Whether you’re powering through a dragon boat race, gliding across the water in a kayak, or enjoying a peaceful morning on a paddleboard, preparing your body before you hit the water is key to performance and injury prevention. Paddling demands strength, endurance, and mobility, making a proper warm-up essential for loosening up muscles, increasing circulation, and improving stroke efficiency. This warm-up and mobility routine is designed by physical therapists for paddlers of all levels and disciplines, helping you get the most out of every session on the water.
To go through the entire routine from start to finish, watch our complete 5-minute Paddlers Warm-up Playlist:
Here are the individual routines for quick warmups and targeted areas!
1. Loosen up your shoulders so you can move more freely and paddle with ease with this multi-directional paddle stretch:
2. Keep your shoulders flexible and strong, making each stroke feel smoother and more controlled with this internal rotation paddle stretch:
3. Get your upper back moving so you can rotate better and paddle with more power with this quadruped foam roll rotation (Pro tip, if you don’t have a foam roller, try using something like a rolled up towel!)
4. Stretch out your back and shoulders, easing tension and helping you reach farther with each stroke with this child’s pose with reach.
5. Open up your chest and shoulders to prevent stiffness from all those forward paddling motions with this pec stretch against the wall.
6. Loosen up your shoulders, back, and legs to improve your posture and paddling efficiency with this downward dog on a wall.
View the full warm up
A few minutes of warming up can make all the difference in how you feel on the water. Looser muscles, better endurance, and fewer aches later—it’s worth it! Whether you’re chasing a personal best, paddling with friends, or just enjoying the relaxation of the water, a good warm-up helps you move better and feel stronger. So next time you grab your paddle, take a moment to get your body ready, you’ll be glad you did!
Stay loose, paddle strong, and keep the water your only challenge! Book your free movement assessment with a Spooner physical therapist or occupational therapist today!