Ed's Tips
Ed McKeever
k1 olympic & world champion

The CatchForce machine is a great piece of equipment that you can use a specific strength tool to help develop your paddling stroke.

The CatchForce can be integrated into regular training sessions in place of single arm dumbbell or cable pull, or as a stand-alone exercise to reinforce a range of movement from the water.

It recruits a range of muscles through the unilateral movement that you won't recruit through normal exercises.

Top Tips

  1. Don't start too heavy.

    Add the weight progressively, and don't jerk it with your back.

  2. Technique.

    Set your hands on the paddle shaft in your usual position and go through the same range of movement that you do on the water.

  3. Relax.

    Don't hunch your shoulders, maintain your form by keeping them relaxed, especially at the end of the stroke.

  4. Strengthen the weak areas of your stroke.

    Take the time with your coach to discuss specific areas you need to work on. If you feel you have a weak catch, load up the machine and concentrate on the first 20cm of the stroke.

  5. Static hold.

    Hold for 15-30 seconds in some of the positions of the stroke. This will feel easy at first, but the key is to maintain a relaxed feeling across the shoulders.

    I would recommend holding each of the positions for 3 x 15 seconds to start with then you can lengthen the time and number of sets.

A “catch” strengthening exercise platform.
If the catch is the most important part of the paddling stroke,
why not increase your specific strength to this area?

CatchForce Kayak provides the athlete with a flat and level work platform; the travel, tension cords and railed incline providing resistance – reproducing the mechanics and effect of pulling the paddler [boat] past the water – using the immersed blade as the “anchor-point.”

CatchForce educates the muscle memory of the paddler to learn the all important technique of top arm resistance and lower arm / upper body / trunk rotation and mobilization. Resistance is increased by:

  • Additional weights to the smooth running boat platform;
  • Increasing the strength of the resistive bungees, - or
  • By attaching the boat platform to a standard “weight stack”.

The Kayak Version seat can be replaced by any Nelo standard or rotating seat for personalcustomization. CatchForce is a must for those Kayak Athletes specializing in explosive 200m events, or for those who want to simply improve their “CatchForce”.