The five parts of the stroke on land
Ready when: nothing, this is the first card.
What you are learning
The grip and the five parts of the dragon boat stroke: reach, catch, pull, exit and recovery. Sitting on a bench with a stick, the child learns to turn from the hips, put the blade in cleanly and take it out before the hip. A crew that all strokes the same way goes fast.
Words on this card Paddle, Bottom hand, Drummer, Stroke, Reach, Catch, Pull, Exit, Recovery
- Paddle
- The paddle has one flat end, the blade, which goes in the water.
- Bottom hand
- The bottom hand holds the shaft just above the blade; the top hand holds the top of the paddle, the T-grip.
- Drummer
- The person at the front who beats the drum and calls the commands.
- Stroke
- One full movement of the paddle through the water and back.
- Reach
- Leaning forward from the hips with the outside arm long, ready to put the blade in.
- Catch
- The moment the blade goes into the water, fully and without splash.
- Pull
- Drawing the blade back alongside the boat.
- Exit
- Lifting the blade out of the water, before it passes the hip.
- Recovery
- Bringing the paddle forward again, low over the water, for the next stroke.
Set up
A broom handle or a stick, a bench or a stool, a clear 2 m by 2 m.
Weather: any weather
Show it first for the one teaching
- Sit on the bench at one end, legs staggered: the leg nearer the "water" slightly forward. Bottom hand about 10 cm above the end of the stick; top hand on top, straight above the bottom hand.
- Reach: lean forward from the hips, outside arm long. Catch: push the top hand down so the "blade" goes straight in.
- Pull: draw back alongside the bench, bottom arm straight, sitting up.
- Exit around mid-thigh, before the hip; recovery: bring the stick forward low and close.
Your part while they practise
Name each part aloud: reach, catch, pull, exit, recovery.
Step by step
- Sit on the bench, legs staggered.
- Bottom hand about 10 cm above the blade end; top hand straight over the bottom hand.
- Mime one part at a time: reach, catch, pull, exit, recovery.
- Join them into one smooth stroke.
How much: 20 strokes, 3 rounds 5 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Name the part
You paddle in the air to music and freeze; the child names which part you are showing.
Who plays: the child against you; swap so the child shows and you name.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Play music and paddle in the air together
- Stop the music: you freeze in one part of the stroke
- The child names the part and shows it
- 10 freezes, then swap
- Fair play
- A younger child names the part only, without showing it.
- Points
- 1 point for the right name; 1 point for showing the part correctly.
- Fouls
- No points that freeze
- Showing the exit behind the hip
- The top hand dropping low on the recovery
- Pulling with the arms only, with no turn from the hips
- Winning
- More points after 10 freezes each.
- 8 points for 1 star
- 14 points for 2 stars
- 18 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Half speed.
Add the drummer's beat.
What you will see, and what to say
- the stroke runs past the hip
Out before the hip
Lift out at mid-thigh. - the top hand drops on the recovery
Top hand stays high
It stays above the bottom hand. - the arms do the work
Rotate from the hips
The body turns, the arms stay long.
Self-check
20 strokes mimed with all 5 parts named in order.
Stop and get a coach when
Pain in the shoulder or back.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains grip, stroke pattern, body rotation.
awiseathlete.com/sports/dragon-boat/dragon-boat-b1