59 years old (and proud of it!). Grew up in Massachusetts in a small town on coast about twenty miles south of Boston. Middle of three children = older sister, Anne; younger brother, Rob. Growing up, horses and riding were my main sports activity though also did a lot of sailing and swimming. After high school it took me three colleges, 12 years and a life altering event to finish college at New York University. During one of the ‘between college periods’ I spent enough time working with horses at a combined training facility to realize I wasn’t good enough to make a decent living doing it.

In 1976 I became disabled with an incomplete spinal cord injury. Was in New York at the time and ended up moving back with my parents for a while before moving into my own apartment, finishing my undergraduate degree and getting a job. From the time of my injury I became very involved in the civil rights movement for the disabled. This was decades before the Americans with Disabilities Act, accessibility was horrible and discrimination rampant. It also helped me work through a lot of anger in a positive way as well as see some great role models for my revised life.

Also while still in NY I began playing and competing in wheelchair tennis. That was the first time I’d been able to really feel like I was back participating in any sort of athletics. It was a relatively new sport that grew explosively with the development of new wheelchair designs specifically for sports. BTW the first new radically designed chair that became a success was the brainchild of a woman (Marilyn Hamilton) and two friends with engineering & bike technology backgrounds. She built up a company that later was sold to Sunrise Medical. Anyway for me to practice, get coaching and compete it was necessary to drive outside of the city since I couldn’t afford to pay Manhattan prices for court time, etc.

In 1987 I made the decision to leave NY and started looking for somewhere to move. I was working for a large public accounting firm that had offices all over the country. Long story short I ended up moving to Richmond in the fall of 1987 and have been here ever since. I’m working as an internal auditor for Dominion Resources which is a large energy company which owns the local electric utility and generation plants as well as natural gas storage & pipelines. My job is great – I’m always working on new things and there’s constant learning as well as being paid to be nosy!

How did you get into kayaking?  I went to an adaptive paddling demo for canoeing. Canoeing didn’t have much appeal because of the issues with stability and general awkwardness but I began talking with the two instructors – Karen Abse & Jay Lewis. They asked if I’d be interested in trying kayaking because they’d like to help teach me if I was and I jumped at the chance.

How long have you been kayaking?  I began in 1994 or 1995 not sure which – a long time ago…

What is your favorite thing about it?  My favorite thing about kayaking is how empowering it is. I can go wherever and do whatever that’s within the bounds of my abilities. I can get out in the middle of natural areas and see things that are impossible (or at least very difficult) for me to get to from land.

What are your biggest challenges? Usually the biggest issues to overcome are getting between the parking lot and the riverbank.  Sometimes it takes some innovative thinking and cooperative acrobatics to get me and my boat together on the river. There have been other issues – without a hip snap it took me over a year to find a roll I could do. I also can’t do much scouting so I’ve had to learn to listen closely to descriptions and follow someone I trust.

What advice can you give to other women boaters about the sport?  Realize that women and men have differences in the way they think, learn and paddle. Paddling doesn’t have to be a ‘power’ sport – just learn to use the water and your body movements to take advantage.

What paddling programs/clubs are you involved in right now? Tell us more about getting stairs and a ramp on the James river. I’m a member of Coastal Canoeists which a Virginia paddling organization. It’s a great way to meet up and just about each week they have trips at all different levels. I’m also very involved in the James River Outdoor Coalition (JROC) – actually on the BOD and Treasurer. JROC’s mission is to provide improvements and support for the James River Park System (JRPS). The JRPS is a multi-area natural park and is part of the Richmond City Dept. of Parks & Rec. There are several river access points in the park as well as bike/walking trails, etc.  JROC has done everything from trail building, constructing a new put-in downtown at 14^th St., building changing rooms and kiosks, building steps at a climbing wall, general clean up & clearing, paying for gravel & port a potties some times when the budget was tight.  As for “The Project” – it has blossomed from just putting in a ramp to rebuilding the access have a ramp and steps wide enough to accommodate carrying a raft. Right before I left on the Idaho trip one of the people from Corporate Affairs asked if I knew of any projects in the parks or river area that might be good for a volunteer project. She knew I was involved with JROC. Just so happened I’d been having discussions on how nice it would be to put in an accessible ramp at the Reedy Creek access. Anyway Dominion took it on as an Environmental Day project which meant we could get three days of volunteers and use of an excavator. I volunteered to coordinate. The Dominion Foundation (charitable giving arm of the company) gave $5000, JROC matched the $5000 and the Parks Dept. allowed us use of Parks personnel to coordinate & help with the construction. We enlisted the assistance of the Storefront for Community Design (a non-profit group of architects, engineers & designers that assist local non-profits). They did the design for us and off we went. Construction started & we ran into all sorts of problems – huge amounts of rock that needed moving and some were the size of small houses (okay they just seemed that big). We had to do reengineering, went over budget, got another $2000 from Coastal and are currently waiting for the river to go down to finish pouring concrete for the ramp. Stairs have been put in and are already in use.  Got some great press – here are a couple of links  http://www.nbc12.com/story/15952136/one-of-a-kind-boat-ramp-gets-installed  http://www2.timesdispatch.com/sports/sport/2011/nov/04/disabled-paddlers-get-ramp-on-the-james-ar-1434063/  Sorry for going on so…

Do you have a favorite memory from one of your GAP trips?  Probably one of my favorite memories is from the Mexico trip. We were on the Actopan and I’d had two marvelous runs down the waterfall. I hadn’t believed I could do it until I was actually on my way down! The lagoon was so beautiful, the water an unbelievable blue, the vegetation and water running down the sides, such energy from everyone on the trip -  We were all feeling so positive and accomplished and energetic. Then to make it even more perfect I scattered some of Karen Abse’s ashes where the spring comes into the lagoon. I felt like Karen, as my dear friend who taught me to kayak, was able to share a new pinnacle of boating with me. Karen died in a kayaking accident almost six years ago here on the James. According to her wishes friends scattered her ashes on mountains & in rivers all over. That’s my emotional best memory.

What inspires you to keep getting out there? Every time I go out on a river (or lake or pond…) it’s almost spiritual. I’m out in Nature (with a capital N) and feel the beauty, majesty and power. It helps keep me in perspective and in awe. The feelings of freedom also help.

I woke up last Wednesday morning with a strange feeling in my gut. We had gotten lots of rain here in the Southeast, and almost every river imaginable was filled with a healthy flow. I got a phone call from a friend going to one of my favorite rivers, an opportunity I would normally drop everything for. As I thought about getting on the river, I wasn’t filled with the same motivation I usually am. My body didn’t rush with adrenaline at the thought of paddling a beautiful class IV/V river. It took me awhile to pinpoint what was going on, and when I finally admitted it to myself, the answer was that I just didn’t want to go kayaking.

Since I started paddling just over four years ago, I had never experienced this emotion. Not wanting to go kayaking…what was wrong with me? Who was I? Did I make the wrong choice setting up my life to paddle everyday, and now I didn’t want to go? I quickly spiraled into an existential identity crisis, but luckily had Anna and Mary Frances to help pull me out.

When I started thinking rationally again, I realized and accepted that it was OK that I didn’t want to get on the river that day. It doesn’t mean I’m not a kayaker, and it certainly doesn’t mean I’m a different person. I just needed a break. I’ve been paddling constantly since last May, and my body and mind were getting tired.

I’ve accepted this break, and come to embrace it as a time for rejuvination. It’s a time to gain perspective on the bigger pictures in my life, and put some much needed time into other personal endeavors I’d been neglecting. I’ve always heard people talking about this, but I’m now a believe that breaks are a crucial part of anyone’s life who is committed to any time consuming activity. Breaks not only let our bodies rest and rebuild, but they re-inspire our minds and remind us why we love what we do.

Everyday of my break so far, I’ve thought about paddling, checked river levels, and watched my usual daily dose of paddling movies online. I’ve resisted indulging in actual boat time however, because I know that everyday I don’t go, my internal motivation jar refills a little more. I know my skills won’t leave my body, and when I get back in my boat, I’ll start up just where I left off.

The time I’ve spent recently nourishing other pieces of myself has also been invaluable. I’ve journaled and meditated more this past week than I have in months. I remind myself daily to explore other activities, other areas, other passions in my life. Soon I will be yearning to get back on the water with more inspiration than ever. Don’t be afraid, especially in the winter months, to take a break!

Like most physical endeavors out there, kayaking is extremely mental.  The success of a run can be determined by your attitude, confidence, and nervousness to excitement ratio.

Every kayaker has figured out her own personal tricks to get in the right headspace for a river, especially a challenging or new run.  Coping with fear and nerves is universal, no matter what level of  kayaker you are.  While many of us try and share our strategies with fellow boaters to help a sister out, I’ve found that one’s mental game is so personal, it’s difficult to take someone else’s trick and use it effectively as your own.

The best way to train mentally and practice getting your mind and nerves ready for a big run, is to create your own routines and practice them often. Here are two tricks I’ve recently added to my mental game repertoire.  While I know they may not work for you, hopefully they’ll spur something inside of you that helps grow your mental game and tackle whatever river or rapid you face next.

Lots of mental preparation went into this moment

1) My Headband.

The headband came on in a round-about fashion.  I’m also an avid soccer player, and adopted the straight across headband look when I cut my hair and could no longer put it up.  The look was sported by many pro soccer players I watch and admire, so I gave it a shot.

But the importance  of the headband is much deeper than this.  I put on my headband at the put in, just before my helmet.  As I carefully place the thin piece of athletic wrap around my forehead, I say to myself “It’s go time”.  The headband signifies a mental switch.  It gets me out of my previous mode of hiking in, driving, or hanging with friends at the put in, to a game-face, ready-for-action, time-to-focus mentality.  Once the headband is on, so is my attitude.  I take a deep breath as I mindfully put my helmet over my headband, ensuring a solid placement.  From here, there is no turning back, and I know that I’m ready.

The removal of the headband at the end of a run also provides a significant mental switch.  When the headband comes off, I can relax.  I take a sigh of relief, or let out a shout of excitment as I literally let my hair down.  Taking off my headband is the symbolic representation of the phrase, “Heck Yeah! That was badass!”

When I wear it, Mary Frances thinks I look like a fairy, and Anna thinks I look like some medieval character….I don’t really care how I look, because it helps my mental game.  And that’s all that matters.

2) Noseplugs.

Non-boaters laugh at them.  New boaters are addicted to them.  Many boaters rely on them to allow for longer down-time when they find themselves upside down.  All types of paddlers wear them, playboaters to creekboaters, novices to pros.  Some love ‘em, some hate ‘em.

I’ve personally gone back and forth on the matter.  There is no doubt they let me hold my breath longer and more easily in a beat-down situation.  I also agree that rolling is more comfortable with them, since you don’t get water up your nose.  There are many benefits…so what’s the dilemma?

I’m not the kind of boater who wears them all the time.  I used to put them on selectively above big rapids, or places I knew flipping was very likely.  But this created a glitch in my mental game.  When I put on my noseplugs, I was inadvertently telling myself “There’s a good chance you might flip here, or get beat down and need to hold your breath for awhile”.  Then I realized…why would I want to send myself that kind of message, even if it’s subliminal!?!  On one hand I’m saying “It’s go time, you got this, paddle hard, you’re gonna style this shit!” and on the other hand I’m saying “you might mess up or get in a bad situation and need some extra help”…such mixed messages!

Part of my mental training is to eliminate all negative or self-destructive thoughts…including premonitions of beat downs.  So in order to stop sending my brain the subtle message of potential wreckage, I decided to stop wearing my noseplugs all in all (with the exception of playboating, because then it’s just inevitable).

I now go into every rapid with the thought of “You’re gonna kill it!  You’re not gonna flip!  And if you do, you’ll roll up so quickly it won’t even matter that you’re not wearing your plugs”.  Now THAT is a powerful  and positive message.

For more tips on improving your mental game, check out a weekend clinic or a day of private instruction!

Lifting the head is the most common inhibitor to a good roll.  The head lifts because the paddler is punching out with the left hand, pulling down with the right blade or maintaining a tightness in the left hip (not allowing the left hip to relax so that the right hip can perform a good hip snap).  In addition to these physical causes that lead to the head lifting there is also the underlying emotion of fear that essentially manifests all of these physical reactions.

Considering the fact that humans can’t breathe under water it’s understandable that we feel fearful when we flip over.  However, if we want to learn the roll and develop a bombproof whitewater roll we need to change our reaction to being upside down from one of fear to one of acceptance and maybe even of fun (at least when practicing).  Here’s why:  When we resist flipping over we are sending the message to our bodies that we don’t want to be in this position and that makes our bodies tense which in turn leads to all of the physical reactions previously mentioned that in turn make us miss our roll.  Shedding the resistance and fear will physically manifest as loose hips, light paddle, strong hip snap and head down.

At first glance it may appear that acceptance implies apathy; however, there is a big distinction between the two.  By acceptance I mean accepting that the situation is what it is in this moment without judgement of good or bad.  The judgement is what creates a story in our heads which can, in turn, lead us to believe things that just aren’t true.  For example, when we flip upside down and panic because we don’t want to be there it can seem like we’re under for 30 seconds when really we were only under for 5.  Because it seems like we’re under for 30 seconds we get scared and rush our roll which leads to tight hips, head coming up and missing our roll.

In the same situation if we just accept that we’re upside down without the story of how scary that is we could say to ourselves: “OK, I’m upside down and now I’m going to try my roll.”  The situation is much more relaxed and you are able to set an intention to roll.  In this scenario you’re mental state is relaxed and so is your body.  Feeling relaxed is the first step in accomplishing a roll.  When we accept what is and act from that place of acceptance our actions are more intentional and powerful.  Acceptance actually empowers your actions.  So the next time you flip upside down accept that you’re upside down and then do something productive about it — roll!

This same concept applies to situations off the water as well.  For example:  A few weeks ago the city of Veracruz in Mexico experienced an upsurge in drug-related violence that prompted us to move our winter paddling trips to Costa Rica.  In the beginning I resisted the whole situation because I didn’t want it to be happening.  I love paddling in Mexico and I didn’t want to have to change my plan.  My resistance to the situation caused me suffering and stress.  Once I accepted that the situation is what it is and that I had to take action to ensure safe and fun trips the prospect of new opportunities in Costa Rica became exciting!  I took action and changed our plans and allowed for new experiences to flow in.  Now we have amazing trips planned in Costa Rica!

The next time you feel that life throws you a curve ball by flipping you over in a rapid or introducing change accept what is happening and then take action that will bring you in the direction you want to go — usually up!

If you’re interested in more kayak instruction and helpful kayaking tips check out our instruction programs!  And if you’re interested in an awesome paddling vacation in Costa Rica CLICK HERE!

Em was pumped up and I could tell she was up for the competition. During our previous two weeks, I had gotten to know her, and knew she couldn’t hold back her competitive nature. We geared up, filling our pfds with luna bars, lara bars, snickers. I packed tons of water in my boat and even a red bull, just because that what Em was doing. I don’t even like Red Bull but I thought who knows, I might need it to get through. Ok, I took the Red Bull out. What was I thinking.

Em finally made it clear that she was in it to win, and wasn’t really up for hanging back and just having fun. This didn’t surprise me one bit. Oh, man my nerves began to jump even more and my head continued to spin in a mess. My confidence was low and I had a 26 mile stretch of river completely new to me. Only a few minutes before, I learned that there would be class III and IV rapids on down the river. Hmmm, I had been doing great reading and running this level, but with this huge Colorado water I still never knew what to expect.

So, I kept moving through the motions, carrying my boat now to the starting eddy, that was filling up quickly with other racers in all sizes and shapes of crafts, looking pumped and ready to go. What had I gotten myself into.

We all started, shoving out of the eddy in Salida and down the Arkansas River to Cotapaxi 26 miles away. My head was still down, “Why did I do this, I’m not ready for this, these people are all so much better than me and know what they are doing…” I started to make excuses and tell myself it would be ok to get out early and hitch a ride, “whatever it would be ok if I didn’t finish.” The pack thinned out and Em was out of my sight within a few minutes. I paddled hard, remembering to take good strokes. So far so good, but my head was still filling with negative thoughts. The negative thought patterns continued for probably the first ten miles, until I recognized what I was doing to myself. Why was I beating myself up so much? I was on an incredible river in Colorado, at FIBArk, competing in a very special race that very few people can say they have participated. I was paddling hard, doing an awesome job on the rapids. Then I started to remember something I had heard before “That thinking positive thoughts, and repeating positive affirmations while you’re exercising, is great for your mental game and the exercising really reinforces their positive nature. So, that’s when I started telling myself I’m awesome. I’m doing awesome. It was a simple saying but it was better than what I had been thinking to myself. I kept saying it to myself, and talking to myself about how great my run was going, and how beautiful this place was.

Things started to change, I knew I could do it. I then found out from another woman racer that there was a tougher drop approaching. I could see ahead a horizon line and then the river taking a turn to the right. Alright, if I could handle this, I would be golden! I approached the top of the rapid and could see below the water making a V into a gigantic wave train. Awesome! just power through it, throw your wait into those waves! I did it, and once I started around the corner, shouted out a cheer, expressing the joy and satisfaction I felt! Behind me, I heard a man, make it through the rapid with a shout of accomplishment as well. I looked at him and cheered, sharing the adrenaline rush.

I kept paddling. My watch had been stolen a couple of weeks before so I didn’t have a clue how long I’d been on the river and therefore had no clue how long to go- hours or minutes?

There were only a few other paddlers around, two men in front of me and the other woman behind. In another half hour or so I noticed the men in front of me start to discuss a game plan for the upcoming section. Uh-oh, what would this be? I was feeling good, a little fatigued but powering through and enjoying it more and more. The last rapid had given me a confidence boost.

I paddled a little faster to try and catch the men ahead and ask them if there was a rapid ahead and what it was like. They gave me the beta, it was the biggest class IV on the river and they were punching the three laterals coming at you from the right. So paddle hard, with a right angle. Ok, so here I go, sounds good. Once I got to the horizon line, I saw them, enormous waves! The biggest I thought I had ever seen. I started right but then got pushed center. I saw the biggest of the waves starting to crash towards me. And as I approached it I hear the folks on the bank watching, cheer. The wave flipped me, I was now upside down feeling my boat move down the wave and then up the next one. “Just roll up, is what I thought, roll up… and I did!” I shouted with joy for myself. The safety boater was on the wave with me, there just in case I had decided to bail out of my boat. Wooohoo! I shouted at him. He wasn’t quite as excited as me, but that didn’t phase me. Wow, if I can roll in that, I can roll in anything! I saw the two men ahead of me cheering too. We told our stories of how it all went and gave each other high fives. We had to finish the race now. They said the rest was read and run, we weren’t too far from the finish.

I made it across the finish line in 3rd place, one second behind the 2nd place woman. Emily met me there, thrilled. We both congratulated each other and talked about the things going through our heads and how our 26 miles on the river had been.

I felt great that I had accomplished this and finished this race in less than 3 hours. I had overcome a lot of challenges along the way. I had read and run several new class III and IV rapids on my own, using my skills to make it through. I felt my greatest challenge to overcome was the mental game. If I hadn’t switched from the negative outlook, to positive, there is no way I could have made it, and made it with a smile, happy for myself and happy for the others. So, now I know for sure that if I change my thought process to positive, instead of dragging myself down with the negative thought processes, I could make it. So, if you find yourself in a situation where your bring yourself down, start to think positive messages. They can be very simple phrases. And when your mind goes back to the negative, recognize it, and try again. Things will change, I just know it!

If  you’re interested in paddling with us when we’re not travelling out west, check out our clinics in North Carolina!  Or if you’re intrigued by our love for kayaking AND travel, check out our paddling getaways in Mexico!

Thanks California Kayaker magazine for the great review!!

Check out the Yoga for Kayaking DVD at our webstore!  Or if you’d like to take yoga classes with Anna herself, check out our Yoga for Kayaking Clinics!

It is a great read! Pick up a copy the magazine to read in full! Thanks to Kate and Canoe & Kayak Magazine for sharing this article about her Mexican experience. And thanks also to Paul Villecourt who illustrates the trip with his stunning photographs.

Doesn’t this make you want to come to Mexico with us!?!  Sign up today for world class kayaking and yoga instruction, beautiful scenery, and the confidence booster of a lifetime!

Why set goals?  Because goals are inspiring and give us something positive to focus our energy on, which, in turn, brings about positive change in our lives. Setting goals helps us to envision our best selves being at our best and accomplishing amazing things. According to Brian Tracy, an expert in business achievement consulting, “When we set goals, we develop direction, we develop focused and channeled energy, and we accomplish more in a short time than we could accomplish in years.”    Setting goals for your paddling will get you motivated to paddle, get you on the water more often, which in turn, means more time to enjoy yourself and have fun!

Goals are for everyone, not just high-end competitive athletes.  We don’t have to always set lofty goals like making the National or Olympic team.  Our goals may be simpler like getting in our kayak once a month, or once every weekend during the summer.  Maybe your goal will be to improve your forward stroke or build strength in your core for more effortless paddling, lifting and loading. Goals come in all shapes and sizes because we come in all shapes and sizes!

If setting goals is so awesome and brings about so much positive change then why doesn’t everybody do it?  There are a number of reasons, but ones that stand out in particular are lack of support and fear of failure.  Have you ever thought of a really cool idea that you were excited about and shared with a friend only to be told that it wouldn’t work?  I certainly have.  When I first came up with the idea of producing an instructional kayaking dvd for women and offering women’s only kayak classes I definitely got some negative feedback.  Luckily I didn’t let it discourage me and kept my focus on my goals.  Now I have a thriving business based on women’s kayak instruction, trips and retreats!

I’ve read a lot of business books and one of the most common threads in all of them is that entrepreneurs often get told that their ideas are crazy, silly, or unrealistic.  This was said to the founders of companies like Starbucks and Microsoft!  We usually only hear of people once they are successful and assume that they have some special talent that we don’t have that made them so successful.  That just isn’t true.  For instance, I started my paddling career working in the kitchen of a rafting company.  Most of the guides and paddlers never thought that I would ever paddle.  Their nickname for me was ‘kitchen girl’ and they wouldn’t give me the time of day.  But I had a goal:  Learn to kayak.  And I stuck with that goal and sought out people who would teach me and got on the water every chance I had until I was good enough to make the National Freestyle Team.

We all have amazing potential to be successful and good at something.  And becoming good at something like kayaking can skyrocket our confidence and self-worth in all aspects of our lives.  Setting goals is an important part of developing that success on the water and off the water.

You may ask:  What if I set a goal and then fail to achieve it?  Fear of failure is probably the biggest reason people don’t set goals.  Yet there is opportunity in failure.  Most successful people know this.  When I was competing on the whitewater kayaking freestyle circuit I always learned more from the competitions in which I ‘failed’ than the ones in which I made the podium.  Failure is in the eye of the beholder.  You can choose to see an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and experience or you can choose to allow ‘failure’ to hold you back.  It’s all in your attitude and if you have a strong set of goals then it’s easier to learn from the situation and then set those lessons in motion toward your goal.

Now let’s get to the good stuff of how to set goals.

1. Get a pen and paper (I wasn’t joking at the beginning of this article!) and write down the question:  “If money were no object I would…”  Write down your answers below in bulletpoints.  Write up to twelve answers.
2. Choose the ones that sound the most realistic to you.  This is important because to be achievable goals have to be realistic.  That doesn’t mean that you don’t write down the super lofty goals.  Please do!!  But it’s important to discern that winning the lottery tomorrow may not be the best goal to focus your energy on.
3. Take another sheet and make two columns.  At the top of the left-hand column write ‘Goal’ and at the top of the right hand column write ‘Steps.’  Write the goals in the left-hand column and then write down the steps or actions you are going to take to achieve each goal.  Start with an action you can do right now.  Perhaps it’s emailing friends to plan a kayak outing or maybe it’s starting a savings account for that new boat.  There is always some action, however small, that you can take right now.  Maybe it’s changing your attitude. Check the steps up as you go and modify them as you gain experience and momentum.
4. Post your goals in a spot where you see them everyday.  Read them everyday and only share them with people who support your goals, especially if you’re setting goals for the first time.

These are the basics of goal setting.  I encourage you to reflect on your paddling and set a few goals for the summer.  Start off small with goals and steps that you feel are attainable. Once you see the results from these then start setting loftier goals. Keep your goals in sight, take the steps and get ready for your potential on and off the water to explode!

For more inspiration and ideas on how to improve your kayaking and personal life, check out line of instructional DVDs.  Also, a Winter kayaking getaway to Mexico is a great way to build confidence and practice setting and working towards goals!

Have you ever wondered what a kayak specifically designed for women would look like? A kayak that wasn’t just a smaller, narrower version of an existing design – a boat that was truly designed to fit and perform for a woman’s body? We have wondered and we’re very excited about an upcoming project that has the potential to produce a women’s specific kayak! Read on for more information about this potentially groundbreaking project spearheaded by Risa Shimoda and how you can be a part of the innovation!

Help us change a paradigm!

Nearly all kayaks today are designed by men. Not surprisingly, most models also perform better for men than for women, due to several physiological differences. While some paddling schools report equal or greater numbers of women in beginner classes, the male/female ratio among those who stick with it is 3 or more to 1. There are many reasons for this attrition, but I believe one relates to the design of today’s kayaks.

Newer models have reduced this gender inequity tremendously – produced in several sizes, and outfitted to accommodate multiple body shapes. However, one fundamental difference in the anatomy of men and women has not been addressed in kayak designs – their respective center of gravity (CG), contributing to the perception of many women that they are less able to learn basic skills, have fun as a recreational enthusiast and excel as an elite athlete compared to their male counterparts.

A kayak design concept for women that takes advantage of a woman’s structural attributes could reduce the gap between potential performance and mastery between men and women, and expand the paddling market in a new way. Addressing this CG-related challenge involves an investigation of ergonomic, volume/ displacement, and manufacturing materials.

After approaching several well-known university design departments for their agreement to put this quandary to the capabilities of future engineering product designers, Carnegie Mellon University has offered an opportunity to ask students this Fall (2011) to explore this design challenge and recommend a solution that could be applied to various genres of kayaks.

There is no guarantee that students will find a solution, and an unconventional solution might be impractical to manufacture. However, they might just come up with an elegant and practical concept! Either way, we will have advanced the pea so that another research project might get closer, and a kayak company might be encouraged to develop a great kayak for ladies (don’t hold your breath).

Here’s the crazy part of this project: class materials and students’ lab fees will cost $7,000 for the semester. I do not have the resources to implement the Carnegie Mellon project, and am asking for donations. You are not donating to a non-profit charity, and you are not purchasing a discount on a boat ‘if it comes out.’ You won’t see the $ again, though you will be part of a movement, whether the specific project succeeds or simply creates awesome awareness about the issue.

If the students develop intellectual property worthy of protection, they will be the owners of its patent. However, a non-profit organization tbd would own the licensing rights and could use licensing fees to encourage and reward women kayakers who want to contribute to the future of the sport. I will not benefit financially from the license.

Funds are due to Carnegie Mellon August 1^st. We are limiting each person’s contribution to $25 or $26.30 online (the extra covers the PayPal processing fee) at www.theshimodagroup.com/blog. Checks can be sent payable to “Carnegie Mellon University” to Risa at 601 Hudson Ave. #102, Takoma Park, MD 20912. If we can get 280 people to donate $25, we are there! If we raise more than $7,000, I’ll keep the balance in PayPal for use as a startup fund for the non-profit, return it to those donors who put us over the top, or take a booth at the 2011 Gauley Festival to further the discussion. Thank you for your support of this groundbreaking project!

I’m also seeking volunteers from Washington, DC area to help with an intro clinic for CM Students at the Potomac (late September or early October), and Pittsburgh to meet with them during the semester. If we can leverage Skype or webinar technology, we will include as many interested parties as possible in the project presentations. Email risa@theshimodagroup.com if you are interested in helping show the students how kayaks fit women, currently (or not!).

We love talking about gear and helping women chose the best pieces of equipment for their bodies, interests, and wallet.  To tap into our knowledge about purchasing new kayaks or other pieces of gear, check out some of our clinics or personal instruction!

When and why did you start kayaking?

What is your favorite river? My favorite river is the White Salmon River in Washington (Columbia River Gorge).  It has something for everyone . . . class I to class V.  Best of all, it’s at my front door.

What sort of cross training do you do? I have started training through a program called Crossfit. It’s sort of like a boot camp type of class. We train using 3 modalities – gymnastics (using your body weight to increase your strength), metabolic conditioning (cardiovascular exercises) and power lifting movements (lifting using resistance to increase power and strength). After each workout session, I cool-down and work on releasing any tension in my body and mind. Balance is so important to remain injury free . . . so, I will finish my workout with 15-20 minutes of mobility work and deep, relaxed stretching & yoga. My workout isn’t finished until this time, as it leaves me feeling calm, relaxed and re-energized.

Since crossfit workouts vary each session, it keeps me fresh and excited for the next workout. One thing I do have to mention about Crossfit training, is that it is very intense and to avoid injury, you must have a good coach to work with you on technique and form.

My favorite kayak specific training program is as simple as this:
5 pull-ups
10 push-ups
15 squats
20 sit-ups
Continue through this cycle for 10 minutes (work your way up to 20 minutes) . . .
Finish with 5-10 minutes of full-body stretching or your yoga practice.

During the off-season (which is hard to find in the Pacific Northwest), I will train using Crossfit 3-5 times a week.  During periods of time where I’m paddling 5-6 days a week, I will back off of my crossfit training to 1-2 times a week and add an extra day of stretching and yoga.
*Please visit a personal trainer if you want to implement this program and have any questions about the movements.  And visit your doctor if you have any health risks associated with starting a fitness program.

How does cross training help your kayaking? Since starting this new training program, the most significant things I have noticed in my paddling are an increase in stroke power output and ‘boofing’. With a stronger core from the functional movements that I train with, each stroke I plant comes directly from the center of my body, giving me ‘more bang for my buck” in each stroke placement. That powerful stroke along with a strong core and legs have given me the power to aggressively “pull” when I need to during an important boof stroke.
Flexibility isn’t one of my “natural gifts”, so I have to make a conscious effort to make this a priority. Since stretching and yoga has now become a regular part of my routine, I have noticed that my torso rotation has improved, as well as my rolling technique.  So ladies . . . DON’T FORGET TO STRETCH!  Flexibility helps with the kayak roll
I can’t express how important off-river training is for paddling. I will say that a strong body does create a strong mind.  A strong mind creates confident paddlers!

What advice can you give women who are looking for a cross training program? My biggest pieces of advice are . . .
1.  “JUST DO IT!”  There is no excuse not to!  You know why? Because anything is better than nothing. Even if you have only 10 minutes out of your 24 hour day to run in place, do 10 push-ups on the wall or squat up and down off of a chair 20 times, YOU ARE MAKING YOURSELF BETTER! It doesn’t take hours and hours in the gym to get fit and improve your paddling. YOU CAN DO IT FROM HOME . . . “JUST DO IT!”  I like to tell my personal training clients to make a commitment to themselves for at least 6 weeks. Cross-training should become as “normal” as waking up and brushing your teeth!
2.  Working out doesn’t have to be painful! Remember that it’s all about balance. Strength training, cardiovascular training and flexibility are all needed to improve . . . don’t do one without the others.
3.  See your doctor or a personal trainer if you have any questions about whether a workout routine is right for you.  Don’t hurt yourself . . . if you do, you’re setting yourself back even further than where you started.

How do The River Angels promote women in kayaking? The River Angels consist of 5 women from 5 different countries – Ruth Gordon, Tanya Faux, Mariann Saether, Nouria Newman and myself. Our goal is to empower women through outdoor activities. The team of River Angels come from a variety of backgrounds – playboating, competitions, expeditions, motivational speaking and more. If there is one thing we hope to inspire women to do, it’s to “get out there and do it!” There are so many girls and women who feel limited by their physical, mental and/or emotional state. We’ve all gotten to where we are today by experiencing hardships, challenges and successes . . . every experience becomes “learning moments” to help us achieve our dreams and goals. We want to help others realize their full potential and forget about “perceived” limitations, and we do this through “sharing our stories” and encouraging women to get out and paddle. Visit www.riverangels.com to learn more.

What do you think it means to be a woman paddler? We like pink kayaks, pink helmets and blue drytops . . . haha! But seriously, I hear people say, “Woman are more timid than men!” Well, in a way that’s a bit true, as we don’t have the hormone “testosterone” as heavily in our body as men do. But, I think more than anything, women “voice” their fears more often then men. There’s nothing wrong with that . . . it’s just a different way of approaching the same situation. I don’t think men are used to this approach quite yet, as kayaking has been a male dominated sport since its’ beginning. However, with the increase in women paddlers over the past few years, I think the approach of “just paddle hard and go for it!” is being replaced and accepted as “if you don’t feel like running that particular rapid today, no big deal!”  . . . And, this is a great breakthrough for the sport.

What advice can you give to women who would like to be more confident paddlers?
1.  Paddle with people you feel safe and confident with and most of all . . . paddle with people you enjoy being with!!!  Kayaking is all about having fun. There should never be that negative pressure to perform. If you want to do something, ‘want to do it’  for yourself!
2.  Paddle with other women.  For the first 4 years of my paddling career, I was always ‘following the guys’.  It was only until I started paddling with other women that I became a more confident, individual paddler. Just go out there, be safe and have fun!
3.  “No one is perfect!”  You may watch kayaking video’s that showcase all these awesome paddlers and notice that each stroke is perfectly timed and executed and each rapid is navigated without a flaw. But, remember . . . these video’s are edited!!!!!!! Paddler’s don’t paddle perfectly ALL THE TIME! Everyone makes mistakes . . . every paddler swims! So relax . . . if you miss your line or your roll, remember that it happens to everyone! Brush it off and create your ‘learning moment!’

What inspires you to keep getting out there? The feeling of ‘satisfied accomplishment’ is what keeps me going. Whether it’s playing around in class III, learning how to slalom boat or paddling class V . . . it’s the feeling accomplishment and the look on my hubby’s face that says without words, “Nice job, I’m so proud of you!”

To paddle some of the rivers where Heather calls home, check out our Idaho adventure, or paddle with us on the next Summer Tour!