Maria Halavrezos | Sportscene - As canoeists, we can all remember our first time trying out a sprint canoe. Steadying yourself against the dock, paddle in hand, pushing off gingerly (perhaps with the help of someone else holding on to the stern of the boat) and slapping the water repeatedly with your blade. SPLASH! Into the water again. It’s a familiar cycle: push off, fall in, climb up, repeat.

Yes, balancing a sprint canoe is no easy feat, and even if you get past the initial stage of tipping immediately after blast-off there is still room for improvement. Balance comes largely from building your core strength, and there are lots of fun ways to improve through drills that you can do in your canoe! Check out this video from Kamloops Canoe Club on Canada’s West Coast, featuring some ambitious balance drills performed by Brook McLean.

First we see Brook standing up in a C-1. She steadies herself by keeping her blade in the water, then transfers that balance by removing her paddle from the water and placing her foot on the opposite side into the water. Once she is comfortable, she takes the drill a step further by taking that same foot out of the water, spreading her arms wide and balancing solely on her foot that remains in the boat. While this looks like something that belongs in a circus act, Brook pushes herself even further by hopping on her foot... which sends her swimming!

Next up, Brook amazes us by doing push-ups on her C-1. Beginning in a regular canoeing position, Brook swings her front leg to the side dipping her foot in the water to balance. She lowers her hands so they are brushing the gunnels as she moves her foot back towards the foot piece. She pops her feet onto the rear bar of the C-1 and proceeds to do push-ups! Amazing – bravo, Brook!

Can you do these drills? Try them out yourself!