Dragon Boat Technique For Beginners - How To Paddle

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Learn the Dragon Boat paddling stroke (and some helpful tips and tricks to improve your form!) in 8 minutes! Are you brand new to dragon boat? Have you never heard of dragon boat but want to see what it’s all about? Are you looking for ways to hone in and refine your technique? Watch on and be sure to subscribe for more!
This practice can be done on a Concept 2 with a paddle attachment like us, or it can be done poolside with a paddle, sitting on a chair with a broom, or in a boat with your team. Find what works for you and follow along!
This video goes through the basics of the set up, catch, press, and recovery. Other teams have different ways of breaking down the stroke, and we decided to present what we’ve found works well for new paddlers. If you have other techniques or tips you’d like to share, let us know in the comments.
Paddles Up is a group of passionate paddlers eager to share our knowledge with you. We are not personal trainers, phycisians, or experts in the areas of health, fitness, or Dragon Boating.
Want to support our channel? Visit PaddlesUpDB.com for Paddles Up-branded merchandise!
0:00 - Intro
0:30 - The Paddle
1:40 - Form And Basic Technique
5:09 - Tips And Tricks
8:26 - Outro

[@shaneencoulson6147]

Love it! 9 years paddling and the best demonstration yet of how to paddle in a dragon boat.....

[@amberedens4305]

Dragon boat is my getaway! When I found out my breast cancer had spread and I'm now Stage IV, I attempted a support group. How depressing! But through it all, I found Dragon Boat. I'm not "dying", I'm not "surviving", IM THRIVING!!! What better way to forget your worries, enjoy the water and workout all in one! I 💙🐲🛶 #HornetGiveaway #Survivor #FxckCancer #StageIV

[@nancythompson8836]

Congrats to you Amber! I am a member of a breast cancer survivor dragon boat team & it is such an amazing group of women plus one male survivor. It’s a great way to stay active & enjoy some competition on the water!!

[@gamemasters9014]

thank you for a great educational video on how to paddle a dragonboat and practice outside the water at home with a broom.

[@Korea_dragonboat]

This video helped our team a lot Thank you.

[@MrIjanharun]

Thank you. Greetings from Malaysia

[@carlohakens3333]

I'm a beginner. thanks for the tips.

[@TheMathius90]

Thanks for info, i was training real rowing for 6 years and going today my first time dragon Boat it felt so strange compared to it, i got wooden stick to immitate your movement while watching your video:)

[@yulialushkinafernandes701]

that's nice tips

[@joselineresendez9632]

Thanks for the tips! Looking forward to trying this out on the water this summer 🤞🏽

[@PaddlesUpDB]

Thanks Joseline! We're so excited for you to put these to practice!

[@krsharon2325]

Nice technique

[@thegodofnb-esport4699]

so good informaton

[@user-ol6gl8ex3u]

I am ready to boggie and get this boat thing done

[@breadman5048]

but where does the power come from? Is it the body rotation it’s gotta get transferred from one of the arms being straight.. isn’t it the bottom?

[@SableElf]

Do you do any actual on the water examples? There was a previous comment about you sitting very upright, which was my first thought (upright and robotic). Jeff is it, that does a fluid sample of paddling? He is leaning into the catch, which I believe is a natural movement, it also ensures you bury your blade on the catch. I would be interested in watching you fully bury your blade - in the water - while sitting straight up. Another note, a pitfall I find common (not mentioned in your video) is the "J" stroke, particularly with anyone going from a canoe/rowing to a dragon boat. I know you mentioned keeping your top hand over the water, but as the stern on my boat, I've often reminded new paddlers to keep the top hand out. I'm interested in seeing any videos you put out regarding one of your viewer's comments about dragging the paddle at the back of the stroke, also where there should be a nano pause going into the catch, breaking a habit of taking that pause at the exit stage.

[@randyguerber6156]

dragon boat? more like a dream boat.

[@ViktorWoah]

Thanks for the video! Question: why is it important to keey the back straight when turning one's body? Our coach seems to be using a different technic where he asks us to "fall" and "sit straight" when turning the torsal. Perhaps there's a pro/con to either of this?

[@PaddlesUpDB]

Hi Viktor! Our technique is all about injury prevention and keeping momentum moving forward. When you have a dramatic hinge with your back, you open yourself up to the possibility of lower back injury. We also discourage "swinging" the body forward and backwards as this is more liable to make the boat "bounce" up and down instead of keeping the momentum surging forwards. --Rae

[@ginnyjollykidd]

I have the problem of dragging my paddle through the water on recovery. I'm not sure what motions go from the pull to recovery. Any tips on that?

[@PaddlesUpDB]

Hi Ginny- This could be a lot of different things… over-extension could cause this, the size of your paddle, or not lifting the top hand high enough out and above the water during your exit. Or a combination of these things! This is a fantastic question and we’ll make a video to give solutions to each of these potential causes in more depth. :) Thank you!

[@Timber81]

So your talking about your outside hand is the fulcrum. The left pushes the lever. Got it!! Thanks

[@hashiru86]

4:48 catch/extension ?! ;)

[@abjnmt1]

Hi, Where can i buy that extension thing which you are using in the rowing machines? The cable and pully thing which is attached to the paddle.

[@PaddlesUpDB]

Hi, you can find it at Paddlesporttraining! This is the concept 2 paddle adapter. Simple to assemble and to reverse when you want to use your erg for rowing too :) --Rae

[@davegrice9546]

@@PaddlesUpDB Thanks.. wow on $$$ for it!

[@artofzenph]

My seniors taught us to bend more than 30 degrees during set up. Is it okay?

[@bernabecaneta6154]

❤️👍😊

[@luizflex4362]

Please I have been paddling for soo many local competition in Ghana 🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭and wants to take it international, Please help me join or apply international... Thanks

[@StickyLabDev]

need left side version