Freshmen and Novice Eights

Photos courtesy of Susan Griffith

Nisky Freshmen Sweep

The following narrative of the Shaker Invitational was written by Nick, six seat in the Dirigo. The Dirigo and Swift are the two freshmen eights used by Niskayuna rowing.

For the week leading up to the race, our whole team had been improving by leaps and bounds. Our timing was close to perfect, our technique was getting better, and we were all strong. The Swift was also frighteningly close to the Dirigo. In fact, on some of the short distance sprint drills, the Swift was faster.

Going into today’s race, we in the Dirigo knew we would beat Shaker. Coach told us up front he wanted us to demolish them. The real question was if the Dirigo still deserved to continue to consider itself the faster boat. The Swift was mostly lightweight rowers, but they gave it their all in every stroke. The Dirigo would never be able to slack off for fear of being passed by the Swift.

When we got to the start, we were very focused on beating the Swift. It was a little cold, but that would only make us want to go faster to warm up. The race started with all three boats flying. Neither Nisky boat left Shaker in the dust as originally planned. They stayed right with us… for maybe twenty strokes. After that, they just fell further and further behind the Swift and Dirigo. Two hundred fifty meters in, the race was between the two Niskayuna boats.

The Dirigo had a stronger start, but did not open water quickly. At one point, it looked like the Swift could start taking water back. Then the Dirigo hit the halfway point, and we took off. Our rating slowly increased, and we got faster with each stroke. We finally started opening water on the other boat. We crossed the finish line, most of us barely able to get through the last few strokes under the bridge. The Swift was maybe two or three boat lengths behind, and the Shaker boat was easily five boat lengths behind us. That race was the fastest we had ever been. For the first time in a race, our whole boat rowed together with all the lightness, power, and speed Coach had been trying to get us to achieve all season. We had a first and second Nisky freshman sweep.

Perfect Timing (Part II)

Rowers:

The following excerpt from Mind Over Water by Craig Lambert echoes concepts that we have been discussing this season.

"In crews of two, four, or eight rowers, the sonorities [sounds] of our blades mingle with those of our crewmates. Naturally, more oars make more sounds and hence perhaps obscure the source of a given note. This is the nature of social life. A solo cellist can sound fine playing alone, provided the instrument's strings are in tune with one another. But to play a duet or with an orchestra, the cellist must first "tune up" with fellow musicians to forge a common reference point. In a single scull we tune no blades but our own. But on a crew, the goal is not perfection of the individual but of the team, and so we seek unity and harmony.

"Precise timing is essential: if eight oars strike the water even fractions of a second apart, they jerk the boat ahead unevenly, like cylinders misfiring in a V-8 engine. A rower whose blade enters the water even a fraction of a second late has momentarily reduced the crew from an eight to a seven. At the catch, the rowers strike their greatest blow against entropy, and whoever is late immediately becomes a form of ballast rather than a driving force: the shell is now surging ahead, and the late oar is going along for the ride. Imagine that eight men are about to lift a small automobile off the ground: each man hunkers down, grips the frame, and readies himself to lift up on the count of three. Whoever lifts a fraction of a second late may as well not be lifting at all; the task is already accomplished.

"Rhythm, a rocking rhythm, is crucial. In crews we listen to the tone and texture of catches and releases and also for the synchrony, a key element in speed. When strokes synchronize perfectly, the crew pulls in phase, like light waves in a laser beam, and, as with a laser, the energies reinforce each other and multiply. To the crew, an eight-oared boat in peak form feels rowed by a single oar, and in a sense it is. The rowers' unifying awareness has come to life, and the shell stirs with it."

Sydney Olympics - Men's Eight

When you hear the commentator say "at a 38," that is their stroke rating. Also, note how quickly the blades move through the water.

Controlled Rowing

Rowers:

This training video is excellent. While you are watching the rowing, look at the following parts of their stroke: the control, their puddles, blade heights, timing, feathering, and reach.

More specifically, when all eight are rowing at full slide, notice how each rower reaches out towards his rigger and effectively divides the boat.



Courtesy of YouTube

Nisky Freshmen at Salisbury

Spring Vacation 2008

Photos courtesy of the Griffiths and Wolfes

Harvard-Yale-Oxford-Cambridge 500m Sprint

Rowers:

The commentators make a point of mentioning how important focus is during this short 500 meter sprint between the four, international university powerhouses: Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, and Oxford. In fact, notice how relevant their comments are to what the Niskayuna freshmen have been working on.



Courtesy of YouTube

Collegiate Lightweight Sprint

Rowers:

Take particular notice of three things in this collegiate men's lightweight varsity race from the 2008 San Diego Crew Classic: their timing, the speed of the blade in the water, and the expressions of the rowers at the finish. What do you think?



Courtesy of YouTube

Reach, Acceleration, and Backing the Blades In the Water

Rowers:

It is hard to simplify an entire stroke into just three technical elements: reach, acceleration, and backing the blades in the water. But in a competitive environment, where your mind and body are being pushed to the limit, it is critical that you and your boat stay focused. Concentrate on too many things, and the rower will feel overwhelmed and confused; too little, and you risk losing focus all together. Therefore, as far as the Niskayuna Freshmen are concerned, especially in a race, it is upon reach, acceleration, and backing the blades in the water that you will focus.

REACH: or, how much water you are displacing in a single stroke. At the catch, it is important to pick up as much water as possible without compromising the set or rhythm of the boat. Accomplish this with good forward body angle and a controlled pivot out towards your rigger following the arc of the oar handle. That extra inch of water you get multiplied by eight rowers over the course of 1500 meters could be the inch you need to win.

ACCELERATION: or, the change of speed in the oar throughout a stroke. From catch to finish the oar handle must move faster. This does two things: 1) it surges the boat forward so that the boat can glide further on the recovery; and 2) it makes the boat feel lighter to all the rowers. During practice, if coach asks for half-pressure rowing, then your catch should be half-pressure and your finish should be more, perhaps three-quarter or full pressure.

BACKING THE BLADE IN: or, making a smooth transition from the recovery to the drive. As the boat surges forward on the recovery and the rower approaches the catch of the next stroke, it is important to find balance: namely, not interrupting the speed of the boat when entering the oar blade into the water. To do this, the rower must raise his hands at the very end of the recovery so that the blade enters the water just split seconds before starting the leg drive. From a profile, it should appear as though the blades are slipping into the water without disruption.

Reach, acceleration, and backing the blades in are certainly not the end all be all of the technical stroke. However, if an entire boat can master these elements, then the speed and efficiency of a freshmen crew will undoubtedly improve.

2000 Meter Psychology

The Freshmen Boys on the Niskayuna Rowing team recently pulled 3 x 2000 meters on the erg - not an easy workout. The 2000 meter erg piece is standard in the sport of rowing, the common denominator against which athletes are compared. It is fatiguing both physically and mentally. Below are their reactions to the workout, a further glimpse into the psychology of rowing.

"Before I started the 2k pieces I was kind of nervous because I wasn't sure if I could maintain the high level intensity for all three of the pieces. Once I got into the first 2k i didn't think that it was too hard to maintain the slightly higher split, but once I got to about 650 meters left I started to feel tired and needed to push myself harder to maintain that speed. During all the 2k's, I made little "checkpoints" for myself (every 250 meters) so that I could focus for about one minute on making it through a little bit of the 2k. After the 2k's I feel good mentally because I worked hard and pushed myself; but physically I feel like (alternative language) because I am fatigued." - James

"Before the 1st 2k I was sort of motivated and ready to erg. I started getting tired around the end of the second 2k, this was also around the time I wanted to give up, but I kept telling myself to keep going. My motivation at the finish is the sprint because thats when I just go all out; until then I get worked up about the finish and then I just push myself through it. The sprint at the end is what I always use to bring down my split." - Eric

"Going into the three 2Ks, I was thinking about how stupid I was to make coach think of doing that. Actually, he may have been planning on it anyway, but the feeling that I had inspired it made it seem worse. One 2K was hard, three would be murder. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I did my first one at a decent speed, and found out that I really wasn't that tired. I went harder on the second one, and got near by best time. I was spent by that time though. The third one didn't go so well. I found out though, that I can do two 2Ks pretty quickly, which means I should be able to sprint a 1500 meter race. One thing that really helped me was hitting the midpoint. For the first half, I concentrated on keeping my split where I needed it to be. When I hit the 1000 meter mark, I went faster. Being half way done with the piece made it seem easy. Usually, I want to give up at about 1200 meters to go. That's where my third piece started to sink. If I can force myself to work through the 1200-700 part though, I'm fine for the rest. Now I know where I get tired and when I can sprint, and I know I can go a lot faster on the next one." - Nick

"Regarding the erg piece yesterday, I believe it was a highly helpful exercise, and gruesomely exhilarating. Before the piece I imagined some good music to pump myself up, get that adrenaline going, and prime myself for some hardcore erging. I think the only part I got tired was at the end at the last piece. By then, my energy was gone, and I was relying on the little bit of endurance I had left. Although tired, I did not want to give up on any of the pieces; my motivation, the top boat on the team. There is no secret to erging hard, but there are strategies you can use to motivate yourself. Personally, I imagine myself winning a race, and coming to the finish, with a medal awaiting me. This helps bring your split down at the end 500 meters, approaching the bridge is what I like to call it. The only point you can feel is the last stretch of the race, during the race you focus on your stroke and power to much to worry about anything else. However, through this pain and struggle, there are only a couple more glorious moments in this world greater than that of finishing an erg piece knowing you pulled your (alternative language) off and that you did your best. If you are not a rower, and you do not know this feeling, it is an experience you must do, so join crew." - Eli

"Motivating yourself is task one. I can't speak for my teammates, but when I sit on an erg and Coach gives me my projected split this isn't enough for me to motivate myself completely through three different 2000m pieces. I need something more, at this time I think to the time I joined the team. I remember what the sport is about and I think how nice it would be to really be a contribution to the team, and not that guy. That guy who shows up day in and day out to fool around. The best thing about these pieces though, is I can honestly say our team has plenty of heart. This empowerment allows our team to pull hard from start to finish, knowing that each team member is pulling as hard as they can. And that guy, he didn't show up for practice. This is what allows me to complete these pieces with a split I'm happy with and still enough energy to cheer on me teammates." - Naji

"I think that the 2000 meter erg piece is pretty intense. Before the piece I am usually nervous. During the row I don't really use any strategies to get through it. I just row, and watch my split. The 3x2000 meter piece was hard. I thought that it was really good for my endurance, but it was tough. I didn't like it as much as the normal 2000. I like just getting the row over, with not drawing it out." - Zack

Perfect Timing

Rowers:

Timing is the cornerstone of eights rowing. After learning the basic motions of the stroke, timing is the most fundamental skill in the boat that the rower must master. Superb timing results in more efficient rowing, which means rowing faster while expending less energy. It is in the importance of timing that rowing can be considered the "ultimate" team sport.

Timing, however, is very comprehensive, covering more than just blade work. It includes:

1. Breathing - with the entire eight inhaling together at the catch of a stroke and exhaling together at the finish
2. Catching - with every rower controlling his slide up the recovery, raising his hands at the catch, and locking with the water at the exact same moment
3. Finishing - with every oar handle being pushed down and away at the same time and with the same speed
4. Power Application - from the catch, through the leg drive, into the swing, and at the finish, power must be applied evenly and synchronously throughout the boat
5. Strategy Execution - power 10s, starts and sprints, and building sequences must be known and delivered as one eight
6. Fitness - training schedules are designed so that rowers reach their peak performance by the time of a race; too early or too late and it is pointless

Dedicate yourself to rowing with the athletes in front of and behind you, matching every element of your stroke to your fellow oarsmen. Perhaps you will have to change or compromise your stroke to accomplish this, which is appropriate. In this effort, every rower is both a leader and a follower.

2008 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race

After an epic battle over the first half of the course, with Cambridge stealing a brief lead after Hammersmith, Oxford regained the initiative and moved steadily away to their third boat race victory in five years. They crossed the line to win the 154th Boat Race by six lengths in 20 mins 53 secs, the slowest time since 1947.

Start


Middle


Finish

2007 World Rowing Championships

This video contains some excellent technical rowing and very british commentators.



Courtesy of YouTube

Endurance, Strength, and Confidence

Rowers:

The 2000 meter erg piece is a combination of three things: endurance, strength, and confidence.

Endurance is hard work over an extended period of time. In rowing, if you have two athletes of similar body and muscle mass, the athlete who has more endurance is the one who can hold a certain split for longer. Example: Tom and Jerry are both 6'0 and weight 165lbs. If Tom holds a 1:50 split for 2000 meters and Jerry holds a 1:50 split for 2400 meters, then Jerry would have more endurance. Endurance is trainable.

Strength is simply the size and use of difference muscle groups. This category includes rowing with proper technique. Rowing with improper technique (such as over compressing at the catch, slouching during the recovery, opening your back early in the drive, etc.) prevents muscles from working with maximum efficiency. The stroke is carefully constructed to make the most of every muscle group. Therefore, muscle size and muscle use go hand-in-hand.

Finally, confidence is how aware you are of yourself. What are your limitations. How do you overcome them? What is your potential? How do you get there? The 2000 meter erg piece is a psychological test just as much as it is a physical test. To overcome the stress and anxiety of a 2000 meter piece, learn as much as you can about your stroke and fitness. The goal of any rower is to know exactly how he will perform before the race even starts. At this point, you are able to set reasonable goals.

Niskayuna Freshman Rowing Video

Rowers and Parents:



Courtesy of Flying Dutchman Productions and the Wiegman's

2000m Projected Erg Times

Rowers:

Friday is our first official 2000m erg test for the spring season. Use this table to see the relationship between average split and projected time. Keep in mind that our goal for the freshmen team is to have every rower below 8 minutes by the end of the season.

Split	2000m	Split	2000m	Split	2000m
1:40	6:40	1:51	7:24	2:02	8:08
1:41	6:44	1:52	7:28	2:03	8:12
1:42	6:48	1:53	7:32	2:04	8:16
1:43	6:52	1:54	7:36	2:05	8:20
1:44	6:56	1:55	7:40	2:06	8:24
1:45	7:00	1:56	7:44	2:07	8:28
1:46	7:04	1:57	7:48	2:08	8:32
1:47	7:08	1:58	7:52	2:09	8:36
1:48	7:12	1:59	7:56	2:10	8:40
1:49	7:16	2:00	8:00	2:11	8:44
1:50	7:20	2:01	8:04	2:12	8:48

Indoor Training Pictures - Spring 2008

Photos courtesy of Nate H.