Dragon boat racing originated in China some 2,000 years ago to commemorate the death of Qu Yuan, a great warrior poet, who protested against political corruption in his day.
Here in the Philippines, the first dragon boat crew was organized in 1986 with its members coming from the Amateur Rowing Association of the Philippines based in Manila.
There are usually 18 to 20 paddlers in a standard sized dragon boat, while a small boat usually has eight to 10 paddlers. A drummer and a helm or steerer occupy opposite ends of the boat. A dragon boat’s composition, in terms of women and men paddlers, will depend on the race category.
I was introduced to dragon boating by Bing Valbuena, manager and coach of Team Hilera.
Hilera is a local dragon boat club in Dumaguete founded two years ago by a group of sports enthusiasts coming from different sports backgrounds. Hilera has since been competing in local and international races, and has had several podium finishes.
During the off-season, Hilera’s weekly training schedule includes one land training session, two pool sessions, and one sea training session.
Land training is usually done in the rubberized oval at the Perdices Stadium, and is composed of several rounds of running and/or sprinting, core exercises, and upper body exercises.
Pool training at the Lorenzo Teves Aqua Center is done to simulate paddling programs, and improve paddling technique. On Saturday mornings, at daybreak, the Hilera crew ventures out to sea from Silliman beach in our standard sized boat.
During race season, Hilera trains twice a day. Training consists of a balance of land, pool, and sea trainings.
Close to race day, sea trainings will consist of race distance simulations, and endurance paddling, which covers several kilometers.
Contrary to the assumption that paddling is mostly upper body work, paddling requires the use of the entire body. Core strength is important to sustain form and technique, as well as stroke power. Leg strength is used to propel the paddler in a jerking motion for paddling efficiency.
A paddler’s diet is a balanced one. Carbohydrates is our friend! Like other endurance sports, carbo-loading is important pre-training and pre-race. Post-training and race meals consist of protein to rebuild muscles expended.
Although training may seem intimidating, dragon boating is a sport that will get you hooked. As for me, it has been life-saving.
When Bing introduced me to paddling, I was deep in a depressive episode. I was then recently diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. I had to leave my life in Manila to come back home to Dumaguete and recover. I was severely underweight when I arrived. Inability to sleep, loss of appetite, and a general loss of interest in the things I used to be passionate about are some of the symptoms of depression. Yes, depression is a real illness. And yes, one loses the will to live when in a depressive episode.
Before my major depressive episode, I raced in triathlons and was active in Crossfit. I was balancing sports with law school in the University of the Philippines. When my depressive episode was triggered, I couldn’t bring myself to get out of my room. I could even barely get off my bed. Days and nights were spent mulling over negative thoughts and self-doubt. I felt that I had nothing to live for. Without the support of family and my best friend, I don’t think I would have even made it home.
Dragon boat training has been a form of therapy for me. At that time when I couldn’t find the will to live day-to-day, training gave me a reason to step out of the house. At that time when my confidence was so low, my teammates and coach prodded me to trust in my abilities again.
The sound of the water during paddling gave me a sense of serenity. Depression made it so hard for me to focus, paddling brought that focus back. In paddling, synchronicity is important. The boat glides faster when the paddlers paddle in sync — matching each other’s stroke.
During sea training, I always look forward to daybreak. The view of the sunrise is magnificent at Silliman Beach. I share this view with a group of wonderful people I call my teammates.
The collective energy of a crew is what makes dragon boat special. There are no individual stars in dragon boating. We are strong only when we paddle as one collective unit.
I love this sport because it has helped me become part of a community. As our co-captain had said, “This is not a team. This is family.”
In dragon boating, not only did I find myself again, I also gained another family.
If you’re interested in trying out dragon boat, come see Hilera during training. We’re the most inclusive (and most fun) dragons you’ll ever meet!
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Erika Rae Rosario, Eika to friends, finished BS Psychology in Silliman University. She went to the Ateneo de Manila University for her Masters in Social Community Psychology. She’s currently taking her Bachelor of Laws at the University of the Philippines-Diliman.
