500m GALORE! The Workout Breakdown: * 10-min Warmup at 65% (focus on long stroke and gradually increasing intensity) * 10-min Warmup at 85% (focus on increasing intensity) * 6 sets of 500m at 95% with 3 minutes rest/active rest (keep pressure on the gas the whole time) * 10-min Cooldown at 65% (focus on recovery breathing and technique)d Technique Focus: * **Dragon Boat Style**: Complete each set one-sided. Do a start sequence and push hard throughout the piece. * **OC Style**: Can switch sides every 12 strokes. Reminder to have a strong last stroke and first stroke during the switches. * **For Both**: Concentrate on maintaining technique since there is no extra resistance 💬 Coach Tek's Weekly Update: This was was a build week with 6 days of training, totally over 40 miles. There were 3 sprint days, 1 long hard day, and 2 recovery days. Needless to say, it was a taxing week but a fruitful one. As we near the end of May, there are MANY MANY end of the [school] year activities. Ryuichi's school program had a gathering and that was great to connect with his friends and the parents/families there. Over the weekend, we also went to a graduation party for one of our outrigger teammates. A huge congratulations. It's been quite the journey learning to balance training, work, and three little ones. This upcoming week will continue to be filled with paddling. I am gearing up for a 750m Time Trial in SoCal in late June. This TT will determine whether or not I'll be on the mixed boat in Germany Worlds. Wish me luck! 🏆 MONTHLY PRIZES - TOP CONTRIBUTORS 🏆 Winners announced May 31st at 5PM PST! 1. **FIRST PLACE**: 1:1 on-water session with me ($400 value) 2. **SECOND PLACE**: 2 weeks of Personalized Training Program ($170 value) 3. **THIRD PLACE**: Gift a month of TLC Skool Community to a friend ($50 value) Prizes must be redeemed within the following month 👇 COMMUNITY QUESTION 👇 If you could paddle anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Flying out of San Francisco at 8am to arrive in Tampa at 5pm. 5 days of training camp. Initially my time trial was going to be Saturday, but due to high winds it will be moved to Monday. It is messing with my head a little bit, as I was hoping to get it out of the way first. Regardless, I will refocus and remember to have a good time and learn. Excited to be a paddler and grow this week. Hopefully will be able to stand out and secure a spot for Germany in July! Who else is in Florida? I know some folks are in Chase Suites Rocky Point and others in Sarasota. Give a shoutout and take some photos together and share here! 🙌🙌🙌

Hello TLC Paddlers, I recently completed a 500m outrigger time trial in Tampa, clocking in at 2:25.13 - a time I'm both proud of and eager to improve upon. I wanted to share this experience with you because the lessons learned apply directly to your paddling journey, regardless of your current level. This result didn't happen overnight. It represents: - 4-6 weekly water sessions focusing on technique refinement and hard intervals - Deliberate warm-up and recovery protocols to maintain performance - Mental preparation techniques to maintain focus during maximum effort During the time trial, I focused on several technique principles: - **Patience at the catch**: Ensuring full blade burial before applying power (but it happens lightning fast during the time trial) - **Acceleration through the stroke**: Progressive power application rather than an immediate "hit" - **Maintaining connection**: Keeping the blade fully engaged throughout the power phase - **Consistent cadence**: Finding the optimal stroke rate for sustained power, should be on the high side to get that fast score The most valuable insight from this experience is that improvement comes from consistent application of fundamentals. The same principles we practice in our sessions are what drive performance at every level. When you feel challenged by a drill or technique adjustment we're working on, remember that these small refinements compound over time. Trust the process - the stopwatch eventually reflects the work. I'll be analyzing the footage from this time trial to identify areas for improvement in my own technique. This continuous self-assessment is something I encourage all of you to embrace - we never stop learning on the water. I'm excited to bring these fresh insights into our upcoming programming. As always, I'm grateful for your trust in me as your coach, and I'm inspired by your dedication to improving your paddling teknique. See you on the water! Coach Tek --- P.S. I've posted the full time trial video on my Youtube if you'd like to see these principles in action. Your comments and questions are always welcome! I recommend lowering the volume a bit because the seat squeaked A LOT hahaha

Hello! I'm Linda from Novato. I paddle with DragonMax Berkeley but I am also a member of DragonWarriors San Francisco. I paddle ACP, BCP, and Senior D when it's available! I have been to 4 CCWC competitions (qualified for France, too, but you know how it was) and I include dragonboat as often as I can in every trip I take. Happy to be online learning from Tek and all of you. I want to improve my ability to hinge AND rotate at the same time to get a more powerful catch and fully bury my blade through the entire stroke. Also, I'm a new coach and want to see how Tek models that. Learn from the best, right?

I got into paddling after I asked my friend Sharon - what does she do to get so ripped?! She told me about dragon boating, lent me her paddle & pfd, brought me to a Gilas practice and the rest is history. Here I am, almost exactly 3 years later, more fit for sure and a regular at Tempe Town Lake paddling on my oc1 & on multiple teams (SunGi/Gilas/SunSoon / occasionally support paddling for Team Blue) and learning the ins & outs of co-coaching a new youth team AZ SnapDragons. We train together & at festivals we are together supporting each other. It’s really fun! This is definitely a sport and community that I want to keep learning with, grow & get stronger, well into my 80’s. I love it so much. Challenges I face are managing work-home-paddle life balance. I hope to find that magic combination of carving out personal time to weight train, time on the oc, & still have quality time with my family & friends. Long term goal: I want to get to the point where I can qualify to compete at an international level one fine day!