|
Posts
|
Last summer we at Pausarius visited one of the last British sporting bastions that survives the test of time – Henley Royal Regatta. What an enjoyable day! Thanks to everyone that came up to the Concept 2 stand and to everyone who received one of our free download pieces – we hope you have enjoyed the rowing to music experience. We must have chatted to well over 200 people during the day.
Our conversations highlighted a common perception when it comes to training on theergo (which if you didn’t already know is short for ergometer and translates from the Greek – to measure work – work!!??).
As great as the indoor rower is to put in the dry training miles, there were few we chatted to in Henley, if indeed any, hardened ‘on the water’ club rowers who actually seemed to look forward to clocking up the mandatory distances or times on the machine.
As a club rower myself during the time the first indoor rower was made from mainly bicycle parts in 1981 by the Dreissigacker brothers in Vermont, I remember the excitement at the rowing club when the first machines arrived which we hoped might negate the need for long runs on cold mornings or the strapping of lights to the boats to assist us being seen during the early and dark winter mornings on the river. You would have thought the machine would have been a welcome change and become the principle method of improving the cardiovascular fitness of club rowers. Of course, for the most part it is and it does, but rowers still seem to have a love/hate relationship with the ergo.
The theme that came over so strongly in chatting to club rowers at Henley was that anything that can relieve the monotony of long indoor rowing sessions would be most welcome. Well the proof is there – it does!
A naturally occurring phenomena when you are almost forced to focus on the music while rowing on the rower is that of timeshifting. The specific and accurate division of time into seconds, minutes and hours, and its comparative measurement is a relatively recent human invention in our overall evolvement over hundreds of thousands of years. If you’ve had experienced the ‘waiting for a boiling kettle phenomenon’, or the dragging and monotony of a long journey when you are travelling alone with nothing so divert you attention, you’ll know how subjective time measurement can vary.
The perception of time is, of course, subjective. The trouble with the indoor rower is that there is a clock sitting right in front of your face during your sessions. You can’t help but be reminded each second of the pain and discomfort (if you are trying!). Divert your attention on to something other than the timer and your perception of the ‘timed link with discomfort’ can be removed. We usually spend time on the ergo speeding forward to the end, and as we know, the watched kettle always takes longer to boil!
When we focus too much on the time on the ergo and, by doing so, to step into an awareness of it we possibly highlight our discomfort.
Focus on something other than time and we can experience something else – time freedom. But we shouldn’t just look with our eyes and understand with our mind, we must experience it with all the facets of our being; with all our senses, with all our perceptions, our feelings, and our heart. Timeshifting in this respect is greatly aided by music.
So try something next time you climb on your ergo. Push the Performance Monitor forward so you can’t see it. Start your MP3 player with one of our specially written workout pieces and just row with the beat. Without the visible timer, you won’t be reminded where in the workout you are, but you will be guided through a series of carefully designed musical variations in tempo to give you your workout. When you finish, I’ll bet your perception of the timed rowed will be less than it really was. By focusing on the experience of the music you will timeshift your subjective view of how long you have been rowing. I’ve never actually met anyone who said the session seemed longer than it actually was! Worth a try.
Last summer we at Pausarius visited one of the last British sporting bastions that survives the test of time – Henley Royal Regatta. What an enjoyable day! Thanks to everyone that came up to the Concept 2 stand and to everyone who received one of our free download pieces – we hope you have enjoyed the rowing to music experience. We must have chatted to well over 200 people during the day.
Our conversations highlighted a common perception when it comes to training on theergo (which if you didn’t already know is short for ergometer and translates from the Greek – to measure work – work!!??).
As great as the indoor rower is to put in the dry training miles, there were few we chatted to in Henley, if indeed any, hardened ‘on the water’ club rowers who actually seemed to look forward to clocking up the mandatory distances or times on the machine.
As a club rower myself during the time the first indoor rower was made from mainly bicycle parts in 1981 by the Dreissigacker brothers in Vermont, I remember the excitement at the rowing club when the first machines arrived which we hoped might negate the need for long runs on cold mornings or the strapping of lights to the boats to assist us being seen during the early and dark winter mornings on the river. You would have thought the machine would have been a welcome change and become the principle method of improving the cardiovascular fitness of club rowers. Of course, for the most part it is and it does, but rowers still seem to have a love/hate relationship with the ergo.
The theme that came over so strongly in chatting to club rowers at Henley was that anything that can relieve the monotony of long indoor rowing sessions would be most welcome. Well the proof is there – it does!
A naturally occurring phenomena when you are almost forced to focus on the music while rowing on the rower is that of timeshifting. The specific and accurate division of time into seconds, minutes and hours, and its comparative measurement is a relatively recent human invention in our overall evolvement over hundreds of thousands of years. If you’ve had experienced the ‘waiting for a boiling kettle phenomenon’, or the dragging and monotony of a long journey when you are travelling alone with nothing so divert you attention, you’ll know how subjective time measurement can vary.
The perception of time is, of course, subjective. The trouble with the indoor rower is that there is a clock sitting right in front of your face during your sessions. You can’t help but be reminded each second of the pain and discomfort (if you are trying!). Divert your attention on to something other than the timer and your perception of the ‘timed link with discomfort’ can be removed. We usually spend time on the ergo speeding forward to the end, and as we know, the watched kettle always takes longer to boil!
When we focus too much on the time on the ergo and, by doing so, to step into an awareness of it we possibly highlight our discomfort.
Focus on something other than time and we can experience something else – time freedom. But we shouldn’t just look with our eyes and understand with our mind, we must experience it with all the facets of our being; with all our senses, with all our perceptions, our feelings, and our heart. Timeshifting in this respect is greatly aided by music.
So try something next time you climb on your ergo. Push the Performance Monitor forward so you can’t see it. Start your MP3 player with one of our specially written workout pieces and just row with the beat. Without the visible timer, you won’t be reminded where in the workout you are, but you will be guided through a series of carefully designed musical variations in tempo to give you your workout. When you finish, I’ll bet your perception of the timed rowed will be less than it really was. By focusing on the experience of the music you will timeshift your subjective view of how long you have been rowing. I’ve never actually met anyone who said the session seemed longer than it actually was! Worth a try.
Boosting your VO2 max for rowing on the erg is absolutely essential if you want to score big in a 2k test. Good 2k erg times depend heavily on having a good VO2 max because during a 2k erg test, you are working near your VO2 max. Sometimes even above.
Imagine being able to boost that VO2 max. How much of a difference would it make to your erg scores?
Let’s have a look.
VO2 max is a measure of your ability to use oxygen. The greater your ability to use oxygen during a 2k erg test, the harder you can pull. While a lot of studies by sports scientists say that it is largely fixed by genetics, they still say that it can be increased with training.
How you can boost it – starting today.
You need to aim to train at an intensity greater than 85% of your VO2 max (92% of your Max heart rate). This training requires a good level of mental toughness and you… must be prepared to suffer to make gains.
Session #1.
30 seconds hard, 30 seconds medium
Row at or slightly faster than your 2k pace for 30 seconds.
Then for the 30 seconds medium try to pull 75% of the distance you rowed in the work phase.
So for example say you rowed a hard 150 meters for 30 seconds holding 1:40. You should aim to row around 112 meters in the medium which is in this example is around 2:14
Repeat until you fade or drop more that 2 seconds below your target 2k power.
Session #2
1 minute hard, 1 minute medium.
This is similar to the 30 seconds workout except you change the work and rest times up to 1 minute.
Session # 3
Classic 5 x 3 minutes hard, 3 minutes light.
3 minutes rowing slightly below slower than your 2k pace (remember the goal is to be in a zone above 85% of your VO2 max – which is roughly 92% of max heart rate)
The 3 minute recovery is different to the other rowing intervals. This time you should only float and keep moving – you should only attempt to keep active and row light.
It makes sense to begin with the shorter VO2 max rowing intervals and progress to the longer 3 minute ergs. Also, when you begin on the classic 5 x 3 you should start with 3 x 3 minutes. Then over a few weeks change to to 4 x 3 before graduating to the hardcore to 5 x 3 minutes. This will help you develop naturally and prevent an erg meltdown in your workouts.
The classic (5×3 minute) Vo2 Max workout should be used mainly in the early racing season and towards the end of the season. For example you could do a block of heavy VO2 max training 2 times per week for 3 – 4 weeks before your first big race. You would then continue your normal rowing training sessions and reintroduce a short block of VO2 max training 2 – 3 weeks before the most important race of your season.
But you should consider that one of the above sessions may suit you more than the others. You might find that you get better, faster results with say the 1 minute rowing intervals.
Ensure you play around with it and try discover what is right for you. Think also about what session you need and what areas you need to work on. Obviously the shorter intervals require more power but less long endurance and mental demands.
Finally
It’s easy to forget that good erg and rowing technique is as important as physical training.
The 30 seconds hard intervals will require you to spend a few strokes getting the fan moving to 2k power. Which is a much greater percentage than you spend getting the fan moving during the 3 minute intervals. Plus if you did 12 x 1 minute intervals, you would have had to move the fan hard (from the start) 12 times (as opposed to 5 times for the classic intervals).
Have this in mind when you are selecting what workout to do. But the bottom line according to the sports scientists is that the classic session still gives the most gains.
Good erg times come with consistent and patient training. Boosting your rowing VO2 max on the erg is a great controllable way to make your goals possible. But be warned, just like the race winning rowing workouts this type of training is extreme to say the least.
Staying hydrated is particularly important during exercise. Adequate fluid intake is essential to comfort, performance and safety. The longer and more intensely you exercise, the more important it is to drink the right kind of fluids.
Dehydration Decreases Performance
Studies have found that athletes who lose as little as two percent of their body weight through sweating has a drop in blood volume which causes the heart to work harder to circulate blood. A drop in blood volume may also lead to muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue and heat illness including:
Heat Exhaustion
Heat Stroke
Common Causes of Dehydration In Athletes
Inadequate fluid intake
Excessive sweating
Failure to replace fluid losses during and after exercise
Exercising in dry, hot weather
Drinking only when thirsty
Hydration Needs for Athletes
Because there is wide variability in sweat rates, losses and hydration levels of individuals, it is nearly impossible to provide specific recommendations or guidelines about the type or amount of fluids athletes should consume.
Finding the right amount of fluid to drink depends upon a variety of individual factors including the length and intensity of exercise and other individual differences. There are, however, two simple methods of estimating adequate hydration:
Monitoring urine volume output and color.
A large amount of light colored, diluted urine probably means you are hydrated; dark colored, concentrated urine probably means you are dehydrated.
Weighing yourself before and after exercise.
Any weight lost is likely from fluid, so try to drink enough to replenish those losses. Any weight gain could mean you are drinking more than you need.
Temperature
Exercising in the heat increases you fluid losses through sweating and exercise in the cold can impair you ability to recognize fluid losses and increase fluid lost through respiration. In both cases it is important to hydrate.
Sweating. Some athletes sweat more than others. If you sweat a lot you are at greater risk for dehydration. Again, weigh yourself before and after exercise to judge sweat loss.
Sports Drinks?
Sports drinks can be helpful to athletes who are exercising at a high intensity for 60 minutes or more. Fluids supplying 60 to 100 calories per 8 ounces helps to supply the needed calories required for continuous performance. It’s really not necessary to replace losses of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes during exercise since you’re unlikely to deplete your body’s stores of these minerals during normal training. If, however, you find yourself exercising in extreme conditions over 3 or 5 hours (a marathon, Ironman or ultramarathon, for example) you may likely want to add a complex sports drink with electrolytes.
General Guidelines for Fluid Needs During Exercise
While specific fluid recommendations aren’t possible due to individual variability, most athletes can use the following guidelines as a starting point, and modify their fluid needs accordingly.
Hydration Before Exercise
Drink about 15-20 fl oz, 2-3 hours before exercise
Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 min before exercise
Hydration During Exercise
Drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 min during exercise
If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 fl oz of a sports drink (with no more than 8 percent carbohydrate) every 15 – 30 minutes.
Hydration After Exercise
Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace fluid losses.
Drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost.
Consume a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein within the 2 hours after exercise to replenish glycogen stores.
There can’t be many people into fitness and exercise who in some way shape or form haven’t joined an exercise to music class at some time. I know people who attend ‘aerobics’ a few times a week to do their grape vines and the like and have done so for years. Great – but not for me. I tried it once. Liked it, did it again liked it even more. Eventually I started to look a bit coordinated and didn’t stand out too much from the crowd. Subsequently had a go at most forms of exercise to music class. Did spinning, body pump and boxercise and just about everything else for my hips, bum and tum in between. But I got bored! As it seems do many others!
During many years running Instructor Training courses at Leisure Clubs across the UK, I became aware of a frequent migration of exercisers from one class to another when a bit of boredom started to set in. Class success and sustainability seemed to boil down to a two things. The personality and motivational ability of the Instructor and the tangible benefits achieved by attendees over the shortest period of time possible.
So what’s new. Variety is the spice of life and new exercise innovations and class types are happening all the time in the exercise world. But what is actually different? Well I’ve come across one which is quite different. A few years ago I became involved with Crew Class in my capacity as a Master Instructor with Concept2.
Okay, call me biased – this is my bag – but it is different and has a great following. Its different, because no other physical activity undertaken in a class scenario requires quite the degree of coordinated and syncronised timing that rowing with a group of other people in perfect time does as ‘Crew Class’ or ‘Group Rowing’. If people don’t move together at exactly the same time it looks and feels awful. But if they do, it is the nearest feeling to rowing ‘in sync’ in a crew in a sleek rowing shell on the water. There is nothing quite like the tangible synergy of knowing you are in perfect time with the others in the class. It’s a nice feeling!
But, up until recently there has been a problem. The same difficulties of finding suitable music to row to as an individual hold true, but are amplified tenfold when you can’t ‘sync’ the whole class with the music. At best, ‘coordinated effort’ is not the term I would use to describe the visual effect observed when the music just doesn’t keep people together. At worst, it looks like a blindfolded version of the ‘hokey cokey’.
In a group exercise situation, unless the music is perfectly timed with the rowing stroke rate required, everyone will hear, interpret and latch on to the beat that takes their fancy. Music has to be spot on! That is why the music designed for individual rowing is so good for rowing in a group too!
When the additional timing cue of a recognizable beat is coupled with the leadership and control of a good ‘Crew Class’ Instructor, the overall effect is extremely motivational. One of the most frequent comments made by exercisers immediately following a Group Rowing session relates to a ‘timeshift’ that virtually always happens when the senses and cognitive skills required are stimulated by the music, the ‘group effect’ and often by the atmosphere the correct music can induce. The ‘timeshift’ is virtually always experienced as a reduction in the perceived time spent engaged in the activity. Bad news for those who like to spend all their time doing exercise, good news for people like me who have other things to do occasionally!
Rowing in a group is well worth a try if you are looking for something different! Sustainability, and therefore, exercise goals are more likely to be achieved through the use of variable sessions led by a qualified Instructor using variable and progressive music that will add to the experience by creating an optimal exercise atmosphere.
The Rhythm King
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of fast- and slow-tempo music on 500-m rowing sprint performances. Twenty-two rowers performed 500-m sprints 3 times: rowing without music, rowing to slow music, and rowing to fast tempo music. Strokes per minute (SPM), time to completion, (TTC), and rated perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded.
Although RPE did not differ between the rowing conditions, TTC was shortest in the fast music condition. Further, shorter TTC was observed in the slow music condition in contrast to the control condition, indicating that slow music also enhanced performance. The strongest treatment effects emerged, however, in the examination of the SPM that were significantly higher during rowing to fast music in comparison with rowing to slow music or no music. These results suggest that fast music acts as an external psyching-up stimulus in brief and strenuous muscle work.
In my last posting I gave an introduction into some of the theories related to using music to enhance rowing performance from both a historical and more current perspective. When considering the best music to listen to – things can become very subjective! Music can never be all things to all people, particularly when it comes to what works best as an accompaniment for exercise, let alone music specifically to row to.
So what are the first things to consider?
Well, lets start with some questions. Will the music make you row faster and further, will it improve your technique or will it simply make the process more enjoyable and thereby increase the chance of compliance to help achieve performance expectations and aims? Well in short yes, it will do all those things for certain people at certain times.
Personal Experience
Consider my own experience. I like music and wherever possible try to incorporate it into my life. There is something very natural to me about undertaking almost any daily task being accompanied by some form of music (yep even tried that!) to either motivate me, calm me down, help me sleep, wake me up and sometimes relieve the boredom and monotony of a daily repetitive task.
It was pretty obvious to me a few years ago to somehow use music to help relieve the personally felt monotony of sitting on an indoor rowing machine for long periods of time while my backside became numb whilst trying to beat that little pace boat to the end of an imaginary finish line. My motivation to travel further or faster in the confines of my own home was initially only a next best fit after spending a number of years as a rower on real water with real scenery and a real bunch of guys eager to keep in unison to make that boat glide as quickly as possible to beat some similarly lycra-clad grunting guys to the finish line.
When it came to ‘dry training’, although I knew the indoor rower was suppose to be good for me, I often felt there were other less energetic things I could be doing!
Music as the Motivator
Eureka – lets set up the rower near to my music player and blast out my favourite tunes while subjecting my cardiovascular system to the full range of energy substrates it has to offer. As a sports physiologist, I kind of knew what was going on inside my body, but when those energy substrates become depleted, I didn’t care too much which one was allowing me to gasp in my much needed breath and feed my weakening body. Memories of physiology lectures and crebs cycles seemed to be of no consequence or importance now as survival with a degree of decorum and dignity became the motivation.
With the advent of the iPod and the great flexibility of where my Concept 2 Rower could be sited in my home in an attempt to provide some welcome distractions, a newfound energy was apparent. But after looking at every angle of my garden from the patio and exploring the numerous combinations of locations to get the best view of the television or best stereo effect from my music players there was usually a degree of familiarity as the reality of simply trying to mask my pain and discomfort struck home.
To compound my problem, my choice of music was initially a ‘best fit’ and always seemed to fall short of seeing me through to the end of the carefully crafted session from my well designed and progressive training programme. Somewhere during the session I was going to ignore the music as the rowing machine’s performance monitor indicated that the pace boat was going to kick my butt into submission again and I would have to ignore the natural latin beats and rhythms of Carlos Santana or thumping sounds of AC/DC.
Onset of the Inevitable
As the successive second digit zeros accompanied the chronological label associated with my time spent on this planet, my hopes of medals at any gatherings of fellow indoor rowers faded and my motivation to maintain the sub seven minute benchmark diminished and was replaced by the motivation to stay reasonably fit and healthy. Thing was, I actually did find the rower was keeping me fit and in a strange sense, I actually quite looked forward to getting on it again once the feeling actually came back into my backside and a day or so had passed since the last session.
Altered Mental States
As someone who meditates and keen exponent of the martial art Chi Kung, I often went ‘subconscious’ and relaxed almost entering a ‘zen-like state’ whilst trying to beat that bloody pace boat and often found myself being pleasantly mesmerised by the nature of the rowing rhythm and ratio at a more comfortable pace.
I would often find a slower more natural pace that was driven by a more intrinsic motivation that suited my purposes. Should I not just enjoy the pleasure of rowing alongside my ‘digital doppleganger’ rowing partner who had carefully selected from one of my previous recorded sessions and simply enjoy the journey? Well it worked for me and indoor rowing started to take on a very different angle and meaning.
My musical rowing accompaniment changed from being selected from under the heavy rock end of my CD rack to the ‘Ibiza’ section and stuff found in my Café del Mar and Ravi Shankar CDs that only usually came out at night when I was trying to chill out.
The Sports Physiologist View
You can never take the need to measure stuff and the element of healthy competition out of the sports physiologist! My sports science lecturers made sure of that with only neurological surgical intervention being an option to wipe clean my hard drive!
My sports science lecturers’ indoctrination of the need to measure, and make my statistical data reliable and valid has always stayed with me. After a few months of really enjoyable ‘meditative rowing’ I just had to measure something and my sub max VO2 was gonna get a full analysis along with my 2000 metre time. Was all this Café del Mar and Ibiza chill out stuff going to be the cause of me slipping into these interesting physiological states known as being a unfit and over weight?
Well actually, no. Surprisingly, I had lost some of my body fat, actually increased my aerobic capacity and could still come in with a sub seven for 2000 metres much to my surprise. When I looked back at the frequency and durations of rowing sessions, I hadn’t actually cut down my time on the rower, although I must say it did seem I had! It suddenly dawned on me that I was enjoying the training more as my mind was focussing elsewhere. The music maybe? I suppose I was doing more of ‘freeform’ or even type of ‘fartlek’ training guided by the music.
Its All in the Timing
I wanted to enjoy the new approach to exercise and training but realised there was a fundamental problem with my favourite music. I wasn’t actually rowing perfectly in time, every time with it! It was just there to listen to and my overall stroke rate determined by the approximate number of beats per minute to the tracks I chose. I did find myself changing the ratio of my drive and recovery rate to suit the music. Sometimes, I must confess, I didn’t display what was considered good ‘rhythm and ratio’. The music simply didn’t work that way. As a musician I realised I ideally needed to be working in 3/4 time as opposed to 4/4 time which most of the music I listened to (and indeed written for exercise) was written in! The nearest I could get to it was a ‘waltz timing’ and that wouldn’t have looked cool to the other members of my family wherever they happened to stumble upon me and my rowing machine in the house at the time. No, I needed the music to be specific to rowing but to my taste too.
Faster is Not Necessarily Better
So it seemed that slower music worked for me. But actually, and here is the point – it seemed slower because of the mood the music was trying portray, but I had a number of ‘audible cues’ from which to reference various points in the stroke whether it be the ‘catch’, the ‘finish’ of the stroke or at some point in between such as when my hands had turned around and were stretched forward prior to the recovery phase. Although my favourite rowing music was slower paced than typical ‘aerobics’ or spinning music, the audible cues still allowed a reasonable stroke rate of around 24 – 28 spm.
To Sync or not to Sync
Here we are talking about music being used in strict synchronisation with the rowing action and not simply as a background accompaniment. Just having music on to create a motivational atmosphere may actual be detrimental to work output by encouraging poor technique. A regular sound cue must occur at a regular point in the stroke cycle.
Logically, a strong ‘cue beat’ should come at the catch or beginning of the stroke but actually it doesn’t really matter. Different pieces of music may influence the rower in different ways so again it can be very subjective. You might ‘latch onto’ a beat at the finish of the stroke. In essence, if it works for you – do that! However, until now, that hasn’t been done at the same point so most music is a ‘best fit’.
The Ideal Scenario
What is really needed is a piece of music that has been written specifically with the above considerations in mind with the time signature correct for the uneven stroke ratio. In addition, don’t be put off by the need for what has been associated with fast paced thumping beats to make you work harder. If the transposition of musical beats per minute can enable between 24 – 30 strokes per minute on the rowing machine, most rowers should be able to keep in time and sync with the music. Now we’ve got something. If the music can now change seamlessly through a range of stroke rates to enable a varied training session in terms of pace and effort for a typical session length of say between 20 and 45 minutes, you don’t have to stop rowing to change your music – just let your virtual musical coach guide you through the whole session! Vary the musical themes and take the rower on a ‘journey’ and you might actually look forward to your butt becoming numb!
Ready for something new and different? Well don’t hold your breath. Not much is completely new or different.
Most of what we deem to be new, is either just the rehashing of old stuff, bringing old things to people who haven’t seen it before or combining separate old things in news ways. Very few things are new or completely different!
Take music and the physical activity of rowing for example.
Ancient Greek sailors understood the benefits of using music and used either pipes or drums to indicate and maintain the desired stroke rating of their oarsmen. The occasional crack of the whip added a degree of motivation for those who didn’t have an ear for music!
Similarly, the Romans used a ‘Pausarius’ who performed the same task. In times of battle this ‘musical motivation’ was used to get oarsmen to work harder, faster and in particular, in time with each other.
In more recent times, there has been much research into physical performance enhancement through the use of music. It has even been classified by many researchers as ‘ergogenic aid’ with the potential to enhance performance and has been the subject of much research and debate.
Modern day rowing both on water and particularly on dry land with the use of the ‘ergometer’, would seem to be ideally suited to be performed to music. Nevertheless, appreciation and response to musical stimuli can be very subjective, as is the athlete’s rating of their own perceived exertion. So, availability and personal choice of music is all important if it is to enhance performance or even simply make the experience more enjoyable.
The problems with rowing to music.
At first sight it would appear that music and rowing could go well together. Well, actually they do!
The problem is that rowing is like no other physical activity – when done properly it comprises an action in which the work or drive phase is not equal in time to the recovery phase.
In fact the ratio of work to recovery is about 1:2 giving a potential problem to writing music for the activity. The nearest you can get to an accurate musical timing for rowing is more akin to a waltz – not everyone’s cup of tea for a musical accompaniment of an ergo session! Although I have tried it and it works really well for timing if not motivation!
So what about a motivational tempo for cardiovascular activity? It has been suggested that music of about 120-130 beats per minute is ideal for prolonged training. Divide this by four and we have a rowing rating of about 30-32 strokes per minute. The competitive situation will obviously demand ratings in excess of 32 strokes a minute but many indoor rowing training sessions work at much lower stroke-rates than 32. I may not want to waltz but I sure ‘aint gonna smooch!
To Sync or Not to Sync.
Many people who use music to help them through their rowing sessions at some time have tried looking for music that completely synchronises with the rowing stroke – few and far between though, and usually at the expense of good technique. Many have to make do with a strong beat in a piece of music that doesn’t exactly synchronise but is a sort of ‘best fit’.
Ideally, what would be useful then is some specific music being used in strict synchronisation with the rowing action. For it to be motivational and even variable to seamlessly take the rower through the desired phases of exertion variation when required. A sort of ‘Musical Performance Coach’ if you will.
So, a combining of some older tried and tested stuff in a new way and bringing it to people who haven’t seem it before. Now there’s an idea!
The Rhythmking.
Q. What is the difference between a ‘continuous mix’ and a gapless album?
A continuous mix is essentially all of the individual songs on the album joined together in one long track.
A gapless album has all of the individual songs as separate tracks that allow the album to be played from start to finish without any pauses in between the songs. For further information regarding this Click here.
Q. How do I use a Virtual Rowing Coach to help me row better?
A. Good technique is essential if you want to get the most out of rowing on the Indoor Rower. Virtual Rowing Coaches have been specifically written to encourage sound rowing technique by giving the listener recognisable beats at various points of the rowing stroke. As the tempo changes, so you will be encouraged to change your level of workout intensity. The rhythms have been put together to vary over the course of the workout to warm you up, vary the intensity during the main body of the exercise and cool you down without even having to think about it! All you have to do is pick a Virtual Rowing Coach title that gives you the intensity and type of workout you want.
Q. What is the best way to get into the rhythm of the music and how do I know which part of the beat corresponds to which part of the stroke?
A. You don’t have to ‘hit’ a particular beat to keep in time – there are actually a number which you can pick up on. The rhythms have been specifically designed to present a number of ‘audible cues’. The best way to get into the rhythm is to start counting in your head “one and two and three and one and two and three”..and so on… Start the stroke at the ‘finish’ i.e. sitting at the back of the slide, legs flat, forearms parallel to the floor with elbows tucked in and the handle against your abdomen. Lean slightly back at about the eleven o’clock position. While still counting the beat in your head, extend your arms forward on the count of one, rock forward from the hips to the one o’clock position on the count of two, now bend your legs so you come up the slide to the ‘beginning’ or ‘catch’ of the stoke so the handle is extended forward at the count of three. Drive with the legs, rock back and put your arms back into the finish position at the count of four. That’s it – one full stoke. Your Recovery:Drive ratio is 2:1 which is ideal. Soon you will get into the rhythm without having to count, but a check now and again is worthwhile to ensure you’re in the right ratio. As you get use to the music you can change the tempo by changing the point on the recovery of the count or simply pulling harder and faster.
In addition to the audible single beat percussion cues, some artists use longer chords to correspond to the drive or recovery phase of the stroke and some use water sounds representing the sound of the oar pulling through the water as an additional cue. This gives further flexibility in finding a way to use the music to guide the rower into hitting the right tempo and timing. Experiment with different timings and see what works for you. You may find the beats of particular percussion instruments works for you over the water sounds. As stroke technique, physiology, biomechanics and fitness levels vary from rower to rower there may sometimes be a need to experiment a little at first to find what floats your boat!
Q. How is the music used on the Virtual Rowing Coach tracks different from any other exercise music?
A. As far as we know, nobody has ever produced music specifically for rowing. It’s not easy! Most music for exercise just needs a steady and recognisable beat corresponding to a particular movement such as a step, kick etc. Rowing is more complex than most forms of exercise because the ratio of the two principle movements up and down the slide i.e the drive and recovery phases are disproportionate in time. For good technique, the recovery (moving forward) should be a minimum of twice as long as the drive (moving backwards when the main effort is performed. Most music encourages a 1:1 ratio which is inefficient and encourages incorrect technique. Furthermore, most ‘aerobics type’ music is far too fast in tempo for rowing.
Virtual Rowing Coach has been specifically written with clear rhythms which allows a recognisable beat to be picked up at the major phases of the stroke. When you pick up the beat and time with one of the points of the rowing stroke you can’t fail to row at the correct ratio. With a little practice you can alter the beats by halving the time or speeding up to change the rowing rate and pace.
Q. What are the ambient tracks for?
A. In developing the music we were keen to enhance the rowing experience by creating an ‘atmosphere’ in which to take the exercise experience to another level. The ambient tracks are used to either ‘set the scene’ whilst the class is gathering and going through the warm up phase or used to cool down after the main body of the workout. You can actually perform all the major cool down stretches whilst sitting on the indoor rower.
Q. Is Virtual Rowing Coach only for group exercise to music sessions in the Gym?
Not at all. Although the music will enhance any group rowing session by giving the Instructor a unique ‘themed’ workout experience for the class, you can listen to the music on your own to get the same benefits.
Q. I’ve noticed that you advertise workouts depending on workout intensity, High, Moderate and Low. As we are not all the same, how can the workouts be labelled ‘moderate intensity’ for example be for everyone? Surely it depend on fitness level!?
Good question – you are absolutely right. We use recommended ‘stroke rates’ to determine the workout patterns. A ‘Stair’ pattern will, for example, have a gradual increase in recommended strokes per minute (spm) which correspond to musical beats per minute. The rowing machine will indicate what your spm should be. The fitter rower has the option to ‘pull’ harder however which will increase the work rate and what will show on the rowers monitor as ‘pace’ while still keeping time with the music.
Mark (known as the Rhythm King to everyone at Pausarius) is the expert behind the training routines and is very happy to answer any questions you might have for him.
He is a fully qualified Sports Physiologist and Psychologist with extensive experience, and has worked with many professional athletes and clients requiring motivation to achieve peak performance and exercise & health goals.
Following a successful Short Service Commission in the British Army, Mark pursued further academic study and qualified in both theoretical and practical aspects of sport and fitness training returning to university gaining an MSc in Sport & Exercise Science where he specialised in sports psychology and physiology, health and fitness assessment and performance coaching. He combines both physiological and psychological strategies to optimise performance which can be applied to a wide range of sporting, sport management and personal coaching scenarios.
Mark developed his Total Motivation concept in a wide range of sporting arenas as well as in personal and business development. He has gained over 25 years experience in successfully applying his principles in fields ranging from Formula One Motor Racing and International Motor Sport, Rowing, Rugby, Football and Endurance Sports.
Mark now works with a range of training organisations and consultancies and is committed to improving individual, team and corporate performance using quality coaching and mentoring principles within a holistic personal development framework.
Please leave your comments in the ‘Leave a Reply’ box below for Mark!
|
Posts
|
From The Indroduction The Science of Swimming - James Counsilman, 1974 ----------------------------------- The following quotation is taken from the inscription in the foyer of the Science Building of the Seattle World's Fair of 1962: To learn about the world around him, a scientist must ask, observe, suppose, experiment and analyze: In asking - the right question must be posed In observing -
Goal vs Process Oriented Training By Lyle McDonald http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/goal-versus-process-oriented-training-part-1.html ------------------------------------------ An excellent website that I highly recommend that interested coaches spend some time reading. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/ Goal vs. Process Oriented Training: Part 1 Although I’m known more for nutrition
A Coaches Dozen: 12 FUNdamental Principles for Building Young and Healthy Athletes Avery D. Faigenbaum, Ed.D. Larry Meadors, Ph.D. Strongkid.com The College of New Jersey Sports Spectrum Training ======================== Under the guidance of a qualified youth coach, young athletes can learn the technical and tactical skills of a sport, gain confidence in their physical abilities, develop
USOC Sport Psychology’s “TOP TEN” Guiding Principles for Mental Training By Sean McCann, Ph.D. USOC Sport Psychologist OLYMPIC COACH VOLUME 19 NUMBER 3 ========================================= 1. MENTAL TRAINING CAN’T REPLACE PHYSICAL TRAINING AND TALENT. We haven’t seen any Olympic Athlete who succeeded without doing the physical and technical work, even though we have worked with some of the
Making Mistakes is Normal Doug Lemov Teach Like a Champion ======================== I think that although the following example refers to classroom teaching it is quite possible to apply the concepts to teaching sport skills to rowers. The emphasis in bold is mine - Jamie ======================== In today's encore excerpt - making errors is normal, and making mistakes is a necessary part of
Workouts: Why do Rowers Fear the Erg? Sunday, December 19, 2010 Winter Op-Ed from the RowingRelated Editorial Staff http://www.rowingrelated.com/2010/12/winter-workouts-why-do-rowers-fear-erg.html Friend. Not Foe. I am really frustrated by our sport when it comes to the erg being viewed as a torture device rather than a helpful tool that people can enjoy. This negative mindset, which is
Will G Hopkins, Sport and Recreation, AUT University, Auckland 0627, New Zealand. Sportscience 11, 22, 2007 (sportsci.org/2007/inbrief.htm#FindingOut). Reviewer: John A Hawley, School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University. Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia. Published Aug 20, 2007.
Nutrition, sleep and recovery SHONA L. HALSON Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Belconnen, ACT, Australia Halson, Shona L.(2008) 'Nutrition, sleep and recovery', European Journal of Sport Science, 8: 2, 119 —126 --------------------------------- Abstract Ensuring athletes achieve an appropriate quality and/or quantity of sleep may have significant implications for
Is Variation In Training Overrated? http://running.competitor.com/2009/08/training/is-variation-overrated_5000 ----------------------------------- The virtue of variation in endurance sports training is often hyped. But here’s why your program may benefit from a little less variation and a little more repetition. Much is made of the virtue of variation in endurance sports training. Heck, I’ve
How do you make sure your coaches follow an ethical path? Ask them to each write their own coaching philosophy statement. By Dr. Dennis Docheff Athletic Management, 17.3, April/May 2005, http://www.momentummedia.com/articles/am/am1703/gpphilosophy.htm -------------------------------- One of your coaches discovers that his best player has broken a team rule. The player remains eligible for
RECOVERY FROM TRAINING: A BRIEF REVIEW PHILLIP A. BISHOP, ERIC JONES, AND A. KRISTA WOODS Kinesiology Department, Human Performance Laboratory, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama Journal of Strength and Conditioning Vol 22 Number 3 May 2008 ABSTRACT Athletes spend a much greater proportion of their time recovering than they do in training. Yet, much attention has been given to training
Crew Selection Author: Kris Korzeniowski (USA) FISA Be A Coach Level 3 ============================ Introduction The FISA CDP courses in Levels I and II attempted to provide a coaching educational package of useful information presented in a simple and practical way. One of the concepts emphasized has been that information obtained from using expensive and complicated equipment, although
Willing to Win Author: Willi Railo (NOR) From FISA Coach Handbook Level 3 ============================== 1.0 Introduction People usually look on the psychological side of sport as being something abstract and therefore difficult to understand. That is the main reason why they find it hard to do something practical and effective to improve their attitudes to sport. The psychological side of
Maximise You – 10 Tips for Coach Well Being Ann Quinn (Quinnessential Edge, London, UK) ITF Coaching and Sport Science Review 2010; 50 (18): 3 - 4 ========================== ABSTRACT This article summarises some tips to help you maximise the most important person of all – you, so that you can enjoy the journey to your success both on and off the court. Key words: Coach well being, health,
Ten things every young (swimming) coach should know By Wayne Goldsmith (a few adjustments to offer Wayne’s recommendations to coaches in other sports) =========================== 1. Learn from the guys (and gals) who have been there The best way to learn is by doing. Next best is to learn by working with those who do the doing. Find yourself a mentor: A senior coach who has experienced the
Exercise Science and Coaching: Correcting Common Misunderstandings About Endurance Exercise Andrew N. Bosch, PhD UCT/ MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town and Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Boundary Road, Newlands 7700, South Africa. E-mail: abosch@sports.uct.ac.za International Journal of Sports Science &
A Review of Hydration Douglas S. Kalman, PhD, RD and Anna Lepeley, MS, CSCS, CISSN Strength and Conditioning Journal Vol 32 No 2 April 2010 ======================================================== SUMMARY THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THE GUIDELINES AND CONSIDERATIONS OF HYDRATION APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS POPULATION GROUPS AND RESPECTIVE CONDITIONS. AN AREA OF INTEREST AND CONTROVERSY WITH HYDRATION IS THE
So you say you want to win! But have you done the following?: Jamie Croly ------------------------------- 1. Find a good WHY. Decide why you are training. What is your goal or objective at the end of the training/racing? The importance of the Why will be critical in the motivation that you have for your training/racing and therefore how much you commit to it. This has to be a something that is
Exercise in the heat: Fundamentals of Thermal Physiology, Performance Implications and Dehydration By Douglas J. Casa, PhD, ATC, CSCS From Journal of Athletic Training 1999;34(3):246-252 ----------------------------------------- Objective: To present the critical issue of exercise in the heat in a format that provides physiologic foundations (Part I) and then applies the established literature
Training for Intense Exercise Performance: High Intensity or High Volume Training By Paul Laursen New Zealand Academy of Sport North Island ----------------------------------------------- Abstract Performance in intense exercise events, such as Olympic rowing, kayak, track running and track cycling events, involves a mix of energy system contributions from aerobic and anaerobic sources.
Now What? By Vern Gambetta http://www.functionalpathtrainingblog.com/2010/09/now-what.html --------------------------------------------------------- You have max heart rate, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability. You have total distance moved in a practice. You have blood lactate during and post workout. So you have pages of spreadsheets filled with numbers, now what do you do with this
Exploring the Mysteries of Exercise 12 By Len Kravitz, Ph.D. http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/mysteries.html ----------------------------------------------------- Although the benefits of exercise are espoused daily in classes, newspapers, journals and on TV, less information has been dispersed regarding the underlying mechanisms causing these physiological changes. The
Training Methods and Intensity Distribution of Young World Class Rowers By Arne Guellich, Stephen Seiler, and Eike Emrich From International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2009, 4, 448-460 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arne Guellich1, Stephen Seiler2, and Eike Emrich3 1 Department of Sports Sciences, University of Kaiserslautern,
Keep It Simple and You Are Brilliant From http://www.functionalpathtrainingblog.com/2010/07/keep-it-simple-and-you-are-brilliant.html ----------------------------------------------------- How many times have we heard coaches evoke the KISS principle, that is not what I am talking about. When I hear KISS I almost take it as an insult, KISS is dumbing down. I have believed for years that
|
Posts
|
My name is Xeno. I rowed competitively for 20 years. My greatest achievements are winning gold and silver at the Olympics and setting the Olympic record. As a single sculler, I am one of six who has raced faster than six minutes forty seconds for 2000 meters.
I made a life changing decision a year before the Olympics by moving to Southern California. In Orange County I met my wife. We have four children. Family means everything to me. For business I travel very little, because family is such a huge part of me.
I started my first rowing website in 1998. Because my family's extensive schedule, my goal as a private rowing coach is to be geographically as independent as possible. That is why I love working with my computer and a blazing fast internet connection. Thanks to SKYPE, SCREEN-FLOW, and DROPBOX, I can deliver first class coaching to rowers half a world away. I can coach in five different languages.
One of my strengths as a coach is to identify the smallest yet very important technical deficiencies. What sets me even further apart from 99% of other coaches, is that I know which exercises to pick to correct the tiniest technical issues. I know from personal experience how the muscles feel when the stroke is delivered properly.
Rowers, whom I help, improve their ability drastically. I feel passionate about helping people enjoy the sport of rowing further.
Good night.
Xeno.
www.xenorowingcoach.com for performance rowing
www.row2go.com for rowing machine users who need motivation
| Rob and I learned from the great Harry Mahon. We met yesterday at home. We both set the blade at the right time. |
Are you a member of a losing rowing team? Do you w... http://indoor-rowing.blogspot.com/2012/03/are-you-member-of-losing-rowing-team.html?spref=tw#crew #rowing #concept2
A slow motion stroke study shows technical deficiencies invisible to the coach's eye at normal speed. http://Www.xenorowingcoach.com#rowing #Crew
No competitive rower under the age of 28 should experience plateaus. #rowing #Concept2 #crossfit http://www.xenorowingcoach.com
There is no surprise with rowing. Every stroke repeats the same way, therefore injuries are totally preventable in rowing. #rowing
The emotional toll on rowers who get injured from bad technique is devastating and it is the coaches fault. #rowing
Have a look at this narration of the single scull race. #rowing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56Ai-Goj9Qw&feature=youtube_gdata_player
If you wonder how you can improve your rowing stroke to produce more power the look at these downloads http://www.xenorowingcoach.com/xeno-muller-rowing-coach/Digital_Training_Downloads.html#rowing #Concept2
I am selling a Hudson T7 double scull. Great for rough water and exploring http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/boa/2911285070.html#rowing
To me it is crystal clear that the aging clock can be slowed down, way down, with the right training plan.
The greatest errors committed for "aging" people who work out and look for greater fitness are: intensity that is too high, too little torque, too little mileage, unknown target heart rate, technique that does not utilize the major muscle groups which restricts range of motion and can lead to injury.
| Pressure on spinal cord from a slipped disc. |
| Slipped disc pushes on spinal cord. |
| Maximum pressure on lower back which can lead to major back problems. |
| Zero heel connection at the finish, puts a lot of strain on the shoulders, and leaves the lower back vulnerable to injury. Such technique leaves glut and hamstring muscles underdeveloped. |
| A lack in technical check ups leads to unwanted movements throughout the rowing stroke. |
| I am your undercover weapon to row faster, much faster. |
| En route to 6:44.85 current Olympic record and Atlanta Gold. |
| Left to right, Vaclav Chalupa, Derek Porter, Thomas Lange, the next day I met Derek. |
| From left to right, Derek Porter, Xeno Müller, Thomas Lange 1996 Olympics |
| Remera en primer plano tiene problemas técnicos, mientras la segunda remera muestra una mejor posición- |
| Esta foto ilustra muy bien la remada descripta arriba. Además no entiendo bien que es lo que está pasando con el pié derecho. |
| Este es un clara quebrada anticipada de brazos, lo cual retrasa el empuje de piernas, el cuerpo se levanta anticipadamente, mientras que el talón de los pies aún no ha conectado la pedalina. |
| Rower in the foreground has technical problems, whereas second rower shows a better hang. |
| This picture illustrates well the above described rowing stroke. Also I am not quite sure what is going on with the right foot. |
| This is a clear early arm draw, which puts the leg drive on the back burner, the upper body is opening early, while the heel has not yet connected to the foot board. |
| This picture I chose not necessarily for the first two rowers. Most of the pictures taken by row2k are in the drive phase so it is hard to find shots on the recovery. Have a look at the rower all the way to the right. He is on the recovery, combining every part of his body to move to the catch. Such a rower creates a rush in a team boat. The fellow in the middle has an early opening of back, is breaking the arms at the same time, and the angle of the upper body is already at vertical which leaves nothing to connect in the last quarter of the leg drive. The young rower at the forefront is gripping the handle in his fist reducing his ability to maximize his effective length at the catch and at the finish. Join one of the fastest growing communities of indoor rowers at www.row2go.com and become the fastest rower at www.xenorowingcoach.com Xeno Muller won an Olympic Gold in Atlanta and an Olympic Silver in Sydney, and is the current Olympic Record holder in the 2000m Single Scull. He is also the President of XenoRowingCoach and Row2Go which is quickly becoming THE online community for both indoor and on-the-water rowers providing its members with weekly online workout routines and individualized coaching programs. |
| First day of rowing January 198 |
| My dad and I the year before Brown |
| Shortly before driving to Sydney from Murwillumbah |
Hi Rowers and Coaches,
Yesterday as I was communicating with a couple rowers over the internet it occurred to me that I ought to write about chronic problems that I encounter and hear about of technique and rigging issues, here goes:
| This is not good enough of a hang either :-) |
Are a parent of a high school student who loves to row? You may be in luck or not...
You are in luck, if your child has a good erg score. A good erg score, a.k.a. fast 2K on a Concept2 rowing machine, makes rowing coaches foam at the mouth. If your child is a girl with a good score, you could get thousands of $ off tuition through a rowing scholarship. For the boys it is a little different. Men's crew at the University level does not receive funding from the athletic department because of title IX. However, a good erg score for a male rower can get him into a great rowing university. The better the 2K the more likely a H.S. student is to be recruited for a university crew program.
If your child's erg score is not good enough yet... you are in luck, because I can help you. If your son or daughter is determined to put in the rowing meters, I can help lower the erg score by twenty seconds depending on how much time is left before applying to a university.
Through superior internet speed, helping rowers worldwide, has become the main part of my coaching business. I receive rowing clips on a daily basis. These excerpts are between 45 and 60 seconds long, taken at 90 degrees, full side view. I complete a slow motion stroke analysis by carefully explaining and graphically illustrate the strong and weak points of a rowers technique. I then explain which technical drills need to be done to improve power application. Each analysis comes complete with a one month training program.
Your child's rowing stroke improves dramatically without pain.
With today's tuition cost averaging $28,000 per year it is an absolute must to utilize a professional stroke analysis, by one of the most successful rower and coach in history.
Learn more at www.xenorowingcoach.com
Sincerely,
Xeno Müller
Olympic gold and silver medalist, Olympic record holder.
I coached a junior today. We did rowing specific resistance work. Without getting into the detail of the workload, a new blog topic came to me: Why stress over rest when the pieces are hard enough.
| Five days before the Olympics |
Hello rowers and endurance athletes.
| 1996 Olympics, Derek Porter, Xeno Muller, Thomas Lange, Olympic record 6:44.85 |
| Training on Lake Sarnen, Switzerland |
Veo partidos muy reñidos en la tele y se me ocurrió que muchos de estos atletas tienen poco tiempo para recuperarse para la siguiente ronda; especialmente los jugadores que se enfrentan en dobles y singles durante el mismo torneo. Conozco una manera suave para apresurar la recuperación. Pero primero echemos un vistazo rápido a lo que se hace comúnmente.
| Xeno Müller, Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist, Olympic record holder |
|
Posts
|
Today I was thrilled to get word from ready Brandy Mulligan that she has begun her own blog all about the erg! It will be great to have another resource for passionate rowers.
Go and check out her work today!
Along with boats, oars are the most basic and important piece of rowing equipment.
Today all oars are constructed from a mixture of carbon fiber and fiberglass, permitting the construction of a lightweight oar with the ability to control important properties, notably the stiffness of the oar.
Sculling oars come in a variety of lengths from approximately 280cm - 295cm or more, with custom options available from leading manufacturers. Sweep oars range from 370cm to 380cm or more, again with custom lengths as well. Today, most oars come with the ability to adjust the length to a degree, typically at the handle.
The "blade" often refers to the part that is placed in the water to propel the boat. While some clubs will invariably still have the older Macon style of blade in their stock the "hatchet" style of blade is used be virtually all competitive crews now. The hatchet blade offers a greater amount of surface area, and it is used with shorter oars as a result. Its center of balance is toward the top of the oar, rather than the middle as in macon oars. Most rowers find them easier to grip the water without technical mistakes. The shaft of the oar is connected to the blade assymetrically - higher up on the blade which minimizes the amount of shaft in the water (which contributes to drag), as well as maximizing the surface area of the balde that can be submerged.
The exact size and shape of the hatchet varies between companies, and individual companies even offer a variety of shapes.
The path of the oar through the water during a stroke is not uniform. The forces applied as a result change throughout the stroke and rowers are also more effective in applying force early and through the mid part of the stroke than in the later part of the stroke. Manufacturers dedicate considerable time and energy to research as the shape of the blade will change how effective it is in each phase of he stroke.
Oar Manufactuers:
Concept II - USA Concept II, maker of the most-used rowing ergometer, also provides the majority of oars used in North America.
Croker Oars of Australia have significant market penetration in North America and around the world.
Empacher - the German boat builder also makes their own oars.
There are several companies of note to look at when you want to purchase rowing equipment, whether it be shells, ergs, oars, or more. We will attempt to put together a comprehensive list of rowing boat builders here. If you have other rowing equipment companies that you would like listed, please contact us.
Thanks to reader Daniel Carvalho of the Galit Club in Portugal sent along a spreadsheet that helps with erg race pacing.
Ergometer Strategy Spreadsheet
He included the following explanation:
The file named Ergometer (did not know what else to call it...) allows us to actually see some interesting details:
As longterm readers will notice there hasn't been a lot published here in a while. We're not in a position to continue significant content on the science of rowing, so in an attempt to continue adding content, we're going to broaden the focus of the site.
We'll now include more information on rowing equipment, rowing machines, and the basics of rowing - in addition to the occasional return to our roots of rowing science.
In the December 29 edition of the Rowing Biomechanics Newsletter Dr. Kleshnev reports on the effect of water temperature on boat speed - based on research out of East Germany in the 70s.
"...boat speeds decrease by 1.3% (~4s over 2k), when the water temperature drops from 20o C down to 5o C. If the water gets warmer, up to 30o, then the boat goes 0.6% faster (~1.8s over 2k). The power trend fits very well to the experimental data (R2 = 0.99)."
The reason is the change in the properties of water which changes frictional resistance.
A recent study, as reported in the Globe and Mail today, provides some confirmation of what many rowers have long felt - protein in a diet suppresses appetite better than fats or carbohydrates. In fact, the researchers were looking at the hormone ghrelin , secreted by the stomach, which is an appetite stimulant. Drinks containing more protein did a better job of suppressing ghrelin than fats, and while carbohydrates initially did a good job, later on they were quite poor. This of course will be familiar with anyone who is quickly satisfied by a high carb feed, only to be extremely hungry shortly thereafter.
This obviously bears some resemblance to the effect seen in high glycemic index foods, where insulin reacts to high blood sugar after high carbohydrate foods, often overreacting and actually lowering blood sugar.
An article from the Mayo Clinic on beta-blockers and exercise will be of interest to some readers. Beta blockers are prescribed to lower blood pressure and have the effect of lowering heart rate. As such normal exercise heart rates cannot be achieved. If this is the case for you, check out the article.
I just stumbled upon an interesting article on strength training for rowing you might be interested in.
If you enjoyed this post or other information on the site, subscribe to the Rowing Science Newsletter for regular updates and exclusive insider information for subscribers only.
Two new Rowing Biomechanics Newsletters have been released of late.
January 2007 Edition is a comment on Mechanical Modelling in Rowing. It is a more general comment although it makes reference to a talk at the British Coaching Conference 2007:
The next talk, “Physics of rowing”, was one on which we cannot fail to comment. The presenter had developed quite an interesting computer model of rowing and some gadgets. However, instead of explaining the model, he presented a mixture of trivial things...It is perhaps most interesting that he points out that most models use variation in boat speed as a major reason for energy losses in rowing. He notes:
The main verbal expression of this erroneous theory is: “do not disturb (stop) the run of the boat at catch”. The consequences of this are a soft ineffective catch, and early opening the trunk and slow force increase, which we found is very important for effective drive (RBN 2004/01-2).He also discusses a front loaded drive vs. a finish loaded drive, which the models suggest is better, but biomechanically does not make as much sense.
If you enjoyed this post or other information on the site, subscribe to the Rowing Science Newsletter for regular updates and exclusive insider information for subscribers only.
An excellent source of information is the American College of Sports Medicine who are a professional organization representing not just sports doctors, but all professionals in the field of sport science from exercise physiologists, to biomechanists, nutritionists, psycologists and more.
Their "position statements" are professional recommendations based on research literature. All these statements are available in PDF form on their website.
Of particular interest are two released recently. On March 1st they released a paper on "Exertional Heat Illness during Training and Competition" and February 1 they released one titled "Exercise and Fluid Replacement." These summaries should represent the most up to date information in the field and should be near the top of the reading list for all coaches as well as interested athletes.
While the information is fairly technical in nature and not something you would read in an aticle off the magazine stand, you can be sure it is current and reported by experts.
If you enjoyed this post or other information on the site, subscribe to the Rowing Science Newsletter for regular updates and exclusive insider information for subscribers only.
It has been a pleasure seeing the growth in readership of this blog. Readers have come from across the globe with a wide range of interests. Over 250 of you have subscribed for our updates and more still visit each day.
Technorti.com is one of the best known Blog Directories. They list 168 blogs with rowing as one of their topics! Of course not many of those have rowing as thier main topic. Here are a few of the blogs that I have had the pleasure of reading over the past six months or so. If you have a chance please take a look at the work of other rowing bloggers:
If you enjoyed this post or other information on the site, subscribe to the Rowing Science Newsletter for regular updates and exclusive insider information for subscribers only.
Thanks to Rebecca Caroe of Rowperfect (and her own blog) who sent me an email with references to several of their resources related to recent posts here. I would encourage you to go over and have a look. In the near future I may get a chance to expand on some of these resources but for now, a brief summary and an encouragement to take a look.
Resources from several Rowperfect seminars is provided including:
Information on Seat Racing by Duncan Holland
This relates to my posting of an excel sheet for use with a pair matrix, and our poll on selection.
He includes some important points:
If you enjoyed this post or other information on the site, subscribe to the Rowing Science Newsletter for regular updates and exclusive insider information for subscribers only.
The latest issue of The Rowing News contains an excellent article by Ed McNeely describing peak power and how to measure it on the erg. McNeely's article raises some intriguing points, but it also fails to mention one important factor - body mass - and how it affects this measure.
Peak Power is essentially the highest wattage obtained when setting the drag at 200 over 10 strokes. Others use slightly different protocols, but they all measure essentially the same thing. Refer to McNeely's article for a complete description of how to use it in your training.
McNeely mentions that several studies confirm that peak power is one of the best predictors of 2000 m erg preformance. This would seem somewhat counterintuitive. Rowing is 80% aerobic, while peak power is a measure of anaerobic performance - and mostly the ATP-CP system that works for only a few seconds. Yet McNeely is right.
One study found the correllation between peak power and 2000 m erg performance at r=0.92 p
This is not isolated to rowing, and also holds for other aerobic sports, even ones where the athlete must carry his or her weight even more than in rowing. Similar findings have been reported for 15 years in cycling. this article from South Africa by several authors including Tim Noakes, who recently was a keynote speaker at the Rowing Canada Coaches Conference found a strong correlation between peak power and both VO2 MAX and a 20 km cycling time trial. Interestingly another cycling study found that peak power increased from 864W to 940W or almost 9% after ingesting a controlled amount of caffeine.
In rowing, researchers have seen a 1.2% improvement in 2 k erg time and a 2.7% increase in mean power with caffeine ingestion. The same researchers in another study saw similar results with most of the improvement coming in the first 500 m - perhaps suggesting the effect was largely anaerobic, as is peak power.
Implications for You - and What McNeely Missed.
Peak Power is simple - perhaps for many even fun - to measure. Athletes don't seel the same pressure, or pain, that they do in a 2K erg test, yet the feedback it gives may be largely the same. We won't eliminate the need for 2K tests, but this may be a simle way to monitor training more regularily.
Train for power - McNeely describes how in his article and there are several other ways to include power training in your plan.
What he missed - the article I cited notes that the strong correlation between peak power and 2k erg times is true only when you consider lightweights and heavyweights separately so be cautious in how you use it to compare athletes. It would be better used to compare an individual athlete's progress in
training.
Don't forget our recent post on weight adjusting erg scores. First - the same formula cannot be used to adjust a measure of peak power. Second, well - weight matters. In fact the article that found the strong correlation with peak power also reported a significant correlation between body mass and 2 km erg performance!
Finally, remember that this information is derrived from studies on elite athletes. MCNeely points out that it may be a good measure because elite rowers are all so comparable aerobically and anaerobic measures may then be an important determining factor. I seriously doubt that this is true for club, masters or junior rowers.
That said, in my coaching experience it can be a useful measure with elite junior athletes, although whether peak power has the same correlation to 2K time in juniors I can't say. It would be interesting to have some coaches take both measures on their next round of testing and report the results here to our readers!
If you enjoyed this post or other information on the site, subscribe to the Rowing Science Newsletter for regular updates and exclusive insider information for subscribers only.
Thanks to JW Burk over at Fight in the Dog for this interesting link. It suggests that ancient rowers of Greek Triemes may have been as fit, or fitter than today's elite rowers. I expect there are a lot of holes you could poke in the assumptions and informtation sources used in the article but it still makes fun reading.
If you enjoyed this post or other information on the site, subscribe to the Rowing Science Newsletter for regular updates and exclusive insider information for subscribers only.
You may notice a newsreel in the header for the blog. Google has released this new tool recently. It will pull all news articles with rowing in them. I'm sure a few non-rowing articles will slip through but I hope this is an interesting and useful feature for you. Let me know what you think!
|
Posts
|
Here’s a great video of CrossFit Rowing coach Shane Farmer snatching 235 pounds at the SoCal Regionals for the CrossFit Games. He is in the green shirt at timestamp 0:40, right after the poor guy with the epic fail. Great movement, great technique. Not sure many rowers have this kind of strength and mobility outside of the horizontal plane.
This is why I am passionate about CrossFit in addition to rowing – as I get older the scope of what more I can achieve in rowing gets narrower, and I continue to train towards those goals, but CrossFit keeps me fresh and feeling like a novice I other areas, which keeps it interesting. Here’s a rower who can snatch 100 lbs. more than me with beautiful technique – clearly I have a lot of room for learning and improvement there even as the hair gets grayer.
Congrats Shane and well done!
http://games.crossfit.com/video/event-summary-socal-team-workout-5
This is a great video from RowingRelated showing the men’s varsity eight final at the Eastern Sprints this past weekend at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, MA (which will also be the site of USRowing Masters Nationals this August).
This race looks like it’s in the bag until 5:10 in, then watch what happens. I think Washington has more horsepower than Harvard, but they better watch out!
I’ve recently switched over to wearing Zem shoes for rowing, and I think they are perfect. They were originally designed as beach volleyball shoes, so they look weird but function well. They are essentially ankle-height neoprene booties with reinforcing bands and a split toe for mobility. They are also great for SUP. They are sturdy enough for minimalist running, and can slip right inside the shoes in the boat, hence minimizing dock time and solving the problem of wet socks and shoes on the dock! Plus you can crumple them up, store them in the car, and just throw them in the washing machine when they get smelly. Check them out!
Last week I did a post about the correlation between an increase in my CrossFit Total and increased rowing peak power on the Concept2. Today I tested for peak power, and achieved a new PR of 815 watts (1:15.45 / 500m pace), representing a 5% improvement. I did the test with 10 progressive attempts beginning at drag factor 120 and ending at drag factor 205. The updated chart looks like this:
A lot of people seem to wonder how to get 20 or more points on the rowing intervals during Fight Gone Bad.
Here’s a simple formula:
Assume it takes 10 seconds of the interval to transition, get strapped in, etc.
That leaves you about 5 seconds to get the flywheel up to speed and another 45 seconds at full power.
If you can keep the average calories at or above 1500 during those 45 seconds, you will get 20 points.
If you can minimize the transition time, you can get more. As a rower, I take the transition time off the back of the push press interval to ensure that I am ready to row for the full 60 seconds. In those 10-15 seconds, I can get 7-8 points rowing whereas I would only get 3 points push pressing.
Sometimes it’s tough to figure out how to implement short interval workouts on the water where you do not have the controlled timing environment that you do on the Concept2. This is especially tough with some of the CrossFit Endurance short interval WODs that mix distance and time. The SpeedCoach is not really set up to handle and measure short intervals – it takes too long to manually reset between intervals, and since the start/stop is controlled by an impeller, the start/stop motion is not precise.
Rather than stress out about this, or fumble around with the buttons during limited rest intervals when your heart rate is through the roof, the easiest method is often just to count strokes. Yes, count strokes. It’s simple, it keeps you very focused on executing each stroke well, and it keeps your intervals consistent regardless of wind/water conditions. It works quite well up to about 500m.
In the single, a simple way to implement short intervals is as follows – it is not a precise translation of the WOD, but it is close and it is “internally consistent” in terms of being able to implement consistent intervals in a boat, assuming an average stroke rate of 30:
For rest intervals of “equal time,” I do 2/3 of the stroke count at light pressure at about a rating of 20.
So to implement the CFE “Short Tosh” WOD of 125m-250m-500m with rest time equal to the work time, I would do:
If you are doing the intervals at a higher average rating or in a bigger boat, then I would shave about 10-15% off of the “rest” strokes. For example, if I were doing the “work” intervals at a rating of 35, or in a double scull, I would probably do:
Try it – the cool thing is that counting makes you focus on the quality of every single one of those 60 strokes in the 500m interval, trying to get the most out of it.
It’s been a while since I tested for either my CrossFit Total or my Concept2 peak power, but the time has come to start getting on track with both of these. One of the key training goals for this season is to raise my peak power “ceiling,” thereby potentially allowing me to generate more power per stroke. In a 125-stroke race, which is what Masters Nationals will be for me in August, I believe that focusing more on peak power than on traditional rowing conditioning will be an effective strategy for success, as the actual number of strokes possible in the race is limited.
Today I tested for CrossFit Total for the first time in maybe a year, doing it as a “by the book” test, all in one session. The results were great: new PRs in the Back squat (270) and deadlift (370), and staying the same in the press (125). This resulted in my CrossFit Total going from 725 to 770.
I now want to correlate this with my peak rowing power in watts to determine if there is a predictive relationship. I put together a quick-and-dirty graph of my progress to date, based on what I know my 1RM lifts were at the time of previous peak power tests:
As you can see, at the times where I have increased my CrossFit Total, my C2 peak power has jumped correspondingly. Based on this rough graph, my hypothesis is that my C2 peak power should jump from 787 up to about 850. I will test later this week to see if this hypothesis holds!
Recently a reader asked me for an opinion on back squats vs. box squats for rowing training. At the time I was not familiar with box squats. On a recent trip to the Pacific Northwest I worked out at CrossFit Amped in Bellevue, and received some coaching on box squats. While I have only begun to try them out, I am able to offer some initial thoughts:
Box squats train the finish, back squats train the catch, and deadlifts + kettlebell swings train the peak of the power curve through mid-stroke. For this reason, I think I will be adding box squats into my strength routine. They seem to really train hamstring and ankle flexibility, and they were activating something weird and deep in my core/torso that I have never felt before. I am not a physiologist, but intuitively I felt that all of the trunk tissue that is key to having a strong, stable, and upright finish connected to a powerful hip drive were being trained by the box squat.
Interestingly, while I think box squats will really help me get better at back squats, I do not believe they will significantly contribute to an explosive catch catch and drive in rowing. The front of the drive in a boat is tied much more to quad activation than hamstring, and for that reason I believe back squats or front squats are better for training the early stage of the drive, especially since we do not get as “deep” in a rowing boat as you do in a box squat.
What they will help with is evening out my ability to squat heavy. Right now I can handle decent weight (1.6x bodyweight) if I don’t go lower than 90 degrees, plus I can lift it explosively. The issue is that I can’t handle nearly as much (1.2x bodyweight) if I go deep – the deepest few inches of the squat motion are the weakest, and this limits my overall max squat. If I can improve the deepest part of the squat by practicing box squats, that will let me train the middle of the squat at a higher weight as well, which will help my catch/drive motion, etc.
It’s great to learn new skills. I also got coaching on hollow rocks. I have done leg circles for a long time in rowing training, but the hollow rock takes it to a whole new level of pain. I am going to work these is for variation. This is one of the reasons I love the integration of CrossFit and rowing – the concepts are nothing new, but CrossFit gives the rower a whole new arsenal of tools and skills, keeps it interesting, and keeps your body guessing and adapting.
I’d appreciate reader comments and experiences with box squats.
I have been reading Carlos Dinares’ blog recently and was intrigued by his post on the ideal rowing power curve after coaching some CrossFitters at CrossFit Ignite on how to use the power curve feature on the Concept2. Granted, the C2 static erg is a blunt instrument at best, but it introduces an interesting question about how the best in the world apply power and length in their rowing strokes.
I looked at the videos from the 2011 World Rowing Championships for the men’s single sculls and the men’s pair, won by men (Mahe Dysdale in the single and Eric Murray in the pair) who have legitimate potential claims to be the fittest people on earth by any standard The difference I noticed was that the top rowers in the pair reach traditional “full length” with the shins vertical, while both Drysdale and Synek in the single seem to be rowing at 3/4 slide but still achieving an optimal power curve. I have read analysis that Drysdale’s torso flexibility makes it possible for him to achieve maximum length without using the full slide, but the question remains why the top 2 boats in the single final appear to be achieving maximum speed at 3/4 slide while the top tow boats in the pair, rowing at similar stroke ratings, use the full slide length. What does this say, if anything, about optimal indoor rowing technique, which is traditionally correlated with maximum length on the slide?
If Carlos, Xeno, or Shane are reading this, I’d appreciate your opinions – thanks.
Regardless of the question, these videos are simply amazing to watch, considering that the times achieved in these races would be respectable for most college eights in the US.
Men’s Single Scull final:
Men’s Pair final:
It’s an early spring, which means I’ve been back on the water before St. Patrick’s Day for the first time since 2006. So the big question was “what did I learn this winter and how fit am I?” It’s an interesting question since I used the Concept2 much less than usual during the winter due to injuries and travel, and focused much more on swimming and general CrossFit work.
Observations:
1. I am dramatically stronger in my core and have improved the power and stability of my finish. Thank you, back squats, snatches, and deadlifts. It feels absolutely rock solid, surprisingly so.
2. My technique on day one was much better than usual, possibly even better than before I got off the water in December. My stroke is simple, I have fine motor control at the catch, I can pick up the speed of the boat and transfer body weight effectively, and I was able to row in nasty wind and waves with no problem. I honestly credit this to not training on a static erg that much over the winter. Usually in the spring it takes a couple of weeks to just relax, quit tensing in the arms, and quit trying to “muscle it.” Not this year – smooth as butter from stroke 1.
3. I am less “fit” – I do not have the cardiovascular fitness I would like right now, and I am about 8 pounds heavy on bodyweight. Not bad, but less than I’d like. But I am much faster in the single that I normally would be at this time of year. On balance, being able to row well and row fast is harder to train than is fitness, so I am OK with the tradeoff. With 24 weeks till Masters Nationals, I can work with that.
|
Posts
|
Everyone has a key erg rowing workout.
Or a number of them.
Finding yours is can make a massive difference to your erg scores (and your Rowing Workouts)– you just gotta know how.
A couple of years ago, a guy I know -called Mike- was doing around 4 erg sessions per week – in November. He was aiming for his crash b indoor rowing championships in February.
Mike is an organised kind of guy. He likes to have a plan – and to stick with it. Usually, he rowed 4 times a week and took 2 days off as recovery days. Sometimes – he did a swim session at his local pool on one of his recovery days.
Mike was working full time and had a busy schedule. But he took care of himself.
He always felt his key session of the week was 2 x 20 minutes at hard steady state – rate 24.
Mike went to the crash b’s – and did ok.
But Mike was not happy.
He felt he worked hard. Stayed diligent. Stuck with the program. And did every session down to the T.
We got talking a few weeks after the indoor rowing erg competition and I suggested to him that he explore new erg workouts, new erg training plans and new sessions.
I reasoned with him that he needed to pivot and change direction radically with his training – and measure and observe the differences in his scores.
Just to see if it made a difference.
Yes – change for change’s sake but if it worked – great. If not then that was fine too.
But I also had a plan – so I came up with a few workouts that I had used or known about over the years and gave them to mike.
I advised him to try and find his key rowing workouts in the bundle I gave him.
I encouraged him to find the erg rowing workouts that feel as though they made a difference – not on the day of the workout – but a couple of days later – at the next or following erg rowing workouts.
You see Mike was in a great position to test new workouts. He took 3 days of the 5 in a week off and was clued in to his body and his recovery. He would be in a position to measure
It took him around 2 months – through May and June for him to get a feel for the new rowing workouts I had given him. It took him another 2 months to work out the difference between the ones he liked and the ones he didn’t like.
Finally it took him 1 more month to discover the ones that made a difference.
Mike became happy. And fast.
And because Mike only trained 4 days a week, he decided that he would only do key sessions.
So he ditched the 2×20 minutes and substituted it with a hard 30 minute workout at 26. He felt (and measured) the 30 minutes made him feel better in his 2 x 12 minute workouts and his 2 x 15 minute workouts.
He started doing under – over (3 x 3 minutes Rowing – under and over threshold) and found that they really helped him with his 30 minutes.
Ultimately – he discovered that all his key workouts became interdependent. Each key rowing workout helped another key rowing workout.
It became a virtuous circle.
1. Change and be prepared to be radical.
2. Find new rowing workouts that will help you to improve
3. Learn what your key rowing workouts are and use them to create your virtuous circle.
Staying Braced For Maximum Rowing Power.
Imagine this. Imagine you are in a life and death situation. Imagine that you are out for a walk one fine sunny day. As your route passes by a cliff top you hear a shout for help. You lean over the guard wall and look down to see someone stuck on a ledge 50 feet below.
You must help this person and you must act quickly. There’s no one else around to help and you’ve got no cell phone coverage. You think about climbing down but that’s not going to achieve anything.
You look around and amazingly find a rope nearby. You decide to tie a big stick to one end and throw the other end down. You tell the person to hold on so you can pull them up.
Now what – what’s next. How do you do it? What is the best way to use your body weight and strength to lever this person up the 50 feet to safety?
Want to know what I’d do?
Well I’d anchor my feet against the wall and use all of my leg back and arm strength to lever the person up. Each couple of feet I would gain, I would wrap the rope around a nearby anchor to take the slack off the handle. I would then wind the slack piece of rope around the stick, release the anchor and pull again.
It’d be hard work but I’d know from erging and rowing that by bracing my feet low against the wall, I am able to hang and lever all of my weight from my feet through my legs, back and arms.
I also know that by keeping my arms straight makes me stronger and I don’t get tired. My arms only bend when the pressure comes off so I can wind the stick.
This is the feeling you need to get when you are bracing your feet against the erg foot plate. You need to hang your weight through your legs, back and straight arms onto the handle.
Remember:The seat is only used for balance.
P.S. You should read this erg rowing technique article I recently put up. It fits well with the stuff said above.
You can never be too quick with moving your hands away from the finish of the erg rowing stroke.
Not only does it help rhythm and power towards the finish, but if done correctly it can really set you up for the next stroke by recycling some of that dynamic energy built up during the power phase.
Use the speed and energy of your hands away from your body to swing your body over the hips. A lot of Ergers make the mistake of not moving the body past vertical in the recovery phase.
If you don’t then you never be able to achieve maximum power in the power phase
This is especially important if you are a rower. Most of the time rowing Ergers will really emphasise the separation of the hands, body swing forware and slide on the recovery phase.
That’s fine if your game is proper rowing technique. But on the erg this is a waste of time and energy. The idea is to keep recycling the energy dynamically. If you delay or make a sticking point along the stroke cycle then it’s just wasted energy.
Once your seat wheels are on the move towards the beginning of the stroke you need to be thinking only of one thing – the next stroke. Most rowing coaches will call this heresy but they are looking at it from rowing-a- boat perspective. Ergers are looking at it from the fastest possible erg perspective.
When it’s easy make it easy. In other words when you are going up to take your next stroke allow yourself to take it easy. Taking it easy doesn’t mean taking it slow. RELAX. If you can learn to relax then you will save A LOT of energy. Even by just by thinking ‘easy’ makes the blood flow and mind feel strong.
This is one of the most important tips you will read at erg rowing.com Most rowing coaches will never mention it because they don’t even know it exists. Most average rowers don’t know about it. The top Ergers however DO know about it.
You won’t see it by watching YouTube. You won’t even see it at the CRASH B’s. It’s so imperceptible that it’s almost invisible. You just have to know it exists, find it, feel it and use it. I’m talking about recycling dynamic energy. If you find it you can save unbelievable amounts of energy and when you get the feeling you won’t let it go.
To find it you need to approach the beginning of a new stroke with perfect speed. It’s a very subtle feeling. A lot of rowing coaches will say that you need to slow down the seat as you go for a new stroke. Recycling dynamic energy demands that you actually maintain your seat speed or slightly faster.
When you do it correctly and you hit the next power phase you will feel a reduced load with the same split or even lower. I don’t have percentages, because I can’t measure it but take it from me, once you can hit this sweet spot, you will save yourself a lot of pain. Remember recycling dynamic energy.
Another way of thinking about it is to keep the wheel spinning. Feel as though you are tapping the wheel along. You are not ‘muscling’ the handle on the power phase.
Recycling dynamic energy is closely related to rating which I examine below under rating.
If you can dance (well!), then you will know that sequence and timing is crucial. Similarly the power phase of an erg stroke is all about sequence and timing. Strongest – Next Strongest – Weakest. Legs – Back – Arms in that order. Simple, yet it’s absolutely the most efficient and effective way of pulling the handle.
To get the most from this sequence you need to follow the advice in the next article very carefully.
I do a 7 day run – in to the 2k erg, usually doing the following routine:
Hard workout. 1 Week out from the test is normally a time when I do my most intensive rowing workouts. I do repeats of pieces at or close to race intensity. I always make sure I do a long warm up and cool down on hard days like this.
Moderate – Hard Workout. 6 days out I continue my test preparation with some more test power pieces and I really aim to be tired at the end of this day. I aim to cash in on the body’s natural ability to heal to a point stronger than when it was before the heavy training. It’s just like when someone breaks a bone – the bone knits together stronger than it was before the break.
Moderate – easy workout. I use this as an active recovery day to help my body clear out any of the debris still lodged in there from my race preparation workouts on day 7 and day 6. I always erg for about 30 – 40 minutes and include some moderate power for about 5 – 10 minutes. I also use the opportunity to do some technical drills such as strapless erging.
Rest. I do nothing on this day and try to recover from my race preparation workouts of day 7 and day 6. I make sure I nail my nutrition to ensure recovery and refuelling for the test.
Hard – short Workout. I believe this day is an ‘open the pipes’ up day. I usually do 1 or 2 pieces at or close race power. Normally I do 1000 meters and 500 meters with a 5 – 10 minute break in between. I usually suffer a lot in these pieces because of the day of inactivity on Day 4. It’s also a good realty checker – it sharpens my mind as to how tough the test will be.
Rest. I do absolutely nothing. I try to avoid all stress and energy sapping situations both mental and physical. I make sure my nutrition plan is helping me recover and build up a store of energy for the big one.
Very easy workout. In this workout I normally do some light – moderate pulling for 20 – 25 minutes. I will pull some hard strokes during this time most around race power. I pull no more than 20-30 strokes 3-4 times. It’s important to work out if possible on this day because it keeps the body and energy systems flowing.
Test Day. This is a special day and your warm up is a key part. I will discuss my special warm up next time.
If you are a rower, it would be a good idea to do some erging during the summer rowing season. Even if it’s just 1 erg session per week it can really benefit and help your rowing.
Erging in Summer will help you
All of the following workouts are designed to be short and hard. In summer the priority should be with your on – water rowing sessions. But if you feel you need to erg for any of the reasons above, it would be better if you could just get a quick, effective session in without adversely affecting your crew rowing.
But the thing is – you need to be able to judge this for yourself. And it depends on lots of factors.
Here are some things that you might consider
The last point is very important. Say you have spent the past 5 weeks learning how to load your legs in co-ordination with your back and arms. Then you get on the erg and hammer out 5 x 500 meters (causing you to pull and jerk your shoulders at the catch) – you could set yourself back a long way in terms of technical development.
In summer, rowing coaches pay close attention to rowing technique.
But it’s not really a big problem for more experienced rowers – they can usually hold their technique regardless.
Here are the workouts.
Again you can vary the intensity using rate and power. A higher rate will obviously make the work phase shorter.
If you are feeling Olympic, you could take a 5 minute rest after the 15 repetitions and repeat the whole set again.
Important. For all the workouts, you should warm up well (as you would for any hard rowing workout). Also bear in mind the timing of the session. If you are using the erg to get ahead and do some extra sessions by yourself make sure you do them when they will least affect your actual crew rowing sessions.
The best time to do them is when there is no rowing seat racing imminent. And you know you will have plenty of time to recover for the next important crew rowing session. I stress important here, because you need to decide which crew rowing sessions are important.
Is your Erg Rowing Workout file getting a little old this summer? Do You feel like you are not getting a return from your rowing workout sessions? Well, here’s a nice rowing workout blaster plan to blow out those summer cobwebs. (And help you discover more ideas for a new erg or rowing workout)
The Blaster Pyramid Rowing Workout
First – How to Warm Up
Before you begin this particular rowing workout you need to remember a couple of things.
First: Row or erg efficiently.
Second: Focus on a good rowing workout rhythm
Third: Have a plan. Even though the rowing workout is not a 2k all out, you should still follow a good rowing workout strategy.
Fourthly: Set yourself up. That includes setting a correct drag factor setting and also adjusting your footplate to the correct position.
This rowing workout focuses on a pyramid system. Here it is:
So as you can see. Begin with a 250m and when you finish take a 3 minute rest. Repeat the 250m before moving on to the 2 x 500m. The long 750m in the middle of the rowing workout is the peak of the session. See below for an explanation on the rowing intensities.
This rowing workout is a stinger and is best left for a time when you feel like you need a sharpening session. Also make sure that you are in good physical and mental shape before attempting this workout.
The first 250m rowing workout blasters should be done at close to maximum power and speed. This is an important step for the rest of the erg or rowing workout. Don’ t try to save yourself because in a rowing workout like this one – every stroke counts.
The 500m sections should be done at a lesser intensity than the 250s. You could for example try to practice the 1st 500 of your race. In fact a rowing workout like this one is great for trying out different things. You get a number of chances to tweak your racing routines.
The 750m should not be done at maximum. Remember over longer distances you need to be smart. A good example of approaching this section of the rowing workout is to use it to practice the middle 750 of your race pace. Alternatively, if you are feeling tired you could aim to do race pace – 2 seconds per 500m on your split power.
Like all rowing workout (for the boat and the erg) you need to be personally aware and responsible to your own needs and requirements. This erg rowing workout is designed towards sharpening you up and getting you in peak physical condition for a 2k erg or rowing race.
And like all good erg rowers, you should aim to train and develop your physical and mental rowing skills towards a strong 2k erg score test strategy. And have this in mind when you approach any rowing workout.
This is a new rowing workout that we’ve had good success with recently. It’s a great workout that can be done in the boat or on the erg. Most of the rowers and ergers that have tried it all said it helped them to precisely:
But be warned – of all the rowing workouts that ergrowing.com recommends this one is one of the toughest.
But most of all it’s a rowing workout designed to help you develop an awesome middle 1000 2k race pace.
Here it is:
Take 5 minutes easy rowing and repeat the 30 second rowing wave for 5 minutes.
For the 5 minute wave workout make sure you work hard. For some rowers (and rowing crews) rating 30 – 32 in the summer racing season is easy. But if you do it with extra punch and purpose, you will get an excellent physically challenging workout.
But here’s the best part. Most rowing workouts focus (mainly) on the physical training effect of the program. Very few have a physical element intertwined with a specific technical & physical element built into the workout.
Very few are designed so that it would be impossible to do a good workout without using your technique and physicality properly.
Let me explain.
In this workout, when you drop the rate down from 32 to 30 strokes per minute you should actually row harder. That’s right – you should actually work harder in the water.
Now to some rowing coaches (and rowers) doing something like this is borderline rowing heresy– it betrays the very fundamentals of ratio and rhythm with the timing and speed of the boat.
Accepted.
That stuff is all fine and dandy and in the real world of racing 2k competitively its actually crucial. But in the world of training and practice you need to learn to improve your weaknesses.
And you know what one the biggest weaknesses (technically & physically) of mid level rowers and rowing crews is?
Is that point of a rowing race where crews make a change from the after start phase to the middle of the 2k course phase. It’s the point where most crews actually lose speed and set themselves up for a slower than potential middle of the course pace..
It happens because rowers and crews lighten off the work rate in the water way too much.
Trust me. 50 – 60 % of rowing crews (at mid level) do this in every race.
Powering down as the rate drops causes two things:
The distortion of the rowing rhythm causes all sorts of problems for the rest of the race. Crews get too tired rowing in an incomplete rhythm that is not a direct match of the boat speed.
The rhythm at the beginning of a rowing race is generally good amongst most crews. But most lose it when they drop the rate down for the middle 1k.
Of course it is necessary for survival to drop the rate and power (even the best crews in the world could not hold the rate, length and power of the start phase for the entire 2k – although some are getting close)
You and your crews need to train and practice the transition from the racing start into the middle 1000. Doing the 5 minute workouts (with 30 second waves) will help you and your crew practice that transition.
So when the rate drops by 2 pips – Harden On In The Water.
But what should you do when the rate goes back up to 32? Pull lighter? Pull the same?
I’ll leave that up to you to feel it out. But most will pull harder.
I’ve tried this rowing workout on the erg and found it to be a very demanding erg session. Be warned this workout should only be attempted when you are mentally and physically fit. And more importantly, should only be attempted once a week – max.
Did you know that there are 1000’s of things that you can do to make yourself a better rower – starting right now. And almost all of them are non rowing tasks.
Changing habits are hard. And the bad news is that this tip requires you to change one of your habits.
But first:
Where are you sitting right now? Are you at a desk – crouching down looking at these very words on your monitor? Or maybe you’re on the couch at home slouching down flicking through your ipad? Or are you on a bus or train, on your way to work reading this on your phone?
You could be anywhere reading this.
Wherever you are and whatever device you are reading this article on, I want you to think about one thing – right now.
Just one simple thing.
And when you think of it, I want you to do something immediately afterwards.
Ready?
Your posture.
How is your posture?
Are you sitting correctly?
Or, are you slouching down with a curved back, tense shoulders and protruding chin?
If it’s the last one – change it right now. Make yourself sit correctly so that you are maintaining your back and spine in a good neutral position.
How to correct it:
Uncurl your back, rotate your pelvis and sit on the bones of your ass. That’s the same bones that stick down those 2 holes in your seat as you are rowing in the boat. And same bones that sit on the seat of the erg (and somehow always get really sore after a really long erg session).
And more specifically, helping you to row faster?
Well let me show you by telling you a short story. I heard this once a couple of years back and was amazed by its simple brilliance. At the time Peter Haning was coaching some rowing crews.
Haning was 3 times World Champion in the Lightweight Men’s Single Scull from 1993 – 1995. In some ways he was ahead of his time because he rowed with a particular style and technique that is not unlike the current rowing styles and techniques. Most notably was his flat back and upright body position.
But though he rowed upright with a flat back he still got a great dynamic body action with lots of length generated from swinging his body both forward and back.
I don’t’ know if it was by accident or design that he rowed this way, but the fact is that it was great to watch.
And deadly effective.
Anyway – back to my story. When he was coaching, he once subtly corrected a rower who was on a public computer on a hotel lobby checking his email. Very courteously and helpfully he motioned to the guy to sit up a little. To correct his posture from the slouching position he was in.
Before you say anything – this wasn’t a case of Haning getting involved in something that was none of his business (even though the rower was not one of his athletes). This was a guy who had seen this rower actually row out on the water and saw his limiting problem.
And like all good coaches he took his opportunity to impart his knowledge freely and helpfully – in the right context.
The rowers problem was a pronounced curved back. This curved back was – with time – making him inefficient and have some of the following adverse problems:
You would think that this guy should have been able to solve this problem, long before Haining came along. Especially since he was getting intensive (and good) coaching from his university rowing coach. But no matter how hard he tried in the boat to correct his problem, he still reverted back to his old habit when he was under pressure.
That is until the day he got a subtle bomb dropped on him by a 3 time world champion. Who showed (and fixed) him his problem for him in 10 seconds.
You see, it was not about his posture in the boat that was the major cause – it was about his posture out of the boat.
Sit up and be aware of your posture until you have created a new (good) habit. And you will go a long way towards avoiding some of the problems this guy had with his rowing technique.
Whatever the rights or wrongs of selecting a rowing crew with seat races – if your coach is into it – you must learn how to handle it.
Making sure you do as well as you can is all about looking out for yourself. Here are some things you need to watch out for (other than rowing and pulling hard).
Most seat racing in rowing is blind – you never know when you are going to be switched and tested. For that reason you need to make sure you give it everything in each race. And because you are giving it everything you need to…
If you smell a rat (that a rowing rival is trying to screw you) then you need to speak up. Let your coach know. If it’s a crew fairness issue – tell the rowers that the seat racing is not fair. Let people know you are not happy.
Let them know you are angry.
This is a competitive situation and months (or maybe even years) of hard training and sacrifice are on the line.
For that reason everyone needs to play by the rules. Including:
**If the crew you get switched into were cranking the rate up to 42 for the last 25 strokes – insist that it does the exact same in your seat race. Just because you are winning by a lot of water and rowing well, it should never be a reason to ‘save’ some energy for the next seat trial.
Because you must make as much time as possible in every race.
The same applies to your crew if you are behind. Some crews give up towards the end of a race (especially towards the end of a set of seat races when everyone is tired). Insist that your crew finishes the race like all the other races.
Remember if your coach is using a seat racing matrix – every second counts towards your aggregate score. So even when you’re boat is losing you can still gain total time.
Police this yourself. Don’t expect your coach to spot these things. S/he will be busy taking times and watching how well everyone is rowing. So its up to you to ensure that your crew rows as hard (and sticks to the same rating) as all the other seat races you are involved in.
Even half a stroke less per minute for 10 strokes can make a big difference in a short seat race. So the bottom line is to be Vigilant. And if things are not being done fairly – Make it known. To EVERYBODY
You can mentally prepare for extremely hard rowing races using methods you might not have considered. And while seat racing is like real racing – from a mental point of view, you still need to watch out for mental weakness and tiredness.
Embrace The Fear
It’s ok to wake up with your heart pounding in your chest. Seat races and rowers make for a potent mix of adrenalin and fear.
You can use this to your advantage as long as it doesn’t consume you so much that you can’t even pull the oar.
While it goes without saying that you should try to instantly gel with the crew you have been switched into – you need to mentally blend also.
Let the crew you join know you are psyched and ready for a fight – Ready to win.
If someone comes into your crew invite them into the fold. Let them know they are welcome and that you are on their side. This is very important for:
Even a few simple reassuring words can make a big difference. Get rowing immediately and tell them that it’s GOOD. Small reassuring gestures like telling them the boat is going well and that it feels like you are going to have a great race can be reassuring for both you the newcomer (not to mention the positive impact it can have on the entire crew).
Make sure you brief (and re-brief) the crew on what the plan is. If it’s a set race plan from your coach - repeat it. Just so you and the rest of the crew know exactly what’s happening.
Also try to fix something the crew did not do well in the last seat race. Talk it through quickly and sharply. If it’s making the first 10 strokes better – make them better (but stay within your coaches instructions).
Good Luck…
|
Posts
|
I've thought about this for awhile, but have been putting it off. There are a lot of reasons I haven't said or done anything, but everyone who has read this blog over the last years deserve some sort of explanation, no matter how cryptic.
I haven't been writing here for several reasons, all of them personal. My anonymity, which I never really protected, has been breached and things I've written have followed me around. While I'm known for speaking/typing my mind on what I think on many different subjects, the problem of watching what I type in passing isn't something that leads itself to good blogging. That's all I'm really comfortable saying on the subject.
I thought about deleting the whole thing, but there's too much here that I think can help too many people, so it will stay up. But I won't be writing anymore for quite some time, if ever. Who knows, I might start another blog with a different screen name and protect myself better, but that's a long way off. Good luck to all, make your boats go fast.
I'm not kidding. Right the **** now.
http://www.rowinghistory.net
Great site. Contribute a little if you've got the inspiration.
Three years ago in this space, I snarled at Central Catholic, a crew that (ironically) I would go on to coach, about what I felt was excessive celebration after a match race between Pitt, Fox Chapel and Central. It started a lovely little firestorm, the effects of which I still had to deal with when I started coaching Central later on. Jay Hammond and I had a long talk then and later about what I said, what he thought about it and celebration in rowing in general. Basically, we both think that such spectacles are best reserved for the Olympic Games or serious, major, end-of-season races. And I've tried to teach my crews that point of view over the years.
I was aware of the little stunt the boys of St. Joeseph's Prep pulled at the end of the Stotesbury Cup regatta a few weeks ago. I thought then it was low-class, garbage behavior and I still do. I haven't written about it because I wanted a little time to pass; I wanted to make sure I didn't put something up here in anger that I might later regret. But I've found as I get older, my first reactions are usually what I'm thinking later on. So, here we go:
A picture is worth a thousand words. Here are two. Then I'll add my thousand words anyway.
For those that don't know, here's the gist of it: after winning every other boat they entered, the Prep lightweight boat swam that broom out to their varsity after the varsity won the senior 8 grand final. The varsity got to celebrate with it on the water while they waited to get their medals, posed with the broom with the cup and then carried it back to their boathouse. I find such actions appalling.
Now, don't get me wrong: I've been involved in some very questionable celebrations in the past myself. In 1996, after "sweeping" the Harvard-Yale race, we swam out to the varsity boat and generally acted like idiots. I believe the varsity hadn't beaten Harvard in 11 years. So part of me does understand the reaction of the boys at Prep. They were excited at the accomplishment of their team, and that was a major, significant, noteworthy accomplishment. I give St. Joe's a lot of credit for that accomplishment.
But......
If I was the coach associated with that celebration, I would have been livid. It goes against everything I've ever taught my guys and I can't understand any coach that would be fine with this action. I mean, getting your picture taken with the trophy, your crew and an f'n broom? No, sorry, not me. Take that broom to the boathouse, boys, and sweep out the boat bay with it. I'll collect your medals and the trophy. Then we'll have a little chat about sportsmanship and "pretending that you've been there before." Two weeks ago I believed and still do, that their antics with the broom disrespected their opposition and a historical regatta. It sullied a great team performance, leading the conversation away from what all those athletes accomplished toward what kind of people they are.
To finish my Harvard-Yale story, yes we got a broom out at Gales Ferry. The next morning, we taped it to the flagpole over the boathouse, took a few pictures of it and then took it down. We needed that broom: We had to clean the place out and get it ready to wait until next year's crew moved in.
It's really easy, at first blush, to be flippant over the results from yesterday's Kentucky Derby. There's a sport for ya! We'll kill the first loser! HAHAHA! Somewhere, I know, there are television execs and horse racing officials thinking that Eight Belles euthanasia after the race just might produce an uptick in ratings and income for the sport.
After thinking about it for a bit, that tragic ending only illustrates the horror of horse racing. These horses are million-dollar pieces of investment funds. They're tools, living race cars. A totaled stock car leaves junk all over the track to be swept up, removed to the junkyard. A few parts might be salvaged, but most will be melted down for scrap. A "broke down" horse that "went lame" in horse-speak leaves a dead body on the track. Never mind that it was "only a horse." Something that was breathing just a few moments ago is now heading to the morgue. It's hard for written words to properly convey my disgust.
I understand that death does haunt most sports, to some degree or another. Part of what makes such activities compelling is the risk, either minute or significant, of serious injury or even death. Every sport that anybody can participate in has a waiver that must be signed, absolving the organizers of blame if someone should be killed by participating. There have been "reforms" over the years in various sports to lower the risk to participants and fans alike. Hockey put up netting behind goals after a 13-year old fan was mortally injured by a slap-shot puck. Baseball first base coaches have taken to wearing batting helmets after one of their number was killed by a foul ball.
My own sport of rowing as seen death as well. The horrid tragedy of Soctt Laio, dying as his crew crossed the finish line at the May 2005 Dad Vail regatta in Philadelphia is still a fresh wound in the world of rowing. Recreational "masters" rowers have been killed in collisions with powerboats and coaches are not immune as well, drowning in front of their crews. We examine what went wrong in every instance, looking for a way forward to make an incredible activity safer. Boats shouldn't be named for people killed on the water.
Horse racing seems different in my view. There won't be an investigation into what happened to Eight Belles. Racing fans will shrug and say "she needed to be put down so she wouldn't suffer." However, I am not comfortable with such a caviler attitude, nor do I think the average sports fan is, either. We've seen what happens, too often. Death dances around most sports, but the governing bodies have adjusted to push back that risk. Horse racing hasn't responded that way, and perhaps this explains the slowly eroding support that sport enjoys. I will not mourn its (hopeful) eventual passing.
Uh....make the boat go faster than the guy you've been switched with.
Ok, snarky, sarcastic, obvious comment aside, selection time is upon many teams as the spring rolls on. Seat racing, if it hasn't been used yet, will be used soon by most coaches here in the United States. We like seat racing because it doesn't involved the mechanical, dry numbers of the ergometer. The coach actually has to think now, putting together the best lineup for the fastest boat, rather than writing Excel tables for tabulating erg scores. In short, rowing adds the "art" that has been lacking through the long winter.
But seat racing means so much, out-weighing most erg scores and other testing numbers collected during the winter, that oarsmen approach "selection week" with dread. Suddenly, one or two short pieces in an unfamiliar lineup mean the difference between first and second varsity seats.
I won't get into the reasons for seat racing here. I believe it's the best method for selection of a fast lineup, followed closely by lots of work in pairs. And there are no inside secrets that could help me seat race myself into the American Olympic eight. The training that an athlete brings to the water after the winter heavily influence the outcome of seat racing, and the results from the winter do influence the direct, athlete vs. athlete comparisons that a coach looks at.
So, what can I offer here? Mainly, the mental approach the athlete brings to seat racing day can make a significant difference in how that athlete performs. To bring your best during a seat race and have the opportunity to win, here's Coach Jay's advice for winning seat races.
First, for everyone on the team, "RACE DAY RULES APPLY." That means everyone needs a full night of sleep, good hydration and dietary preparation and good health. If any member of the team is deficient in these areas, they should notify the coach before seat racing starts. This is the "First law of successful seat racing." Because, even if you weren't raced that practice, but tell the coach that you were racing on 2 hours of sleep afterwards, the coach now gets to throw out all the results he just got, and repeat the whole sequence later. Thanks for wasting that practice. (Now go do a 6k. Grrrrr.) Furthermore, Race Day also means that you have to get your mental "game face" on and face down your nervousness.
Being seat raced is an opportunity for the athlete to be the coach's complete focus for one, two or even 5 entire racing pieces. As an athlete, you will not get this much attention during a typical practice. It's your opportunity to shine.
It's also your opportunity to prove the coach wrong. That strange little hitch in your shoulder at the catch? The technical problem that you've been yelled at about for the entire season? Well, it doesn't matter all that much when you win your seat race, does it? Prove the coach wrong; prove you deserve a seat in the next boat up. Prove that you're the Alpha Wolf.
So, what is the coach looking for during seat racing, other than the obvious results between two athletes? I would also look at the stroke seats, if I wasn't sure who would be stroking the various boats. I want to see how well they're keeping the required rating and how easily the boat behind them follows. The athletes that are being raced are obviously the center of my concentration. I'm looking for how well they row when under pressure and how they mentally strong they are. Are they looking over? Are they shouting in the boat? Did they give up when their boat got too far down or ease off the pressure when they got too far up? Lots of questions about how the athlete attacks seat racing will directly translate to how that rower will approach real competition. Be aggressive, but mentally strong. This is the "Second law of successful seat racing."
Seat racing is (if the coach has done his lineups correctly) the closest racing that will happen in practice. For many crews, this is the only opportunity to experience competition before they are putting their uniforms on for the real thing. Will the technique that endless miles in the tanks, on the ergs and on the water fall completely apart when *real* full pressure is required? Thus, please don't suddenly change your approach to rowing when a seat racing day gets started. That would be the easiest way to lose the race and drive the coach insane. (I know, short drive.) This is the "Third law of successful seat racing."
Next, try to meld in to the rhythm of the boat that you are in. The easiest way to win a seat race is to switch into the boat that won the previous race and "get out of the way." Don't try to win the race by yourself; this is a team sport, after all and the athlete that adds to the swing of a successful boat will have an advantage. Because of this, time spent on the paddle with your new boat, or even a power ten is key. Make your switch as quickly as you can, get adjusted and go. Those warm-up strokes give the athlete the opportunity to learn the rhythm of their new boat, either helping a struggling boat or meshing into the good swing of a successful boat. Thus, the "Fourth law of successful seat racing" is to switch quickly and get a few warm up strokes.
So, when the practice is over, the athlete must now face the results. Either you won or lost. Was is close? If so, expect that race to be "looked at" again by the coaching staff. We like "definitive" wins; that means we can be reasonably certain about that outcome. Close races leave the coach shaking his head. Now he's looking at just making a "gut call:" who is better when a seat race basically ties? Good luck with that one, it keeps us up at night.
Coxswains, a word. Steer straight. Get the boats together quickly. Get the boats lined up quickly. Don't screw up the timing. Don't screw up the distance between the boats. Don't lie to the athletes on how many seats they might be down. (Basically, don't screw up. The, usual, you know.) Because neither the coach nor the athletes want to re-race because of a coxing screw up.
And for those on the "sideline" not being raced: If you don't think that we're watching the entire boat, you gravely underestimate your coach. Yes, we're concentrating on two rowers, but the quickest way for me to throw out my seat race plan and make a "surprise bow vs three" switch is if I believe somebody isn't giving their best effort, or worse, is trying to throw the results. We're all on the same team, people. And that is the final lesson of seat racing.
For those looking for inspiration, as the heart of February closes about us, here are some great vids from Youtube:
Oxford/Cambridge "Inches" speech
Canadian Olympic team "Inches" speech
Men's 8+ final, Athens Olympics
2006 USRowing Junior National Championships, Men's 8+
And finally, an evil vid with the erg:
Oh, yea! This year's Super Bowl will feature the coronation of the New England Patriots. The NFC patsies will be the New York Giants. Two teams from the northeast, leaving the rest of the country with no real interesting storyline to watch. I don't believe anyone outside the northeast corridor really cares about watching the Patriots' "Drive for Perfection."
I, for one, will not be watching the game. I can think of many other interesting things to do than watch Fox put up slanted political reports for the first part of the day, followed by hours of insipid "analysis" trying to hype up the game, followed by three Eli Manning interceptions in the first half. Add in the usual terrible "halftime show" and more New England players dancing around, and this game promises to be a total snoozer. I'm predicting a total blowout, something like the real fun Super Bowls from the mid-1980s.
Care to join me in the Stupid Bowl protest? I'll be in Pittsburgh the day before, for the Three Rivers indoor sprints, hosted this year by Central Catholic. It will be nice to return to the 'Burgh for a weekend. I'll hang around on Sunday, then drive back to Cincinnati starting Sunday afternoon. If I'm lucky, I'll miss the entire game.
I just don't have the stomach to watch this. I'd rather watch people trying to lose lunch after erg tests.
I'm going to add my two pennies into the Mike Gundy debate. For those that aren't familiar with what happened, read this column, that appeared last Saturday before the Oklahoma State Cowboys played. Then came coach Mike Gundy's post-game news conference:
Finally, here's the rebuttal column from the sportswriter.
When a coach goes on a rant like this, it's the product of a lot of frustration that boils over. Coaches deal with a lot on their plate on a daily basis, and the responsibility doesn't ever get easier. The highest duty is always to the athletes under your command, and good coaches get very possessive of "their" kids. We really become surrogate parents. Like parents, it's okay for us to discipline our kids, but look out if anyone out there says anything bad about our kids. Then papa bear comes out, and it makes for entertaining television. I really understand where Mike Gundy was coming from.
The national sports media had a wonderful few days with this. It made for great sound on sports stalk radio. ESPN radio had morning hosts that agreed with Gundy and supported his point of view and a midday host that called it insane and predicted Gundy's immanent departure from the college coaching ranks. Both points of view got passionate calls, which is what talk radio wants. I believe the media missed who was the target audience for that rant.
Gundy was going off for the consumption of his players. He had made a difficult move to switch starting quarterbacks, his defense had just been shredded in a shoot-out which the team did win, but controversy was swirling around the team, being fed by a columnist. She needs readers, so "stirring the pot" gets her attention. How does Gundy respond to this situation? Usual coach-speak might work, but won't take any attention away from a possible quarterback controversy or a week of questions about his defense.
So Gundy made it all about him, while making a very important point to his athletes: Coach has my back. It's us against everyone. We're a team, a family and coach will go to the mat for us. I'm sure the offensive players would love to exult about their great performance and the team's win, but I'm absolutely sure that Gundy's boys will follow him into hell after his rant on the media, because they know and they've seen that he cares deeply for them. Deeply enough to deal with a week or more of media insanity for them.
As a final side note, I think the columnist is disgusting. She claims "sources and facts," but actually claims not one. No quotes, interviews, nothing. She writes that her integrity has been attacked, but she doesn't understand what her function is. She's a columnist, someone hired to write an opinion. Columnists don't have to support their work with facts. They can make things up from whole cloth if they so choose. But somehow, she's offended that she got called out over and over again on national television. She doesn't like being told that her opinion stinks. Anyone can say that: it's free speech. Her problem is that it's getting far more airtime.
I like what Gundy said and did. I agree with him. He must be one heck of a coach.
For those who haven't hit this link on row2k, I now call attention to the Streetrower. I'm not sure how well this would do for us here in Pittsburgh (the site says they can customize some gearing), as the hills here are steep and ever-present, but this looks like a lot of fun. Apparently it's even possible to build one of these for a bloke my size!
The only information I don't see on the site is how the legs get involved in the stroke and if it's possible to lay back a little more than I see in these shots. Everyone seems to be rowing a little short in the finish for this coach's eye. But hey, everybody's a critic. It looks like a great idea and I would love to take a Henley vacation sometime to try one out. Any readers out there who've been on one?
These would give an all-new way to look at erg tests, as there is a banked bike track here in Pittsburgh, just over the Highland Park bridge, and a bike path that follows our main training areas on the Allegheny and Monongahela. Why race against the clock when you can race for real, head to head? Those miserable flooded out March weeks might be a thing of the past.....
Before you push off the dock on Saturday morning, I want you to know you're the most successful novice crew Central has ever had. A lot of people have offered congratulations to the coaching staff, but I believe you, the athletes, are the sole people who deserve the credit and congratulations.
Traditionally, novices are victimized by low expectations. The first year of rowing is supposed to be a learning year, with good fundamentals, awards for "participation," and a few races tacked on to the beginning of regattas as a "bone" to "keep the novices interested." Sometimes the best athletes from the novices are taken from their classmates early, to fill out a struggling 2V or 3V. The rest are politely expected to struggle on, hamstrung, and "race well" or "show good sportsmanship" or "represent the team." These are great characteristics to have, and we encourage them. But in other words, crews with low expectations didn't care if the novices lost.
This year, you 18 men accepted the challenge of higher expectations. In order to meet these, you have trained harder than any novice crew at Central, you have achieved faster erg scores that any novice crew at Central, and you have raced with determination never seen from a Central novice crew. No Central novice has ever pulled faster than seven minutes on at 2k erg, nor has any Central novice raced in the finals at the New Jersey championships, until this year.
When great accomplishments are expected from a person or group of people, many times it is seen as a disadvantage or an obstacle to be overcome. Barack Obama wrote eloquently of the struggles his father had being one of the first Kenyons to earn a college degree in America, football teams with "something to lose" are seen as disadvantaged against teams with "nothing to lose, playing with house money."
However, I disagree with the "conventional wisdom." The only disadvantage high expectations have is the perceived risk of disappointing those with those high standards. If a poor crew that has not trained well and does not expect to do well goes out and loses their race, then they have fulfilled their low expectations. If an excellent crew that has trained well launches and wins their race, they have fulfilled their high expectations, and *most importantly* have defied the risk of disappointment and defeat. That excellent crew would take not satisfaction in their win if there had been only one other very poor team in their race.
Given the choice, when pushing off the dock, I would rather be the team with high expectations than low expectations.
I've though at length this week about expectations, goals and definitions of success. I've become ashamed about what I said to the novices after the race on Sunday. I got too involved in one race and it's outcome; I forgot to recognize the long-term goals that have been accomplished this year. The Central novices are competitive. People talk about our races. The overall level of the team has been raised by the novices. Because these main goals have been accomplished far beyond my own expectations, I have to be proud of this group. Both boats could come in last this weekend, and I would still be proud.
Why? Because they have showed determination, courage and character. They already are the best group of Central novices ever, and are well on their way to being the best class of Central Catholic oarsmen ever.
So do not fear disappointment this weekend, gentlemen. Before you race, take a moment to calm your anxiety and focus on how far you've come. Concentrate within yourselves and within the gunnels. Focus on your blade and your coxswain. Row like you know how and accept the challenge of high expectations, because that is what you've done all year, and that is what will make every one of you exceptional Central oarsmen in the future.
I saw a close race today, between my Central freshmen and FC's novice crew. The final margin was CC by 3/4 of a length or so, and the boats were very close for quite a bit.
I always thought there was something very satisfying about a close race, even if I lost. Matching strength against an even opponent felt like a validation of all the work I had put in, and somehow honored the other guy as well. While there was always some joy in winning by a large margin, I felt some sadness as well. I know how hopeless it feels to get blown out after putting in long hours of practice (I've been there, and it really hits hard), and that is not a feeling I wish on any crew.
A close race validates all the time and energy both teams have put into the sport. Somehow, that hard-fought battle raises both boats up somehow. You want another crack at that team, to measure your progress. There's a measure of respect that a close race imparts between crews, and I would look forward to seeing a team that had barely beaten us again, somewhere, anywhere.
One of the proudest races I've ever been involved in was a race we lost, against St. Paul's school in 1995. Nobody had ever come as close to them as we did, and I took pride in knowing I'd lost to a better crew, but had pushed them to their limit.
We'll see FC again. If not in a race, then during a practice sometime during the coming weeks. My history with that program guarantees it and I welcome the challenge. Both crews will get faster from today's result.
Back pain. A lot of it. I couldn't move two nights ago.
I have no idea what brought this on. There wasn't a sharp flash of pain moment that told me "oops, I've done something really wrong." Just a gradual tightening that left me unable to walk. I've got some great drugs now to get me through the days, but this really isn't fun. I'm off the erg and working out for awhile, and that's got me in a really bad mood.
I'm working on some posts for this blog, but I'm also fuzzy most of the day with meds. Stay tuned, the editing process takes a little longer these days.
Well, this year's flood has lasted longer than most, and doesn't look to be going down anytime soon. Well into next week, it looks like. So, we're moving.
The "other" river here in Pittsburgh, the Monongahela, comes up from the south and has a fraction of the flow of the Allegheny. Off we go on Friday for a weekend of "wet launching," mud, screams and (finally) rowing on the water.
I'm realizing now how fortunate I was rowing in Cincinnati all those years. While we did drive out to East Fork State Park every day, some guys in the car for an hour, we at least had good water 95% of the time. There was never a safety concern, even when the lake flooded, because there wasn't any current. Wind was our enemy, but there were always sheltered shores to get miles in.
Once we re-located to the Licking River in Covington, the drive was much shorter and the water polluted. We did get flooding that spring, like any mid-western city. But we rowed on it anyway. I can't imagine going out in that type of high water here in Pittsburgh, I'd get drawn, quartered, and shot. Back then, it was just an adventure to conquer. One and a half hours upstream, and 10 mins downstream. I'M NOT KIDDING! I've never gone that fast past the shore since in a rowing shell. Good times!
The problem now is sitting on shore, thinking about all the other teams that we will race in the spring who are rowing on lakes or other protected water right now. I've got a clock ticking in my mind, and it's counting down to our first race in less than two weeks.
Well, here it is. Every year, we get out on the water in early March or late February. I'll usually get about two weeks of good rowing in, and get excited about the progress I see my crews making. Then the heavens open up for two straight days and the river rises.
And here we go again.
Again.
Last night, just to emphasize the point, we had hail. It hasn't stopped raining since.
This just makes me crazier than I usually am. I can't stand it. After an entire winter spent feeling the air stirred by the ergs, back we go to the machine. I was doing my workout outside two days ago, and there will be snow flurries this weekend. No wonder I'm getting grey hair.
This is the third most challenging time of the season, after the early February blues and the first row blahs. Going back onto the erg after feeling the water is a nightmare scenario for any oarsman, but we deal with it every year here in Pittsburgh. I don't ever look forward to this, as morale usually slides quickly. Really, who wants to erg when you don't need a coat outside? I start warning the kids about this in January; perhaps a little expectation that it will happen will lessen the blow.
The emergence of other crews from their winter sleep only aggravates the situation, as we all end up bickering for erg time and tank space. I get snippy when asked how long we'll be on the machines by such people. I wonder "Where have you been all winter? Now you want to train? Too late for you, I'm not here to help you out!"
So I trot out some workouts I haven't used that much, just to keep the minds working a little more. I'll join the boys on the erg today and let the coxswains correct us all. I'll make a new playlist on my iPod so there isn't the usual music. And I'll fume. And brood. And stare off the deck at a river that has never cooperated with my plans. I'll tell stories of Todd and "the old days when a little flood didn't stop us" and sound like a nut case. And grit my teeth. Perhaps I'll also find some time to talk to the boats.
I've got other stuff in the works, but haven't put anything up for awhile, so here's some thoughts.
We're on the water now, and it is a very good thing. The flow and weather have cooperated so far, despite a few REALLY cold days. Guys have made some technical progress, but I'm looking for more, as always.
But, as always, attendance has raised it's ugly face with the return to the water. One guy out sick throws the whole team into chaos. The last two days we've been missing three. The reasons are legitimate, but the results are not.
Next week will start seat racing and selection. I call attendance problems during seat racing "self-selection." But after the boats are selected, problems with practice attendance can still kill a promising season. Read this post. I learned the importance of letting a boat "gel" together a long time ago. Boats just won't win in the spring without consistant practice together. Let's get all these sicknesses out of the way now and get back to rowing.
Chair: There isn’t anywhere to sit at a regatta. Chairs are very important when the only alternative is sitting in a mud puddle.
Book: Races run late. There will be long periods of time with nothing to watch.
Warm clothes: It’s springtime in the Midwest. The weather will change. Dress in layers, warmer than you think you need.
Money for the kids (T shirts, etc): There aren’t ATMs at racecourses, and there are plenty of opportunities to spend money on regatta stuff.
Rain clothes: It’s springtime in the Midwest. It is going to rain. All day. It will be a very cold rain. Rain clothes include something to cover your pants, because you will be out in that rain all day.
Binoculars: Even coaches forget these.
Contact a parent coordinator and transport some food, equipment etc: The parents in charge of food and the traveling circus that a rowing team is need help. Transport some equipment, help set up the tent, help cook some food, because these heroes deserve it
Did I mention rain clothes and warm clothes? I love my survival suit for a reason.
Change of clothes: There is nothing nastier than finally getting in your car for the drive home, but your clothes are muddy and soaked through. Warm dry clothes after a nasty day are almost as good as a hot shower.
Sun screen: Eventually, the sun will come up, and regatta sites usually don’t have a lot of shade. Get some sweat-proof sun block, because your son is guaranteed to forget to bring some for himself.
Sun glasses: Sunlight reflected off a river or lake isn’t fun to squint into. Polarized sunglasses are the best.
All this stuff in a waterproof bag: Assume that the ground you will be on will consist of 4 inches of freezing mud. You have a lot of stuff, and you will need to carry some of it to the tent. Have a bag that can sit in the muck and still keep your cell phone dry.
Rain/mud proof boots: Rain clothes are worthless if your feet are soaked through. Who cares about the weather when you can slop through the mud with no worries?
Comfortable walking shoes: When the weather is decent, you will realize the regatta site has spread out over a large portion of the race course. Then the distance the kids have to race over suddenly doesn’t seem that short. Launch docks are rarely close to the boats, which are rarely close to the tents, which are never close to the parking area. Be prepared to walk about 5 miles on a regatta day.
|
Posts
|
Since watching Maddie Lipps leave it all on the erg at the Mile High Indoor Rowing Sprints earlier this year, we've known she is a stand out in the rowing world. Sports Illustrated recognizes her achievements in this month's "Faces in the Crowd".
|
Posts
|
| Taki |
| Alan Massie |
| Tug-of-war, Olympic sport in Stockholm in 1912. |
| Is the famous Rock going to be painted red or blue this year? |
| Three of the Eight: Ondrej Synek, Warren Anderson, and Mahe Drysdale. Photo: Row2K |
| Bill Barry |
| Olaf Tufte |
| Ali Williams. Photo: flyby |
| Mark Hunter |
| Chris Dodd |
| Hunting Howell began to row at Trinity Hall in 1895 and took the same year the Grand, got his Blue in 1897, and won both the Diamonds and Wingfields in 1898 and 1899. Courtesy NRF © |
| Alexander Alcée Casamajor |
| Tony Fox |
| F. S. Kelly |
| Bow: Matt Smith as Bert & Stroke: Sam Hoare as Dickie |
Yesterday, the blog 'Captain JP's log' had an interesting entry about the upcoming Diamond Jubilee - read Queen's Diamond Jubilee - update here.
As a matter of fact, continue reading 'Captain JP's log' as there are several very entertaining blog posts about rowing!
For the 158th Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge, Oxford Today released six films in a series called “A Year in the Life of the Boat Race”, which showed behind-the-scenes shots about the Dark Blues. These films were both well-made and interesting. After the race, which will go down in history as one-of-a-kind, Oxford did an epilogue, which I think is the best film in these series. The Oxford crew reflects how it all ended.
| Holmes and Redgrave |
| Alan Campbell and his coach Bill Barry |
| Would 'Muttle' make The List? |
| Albert de Laud Long |
| Click to enlarge |
| Dickie & Bert |
| Richard Way in Friday Street, Henley-on-Thames |
| Leander Club |
| Henley Royal Regatta Headquarters |
| The entrance to the River & Rowing Museum. |
| Diana Cook successfully runs the Richard Way Book Shop the old-fashioned way. |
| USA cover? |
| U.K. cover? |
| Chris Dodd |
| Janousek, cover of Rowing 1975 |
| Bob's Boys in 1975: Lester, Matheson, Clark, Yallop, Aylings, Sweeney, Crooks, Robertson, Manson, and Janousek. |
| 1839 Henley Regatta Programme |
| 1840 Henley Regatta Programme |
| Henley Stewards 1920 - click to enlarge |
| Gully Nickalls |
| Jack and Wally |
| Laurie |
|
Posts
|
Pausarius in co-operation with some of the worlds top indoor rowing experts, has developed the ‘Virtual Rowing Coach’ music based training routines aimed directly at the specific needs of the indoor rower.
'Live feeds' from a selection of the worlds foremost rowing experts, trainers and athlete's brought to you by the Pausarius 'Virtual Rowing Coach' team.