Sometimes boaters do a "training session" where they sort of paddle around the course, stopping, trying eddy turns, ferries, attainments, etc. Just sort of feeling out the course. Doing whatever move you feel like. It's like river-running, just going out and trying out different moves. A fartlek session, to borrow a phrase from running training where you play around with the speed, going faster or slower as you desire. While this is fine once in a while, or if you have never been on the course before, a real training session needs to be more focused than this.
Most training sessions should be race-specific. You should have a clearly laid out course ahead of time that you study from shore, just like a race. You need to have a clear plan in your head of exactly where the boat should be at each point on the course before you get out there. You shouldn't have to figure out much from the boat because you have already figured it out from shore.
And if you make a mistake, you should continue trying to do your best, just as you would in a race. You shouldn't give up on a run if you make a mistake. Go back for the gate or get back on track and keep going, but never give up.
And the sessions should be timed and scored, just like a race. Try to minimize the things that differentiate your training from your racing. Not only are timed and scored runs race-specific, but they give you accurate feedback. Sometimes a move can look fast or feel fast, but is actually slow. Without a watch, you wouldn't know. If you can, try to get other feedback, such as watching other boaters on the same course, getting coaching, and watching video.
These types of sessions that are race-specific, timed and scored should be the majority of your training. Sure, you can do dry-land training, flatwater training, short courses, shorter segments, river running, playing, etc. But if you really want to make progress, do as much race-specific training as possible.
The less experience you have, the more you need to do this type of training. People with many years of race experience may be able to get by with less specific training and less feedback, but if you are not international caliber and don't have at least 3-4 years of race experience, you will make your biggest gains by doing lots of high-quality training, such as having a specific course on whitewater and getting timed and scored on it.
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