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Paddling a dragon boat doesn't seem too difficult on the surface. You dip the fat end of the paddle into the water and pull - what is so difficult about that? You can say that about many sports: what is so difficult about running, cycling or serving a volleyball, for example? The simplicity of many sports masks the amount of total body conditioning that is required for an athlete to be competitive.

Speed is acquired through both strength and endurance. The explosive power you need in a race comes from having strong muscles and well-conditioned lungs. A properly conditioned body is also the best defense against injuries.

If you are looking for dragon boat paddling instructions, go to Training Techniques.

If you are looking for conditioning exercises to get ready for upcoming races, go to Conditioning Exercises to Get Ready for Races.

I. Cardiovascular Exercises:

Many people like alternating two or more types of cardiovascular exercises. There is a wide range of possibilities: aerobic dance, cycling or stationary biking, jogging or running, rollerblading, step exercises, swimming, etc.

Running is a very popular and effective cardiovascular exercise. The equipment is simple: a pair of running shoes. However, there are important pre-requisites to be a runner: good knees, good ankles, strong bones and a healthy heart. For people who are very overweight or have osteoporosis, running is a risky activity. A good substitute for running is power walking while carrying light-weights like aerobic dumbbells (1/2 to 5 pounds). Running can also be substituted by stationary bike rides, elliptical machine and aquatic exercises.

A good substitute for running is power walking while carrying light weights

If you are fit to run and are starting as a beginner, start with power walking for 5-10 minutes as a warm-up, progress to slow jogging for 10-15 minutes and then go back to power walking for 5 minutes to cool down. After a few days, you'll begin to feel comfortable raising the intensity from jogging to running. If you would rather stay with jogging, double the jogging time. However, if you don't start sweating after ten minutes of jogging, it is a good sign that you need to raise the intensity by jogging a little faster. If you are using a treadmill, another way to raise the intensity is jogging on an incline.

For an advanced running exercise, there is a routine called "interval training". After warming up, run and gradually increase your speed to near-sprinting. Sustain the high speed as long as you can. When you could no longer sustain the speed, drop the intensity immediately to a slow jog for about half a lap or 200 meter. (If you are doing this for the first time, you might substitute slow jogging with power walking). This is your "recovery period". Then start running to a near sprinting speed again. Alternate the fast and the slow phases for a total distance the same as you would run in continuous training. The concept of interval training can be applied to many other cardiovascular exercises such as biking, swimming, stair master, elliptical machine. In order to try interval training, you need to be already in shape.

The concept of interval training can be applied to many exercises

If outdoor running is not an option and you don't have ready access to a treadmill, stationary bike is quite inexpensive these days. Jumping exercises and running-in-place are also good alternatives and can be done in the privacy of your own home. I recommend two workout videotapes that teach a variety of jumping and other simple but effective aerobic exercises:

Cindy Crawford's "The Next Challenge"
Anna Kournikova's "Basic Elements"

Unlike most workout videos, these two do not involve dancing to the beat of music. Cindy Crawford's exercises also do not require a lot of space and are ideal for people living in small quarters as well as frequent travelers.

II. Strength Training:

Strength training is the more important part of physical conditioning for two reasons:

Performing cardiovascular exercises regularly without the support of strong muscles can cause injuries easily
You need to build muscles to keep your metabolism fast

Strength training can be accomplished by using free weights (dumbbells or barbells), weight machines, resistance bands and your natural body weight (calisthenics). I recommend dumbbells, resistance bands and calisthenics because they are versatile and do not require gym membership. (On the other hand, if you have gym membership, take advantage of it because the gym is a place where you can get good ideas from the fitness-savvy members.)

Expect some muscle soreness after strength training. This soreness is a dull and lingering sensation, which usually starts a few hours to a day after the training and is distinctly different from the sharp pain in a sport injury. The soreness comes from muscle tissues breaking down and reconstituting after the workout - a necessary process for the muscles to become strong and toned. Eating properly and resting adequately help speed up the recovery process and eliminate the soreness.

Listed below are the muscle groups involved in dragon boat racing and some recommended conditioning exercises:

Primary Muscle Groups	Free Weight Exercises	Calisthenics
Back Back muscles are used in the "pull water" phase	Bent-over dumbbell row, Bent lateral dumbbell raise	Pull-up, Chin-up (Reverse-grip pull-up)
Shoulders Emphasis: lateral and front shoulders Front shoulders are used in the "reach" phase and the "catch" phase Shoulder muscles are also used throughout all paddling phases to keep your paddle as vertical as possible against the side of the boat (aka. the "gunno") for maximum propulsion	Lateral overhead dumbbell raise, Front dumbbell raise, Seated inclined front dumbbell raise, Military Lift	Push-up, Lateral arm rotation
Abdominals Emphasis: upper and oblique Upper abdominals are important in the "reach" and "catch" phases, as you lean forward Oblique abdominals are used as you rotate your torso repeatedly and as you lean outside to keep your paddle vertical throughout all paddling phases	Standard and oblique crunch exercises while holding dumbbells or weight plates	Sit-up, Reverse crunch, Trunk rotation, oblique crunches
Hips Hips are used throughout all paddling phases as you lean forward and pull back repeatedly		Sit-up, Kick-up, Leg/butt lift
Thighs Thighs are used in the "pull water" phase as you push with your legs	Squat, Lunge, Step-up	Lunge, Step-up
Chest Chest muscles are used during the "reach" phase as you bring the paddle to the front after pulling it out of the water	Standard bench press, Inclined press, Declined press, Dumbbell fly	Push-up
Secondary Muscle Groups
Biceps	Hammer curl, Concentration curl	Pull-up, Chin-up
Triceps	Bent-over triceps kickback, One or two-arm dumbbell extension, Lying cross-face dumbbell extension	Push-up, Dip
Neck & Trapezius	Dumbbell shrug	Neck rotation

To get familiar with the human anatomy or to look up standard strength training exercises for each muscle group, you can go to Bodybuilding.com or buy a book for detailed instructions. If you are a beginner, I highly recommend that you read one or two books thoroughly before starting. Choose a book that covers posture and injury prevention. Easy-to-read manuals tend to have plenty of photographs on each page to explain the movements. My favorite fitness authors for beginners are Joyce Vedral and Kiana Tom. Their books are highly motivating and their techniques are effective. For the more advanced weightlifters, I recommend Negrita Jayde and Arnold Schwarzenegger. You will also find other authors on my list of recommended resources on the Fitness & Health Resources link.

Typically, strength training is done in the a routine like this: 2-3 exercises per muscle group, 3 sets per exercise and 10 repetitions per set. Inhale in the starting position and then exhale while you exert yourself. Stop for a short water break between sets. Whether you are using free weights, resistance bands or machines, you should increase the weight or resistance level by a small increment once you no longer feel the resistance. Instead of increasing the weight or resistance, some people find it easier to increase the number of repetitions - STOP that! Increasing the number of repetitions for an exercise without feeling the resistance is a formula to increase your chance of an injury by wearing out your joints. On the other hand, if you train a few times a week, increasing the weight or resistance by a small increment each week is the most effective way to boost your muscle strength.

A Short Note On Resistance Bands:

If you don't have a gym membership or space in your house to store several sets of dumbbells, the resistance bands offer a good solution. In spite of their compact sizes, dumbbells are not portable or easy to store due to their weights and shapes. Resistance bands are made of rubber and can be tossed into any drawers or bags after use. Most upper body dumbbell exercises of normal intensity can be simulated using resistance bands. The resistance level can be easily adjusted by altering the distance between your hand grips. You'll get a wide range of resistance levels if you buy two or three bands of varying elasticity. The drawback? By pumping rubber instead of iron, you will not be able to "bulk up" like a bodybuilder. Nonetheless, you can build muscle strength and tone. Resistance bands are also great for warm-up exercises before a race.

Inevitably you will reach a plateau. At such a point, you might want to add a new level of challenge to your workout with one of the more advanced routines described below.

Advanced Weight-Lifting Routines:

Pyramid System:

Instead of 3 sets per exercise, perform 5 sets with varying weights. Example:

12-15 reps 10 lb (or a weight slightly lighter than one you normally lift). This is the warm-up set.

10-12 reps 12 lb (or a weight you normally lift)

8-10 reps 15 lb (or a weight slightly heavier than one you normally lift)

10-12 reps 12 lb (or a weight you normally lift)

12-15 reps 10 lb (or a weight slightly lighter than one you normally lift). This is the cool-down set.

Super Set System:

Super set means no stopping between sets. There are two ways to do this:

(a) Exercise Alternation

After performing a set for a particular muscle group, immediately perform a set for another muscle group. Continue to alternate between the exercises for the two muscle groups without stopping in-between until you have completed at least 3 sets for each muscle group.

Which muscle groups should you be alternating? I've seen a wide variety of arrangements. Some popular combinations are: biceps-triceps, chest-triceps, shoulders-back. It can also be upper body-lower body, e.g. legs-abs.

I have also seen cardio-strength training combinations, like: sprint for a lap, then do abs crunches for 15 reps, then sprint again, and abs crunches again ... and so on. The alternation goes on until a desired length of the total distance has been achieved in the sprinting exercise. The sprinting exercise can comes from running, swimming or biking.

(b) Interval System:

This is the most challenging of all systems described thus far. You need to be already in good shape to do this. The concept is the same as the cardiovascular interval system described in the first section. Instead of alternating fast pace and slow pace, you alternate heavy and light weights without stopping in-between. You will start with lifting a very light weight (say, 5 lb dumbbells) for 25 repetitions, then switch to a weight heavier than one you normally lift (say, 15 lb dumbbells) for 10-15 repetitions. Then go back to the very light weight dumbbells for 20-25 repetitions. Then back to the heavy dumbbells for 8-10 repetitions - if you find this impossible, either drop the intensity to a slightly lighter weight (say, 12 lb) or drop the number of repetitions to at least 6. You sustain this alternation until you feel that your muscles are in complete exhaustion. When you are done, stretch the muscles that you just worked on.

Advice For Dragon Boat Paddlers with Short Torsos:

Having a short torso - like mine - means that you have to train harder. Paddlers with long arms and long torsos have a natural advantage of a longer sweep as they stroke.

To accomplish the same sweep, you will have to lean forward more before you dip the paddle in the water, which requires having strong abdominals.

Secondly, Leaning forward more means that eventually you will have to pull back harder as you sit back and pull water. This requires a strong back. If you don't want to hurt your back, you push with your legs as you pull back, which then requires strong thighs.

Finally, having a short torso means that the length of your paddle is longer relative to your body, which inevitably means your upper hand grip is higher. As you pull your paddle out of water and recover to the first position, you are impacting your shoulders more, compared to paddlers who are taller.

Allocate more time to shoulders, back, abs and thighs in your strength training routine.

III. Stretching:

Stretching should be done prior to and after cardio and strength training exercises to avoid muscle crams. Instructions for some basic stretching exercises are available by clicking here. More advanced forms of stretching, such as Pilates and Yoga, are great for improving flexibility and could be done on a day when you are neither strength training nor doing cardio exercises.

IV. Sample Workout Plans:

Plan A:

20 minutes cardio + 40 minutes strength training per day, 5 days a week

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Rest or Yoga	Cardio Lower Body	Upper Body	Cardio Lower Body	Upper Body	Cardio Lower Body	DB Practice

Plan B:

30 minutes cardio + 1 hour strength training per day, 3 days a week

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Rest or Yoga	Cardio Upper Body	Rest	Cardio Lower Body	Rest	Cardio Upper Body	DB Practice

Plan C:

Alternating 45 minutes cardio and 1 hour strength training per day, 5 days a week

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Rest or Yoga	Cardio	Upper Body	Cardio	Lower Body	Cardio	DB Practice

Too Busy?

If you have a busy lifestyle, taking an hour out daily to exercise might not be feasible. When I started weight lifting nearly a decade ago, I had three part-time jobs while studying full-time in college. I was able to devote only 15 minutes a day. A bodybuilder friend of mine suggested that I go to a bookstore to seek out fitness books targeted to my needs. I found a couple of books written by fitness expert Joyce Vedral. Her time saving techniques were very effective. I highly recommend her training guides to beginners as well as anybody who is busy:

Definition: Shape Without Bulk in 15 Minutes a Day (ISBN: 0446670693)
College Dorm Workout (ISBN: 0446394777)

If 15 minutes a day or every other day is all you have for exercising, allocate your time mostly to weight-lifting and focus on the major muscles: back, shoulders, abs, thighs. Work on one muscle group per day. Practice cardio once or twice a week. For each cardio session, spend 5 minutes on warm-up, 5-7 minutes on high intensity training (e.g. sprinting) and 3-5 minutes cooling down.

People who have to juggle a full-time job with irregular hours or extensive travel requirements and people who need to care for aging parents or young kids might find it impossible to have a structured workout plan. Every now and then they happen upon a chance to catch a 10-minute break. But when they do take a short break from a multitude of daily obligations, they often don't have ready access to sports equipment. The key success factor to staying busy and fit is being able to adapt and improvise.

Here's my trick: I have a couple of resistance bands in my desk drawer at work and several dumbbell sets at home. I set my stationary bike in front of the TV at home and ride the bike and/or lift dumbbells while watching TV. I let the answering machine take messages if someone calls while I'm working out. When I travel, I take my resistance bands with me. You can work out during those occasional short breaks only if you are prepared: have a resistance band handy and put a pair of sneakers in your car. (Caution: Resistance bands are not childproof. If there are children around, put your resistance band out of the children's sight when it is not in use.)

You can work out during those occasional short breaks only if you are prepared

I have also seen busy but fit people cramming all of their workouts on weekends. I have done that too. Go to the gym or a park for 2 to 3 hours every Saturday and/or Sunday. After warming up, spend 15 minutes on high intensity cardio exercise and the rest of the time strength training. (Caution: this regimen will tire you out for the rest of the day and even the next day. Eat properly and rest well to avoid draining your energy.)

A reality check: you won't be as strong as a person who has a workout routine throughout the week but your body will still be better conditioned if you do something than if you do nothing. You will enjoy life better knowing that you are staying active in spite of your busy lifestyle.

Disclaimer: My website is not a substitute for advice from medical and fitness professionals. Information provided here is based on my personal experience in physical fitness. You need to have knowledge of good posture, sport injury prevention and athletic nutrition before you apply my workout techniques. Results may vary insofar as the human body varies from person to person. If you have issues that warrant medical attention, consult a doctor before you design your exercise plan.