News — Paddlechica

This article was originally published on Paddlechica.com.   1. Not Warming Up Properly Too many paddlers jump into a boat for a training session or even a race without a sufficient warmup. Dynamic stretching at least 15- 45 minutes before hitting the water is crucial to get your muscles well-lubricated and ready to fire. A light run is beneficial to raise your total body temperature and get your body ready for vigorous activity, but you also need to be doing active stretches. Shoulder circles, hip circles, leg swings, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, etc. all help get your body loosened up and prepared...

  For the original blog post, please visit: http://paddlechica.com/the-f-word/  Ever since you were young you’ve heard about the “F-word.” You were warned about it, became frustrated by it, tried it out, accused others of its misuse, and then eventually learned the extent of its power. It has upset you, disheartened you, maybe even harassed you. This may surprise you, but I’m talking about the word “fair.” Using the F-word in dragon boating gives some people an inordinate amount of pleasure but strikes absolute dread in others. Depending on the type of team you paddle on, your team might embrace its use or renounce it. Yet whatever your team’s...

For the original post, please visit: http://paddlechica.com/10-things-remember-feel-stuck-training/   If you are anything like me, you go through periods in your training where you might feel a bit stuck. No matter how hard you’ve been training nor how focused you are, you feel like you aren’t making progress. It can be frustrating, no doubt. Here are 10 things to keep in mind the next time you are feeling sluggish in your paddling development.   1) Feeling stagnant is a sign that it’s time for a change. Whether it’s a change in your diet, a change in your workout routine, a change in the frequency of attendance at...