Rowingchat

Mis-timing the catch causes the boat to slow down. You can go faster for no extra effort. Timestamps These three things are super-easy to correct and take no extra fitness and effort. So important for masters to enjoy our rowing and so "speed for free" is great for us. 01:45 Putting the oar in the water at the wrong moment. Roll forward to full compression - there's a micro second when the seat is stationary. This is the moment when you want the oars already under the water. Too early - means you miss the opportunity to use all your leg drive. Too late - means you aren't at full slide; you waste leg drive because you're pushing air not water, and the bows are not at their highest. 03:50 The boat tilts longitudinally during the stroke At the bows' high point you are generally at full slide and closest to the stern of the boat. This is when you want to place the oars into the water. 04:50 The cure starts at the finish Get the set-up correct - refer to our earlier episode about Speed Murdering Mistake #2 The Fi

Following last week's deep dive into blades on the surface .... this week we take a look at Rushing Off The Back. What, how, causes, cures. Timestamps 01:00 these issues are straightforward to resolve. As a coach I can see the solution and until you realise the solution is there, you're ignorant. 01:30 Rushing off the back The transition from the oar extraction through to when you roll up the slide is our focus area. - When people rush it looks like a hustle, a race to get the oars out of the water and push the handle away. - The stroke lacks ratio (the contrast between power and recovery phases). - You lose time for a rest. - The boat doesn't run on if you rush. This is speed for free. By cutting the finish short the boat won't run on. - Problems preparing for the catch. Your preparation is left later in the recovery when the boat is more tippy. - Compromises the ability to get weight on your feet. 05:00 Cures for rushing - Finish the rowing stroke power phase in the correct finish position. Pressure on

We start a mini series on things which kill boat speed. And how to fix them. Part One: Dragging oars along the water surface Resource Pontoon Floats are a cheap aide to building confident bladework 3 Value Bombs 1. Watch a crew - are blades parallel, is the space between athletes' heads moving at the same time? 2. Gain boat speed by learning how to move with the boat hull on the recovery. 3 Knowing what you will do if you have a lurch/wobble gives you confidence Timestamps 00:30 We love boat speed, the feel of the boat moving well. Technical aspects which coaches see over and over and are fixable. 02:30 Dragging oars along the water surface. Why do people do this? Is this using the water as a balancing aide. Dragging the oars creates friction and slows the boat down. 03:50 Losing boat feel is a consequence of oar drag. The boat pitches fore and aft in the water as we row. The trim is not constant. Moving with the boat on the recovery, you can feel the boat surge as the bows lift out of the water. Skilled

Resource Rowing Blisters And Skin Injuries ebook https://fastermastersrowing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2022-Rowing-Blisters-And-Skin-Injuries-Prevention-Cure-And-Management.pdf 3 Value Bombs 1) wearing gloves is a good way to prevent rowing blisters. 2) cover band aids and plasters with electrical tape when rowing 3) applying band aids 40 minutes before you go rowing makes it stick better to your skin. Timestamps 01:00 Prevent rowing blisters Hand cream may be insufficient to keep your hands soft and supple enough to prevent blisters forming. By wearing rowing gloves - padded palm and finger protection. The Crew Stop gloves are specialist - light and flexible gloves. 04:00 Treating rowing blisters 1 - your blister is filled with fluid. Tape your hands. But band aids and plasters are not good when you row - they roll up and stick to the oar handle. 2 - raw skin exposed. 3 - skin around the edges is inflamed. 4 - raw skin is cracked. Bind the edges of the crack together with tensioned band aids.

Adjusting your stroke to match your partner. What to do to adapt and adjust so you align with a taller or shorter partner in the rowing boat. Timestamps 01:00 In the program this month - peak 1k racing in May - August. Drills to maintain power in the stroke. Video how to get to the start calm and ready to race - Christine Wilson's rate progression warm up. Coachability as an athlete skill and attribute. How to write your race plan. 04:00 Rowing with a taller or shorter partner Key to this is to worry less about height but instead focus on the arc of the blade through the water. When you fix up in the boat, adjust your footstretcher so your blades are parallel with your partner's at the catch and finish. Measure distance behind the face of the work / face of the gate. (58-62 cm is a normal range for sweep). To learn more about how to do this measurement watch our webinar Rigging for Masters https://fastermastersrowing.com/rigging/ Adjust so your oar shafts are exactly parallel at the finish. 06:00 A taller

Coaching adults makes it hard to give feedback. Three things to consider. Timestamps 00:45 Masters may not have a coach. We help each other with in-boat coaching. There isn't an obvious person who is a leader. Feedback is a delicate topic. Some people may not want to hear what you have to say and you may not have sufficient authority in the eyes of your crew mates. 01:30 Ask first Do you want feedback? Is there a focus for this workout practice? By setting a framework of expectations before you start rowing, there's a structure which everyone can use during the workout and at the debrief afterwards. Ask each athlete "how did it go?" and "What were you working on?" So you can align your feedback to their needs. 03:00 Group feedback The group dynamic risks whatever is said in the first person who talks tends to lead everyone else to follow their theme. Say one positive thing about the workout. Avoid a spiral of self-criticism. Give each person one thing to work on and one positive message about the workout

App alternatives for rowing electronics and how to mount in your boat. Phone mounts and taking a phone in a boat so you feel confident using it. Timestamps What's in the programme this month? - Two programmes - for 1k racing in May or June and another one for July / August peak. - Land training and strength and conditioning programme. - Lifestyle - ways to prepare yourself before going rowing. - Performance - bladework technique versus erg technique and exercises to get your bladework skills back. - Different warmups for different workouts. - Bonus gallery of rowing tattoos. 2:30 Phones in boats Rowing electronics were getting elderly at the club and so we reviewed what we needed. Alternatives considered were - apps which can be used in boats; Lowering the cost to membership of tracking simple measures like time, split and stroke rate. 04:15 A mount for the phone I used a Quad Lock mount phone case which includes the female mount. It came with three different lengths of velcro. I loop this around the wing

What is a rowing mindset? Do you need one? And can it be trained? Timestamps 01:00 Rowing for life Welcome Jack Burns from Edge Rowing who has an interesting backstory. He enjoyed the process of learning to row rather than the external competitions and winning. His struggles were around injury and mindset. He learned the systems and tactics for mindset improvement in a systemised way. 03:45 What is performance mindset? Ability to handle external factors, to perform to the limit and ability to visualise what you want to achieve. Where is your attention going, how to handle distractions and nerves while dialling your focus to what really matters. The Edge Rowing business is about getting the edge. Bringing high performance focus to anyone. Jack wanted to say he had put everything he could into achieving his fullest potential. 08:00 Rebecca's 19 year old self also worked out how to focus. 09:45 Rowing gives transferrable skills for life. Jack's early rowing progress was based on his drive and his will. He got i

I heard today that Jimmy Joy the legendary coach and founder of the Joy of Sculling conference died. Today's podcast is my reflections and memories of his work.

What changes are needed when doing big or small boats - length / inboard. Timestamps 01:00 It's all about gearing. How long are your oars and what is the ratio for the outboard to the inboard? Small boats versus large boats. You have to carry your share of the total mass of the hull, riggers and oars. In a single scull you are carrying around 14-17kg. As the boat gets bigger, you carry less mass because it's shared between more people. If you have a bigger boat - you can afford a heavier gearing on the oars. Coaches try to give each athlete a consistent load to move the boat so you don't have to work a lot harder in small boats compared to big boats. They adjust the rigging to make this broadly consistent. 03:00 So you should be able to rate a similar strokes per minute almost regardless of which boat type you are rowing in. Generally people rate higher in larger boats. 03:50 The span and spread affects the load. Last week we reviewed the arc through which the oar tip moves each stroke. You want a wider sp

Ways to use your boat rig to get a longer arc for the oar. Simplifying why it works and some key principles. Timestamps 00:30 Rebecca's new shiny object is a wing rigger mounted gadget to mount a stroke coach and water bottle over your rigger. 01:45 Rigging a longer stroke Having the oar in the water longer (distance rather than time). Taking the tip of the blade through a greater distance each stroke. Use the principle of the lever to understand how rowing oars and sculls work to propel the boat. Inboard and Outboard ratio is important to understand. With longer levers you need a greater force on the handle to move the oar though the same arc in the same time. 03:45 Is longer better? As long as your athlete has the physical strength and power to move the oar through the water then you can use longer oars. There is a point of diminishing returns. The rowing sliding seat was invented to increase the arc through which the oar is rowed through. A longer slide gives a greater arc. 05:00 Does the athlete have th

What rig should masters rowing boats and oars use? How can clubs set up their equipment to suit as wide a range of athletes as possible? Timestamps 00:45 I got a pair of mis-matched sculls and so I''m on a rant.... this is easy to improve. Comfort in the boat and ease of use are the most important for rigging club boats. All clubs should have standardised rig across the boat fleet. 02:00 Rigging basics Your rig enables you to move the boat in comfort - your torso and legs. Be able to sit comfortably at the boat in the finish. Look for your shins not hitting the deck, hold the oar so forearm at the same height as the oar shaft and at the catch that you can get your hips through the work - at least hips level with the face of the gate. [If you don't know what this is, buy our Sculling Intensive course and learn how to find work through the pin and ways to adjust to suit your needs.] 03:30 Oarlock height and forearm height are related It's important that your forearms are level with or above the shaft and the

I am using a daily monitor app to better understand my need for rowing rest and recovery. Timestamps 00:30 US Masters Rowing Camp April 2024 includes Rebecca as a coach. 02:30 March 2024 Masters rowing training programs by Faster Masters Rowing. Head race program includes a taper week. The 1k May and June program is for sprint racing. Imposter syndrome in rowing and how to cure it. McGill spine stabilisation big 3 exercises. Technique sequential versus concurrent stroke profiles. Get yourself a program including discount coupon. https://fastermastersrowing.com/join/ 06:00 Heart Rate Variability tracking This tracks the variation between heart beats and is is a good indicator of your state of rest and recovery. How ready are you to do a workout today? Masters often row on the same rig as they used when younger - clinging onto what we used to do rather than testing and re-measuring your physical state and strength. 09:30 I use HRV4Training app A daily one minute measure of Rebecca's recent measurements. Thi

How do masters club groups organise their priorities? Covering training, equipment, coaching, racing/trips/camps, finances - this is a must-listen to episode if you're frustrated by your club leadership. Timestamps 00:45 Managing your "champagne tastes on a beer budget". 01:00 The State of Masters Rowing 2023 report. The structure of our sport needs revision - learn to row classes are set to grow and that has implications on clubs. Download your copy https://fastermastersrowing.com/state-of-masters-rowing-survey-2023/ 03:15 What are the priorities for your masters rowing club? Rowing club strategy for masters includes operational requirements. Boats, equipment, oars, electronics and indoor rowing machines. List what you'd like to have access to and what you have now - a gap analysis. Equipment review - list all the boats available, its age and the athlete weight it's designed for. We found 3 types - women only (70kg), mixed crew weights (80kg), mens boats (90kg+). Also consider their state of repair - are the

Different situations call for different turning methods. I bet there's at least one you haven't tried yet. Timestamps 00:45 Turning a boat sounds easy What is your goal when turning the boat? Where you are on the water now and where do you want to get to after the turn. Consider the local rules of the river / navigation. 03:00 Slide length - half slide or full slide rowing to turn the boat. Half the crew can row on bow/starboard and the others back down on strokeside/port. Consider the catch angle - the more acute it is the bow will turn faster. 04:15 Simultaneous or alternating strokes for your turning. If alternating ensure the other side is ready to start as soon as the other side has finished. In sculling, let your resting side follow the other hand out to the catch and then it's in the right place to take the next stroke. This make the turn faster - less delay between strokes. Important if there's a current pushing the boat. Invest in yourself Rowing VIP Day https://fastermastersrowing.com/member-reg

Anne works with Henley Womens Regatta to guide international visiting crews towards all the resources they need. From accommodation to boat hire and how to understand the classifications and transportation - she is an amazing resource. Anne describes some of the Henley Royal Regatta lingo including challenging words like "Stewards" with hilarious effect.

Rowers and coaches dispute the benefits of making a backsplash when placing the oars into the water at the catch. Why? How can you find out which point of view is correct? Timestamps 00:30 Newsletter sign up is here https://fastermastersrowing.com/newsletter/ You get early notification of all our events, webinars and courses as well as articles, points of view and discussions. 02:00 Backsplash is the upthrowing of water as the oar goes in at the catch. Does it show great skill and bladework timing the placement. Or is it a brake on the forward movement of the boat. 02:45 Valery Kleshnev BioRow explains "When the blade changes direction at the catch, its velocity relative to the boat changes to zero." https://biorow.com/index.php?route=information%2Fnews%2Fnews&news_id=102&fbclid=IwAR3Jf83uzukQkjTmwt_aXbJV5r1STi1B2f8CBWdD8m07-eRSJhHjaLdz0-w A neutral entry into the water. 04:30 More or less backsplash? Backsplash is throwing water towards the bow. Forward splash is throwing water towards the stern. A "V-spl

If you dread your indoor rower workouts, listen in. We have 5 things for you to try out which could make your ergs more enjoyable. Timestamps 00:30 In our training programme this month - 3 training plans to suit your racing, force curve video, how your body mass affects boat speed. We had a winner at the Virtual Head of the Hooch and personal best times of 3 seconds and 6 seconds from participants - the programs do work! 03:00 5 tips to make your ergs fun. Long endurance workouts can be daunting. 1 - Follow a programme Making up your workout on the day means you have no goal. Keep a record of your training so you can measure your gains and progress. 2 - Train with a group There is nothing worse than having to train alone. Even if you have to train in your garage, start the workout at the same time as your crew mates - it's an incentive to show up. And showing up is half the battle in forming an exercise habit. 3 - Reward yourself Feel good about what you have done. Choose something which you enjoy as a rew

Understand how your movements contribute to the power phase in the rowing and sculling stroke. Timestamps 00:30 There are many different ways to row - test for yourself. 01:15 Sequential rowing stroke Using the legs, back and arms in sequence one after the other. 02:00 Simultaneous rowing stroke Start the legs and back at the same time and then adding in the arms later. Blending the overlap between each body part happens in practice so that the power doesn't drop off between each body part. 03:40 Force curve alignment The sequential movement gives a longer time in the water and a longer duration of the power phase from catch to finish. Simultaneous gives a higher force curve because the power is higher, but it is a shorter curve because you cannot sustain the power as long as in the sequential. 04:55 Legs | Back | Arms Rowing is about the effective delivery of power and recruiting muscles into that endeavour. Legs - the first part of the movement is from your knee - you push the footplate away so only the

Get stronger by doing resistance work in the boat using a bungee. What's it useful for? How to set up your boat. Timestamps 02:00 Resistance training in rowing All masters rowers need this to keep up strength and bone density. We lose strength as we age. I You don't have to go into the gym. 03:45 Weights on the water give you specificity It aligns the weight training with the rowing action and movement. In the boat gearing helps you to not get over-loaded. 05:00 Why do resistance training? 06:45 Strength and conditioning includes work on core muscles Resistance training helps us to recruit more muscles into the rowing stroke. It's hard to learn the overlap between the legs - back - arms. Watching masters rowing, very few have an active back swing. Video of good rowing technique demonstrating legs - back - arms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv07y9mEO5M Compare this to a video of yourself. When you have a heavy load, figure out which muscles are working because they have to work harder. On the erg, increas