When I was younger, I put on muscle faster. I bounced back quickly from training, and my joints were definitely more resilient.
Now, I have to be more intentional. If I want strength or speed gains, I need consistent weight lifting and focused interval work. If I let my technique slide, I end up managing injuries—lower back pain, hip impingement, rotator cuff issues.
Whatever age you are, understanding women’s physiology—where our strengths lie, what we need to work at, and how hormones affect us—means we can train more effectively at every stage of life.
We now know that women lose muscle more easily, that bone density declines, joints become less stable, and fast-twitch muscle fibers shut down without targeted training. Hormonal changes affect fat oxidation, carb use, even thirst.
But we can train in a way that address all of this.
OC1 is a complex sport. You need strength, speed, power, endurance, technique, and OC1-specific skills to perform well in a time trial or finish a two-hour race feeling strong.
As a women’s OC1 coach and athlete myself, I’ve seen clear patterns—what’s working, what’s not, and where we are struggling. And I’ve seen the difference when training is built on the right foundation.
Many of us are not training optimally—not because we don’t care, but because the right information hasn’t been accessible. Most training plans are still based on male physiology.
It’s time for something better.
Instead of following a one-size-fits-all plan, we can train in a way that’s sport-specific– and that works with our physiology and hormones, not against them.
Still, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and wonder:
“How do I get all of that?”
“Where do I even start?”
So – what do women OC1 paddlers actually need to focus on that we haven’t traditionally?
Here are three foundation pieces that I’ve seen consistently make the biggest difference for women paddlers—no matter their age, hormones, or life stage.
1) Speed: Use It or Lose It
At my camps and clinics, I often see women paddling too slowly to catch waves. They’ve been taught to develop a low stroke rate to be more efficient and maximize distance per stroke. That can be helpful for technique, but it won’t make you faster.
Women are born with more endurance muscle fibers than men, and men are born with more fast-twitch muscle fibers than women. This means it’s not as natural for us to be powerful but we can change that depending on how we train.
As we get older and our hormones drop, if we don’t train for speed—and instead fall into the habit of “moderate-hard” or “long-easy” sessions—we either don’t ever develop our capacity, or gradually lose the ability to move fast. That means we aren’t going as fast or working as hard as we’re actually capable of.
If you want strong starts, better wave-catching, and to be faster during interval training —you have to train your body to move fast.
Fast-twitch fibers matter. They’re essential for:
- Speed and power
- Insulin control and fat metabolism
- Lactic acid production (which fuels your brain)
- Quick reaction time (so you don’t fall when you stumble)
The good news? OC1 paddling is a fun and effective way to train speed and build lactate threshold.
Train Fast to Go Fast
To gain speed, you need neuromuscular training.
This type of training is vital for women. We have fewer fast-twitch fibers to begin with so they need to be turned on—and speed fades if we don’t train it.
Teach your body how to paddle at 65, 70, even 75 or 80 strokes per minute. This isn’t cardio—you won’t spike your heart rate or feel like you did a “workout.” This trains your nervous system so your body can move faster.
Try This One Hour Speed Session:
- 10 minutes easy paddle
- 20 minutes of technique
- 4 x 20 seconds (left side only) at 65-75 SPM with 2 minutes rest between each effort.
- Repeat on the right side
- 20 minutes of technique cool down
Don’t skip the rest.
Your nervous system takes longer to recover than your muscles. You should see improvement over a few sessions—and notice that this work carries over into high intensity work such as 1 minute on / 1 minute off.
You’ll have improved starts, and your ability to catch waves will take off!
When you include this in a polarized, periodized program, it will help you paddle faster and stay powerful as you age.
2) Strength Training: Non-Negotiable
Strength is built in the gym—not on the water.
OC1 paddling is a strength-based sport. Whether you’re paddling upwind, downwind, or in flat water—or racing 500 meters or 50 kilometers—strong muscles make you faster and more efficient.
Strength is paramount not just for speed, but for living. If you want to lift a carry-on overhead, hug your little ones, unscrew a lid, move furniture, garden, or carry groceries—muscle is what makes that possible.
In your 30s:
Muscle starts to decline—but you still have enough hormones to build strength effectively. Start lifting now and you’ll see fast results that set you up for the decades ahead.
In your 40s:
Hormone fluctuations make muscle harder to build and easier to lose. This is the time to double down on strength training and prioritize protein intake.
In your 50s and beyond:
Hormones drop off—and the only way to maintain or gain muscle is with external stimulus: heavy lifting, protein around training, and proper recovery.
To maintain or build muscle, make sure you:
- Focus on compound lifts: Deadlifts, squats, pull-ups, bench press, plus rotational work and core stability
- Lift heavy: Lower reps with heavier weights stimulate muscle building
- Nail your technique: Just like in OC1, form matters. A coach can help
- Adjust with the season: Train 3–4x/week in the off-season; taper during peak paddling.
- Stay consistent: Even in paddling season, lift at least once a week to correct imbalances and maintain muscle
Make strength training your foundation for living.
You’ll go faster, catch more waves, and age better.
3) Train Your Technique
I see this all the time:
The blade is set, the pull starts—but the spine rounds, shoulders lift up to the ears, the bottom elbow bends, and the biceps take over instead of the lats.
Meanwhile, the paddler leans left, unsure how to sit differently, afraid of huli-ing. The hips can’t move freely, glutes stay offline, and the lower back or SI joint takes the strain.
Not only are the joints being loaded poorly—the strongest paddling muscles aren’t being used.
Fixing posture, stabilizing the scapula, aligning your legs, correcting grip, and developing a brace stroke protects your joints and unlocks real power. But this doesn’t just happen—it takes repetition, time, and consistency.
Make technique part of your training:
- Spend 10 minutes on technique during every warm-up
- Repeat drills during your main set rest intervals
- Use cooldowns to reinforce good movement under fatigue
- Add a technique only session weekly (or biweekly) as recovery
- Train technique using a resistance band for more muscle recruitment
Even healthy joints will wear out if they’re loaded poorly. And as we age, that risk only increases. Connective tissue—cartilage, tendons, ligaments—becomes more brittle. Muscles fall out of balance—some weaken, others tighten.
Without intentional technique work, movement patterns break down, joints take the hit, and injuries become harder to reverse.
If you want on-the-water training to achieve this, check out the next Precision Paddling program starting in April.
Conclusion
Women need to train in a way that reflects our physiology—not just what’s been done before. When you build your foundation with technique, strength, and speed, you’re not only training smarter—you’re setting yourself up to paddle stronger, longer, and with more confidence. This is what’s missing for many women and what it means to train for your sport and your body.