Chasing Gains While the Water’s Frozen
Dry Land Training
When the season ends, the real work begins. This off-season, we’ve partnered with Aaron at Hall Executive Fitness to ensure we don’t just maintain our edge—we sharpen it.
Our sessions are designed around three pillars:
Repair: Bulletproofing our bodies and addressing the wear and tear of the competitive season.
Build: Developing the raw power and explosive capacity needed to dominate.
Strengthen: Creating a rock-solid foundation that translates directly to the water.
But it’s not all about the metrics on the rack. While we might be "forced" off the water for now, the team camaraderie is what actually fuels the fire. There’s something special about grinding through a heavy set alongside your teammates that keeps the competitive spirit alive until we can finally launch the boats again.
Stronger bodies. Tighter bonds. See you at the finish line.
Precision in the Pool: Mastering the Stroke
Transitioning from the weight room to poolside is a game-changer for technical precision. The water may be still, but we aren't. Our poolside paddling sessions are a critical bridge between off-season strength training and our return to the open water.
While the gym builds the engine, the pool refines the mechanics. These sessions allow us to:
Deconstruct the Technique: Without the variables of wind, current, or boat movement, we can strip the stroke down to its core—focusing on the catch, the rotation, and a clean exit.
Personalized Coaching: The poolside setting allows for immediate, one-on-one feedback. Coaches can walk the line, correcting angles and posture in real-time to build the muscle memory that wins races.
Maintain Paddle Stamina: We aren’t just sitting still; we’re keeping the specific "paddling muscles" conditioned and ready so there’s no "lag time" when the ice finally thaws.
It’s about intention and we aren’t just moving water; we’re perfecting the art of the pull so that every ounce of strength built with Hall Executive Fitness translates into maximum speed on the lake.
Camps & Clinics
In the off season, the team also participates in camps and clinics to help us keep improving our technique and strength. In 2025, most of our team took part in a clinic at the paddling tank in Leduc over the winter with Darwin Li, a World Champion Coach, and a Canadian National Champion paddler who helps paddlers and teams improve. In the spring, the majority of our team joined forces with two other local Calgary teams in a 2-day camp with Darwin on the Glenmore Reservoir.