Tips for making winter training more enjoyable.

Paddles Up! How Canadian Dragon Boaters Train Through the Winter.

Let’s be honest, Dragon Boat Racing isn’t exactly considered a winter sport. But here in Canada, where we spend a good chunk of the year blanketed under the snow and huddling around our space heaters, we’ve mastered the art of cold-weather paddling prep.

Here’s how we stay paddle-ready when the boats are packed away and the lakes look more like skating rinks than racecourses.

Paddle Pool Power. (Indoor)

First up, the winter paddle pool. Is it a tropical escape? Definitely not! But does it work your technique, stroke, and timing with your crew? Absolutely. Paddle pool sessions keep your muscle memory sharp and your form snappy. Endurance, stamina and form are all improved during these sessions. An added benefit during these pool sessions is the coach’s ability to spend more ‘one-on-one’ time with each crew member correcting bad habits, offering advice and incorporating valuable video and feedback sessions.

Pro tip from the veterans: Bring extra dry clothes. There’s nothing like a slushy parking lot and a soaking-wet sports bra to remind you that you’re doing this for the love of the sport.

When in Doubt, Race on the Ice!

Yes, you read that right.

When we said we paddle year-round, we weren’t joking. Enter: The Ice Dragon Boat Festival in Ottawa - a frozen spectacle on the Rideau Canal where boats are fitted with skate-like blades. Sounds cool, right?

It was. Literally. To the point that we couldn’t feel our faces and our eyeballs were frozen.

One year, our boat froze solid to the ice before the race even started. Picture this: a group of athletes, ‘ice pick’ like paddles in hand, trying to unstick their boat from Canada’s most iconic skating trail. Spoiler: we didn’t win that heat - but we laughed, bonded, and now have enough stories to last a lifetime.

Paddling Our Way to Puerto Rico.

Due to the The Ice Dragon Boat Festival being cancelled for a number of years, a few of us did what any reasonable Canadian would do - we fled south once the frostbite warnings started rolling in.

So while the rest of the country was buried under three feet of snow and questioning their life choices, we traded our toques for tank tops at the Puerto Rico Dragon Boat Festival. Sunshine, open water, and a chance to race against international crews? Yes, please. Plus, paddling in February gave us a slight head start on the spring season — and, let’s face it, a much-needed dose of vitamin D... and a shiny silver medal!

Conditioning is Key. (Even When Motivation Isn’t.)

The biggest secret to success in Dragon Boating isn’t just what happens on the water - it’s what happens off of it. Especially during the off-season.

Winter is when we build strength, stamina, and resilience. From weight training and erg machines, to yoga, HIIT, and bootcamp. It’s all part of the paddler’s tool kit. Leaning on expert advice and incorporating tailored strength programs that focus on shoulder stability, core power, and explosive leg drive, doesn’t hurt either.

Do you need a motivational boost when the 6am alarm hits and it’s still dark outside? Yeah, us too. That’s why we keep it social: training dates, group WhatsApp chats, coffee after workouts, winter hikes in the woods and the occasional ‘meeting’ at The Queens Head. (It’s all about balance, right?)

Mind Over (Frozen) Matter.

Winter in Canada can test anyone’s mood, right? .. but staying mentally strong is just as important as building your physical endurance. We’ve learned to treat our winter training like a team challenge. Stay connected, check in on your teammates, and don’t underestimate the power of a good laugh.

Oh, and supplements? Yes please. Vitamin D, magnesium, fish oil - It’s time to take our anti-gloom protocol seriously, because the struggle is real.

When the Ice Melts…

By the time May rolls around and the ice has melted, we’re not starting from scratch — we’re ready, ready! All of those personal hours spent in the gym, in the paddle pool, and yes, even on the ice, means that our team hits the water stronger, more conditioned, and rearing to GO!

So whether you're dragging your paddle through slush, racing in snow pants, or sneaking away to sunnier shores, remember this: Dragon Boat season never really ends - it just changes form.

Until then, stay warm, stay strong, and keep those Paddles Up! (even if it’s just to scrape ice off your windshield).