Author: Admin

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Smoke On The Water

An invitation to create some smoke on the water…………..
The Chinese New Year of the dragon commenced on 23 January and the dragon’s element sign for this year is water so what better way to celebrate than to take up the Chinese national sport of dragon boating. Dragon boat racing has ancient Chinese origins and its history goes back more than 2,000 years.
Powerhouse Dragonboat Club is based at the River Tees Water Sports Centre in Dugdale Street on the North Shore of the River Tees and they are looking for new members to train and take part in the British Dragonboat Association’s national league racing events. Racing is a colorful and exciting affair with dragon boats dressed with fierce dragon heads & tails. Drums are beaten to time the stroke rate and you can almost imagine smoke emitting from the dragons flared nostrils!
The first event of the racing season is on 21 April and a planned series of events culminates with a national cup at the National Water Sports Centre at Nottingham in late September or early October. Powerhouse will actually be hosting a national 2 day league event on the River Tees on 4 & 5 August this year.
Through the winter months training aims to get the crew fitter and stronger and more powerful with one river session on a Saturday morning. Once British Summer time begins the crew is on the river twice a week to practice technique and improve stroke rates and race times.
A crew consists of 22 members, comprising 10 pairs of paddlers, a drummer (cox) and a helm (steer). Powerhouse crew members range in age from ten to 60, with a mix of both males and females; it is for everyone to enjoy.
The Powerhouse Dragonboat crew will be in Captain Cook Square in Cleveland Centre, Middlesbrough, on Saturday 17th March and will have one of their dragonboats on display so you can go along and see what it’s all about.
So if your New Year’s resolution was to get fitter, take up a hobby or sport, lose weight – then dragon boating could be for you. Anyone who would like to give paddling a go can try two free separate taster sessions on a Saturday morning from 10.00 am.
For more information, call 07504 063023

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Stockton Racing Festival 2012

The Stockton BDA Leauge event meets the Stockton International Riverside Festival!

See the flyer for more details:

[gview file=”http://www.powerhousedragons.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/EventBrouchure2012.pdf” height=”1200px” width=”100%” save=”1″ force=”1″]

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Powerhouse Wins Sport England Grant

Teessiders will soon be able to learn to paddle indoors – and then take to the Tees for real and try paddling for their local club – thanks to a new National Lottery-funded project.

Powerhouse Dragonboat  Club will be holding weekly ‘come and try’ coaching sessions at the River Tees Watersports Centre, followed by open water training in a full size Dragonboat. The sessions are intended to attract more people to the club – ahead of the 2012 season.

The new sporting opportunities have been made possible by a £9,000 grant from Sport England – which is working with local communities to get people playing more sport.

Bryan Tucker, Powerhouse Dragonboat Club's Assistant Coach, said:
“Powerhouse Dragonboat Club is a vibrant local club but we’re always looking to attract more  members. Our project is opening up our club and giving people in Teesside the opportunity to get involved no matter what the weather throws at us. We’re delighted to have received Lottery funding to make it all happen.”

Sport England invests National Lottery and Exchequer funding in projects that will grow and sustain participation in grassroots sport and create opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport.

David Gent, Sport England’s Regional Lead for Yorkshire, said:

“The opportunity to try a new sport for the first time is often all a person needs to catch the sporting bug. The Paddlesports Coaching Project is a great way for young people to try Dragonboating and get a quality sporting experience that will encourage them to stay involved.”

 

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Race Day Checklist

Race Day is Here!

So you’ve trained hard and now youre ready to race, the following is rough guide to make your race day more enjoyable. As race days can be long and tiring any creature comforts you can bring along are always welcome and remember to plan for an unexpected change in weather.

Food & Drink

You need plenty of fuel for your days competition, energy snacks for between races, lots of fluids as some places may not have access to water, lunch time grub and dont forget something for that hungry drive home.  

  • Flasks of Tea
  • Water & Hi Fruit Juice
  • Bananas/ grapes / dates / raisins
  • Mars Bars
  • Rice Pudding Pots
  • Pasta & Chicken
  • Jelly Babies, Wine Gums, Fruit Pastels
  • Nutri Bars / Flapjacks
  • Malt Loaf & butter

Clothing

If your spectating bring plenty of warm clothes and blankets as you may be outside all day, if your racing bring plenty of clothes you can change into as your going to get wet, especially if it rains.

  • waterproofs / cagoules
  • Water / rubber shoes
  • large towels
  • hats / caps, scarf, gloves
  • fleeces / jackets
  • Sunglasses / Sports glasses / Reading glasses 
  • Full change of clothes
  • Spare socks
  • Spare trousers 

Kit & Equipment

Most important of all, dont forget your paddle!

  • Paddle
  • Folding chair
  • Pillows / cushions / mat
  • Large umbrella
  • Seat pads
  • Paddling gloves
  • Padding, tape & dressings
  • Mobile phone charger car
  • Camera(s), etc.
  • Cool Box

Creature comforts

Some race venues are not fully equiped so bring what you need to be healthy, happy and freshen up.

  • Ibuforen & Ibuferen Gel
  • Sun-cream & face cream
  • Lip-salve / Vaseline
  • Hair Cond Spray & comb
  • Toiletry bag: Deo / Body Spray / Talc
  • Wet wipes / Anti bacterial Wipes
  • Tissues / Toilet Paper
  • Books, cards, music, i-pod, magazines, etc
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Hydration

The combination of what you eat and drink is significant factor to stay "fit and healthy". A small percentage loss of water can have a very large affect on your efficiency and effectiveness to perform. Things to consider before, during and after an activity to sustain performance are;

  • Environment – Temperature & humidity
  • Duration of activity
  • Type of activity

What to drink before – A Hypertonic

  • Has more carbohydrate and minerals, higher than that in your blood
  • Absorbed slower into the body than water alone
  • Ideal for refuelling but DOESNT provide water as well as isotonic and hypotonic

What to drink during – A Isotonic

  • Has carbohydrate and water and minerals in similar amounts to your blood
  • Absorbed fast, faster than water alone
  • Ideal for refuelling and rehydration
Drink formulas for during exercise

Option 1.

Option 2.

Option 3.

40-80g sucrose1L warm water 1-1.5g salt (1/4 tsp) Sugar free squash (for flavour) 200ml fruit squash800ml water 1-1.5g salt (1/4 tsp)   500ml unsweetened fruit juice (orange, apple, pineapple)500ml water 1-1.5g salt (1/4 tsp)  

  The ratio is 1-1.5 grams of salt to 1 litre of fluid with varying levels of sweetener/flavouring. Remember that excess sugar slows down the rate of absorption and should only be used as a post-exercise hypertonic drink to replenish carbohydrate reserves.   What to drink after – A hypotonic

  • Has carbohydrate and minerals in smaller amounts than your blood
  • Absorbed fast into the body, the same as plain water
  • Ideal for rehydration but DOESNT provide as much energy as isotonic

 

Drink formulas for after exercise

Option 1.

Option 2.

Option 3.

20-40g sucrose1L warm water 1-1.5g salt (1/4 tsp) Sugar free squash (for flavour) 100ml fruit squash900ml water 1-1.5g salt (1/4 tsp)   250ml unsweetened fruit juice (orange, apple, pineapple)750ml water 1-1.5g salt (1/4 tsp)  

 

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2012 New Year Training Begins

Looking for a new and exiting way to get fit this year?

Powerhouse Dragonboat club are welcoming people to come along to give it a try and join in the fun. Dragon boating is an exciting and fast growing water sport in the UK which unlike many other sports is open to all ages and abilities. The powerhouse bunch is a very mixed bag with male and female members ranging from 11 to 63 years of age from all walks of life. Dragon boating has a very strong team ethos as each boat consists of a crew of 20 paddlers, 1 drummer and 1 helm so it has a great social side to it as well.

The club is busy starting to train for the coming racing season so now would be a great time to get involved, our training base is the river tees water sports centre and we train on the river most Saturdays, paddling along some surprisingly picturesque stretches of the river tees. With gym and circuit sessions at the fully equipped centre during the week for those who feel the need for the burn!
So before you sign up to that monthly gym subscription ask yourself if you’d prefer a low cost, no obligation, friendly and very fun way to get fit this year.

For more details contact: 07504 063023