Unleash the Dragon

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Unleash the Dragon

Written by Administrator

Wednesday, 17 March 2010 23:11

If you’re in the mood for rowing of a different stroke, consider partaking in Nashville’s Dragon Boat Races taking place this month (see sidebar). Not only is the event a fun, team-building experience, but dragon boat racing is adventure fitness at its finest.

Dragon boats are long, narrow, human-powered vessels that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. Dragon boat racing has since become a fun competitive sport. It differs from other team sports in that no one person on the team is more important than another. Winning a race hinges on paddling synchronicity and how well each paddler perfects the stroke technique.

The Stroke Cycle
There are several components to a dragon boat stroke cycle. The “reach and catch” begins the cycle and starts with setting up a torso rotation. The arm begins “driving” the instant the blade face is fully immersed in the water, which provides powerful acceleration and the beginning of the pull. Next, the powerful “pull” stage sustains the forward momentum of the boat where the paddle is pulled backwards. The “release” is where the blade is instantaneously drawn upwards while it is even with the paddler’s hips. The “recovery” is the final stage of the stroke, which consists of torso rotation in preparation for repeating the steps.

The Crew
The standard crew is comprised of 22 members, including 20 paddlers in pairs facing toward the bow of the boat; one drummer, or caller, at the bow facing toward the paddlers; and one sweep, or tiller, at the rear of the boat. The two lead paddlers, also called pacers, strokes, or timers, are responsible for synchronizing their strokes with one another. That sets the pace for the team.

The drummer, or caller, is the heartbeat of the dragon boat and leads the crew through the race with rhythmic drum beating. This rhythm indicates the timing and frequency of the paddling strokes. The drummer can give commands to the crew and offer encouraging words to spur exertion and excitement.

The Workout
Dragon boat racing has many similarities to rowing. Both sports use muscles from all of your major muscle groups and strengthen and tone the muscles in your legs, back, abdomen, shoulders, and arms. Both are low-impact sports, making it easier on your joints than other high-impact alternatives. And both are primarily aerobic exercises, using large muscles in a continuous rhythmic motion to elevate your heart rate while conditioning your heart, arteries, and lungs. Both sports bring you into the outdoors and on the water, offering an enjoyable change of pace in a peaceful setting.

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