Dragonboat Update - Pool Practice

I joined a Dragon boat team sometime in Fall 2013 to help me reach my fitness goals. In the fall/winter season its "off-season" training, so we focus on strengthening, endurance, flexibility and core exercises. With an extended long-winter season, many of us have been eager to hit the pool to practice our paddling technique. 

Dragonboat team at Afterburn Fitness after circuit training and paddle practice. 

Dragonboat Practice Facility

Bernice and I getting our game faces on!

The team had the opportunity to work in a unique "Dragonboat Pool Practice" facility (apparently only one of three in North America) at Afterburn Fitness Centre, a small startup based in Toronto with a unique focus on dragonboat training facilities. 

 

We had a chance to practice our technique where the movement of water mimicked that in a lake. When we practiced in a swimming pool in previous sessions, half of our foot is in the water, we're sitting awkwardly next to the pool and paddling in stationary water, which is difficult and hard to get good technique.

Taking instruction from our team captain Simon

So we spent almost four hours working out today, my personal workout sessions are honestly no longer than 30-40 minutes. So it was a really INTENSE day. I proceeded to pass out for an hour once I reached home. Tomorrow will be rest day, but I'll have to pick up my exercise regiment again in order to keep up my conditioning (and also to keep up with the increasingly intense workouts at our weekly practices).

I'm really enjoying the team building and opportunity to meet new people. I've certainly broadened my experiences and I'm looking forward to seeing how things change once racing season starts :)

Cheers!
 

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