on the Concept  2 makes using the adapter very useful with being able to watch your stroke rate along with how hard you are pulling. You can watch which side is your stronger side .You can also monitor your heart rate on the screen which is a good training tool.

I enjoy the paddling adapter very much and use it year round. This summer I used it more than normal due to the high temperatures we had this year.When it is 110 degrees outside, an hour paddle on the adapter is much better than paddling in the boat.

Elite marathon canoe racer, Steve Corlew, weighs in on the benefits of the Paddling Adapter:

I have been using the Vermont Waterways paddling erg now for quite some time. I can tell you that the workout and technique training that I get is far superior to anything on the market today. After only a few strokes on the machine I had a big grin on my face. The reason is because of the machine’s ability to engage both the upper and lower arms during the stroke. Most other machines have the resistance pulley very low near the level of the bottom hand, this makes for an unnatural stroke. The Vermont Waterways resistance pulley is located between your top and bottom hand which allows you to drive with the top arm engaging the core as you paddle.
During the winter I enjoy skiing and getting on the paddling adapter to stay fit. One of my favorite exercises while using the paddling adapter is to set the damper at a high resistance while paddling one minute on each side. This is great for suck water training and causes fatigue faster than if you were in a boat. Another bonus to this system is its ability to be used also as a rowing machine. This workout is great for preparing your legs for the ski season.Paddling inside on other machines can be very boring and monotonous. The Concept II display screen along with the movable pulley allows me to concentrate on technique and intensity at the same time making the exercise much more fun. The moving pulley that allows you to switch sides moves very fluidly. During the recovery phase of my stroke I can concentrate on not letting the pulley wiggle from side to side. When I get tired or bring the shaft up too high being inefficient, the pulley will wiggle letting me know I need to refocus. The display screen keeps you honest. You can do 1000m sprints or just try to keep a steady pace for an hour. Looking back on the workout with the recall button you can discover lulls in your effort. This real time feedback will help you train harder and smarter. I absolutely love this product.