You can hear the call of the wild, can’t you? Your hands are longing the feel of that paddle in your hands and yet you cannot venture into the water yet. Your sleeping is uneasy too, you can feel the swell of the water in your body and know that it’s been far too long but what can you do? Normal schedules have gone for a toss, you’re stressed all the time, staring at the laptop screen either working from home or buried under assignments that the university or school just keeps on handing out. Even though lock down has been eased in most of the places around the world you hardly have time, I get it! I know how it feels!
What do we SUPers do then? We can accept the fact that indoor SUP training definitely is not as stress-relieving and euphoric as actually being on the water but do it anyway because; it does have quite a few benefits. And when done appropriately, can be affordable and quite effective.
Vasa SUP Ergometer combined with the Juvo Board can be used together, to give you the most realistic feel of being out on the water while still being indoors.
Vasa SUP Ergometer
The Vasa SUP Ergometer uses an air fan flywheel resistance, like a rowing machine does. Like all air fan flywheel Ergs, the harder you pull or push, the more air resistance you will experience, especially at higher damper door settings. Unlike treadmills and ellipticals that require electricity to move, this device only works when you do, and the harder you push, the harder it gets. Originally developed as “secret weapon” for elite swimmers to mimic the movement of training in the water, the Vasa SUP Erg offers indoor training for not only swimmers, but surf and SUP athletes, kayakers, and more. Plus it takes up very little space by attaching easily and simply to any wall.
- I you want to improve your SUPing skills, then having a product with the precise resistance that the water provides would be ideal for helping improve your stroke. As you paddle, the onboard Power Meter showcases your power output through your stroke, as well as your strokes per minute, and allows you to adjust the resistance as you pull your paddle through choppy waters. The Vasa SUP Erg is the most realistic feel when it comes to “catch, power, and recover" stroking through the water that one can achieve indoors.
- Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Take your set out and power it out with nothing to distract your focus. And in comes the “next-day DOMS". Enjoy the sore obliques, upper back muscles, triceps, and even hip flexors for these are indications of you getting stronger, and you will be able to paddle longer the next time you get to venture out.
- The possibilities of the Vasa SUP Erg are as endless as the waterways of the world. After some paddle drills engage into some pilates moves using the resistance handles. Or, maybe, grab one strap and start a slew of wood-choppers tabata-style, with 8 rounds of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off.
- Progression not perfection. With the SUP erg and its ability to adjust varying levels of resistance, one may start out as a beginner, very calmly learning my technique in level one, and over time progress to harder and harder levels of resistance, increasing one’s endurance, performance, and technique. A recent study in May issue of the Journal of Science and Medicine on Sport demonstrates from a rowing aspect, just how powerful ergometers are in enhancing dynamic conditioning for competition success!
Juvo Board
First, the Juvo Board is a revolutionary new exercise device and the first of its kind to offer two positions for unlimited workouts. Juvo Balance position is an unstable, balanced surface that simulates that of being on your SUP on the water and Juvo Elevate position, an incline surface that brings the floor to the individual who struggles with exercises done on the floor. The incline surface assists with and makes possible many exercises that may have previously been unattainable. By bringing instability into a workout you recruit more intrinsic, stabilizer muscles to increase overall strength and performance overtime. Furthermore, by bringing in an incline/decline surface, the user has the opportunity to work with the help of gravity, or work against gravity allowing for more load and effort on the body. The product was developed with the philosophy of “assist to attain” since “Juvo” is Latin for, “Assist, support, help”.
Benefits of the JUVO Board:
- Balance: The Juvo Balance position is where the board is positioned on its two rockers offering a surface for those intimidated with trying SUP to simply get the feel of it on land beforehand. If you are a SUP instructor, use the Juvo Board to help work balance and technique before ever setting foot on the water. Also, for those into SUP fitness and SUP yoga, take the simplest of workouts/poses and attempt it on an unstable surface and it then becomes one of the most challenging.
- Elevate: The Juvo Elevate position is where the board is positioned on its movable barre and elevates the mat to you. Can’t do Downward Dog in yoga because it hurts your shoulders? Now you can. The elevation assists bringing the majority of the weight into your lower body, so you can perfect your form and build strength and stamina before progressing onto the floor. As you progress, try your Down Dog facing “downward” on the board working against the pull of gravity, building immense upper body strength.
- Do more with less: ne surface, many options. Like the Vasa SUP Erg. It’s not just about SUP. The Juvo Board can assist you with virtually any kind of fitness you can think of. From Kickboxing on an unstable surface to work your core so much more, to pilates hip thrusters with your feet elevated on the barre, to using it as an incline bench for chest press, and even improving your golf swing with instability! There’s endless ways the Juvo Board will assist you in attaining your ideal level of fitness!
By combining these two fantastic products, SUP enthusiasts of all kinds, can train (or simply just keep their stroke fresh) 365 days a year and even more so:
- perfect your stroke while watching tutorials and YouTube videos indoors
- keep track with your Power Meter for strokes per minute apart from wind, waves, and weather
- change the resistance to improve your pull indoors, building more pull for outdoors as you progress
- be indoors where you have the option to video record yourself so you can see any issues you might be having
- allow for continued race training when the weather is not conducive
- practice SUP Yoga and other forms of fitness before hitting the water
- Train on your own time, in your own home and gain benefits in as little as 4 minutes a day
Tabata SUP Workout
20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest... 8 rounds total for each exercise.
- Tabata #1 - Paddle all on the right side, as hard as possible
- Tabata #2 - Paddle all on the left side, as hard as possible
- Tabata #3 - Holding the SUP Erg Paddle in both hands, turn towards the right side of Juvo Board with feet wide and begin a woodchopper movement.
- Tabata #4 - Holding the SUP Erg Paddle in both hands, turn towards the left side of Juvo Board with feet wide and begin a woodchopper movement.
- Finish with 5-10 minute cool down paddle.
Training indoors pays off, not to mention helps you appreciate training outdoors all the more!
