Get pumped for less with this $40 homemade indoor kayaking trainer.

Putting together a feature article for our upcoming "Fit and Fast" issue of Adventure Kayak, journalist Alison Wood followed three East Coast kayakers through their training and competition in the epic Yukon River Quest kayak and canoe race.

The homemade trainer pictured here was how one of the paddlers, Matt Gunning, prepped for the June event during the chilly Nova Scotia winter. He built kayak trainer out of an old bench, some roof rack tie-down straps as thigh braces, some doweling, bungie cords and a Skwoosh kayak seat.

Also for the upcoming issue we're testing out the Vasa Trainer, a highly engineered kayak and swimming ergometer. But if you can't afford a couple grand for your own indoor trainer, why not give this a try. It worked for Gunning.

Gunning said he could adjust the resistance by moving the bench forward or back from the wall. He also sometimes turned around to push against the bungies to work different muscles.

The trainer worked out great for me. With my work schedule and the long winter with limited to no open water for a few important months before the race date I knew that I was going to need something to aid in the training.  Unsatisfied with efforts to try to simulate paddling with other gym equipment and after pricing the Speed Stroke I figured that I should be able to build something that would create a simuliar feel.  I watched some videos about the Speed Stroke and then hatched this idea.  To top it all off it only cost me about $40! The rest of the supplies I had around the house or my gear bag.

As for the fancy Vasa Trainer we're testing, Gunning is a bit jealous.

"My set up works great but it would be nice to get a simulater that has a computer to record and compare workout history and distance traveled," he said.