Power is very important in our sport. Power is the ability to move against resistance quickly. This is different from strength, which is just the ability to make the movement against resistance. In strength, time is not a factor. In our sport, as in most sports, it's the ability to make hard movements quickly that improves performance. Just being strong isn't enough if you can't make the move fast.
In an effort to improve their aerobic base, many athletes engage in long endurance training, much longer than the race time. This type of training is counter-productive because it has been proven to decrease power, a very important factor. Long endurance training is also catabolic, meaning it reduces muscle mass. And it isn't specific to our sport. Rather than working on things that will make you faster, you are spending your time making yourself slower.
Here is a research article on the topic: http://upupup.aboc.com.au/the-book/appendix-3-resources-and-research-papers/power-athletes-and-distance-training-1
This isn't just an isolated study. Numerous studies have shown that long endurance training is detrimental to performance in power sports. Coaches still prescribe long endurance training because they are either repeating the same type of training they did when they were athletes or because they are unaware of the newer research in power training and endurance.
It is true that cardiovascular fitness is important. However, that can be developed better through short interval training, such as 30 second intervals or 1 minute intervals.
Paddling slowly is a bad habit. You are training your muscles to move slowly. Instead, you need to train the muscles to move quickly against resistance.
Some people use long slow paddling as recovery training. But there is no evidence that this helps the body recover. I recommend doing short slow running, hydro-therapy and stretching to help recover. There are other good recovery methods that have been proven to work. Contrast baths, compression garments, yoga, deep breathing, ice baths, walking, swimming, nutrition and rest and sleep are effective recovery methods. Better to use these methods rather than paddling slowly and possibly training your muscles to move slowly. And many people end up actually going long and hard on these "recovery paddles" so that it turns into a hard workout and they are training their body to go long and slow, and they don't actually recover at all and are not fully recovered for the workout the next day.
Many of us are addicted to paddling and just want to paddle all the time. However, instead of just following a routine or habit, you need to carefully consider your training. Alternating between intense focused workouts and doing active recovery is a good program so that at each workout, you are fresh and focused and ready to have an excellent session instead of just slogging through another workout.
Remember, you get faster at night and in between workouts. Training tears down muscle tissue. But training points out to the body in what way it should rebuild. The more specific the stress, the more the body adapts to that particular type of stress. So, you should be going at race pace or faster and doing the same type of movements as in a race if you want your body to make the proper adaptations.
Here is the link to the article:
http://upupup.aboc.com.au/the-book/appendix-3-resources-and-research-papers/power-athletes-and-distance-training-1
