The coaches at the Houston Heat Dragon Boat Club will organise all your on the water training, but there is other training that you can do to help improve your overall strength and fitness. Off season is the time to start increasing these activities. It is a way of maintaining or increasing these areas, strengthen weak muscles or improve imbalances. It's also a great way to train with your team or division outside of the canoe.

• Cycling/running/rowing ergo
  These activities can help to increase your aerobic fitness, as paddling is 80% strength endurance. You can use certain distances for an assessment of your general improvement. eg: 5km run time trial.
• Swimming
  Same catch/pull skill as paddling, generally more aerobic than paddling, similar muscle groups, necessary for all paddlers, good for change races. Can also be used for a measure of fitness improvement. eg: 1km timed etc.

• Single craft/surf ski/OC1
  The advantage here is that you can go when you like, it is an excellent way to work on your technique and without the weight of the sixman canoe you can work a little more aerobically. A measure of fitness improvement can be a timed effort.
• Strength Training
  A strength-training program should be specific to the sport of paddling. It is recommended that you consult with a qualified gym/strength instructor for a suitable program. It should be aimed at improving general strength, specific strength and any muscle imbalances. Strength training requires adequate recovery between sessions to allow adaptation and recovery.
• Flexibility
  A flexibility program can be incorporated into the strength training routine; again a qualified instructor can help you with this. Flexibility should become a daily task, before, during, and after any paddling or other training. It is necessary to maintain or increase joint mobility, flexibility and to lengthen muscles that have become tight and shortened through overwork.
• Recovery
  Often overlooked recovery is just as important as the hard work. You will never improve without adequate recovery. This doesn't mean that you simply lay around doing nothing, it can mean that you get a massage, have a easy swim or surf, go for a walk, or polish a canoe. Enough sleep and a proper diet of course are number one when it comes to recovery.