Practices

Land Practice

Since it is almost impossible to hold boat practice during the week, Drake Stadium is used for general strength and endurance conditioning. There is much confusion about what one would do on land when they're involved in a water sport. Below are a few activities that may or may not show up during a typical practice. Strength and endurance pieces are done in tandem during practice. The two categories are separated here for convenience and organization.

Warm Up:
Practice always starts with a light jog of one or two laps around the track followed by stretching of the arms and legs.

Strength Training:
Push-Ups
The "normal" way with hands shoulder-length apart and chest to the ground. Usually done in sets of 20-25.

Dips
Like push-ups but targets the triceps. Usually done in sets of 20-25.

Sit-Ups
Includes many other versions such as bicycles, leglifts, and butterflies. Usually done in sets of 30-35.

Chin-Ups/Pull-Ups
Usually done in sets of 5-7 or until failure.

Lunges
Long and slow strides designed to work the thighs.

Beach Whales
Works back and neck by lying flat on your stomach and arching above the ground. Usually done in sets of 40-45.

Endurance Training:
Sprints
May comprise a whole practice. Sets contain numerous sprinting distances from 100m to 400m.

Indian Runs
As many as 12 Dboaters may form a line and run laps. Each person in the back has to run to the front, cycling the lineup several times. Distances range from 1600m to 3200m

Stairs
Running up and down the bleachers at Drake. Runners skip every other aisle. Usually 2-3 laps (from end to end of the bleachers)

Circuits
A cycle of running, push-ups, stairs, sit-ups, repeat. Done for as many as 8 laps.

Technique:
Visualizations
Dboaters line up as as they would on a real boat and perform timing drills.

Games:
Every now and then practice will be replaced with soccer, frisby, volleyball, or any other competitive activity.

Boat Practice

Practices on the boat vary week by week. Below are some typical drills and workouts.

Hit Drills
Breaks down the stroke to several steps. Helps perfect stroke technique.

Endurance Pieces
Extended paddling periods lasting 10 minutes and up.

Race Pieces
Mock 500m races. A-Boat may be pitted against B-Boat.

Starts
Perfects the pacing and calling of what would be the beginning of a race.

Seat Pulls
Individual rows pull the entire boat, starting from the strokers, working back to the rockets.