Dragonboat Technique: DragonMax Demonstrates Smooth Stroke

We use a stroke similar to this most of the time in practice and for the first half of a 500 meter race. Because the power is smooth it is more aerobic and less stressful on the back and shoulders. It is also important to stay balanced and not contort yourself during rotation. When racing we shorten and speed up the smooth stroke somewhat and use a quicker, more feathered recovery and entry. (Comments welcome.)

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• dragonboat
• technique
• dragonmax
• paddling
• Berkeley

[geoffr25]

Overall it's a good technique for the new paddler to learn. The positive move forward and the reach is great since most 'new' men haven't a clue on this and sit there with a washing machine action. The stroke needs to be shorter though as the paddle is doing negative work drawn that far back. However, wish our crew all paddled as well as this team!!

[RodgerRafter]

This is what we were doing 3 years ago, and I think it is a pretty good stroke for newer teams or teams paddling longer distances in a boat that supports good leg drive.

The stroke we use now in the international standard racing boats is shorter and involves a more balanced and powerful rotation down on the blade. Eventually I may do a video clip for that, but you can see it in some of the more recent videos I've put up.

[nakamichi680zx]

Good instructional Vid. Totally agree with popitypop: The blades are leaving the water too negatively and the effort is wasted. Exit more at knee to mid thigh when the blade starts to go negative. But do not agree completely with it going in perpendicular because the amount of water is not enough on a strong pull unless you can reach forward and bury the blade, so I do like your entry instructions. Would love your response to this comment.

[RodgerRafter]

With this stroke we get more out of our top arm by driving down and back at that negative angle late in the stroke.

I agree that it isn't the most effective or powerful stroke for 500m dragonboat races, but I think it is great for involving more muscle groups and getting a good overall workout. I still use and promote it during our aerobic off-season practices.

Some day I'll get around to doing a video on the stroke techniques we've been using more recently during racing season.

[wnabs01]

Great Vid!

Are there trining vids like this available anywhere?

[RodgerRafter]

Not that I'm aware of. I'm planning on making a much more thorough DVD, hopefully by the start of next season.

[sydneydragonblades]

Pulling that far back and at such a slow pace inevitably caps the max speed the boat will ever reach because the paddles become brakes at the back of the stroke relative to the motion of the boat.

TO each individual paddler it will feel productive because the muscles, especially the arms have to work so hard, but I wouldn't see it as the best way to move a boat or the best way of getting it moving efficiently.

[tokbomoh22]

awesome learning strokes for long distance races. its slightly different for shorter distance sprint races like 200m - 300m. but i think its a good basic tecnhique to let the torso and the back get used to the twisting motions rather than the biceps doing all the work. keep it up! would love to see your newer race strokes.

-cheers from singapore.

[MARKCHAOS]

we dont do this kind of paddling the hip and spine extension is good but we dont bend our pulling arm its the shoulder that rotates after the paddle exits the water and we dont do monkey grip on our pulling arm

[LaMaLaRf]

Ik zit er op en heb mee gedaan aan het NK 2009

[geoffr25]

Thanks for that. We're a new team on the NSW mid north coast in Aus and have been paddling for a year. Very mixed abilities and an older age group. We race and enjoy it but we're a the start of our abilities so every bit of advice is good. Thanks.

[zero1923]

TOO MUCH MATH TERMS

[kngfsh256]

you need to keep a positive angle on the elbow articulation when drawing perpendicular to the plane of the boat trajectory, otherwise you're pushing negatively against the positional indices you are trying to maximize

[synthtrance]

Too much elbow bending here to really use as race stroke - unless you're conditioned like crazy to pull that off for entire 500m. As someone mentioned, exit at the hips by curling and flicking your bottom wrist to keep the elbow straight. This would be a more efficient stroke that can be developed for races.