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Karel Tresnak Jr. lifts weights for an hour a couple of times a week, as he was doing Thursday at the Outrigger Canoe Club. He does a couple of hours a week of running but paddles eight to 10 hours a week.
Photos by REBECCA BREYER | The Honolulu Advertiser
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WORKIN’ IT ON THE WAVES Paddling isn’t just a great workout for your upper body. It’s also a lifelong sport for anyone who loves the ocean and wants to stay in shape. “It’s an aerobic sport, but it’s also a low-impact and low-weight-bearing type of exercise,” said Dr. Blane K. Chong, a sports medicine specialist and longtime paddler and coach for Hui Nalu Canoe Club. “It doesn’t put the same kind of stresses on your knees, hips and ankles like running or other weight-bearing sports do.” |
Health and fitness benefits of paddling include: • Works core muscles. Since the primary motion of paddling is bending and twisting, your core muscles will get a great workout, Chong said. “It takes balance, too,” he added. “You’re sitting on top of an unstable platform. That really helps with coordination and the development of your core muscles.” • Strengthens lower back. While those with back trouble should get a doctor’s advice before taking on any sport, paddling can actually strengthen your lower back in a low- impact way. “You don’t want to aggravate a (recent) injury, but (paddling) can be an excellent way to rehab previous injuries,” he said. • Calms nerves. There’s nothing like being out in the open ocean after a long day stuck in an office. “The beauty of paddling is being in the water,” said Chong, who also surfs and kayaks. “It’s relaxing and meditative. You really can’t get that from other things.” Things to consider before signing up at the nearest canoe club: • Rehab injuries first. Since the primary motion of paddling involves your shoulder muscles, Chong recommends that those with chronic shoulder injuries take precautions. “You want to be sure your rotator cuff is strong and you rehab your (shoulder) injuries before paddling,” he said. • Pick clubs carefully. Find a club — and coach — you feel comfortable with. And make sure you’ll be learning proper paddling techniques. Ask other paddlers for recommendations. For those who want to improve their skills, pick a club that will challenge you more, Chong said. “You’ll need to get into more challenging situations, longer runs, rougher water,” he said. And incorporate cross-training and more specific core training into your paddling workout, he added. “If you’re only paddling or swimming, you’ll get to the point where you do too much of it,” said Chong, who adds hiking to his paddling workouts. “It’s good to take a break.” — Catherine E. Toth |
At 24, Karel Tresnak Jr. has accomplished what veteran paddlers still aspire to.
He's already won a record five solo canoe championships from Moloka'i to O'ahu, and four in a six-man canoe. He's crossed the Ka'iwi Channel — considered one of the roughest ocean channels in the world — at least 20 times. And this Sunday he steered the Outrigger Canoe Club to a respectable third-place finish in the Moloka'i Hoe.
And he doesn't just win. He dominates.
In May, Tresnak was on his way to an unprecedented sixth solo win in the Moloka'i World Championship. Though he pulled out because his canoe cracked, he had an estimated seven-minute lead. In the state championship two months earlier, he dominated the 23-mile course, winning nearly 10 minutes ahead of second place.
"I consider him the best paddler in the world, for sure," said Outrigger coach John Puakea.
But despite his success — and an uncanny ability to steer a canoe along ocean swells — Tresnak isn't motivated solely by race wins or bragging rights.
He paddles because it's fun. Period.
"I love doing it," said Tresnak, who's been paddling since he was 10. "The guys who do it are all my buddies, even though we race against each other. It's a community. That's what keeps me going ... When I get sick of it, maybe I'll try something else."
Cross-training is essential for paddlers at this level of competition. And Tresnak, after more than a decade of racing, has only recently figured that out.
In addition to paddling at least four days a week, Tresnak now incorporates running and weight-lifting into his weekly regime. Running has improved his cardio and stamina, lifting weight has boosted his strength.
But to remain this competitive, he'll have to do something else, something he's dreading, something drastic: overhaul his diet.
"I can live off Jack in the Box and Taco Bell," said Tresnak, laughing. "I don't even know what it is about (their food) ... but it's awesome."
He doesn't like vegetables or fruits. He doesn't even take a multivitamin. If he could have it his way, he'd eat chips and chalupas — washing them down with beer, of course — every day.
That, of course, will have to change, he said reluctantly.
But for now, Tresnak is just a twentysomething navigating through life, which is turning out to be a lot harder than navigating a canoe through the Ka'iwi Channel.
"I'm giving myself five years after graduation to figure it out," said Tresnak, who graduated from the University of Hawai'i-Manoa with a degree in marketing last year. "I'm not sure what I want to do with my life yet."
Right now, Tresnak helps build canoes with his dad, Karel Sr., who owns Waimanalo-based Outrigger Connection. (Karel Sr. is also a champion whitewater kayaker and former Olympian for Czechoslovakia.) They design and build some of the fastest and most popular canoes on the market, from the six-man Mirage to the solo craft Fusion.
Though he doesn't have a "full psycho" training schedule, Tresnak is very disciplined about his workouts, forgoing surf sessions to focus on paddling.
That focus is what keeps him competitive at such a high level.
And that competition is what Tresnak thrives on.
His next goal?
"Just to win more races," he said. "I'll keep doing it as long as it's still fun."
Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.
