Dragebåden som redskab
I 1996 var Canada værtsnation for en international dragebådskonkurrence. Der deltog et særligt begynderhold bestående af kvinder, som alle havde været behandlet for brystkræft. Holdet deltog i et forsøg kaldet "Abreast in a boat". Forsøget var det første studie, som udfordrede det eksisterende dogme, der på det tidspunkt bestod af advarsler mod anstrengende gentagne bevægelser med henblik på at beskytte mod udviklingen af brystkræftrelateret lymfødem. Takket være dragebådsforsøget er der siden publiceret en række studier, som uden undtagelse finder, at fysisk træning af overkrop og arme er gavnligt fysisk såvel som psykisk og ikke øger risikoen for at udvikle brystkræftrelateret lymfødem eller for at forværre et eksisterende lymfødem.
Dragebådsbesætning
Dette indlæg er en beskrivelse på engelsk, taget fra Wikipedia.
The crew of a standard dragon boat is typically 22, comprising 20 paddlers in pairs facing toward the bow of the boat, 1 drummer or caller at the bow facing toward the paddlers, and 1 sweep (a steerer) standing at the rear of the boat. Dragon boats however vary in length and the crew size will change accordingly, from small dragon boats with 10 paddlers up to the traditional boats which have upwards of 50 paddlers, plus drummer and sweep.
Drummer
The pulsation of the drum beats produced by the drummer may be considered the "heartbeat" of the dragon boat. The drummer leads the paddlers throughout a race using the rhythmic drum beat to indicate the frequency and synchronicity of all the paddlers' strokes (that is, the cadence, picking up or accelerating the pace, slowing the rate, etc.) The drummer may issue commands to the crew through a combination of hand signals and voice calls, and also generally exhorts the crew to perform at their peak. A drummer is mandatory during racing events, but if he or she is not present during training, it is typical for the sweep to direct the crew. The drummer's role is both tactical and ceremonial. In official competitions, such as the world championship, drummers must physically beat the drum or the team could be given a time penalty. In other events or practices an experienced team may not actually use the drum as they can paddle together naturally without listening to a beat.
Good drummers should be able to synchronise their drumming with the strokes of the leading pair of paddlers, rather than the other way around.
Paddlers
The paddlers sit facing forwards in the boat, and use a specific type of paddle which, (unlike rowing sweep, or scull), is not rigged to the racing watercraft in any way. Therefore, Dragon boaters are paddlers and not rowers or oarsmen/women.
The paddle now accepted by the world racing federation has a standardised, fixed blade surface area and distinctive shape derived from the paddle shapes characteristic of the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) delta region of Guangdong Province, China, close to where Hong Kong is situated. The International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF)[2]Paddle Specification 202a (PS202a)[3] pattern blade has straight flared edges and circular arced shoulders based geometrically on an equilateral triangle shape positioned between the blade face and the neck of the shaft.
The first pair of paddlers, called "pacers," "strokes" or "timers," set the pace for the team and are responsible for synchronising their strokes with one another. It is critical that all paddlers are synchronised. Each paddler should synchronise with the stroke or pacer on the opposite side of the boat, that is, if you paddle starboard side (right) you would take your timing from the port side (left) stroke. The direction of the dragon boat is set by the sweep, rather than by the paddlers while actually racing, however for docking and other manoeuvres, individual paddlers may be asked to paddle (while others either stop the boat or rest) according to the commands given by the drummer or sweep.
There are five components to a dragon boat stroke cycle:
1. The "Reach" is the “A” Frame Position that is proper for setting up your stroke. This is the optimal position for each paddler to be in that allows using the power of paddler's legs and core muscles.
2. The "Catch" begins the cycle in the moment the paddle enters the water and is preceded by a set-up torso rotation. With the proper "Reach", the "Catch" phase of the stroke will be the most efficient.
3. The powerful "Pull" stage sustains the forward momentum of the boat; the paddle is pulled backwards. It is essential for paddlers to sit-up and use the larger back and legs muscles to get the full force of the stroke.
4. The "Exit" in which the blade is instantaneously drawn (skywards) while it is even with the hips of the paddler; because the boat is moving forward, the optical illusion from outside the boat makes the blade seem like it is being withdrawn at an angle that is raked forward. The release coincides with the set up rotation or recoil of the torso.
5. The "Recovery" is the final stage of the stroke and consists of the rotation of the torso with the forward repositioning of the blade thrust forward into the optimal "Catch". Depending on the rate of the stroke this may be a long period or a short period. This is also the time that the paddler gets ready and into position for the next stroke.
Every team has different techniques in the way that they order these strokes. They can also be named in different ways as well. For example, some teams may start their stroke with the recovery and make this the most important part of the stroke. Some teams will call their recovery "feathering" so that it is very light and quick in order to enter into the water quicker, and thus paddling faster.
The strokes rate depends on different stages during the race. Usually there are three stages, called: Start, Maintenance and Charge.
Very experienced paddlers sense the response of the boat to the application of their blades and the associated surging forward acceleration or deceleration during a prolonged recovery phase through the water via their senses as they sit braced into the boat sitting on the benches of the boat, and will continually adjust or tune their reach and catch of their blade tips in accordance with the power required to maintain continual acceleration of the hull through the water at any given moment, since boats seek to decelerate whenever propulsive power drops off.
Sweep/steersman
The sweep, known also as the steersman, steers the dragon boat with a sweep oar rigged at the rear of the boat, generally on the left side. This is done by using the oar as a rudder, while the boat is moving, or by sweeping the stern of the boat sideways by pulling or pushing water with the oar as the boat is moving slowly or stationary.
The sweep must constantly be aware of the boat's surroundings. Since the sweep is the only person in the boat who is able to control the boat looking forward (the drummer is seated facing backward) he or she has the obligation to override the caller at any time during the race (or the coach during practice) if the safety of the crew is threatened in any way such as an impending collision with another boat or a fixed or floating obstruction in the water.
The crew of a standard dragon boat is typically 22, comprising 20 paddlers in pairs facing toward the bow of the boat, 1 drummer or caller at the bow facing toward the paddlers, and 1 sweep (a steerer) standing at the rear of the boat. Dragon boats however vary in length and the crew size will change accordingly, from small dragon boats with 10 paddlers up to the traditional boats which have upwards of 50 paddlers, plus drummer and sweep.
Drummer
The pulsation of the drum beats produced by the drummer may be considered the "heartbeat" of the dragon boat. The drummer leads the paddlers throughout a race using the rhythmic drum beat to indicate the frequency and synchronicity of all the paddlers' strokes (that is, the cadence, picking up or accelerating the pace, slowing the rate, etc.) The drummer may issue commands to the crew through a combination of hand signals and voice calls, and also generally exhorts the crew to perform at their peak. A drummer is mandatory during racing events, but if he or she is not present during training, it is typical for the sweep to direct the crew. The drummer's role is both tactical and ceremonial. In official competitions, such as the world championship, drummers must physically beat the drum or the team could be given a time penalty. In other events or practices an experienced team may not actually use the drum as they can paddle together naturally without listening to a beat.
Good drummers should be able to synchronise their drumming with the strokes of the leading pair of paddlers, rather than the other way around.
Paddlers
The paddlers sit facing forwards in the boat, and use a specific type of paddle which, (unlike rowing sweep, or scull), is not rigged to the racing watercraft in any way. Therefore, Dragon boaters are paddlers and not rowers or oarsmen/women.
The paddle now accepted by the world racing federation has a standardised, fixed blade surface area and distinctive shape derived from the paddle shapes characteristic of the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) delta region of Guangdong Province, China, close to where Hong Kong is situated. The International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF)[2]Paddle Specification 202a (PS202a)[3] pattern blade has straight flared edges and circular arced shoulders based geometrically on an equilateral triangle shape positioned between the blade face and the neck of the shaft.
The first pair of paddlers, called "pacers," "strokes" or "timers," set the pace for the team and are responsible for synchronising their strokes with one another. It is critical that all paddlers are synchronised. Each paddler should synchronise with the stroke or pacer on the opposite side of the boat, that is, if you paddle starboard side (right) you would take your timing from the port side (left) stroke. The direction of the dragon boat is set by the sweep, rather than by the paddlers while actually racing, however for docking and other manoeuvres, individual paddlers may be asked to paddle (while others either stop the boat or rest) according to the commands given by the drummer or sweep.
There are five components to a dragon boat stroke cycle:
1. The "Reach" is the “A” Frame Position that is proper for setting up your stroke. This is the optimal position for each paddler to be in that allows using the power of paddler's legs and core muscles.
2. The "Catch" begins the cycle in the moment the paddle enters the water and is preceded by a set-up torso rotation. With the proper "Reach", the "Catch" phase of the stroke will be the most efficient.
3. The powerful "Pull" stage sustains the forward momentum of the boat; the paddle is pulled backwards. It is essential for paddlers to sit-up and use the larger back and legs muscles to get the full force of the stroke.
4. The "Exit" in which the blade is instantaneously drawn (skywards) while it is even with the hips of the paddler; because the boat is moving forward, the optical illusion from outside the boat makes the blade seem like it is being withdrawn at an angle that is raked forward. The release coincides with the set up rotation or recoil of the torso.
5. The "Recovery" is the final stage of the stroke and consists of the rotation of the torso with the forward repositioning of the blade thrust forward into the optimal "Catch". Depending on the rate of the stroke this may be a long period or a short period. This is also the time that the paddler gets ready and into position for the next stroke.
Every team has different techniques in the way that they order these strokes. They can also be named in different ways as well. For example, some teams may start their stroke with the recovery and make this the most important part of the stroke. Some teams will call their recovery "feathering" so that it is very light and quick in order to enter into the water quicker, and thus paddling faster.
The strokes rate depends on different stages during the race. Usually there are three stages, called: Start, Maintenance and Charge.
Very experienced paddlers sense the response of the boat to the application of their blades and the associated surging forward acceleration or deceleration during a prolonged recovery phase through the water via their senses as they sit braced into the boat sitting on the benches of the boat, and will continually adjust or tune their reach and catch of their blade tips in accordance with the power required to maintain continual acceleration of the hull through the water at any given moment, since boats seek to decelerate whenever propulsive power drops off.
Sweep/steersman
The sweep, known also as the steersman, steers the dragon boat with a sweep oar rigged at the rear of the boat, generally on the left side. This is done by using the oar as a rudder, while the boat is moving, or by sweeping the stern of the boat sideways by pulling or pushing water with the oar as the boat is moving slowly or stationary.
The sweep must constantly be aware of the boat's surroundings. Since the sweep is the only person in the boat who is able to control the boat looking forward (the drummer is seated facing backward) he or she has the obligation to override the caller at any time during the race (or the coach during practice) if the safety of the crew is threatened in any way such as an impending collision with another boat or a fixed or floating obstruction in the water.
Danish Dragon Abreast
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