Dragon Boats

My newest obsession, even if it made my back feel as though there were a thousand white hot needles stabbed into it. *G*

So my original thought was to join the GirlGuide boat and do 1 race this summer for fun. My girlfriend (and fellow sparks leader) has already joined the Lively Dragon and made me promise not to crap out on her. Dammit! Despite the rebellion from my out-of-shape back muscles, and the plethora of whining I will do on this blog, I really had fun.

I orginally thought that Dragon boating was like canoeing but on a grander scale.
eerrrtt Wrong!
They have their own style of paddling. In truth you use very little of your arm muscles. According to our coach 'if your arms hurt at the end of practice, your doing it wrong'. All the power for your strokes come from your core body. (back, chest and tummy)

I'll try my best to describe it. (If you are paddling with the water on the right side of the boat)
To start you lean forward, angling body, extending your arm over your head to grip the top of the paddle and your other arm is straight holding on about 3/4 way down the shaft. (ok anyone who giggled at the word 'shaft' you can stop. ~I couldn't be the only one)

Stab paddle into the water, anchor arms, and sit up pulling the paddle with you. Lift paddle straight out of water (no 'J' strokes) with left hand, push shaft forward with right hand, lean forward, stab paddle in to water and continue.

Now as you do this you have to remember to keep syncronised with the paddler in front of you and the person screaming with the drum at the front of the boat. Did I fail to mention that there are 20 paddlers to a boat? With that many people the energy level vibrating around you gets so high! It's amazing.

So my next practice in Monday night and my 1st race is on May 27th. Personally I'm hoping that will all this work my abs may look a sight better by the summer then they do now LOL