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."

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

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.

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.

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.

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

The Push-Up

Rowers:

Here are some excerpts from a little article printed in today's NY Times that you might find interesting. Lucky for you, the simple push-up will always be a part of the Niskayuna Freshmen Crew training regimen.

An Enduring Measure of Fitness: The Simple Push-Up
By TARA PARKER-POPE
Published: March 11, 2008

As a symbol of health and wellness, nothing surpasses the simple push-up.

“It takes strength to do them, and it takes endurance to do a lot of them,” said Jack LaLanne, 93, the fitness pioneer who astounded television viewers in the 1950s with his fingertip push-ups. “It’s a good indication of what kind of physical condition you’re in.”

The push-up is the ultimate barometer of fitness. It tests the whole body, engaging muscle groups in the arms, chest, abdomen, hips and legs. It requires the body to be taut like a plank with toes and palms on the floor. The act of lifting and lowering one’s entire weight is taxing even for the very fit.

“You are just using your own body and your body’s weight,” said Steven G. Estes, a physical education professor and dean of the college of professional studies at Missouri Western State University. “If you’re going to demonstrate any kind of physical strength and power, that’s the easiest, simplest, fastest way to do it.”

Mr. LaLanne, who once set a world record by doing 1,000 push-ups in 23 minutes, still does push-ups as part of his daily workout. Now he balances his feet and each hand on three chairs.

“That way I can go way down, even lower than if I was on the floor,” he said. “That’s really tough.”

Rowing 2000 Meters in 5:37.0 (WR)

Interview with Matthias Siejkowski

Indoor Rowing World Record Holder

by Verena Loch -February 12, 2002
Translated by Oli Rosenbladt

row2k: Would you please describe the race?
MS: I kept the 500m at 1:24; 1:25, 1:25 and 1:23. That's an average of 1:24.2 over 2k. My opponents were elite national team members of Poland who had to qualify in several heats. Shortly after the 1000m mark I had difficulties keeping up the intense speed. That's when I got some help from outside. My former partner of 1993 (Polish Eight), Andrzej Krzepinski (who is now the chief of sport marketing for the Polish Rowing Federation), went ahead and yelled: "Wind it up, Maciej, wind it up!" Right in time with the rating, and again and again. At that point, I hardly felt strong enought to keep it up unless I would increase the stroke rate. Hearing the commentator's voice over the loudspeaker, I closed my eyes after 3.5 minutes and worked it up stroke by stroke.

Beforehands, I had prepared a note for myself and stuck it to the floor which said: "You can do it! Work with every stroke. No brains, just work!" Well, and then I stopped thinking about the pain and somehow there was the finish. I realized the score, broke down for a second, got treatment, but then managed to push away the paramedics. I rose up to new strength and got up again. Started dancing with joy, hugging and kissing everyone around.

row2k: At what point did you realize you were about to break Rob's record?
MS: At 1300m I went down to 1:23 (as I managed to peek through my right eye now and then). That's when I knew that I wasn't about to let it disappear any more. It appeared to me that this was THE day I had set the programme for. After all, it's just a head game. The psyche is the key to a successful competition. Of course, I had prepared both my body and my technique with a lot of precision. I inherited a book from my father, called "Psychology between the Starting Line and the Finish." It's from the former GDR and excellent, I recommend it to every athlete.

row2k: What settings do you generally use for your races? How did you pre-set your display this time?
MS: I usually set the drag factor to 155-160. My stroke rate after settling down was around 36, and I could see 500m splits of 1:25.

row2k: Why did you not row at the Olympics in Sydney?
MS: In the spring and summer of 2000 I had to make ends meet as a newly unemployed engineer, so I was very busy looking for work, and that had to be a priority. But my heart was bleeding while I watched the German men's sweep team have so much "success" in Sydney.

row2k: How much do you train? Do you do only ergs, or do you cross-train as well?
MS: In the peak training periods of October/November 2001, I was doing 19/20 hours per week. Everything else I think I'd like to keep a secret...

row2k: Who is your coach, and who writes your training programs?
MS: I do all that myself, I have 20 years of experience. >From time to time, people who know a little bit about rowing watch my technique, which is very important even on the erg, and give me valuable tips. In that area, you need outside input. I'm extremely grateful to all those who have supported me.

Spring 2008 Welcome

Rowers and Parents:

Welcome to the start of Niskayuna's Spring 2008 Freshmen Crew Season. Until the Mohawk River completely melts and the docks are put in, we will spend the next couple weeks training indoors: increasing our strength, perfecting our technique, preparing our mental stamina, and defining our physical potential.

For those rowers and parents new this season, I encourage you to read previous blog entries. The rower's narratives, galleries and videos are probably the best places to start. They demonstrate the physical and technical demands of rowing along with insight into the rower's psyche.

This blog is created specifically for Niskayuna's freshmen "team," which, by my definition, includes the rowers, parents, friends, families, and everyone else interested in our success. Check the blog regularly for new posts; I am in the habit of adding new entries each week.

Finally, your participation and feedback is important: send me your photos from a practice, race, or pasta party, add your comments to a post, or suggest entries you would like to see included. Don't be shy to contribute because it is all for the best of the team.

Goals and Goal-Setting

Rowers:

We often hear a lot of talk about goals and goal setting. At the beginning of the season coaches are often asked "What are your goals for your team this year, coach?" This is certainly a valid question even if it is not stated correctly; that is, the goals should be the team's goals, not the coach's goals for the team. But why do we even use goals? Setting goals has at least three purposes:

1) Setting goals enhances motivation, preferably focusing on internal motivation;
2) Setting goals encourages athletes (and coaches) to develop new skills and strategies to improve performance; and,
3) Setting goals helps focus attention on the task one hopes to accomplish.

Various types of goals that one might want to accomplish. First are the time-line-related goals. Basically there are two types of goals in this category, although they are often referred to by various names. One is the long-term goal, also referred to as the ideal or ultimate goal. In sports, this is typically the goal set to be achieved by the end of the season. For a team it might be to win a league championship or reach a certain win-loss record. For an individual athlete it might be to have a .325 batting average or swim a 26 second 50m freestyle. Sometimes we talk about even more distant long-term goals, such as becoming a professional athlete or qualifying for the Olympics. The other type of goal is the short-term goal, also referred to as an action, momentary, or situational goal. These are the specific goals that are the stepping stones which lead us up the path to the long-term goal. Coaches focus on short-term goals as they plan each practice session and prepare their team for an upcoming game or meet.

Another way to describe types of goals is to address what one wants to accomplish. Here we are talking about mastery goals and competitive goals. Mastery goals, sometimes referred to as task oriented goals, focus on learning to perform skills. Unlike competitive goals, mastery goals are self-referenced. That is, athletes compare their current performance to their own previous performances with self-improvement being the goal. One of the nice things about mastery goals is that the athletes themselves are responsible for success or failure to achieve these goals. Competitive goals, sometimes referred to as ego oriented goals, focus on outcomes, typically winning. These goals involve social comparison, that is, comparing an athlete's or team's performance against that of another athlete or team. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to win, one problem with competitive goals is that is is possible to achieve a competitive goal, winning, without playing well. Another major problem with competitive goals is that an athlete or team does not have as much control over success or failure because they cannot control the performance of the opposition. Thus it is possible to perform your best but not accomplish a competitive goal. Although there is not an absolute answer to this problem, the best strategy seems to be to focus primarily on mastery goals and secondarily on competitive goals. Achieving mastery goals will likely lead to also accomplishing competitive goals.

This article provided by Dr. Richard Stratton, Health and Physical Education Program, Virginia Tech

Strategizing for the Fish

Rowers:

Let's take a closer look at the 3200 meter race course on Fish Creek. The entire race course will be buoyed. Therefore, keep all buoys off to the port side of the eight. Do not cross the buoys because the oars will tangle easily in the ropes causing havoc.

There will be many boats circling in the warm up area. The start marshall will do his best to line you up. Coxswains, remember your bow number so it is easy to find your place in the starting order. Once you begin rowing towards the start, make sure you have enough time to build the boat's pressure from paddle to full BEFORE reaching the bridge. When crossing through the start line, there will be 600 meters to the turn.

At the turn, in addition to using your rudder, use pressure from the starboards and ports to ease the turn. It is uncertain how many strokes it will take before rowing even pressure again; therefore, do not count these strokes. When getting your point back on the straightaway, search for the best angle.

After the turn, the right-hand shore will go in and out. DO NOT FOLLOW IT. Instead, make a straight line, as shown in the graphic, which can become a nice 500 meter piece of the race.

The boats will, at this point, be in the straightaway. Again, do not follow the shoreline because it will not make the shortest course. Instead, make your point the finish line bridge in the distance. Also, make sure you do not cross over the buoy line.

Finally, the sprint. Coxswains, do not call the sprint too early. 350 meters will be sufficient. Prepare the rowers that as you get near the launching area the sprint will begin. Do not look out of the boat or get distracted by the noise. Focus in and row under the bridge, which is the finish line.

Coxswains, choose what you think will be the shortest and fastest course.

Head of the Fish Course and Entries

Rowers:

As we prepare for the Head of the Fish Regatta this coming weekend, let's thank Google Earth for providing us with an overhead shot of the race course. The majority of the 3200 meter course is straight with one "C" curve at the 600 meter mark.

Coxswains can prepare their crews for this curve in practice. First, the coxswains will ask the rowers to increase pressure on the starboard side (and decreasing port pressure) to pivot the boat left; then the coxswain will reverse that call to realign themselves and get a point on the finish line bridge.

Race Entries:

Novice Eight Event (8:35am Start Time)
Cascadilla Boat Club
Chaminade High School
Cold Spring Harbor Rowing Association
Cold Spring Harbor Rowing Association
Concord High School
Derryfield School
Fairfield Prep
Fairport Crew Club
Fairport Crew Club
Fairport Crew Club
Friends Of Shenendehowa Crew
Gms Rowing Center
Great Bay Rowing
Manchester Central Crew Club
Niskayuna High School
Northampton Youth And Community Rowing Inc.
Northampton Youth And Community Rowing Inc.
Norwalk River Rowing Association
Ottawa Rowing Club
Pittsford Crew

Freshmen Eight Event (8:35am Start Time)
Burnt Hills Rowing Association
Chaminade High School
Chaminade High School
Fairfield Prep
Fairfield Prep
Fairfield Prep
Niskayuna High School
Northampton Youth And Community Rowing Inc.
Saratoga Rowing Association
Saratoga Rowing Association
Shaker Rowing Association
St. Catharine's Rowing Club

Second Varsity Eight Event (2:00pm Start Time)
Arlington Rowing Association
Burnt Hills Rowing Association
Chaminade High School
Chaminade High School
Concord High School
Derryfield School
Fairfield Prep
Fairport Crew Club
Glastonbury High School
Manchester Central Crew Club
Niskayuna High School
Norwalk River Rowing Association
Shaker Rowing Association
St. Catharine's Rowing Club
Syracuse Chargers
Taylor Allderdice High School
Wayland-weston Rowing Association

6000m Projected Erg Times

Rowers:

As you plan for your last 6k test of the season, use this table to see the relationship between average split and projected time.

Also, according to the November 2006 Junior National Team Testing Results, which can be viewed on www.USRowing.org, 6k times ranged between 20:30 and 22:15 (with some exception).

Split	6000m	Split	6000m	Split	6000m
1:52	22:24	2:05	25:00	2:18	27:36
1:53	22:36	2:06	25:12	2:19	27:48
1:54	22:48	2:07	25:24	2:20	28:00
1:55	23:00	2:08	25:36	2:21	28:12
1:56	23:12	2:09	25:48	2:22	28:24
1:57	23:24	2:10	26:00	2:23	28:36
1:58	23:36	2:11	26:12	2:24	28:48
1:59	23:48	2:12	26:24	2:25	29:00
2:00	24:00	2:13	26:36	2:26	29:12
2:01	24:12	2:14	26:48	2:27	29:24
2:02	24:24	2:15	27:00	2:28	29:36
2:03	24:36	2:16	27:12	2:29	29:48
2:04	24:48	2:17	27:24	2:30	30:00

Preparing for the Triple Race

Rowers:

The freshmen boy’s rowing team has made a very uncharacteristic change in our training this week. And, without thinking twice, we probably all agree that it was one of the best decisions of the season. The perceptible growth in our crew’s performance over the past two days proves this point. It also means that with the limited time we have left before our first race, we need to streamline all of our training activities and continue our focus on the development of our freshmen and novice eights.

Tomorrow - Friday, October 5th - is our first race against local crews Saratoga and Shenendehowa on Fish Creek. Tonight, before you go to bed, think about Tuesday, Wednesday, and today’s practices. Take 15-20 minutes to visualize yourself in the boat and all of the technical changes you have made to your stroke. Then, put yourself into the context of the boat, blending and matching your stroke with the rowers around you (see the YouTube video of the Dutch national team).

Think about controlling your recovery and maintaining proper hand levels, exhaling at the finish as your hands quickly move down and away, raising your hands at the catch and then driving the boat together. Finally, visualize yourself focusing forward, with your eyes in our boat, the Niskayuna blades only in your peripheral view, and crossing the finish line with the fastest time.

Eat a good dinner and rest well. I hope everyone is as excited for tomorrow’s race as I am.

Staying Healthy During the Fall Season

Rowers and Parents:

After the unseasonably warm September on the Mohawk River, it is hard to tell what type of weather conditions October will bring. What you should expect is that both the air and water temperatures will begin to drop.

The Niskayuna Freshmen Boy’s team has grown to 2 eights; however, we will take a hit every time a rower needs to miss a practice due to illness. Here are some preventive measures you should take to avoid illness this fall:

1. Pay Attention to the Weather Forecast: be aware if it is supposed to rain, if there will be an evening frost, or another day in the 90s. This will, most importantly, influence how you dress.
   
   
2. Dress appropriately: If there is a chance that it will rain or be cold on the river, bring extra clothes. If you need to, carry an extra gym bag to school; don’t forgo that extra fleece because it won’t fit in your backpack. Hypothermia can set in quickly and make you very sick. Also, avoid cotton; it will absorb water from rain or backsplash and keep you wet the entire cold, windy practice.
   
   
3. Bring plenty of water: Even on cold or rainy days, you will sweat, and your body needs to rehydrate. Plus, bring your own water bottles, because there is nothing worse than catching a cold from someone else.
   
   
4. Eat right: scholastic rowers have awesome diets…eat all the carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, and vegetables you want. If you don’t replenish your body with the nutrients it needs, you will become more susceptible to illness. Also, try not to eat so much candy or drink so much soda, they won’t help alleviate muscle fatigue or regeneration.
   
   
5. Get plenty of rest: with school and crew, it may be easy to forget how important sleep is; but don’t. While you rest, your body is at work fighting off antigens, reconstructing muscle tissue, and re-energizing you for the next day. If you don’t get sufficient rest, it is easier to catch a cold.

Pasta and the Crew Race

Rowers:

Why pasta the night before a crew race?

The adequate consumption of carbohydrates is necessary for the preservation of protein for muscle tissue repair and maintenance. It is essential that the athlete consume carbohydrates before, during, and after exercise to sustain sufficient muscle glycogen levels.

Muscle glycogen stores are most diminished during endurance exercise (like rowing). Therefore, the ingestion of carbohydrates within 24 hours before and after strenuous activity is crucial for the replenishment of muscle glycogen.

The type of carbohydrate ingested is a key variable in the earliest replenishment following an extended bout of exercise. The pre-exercise carbohydrate should have a moderate glycemic index like pastas and whole grains. The post-exercise carbohydrate should have a high glycemic index like corn flakes, honey, white bread, rice, carrots, and bananas.

Nancy Clark of Sports Medicine Systems Inc. suggests that with morning events the athlete should eat a hearty, high carbohydrate dinner and a bedtime snack the night before. In the morning eat a light meal of toast and /or cereal to stabilize blood sugar levels, absorb some of the gastric juices and to keep from feeling hungry. For afternoon competitions the athlete should consume a hearty breakfast and a light carbohydrate-based lunch.

Bibliography:
- LaGary, Carter (Valdosta State University), Nutrition and Recovery.
- Kuster, Shawn, "Preparing for a National Competition," Sport Medicine and Science Council of Saskatchewan.

Plyometrics: What Are They?

Rowers:

Speed and strength are integral components of fitness found in varying degrees in virtually all athletic movements. Simply put the combination of speed and strength is power. For many years coaches and athletes have sought to improve power in order to enhance performance. Throughout this century and no doubt long before, jumping, bounding and hopping exercises have been used in various ways to enhance athletic performance.

In recent years this distinct method of training for power or explosiveness has been termed plyometrics. Whatever the origins of the word, the term is used to describe the method of training which seeks to enhance an individual's "explosive" reaction through rapid and powerful muscular contractions.

PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES:

LOWER BODY

Drop Jumping: This exercise involves the athlete dropping (not jumping) to the ground from a raised platform or box, and then immediately jumping up. The drop down gives the pre-stretch to the leg muscles and the vigorous drive upwards the secondary concentric contraction. The exercise will be more effective the shorter the time the feet are in contact with the ground. The loading in this exercise is governed by the height of the drop that should be in the region of 30 to 80 cm. Drop jumping is a relatively high impact form of plyometric training and would normally be introduced after the athlete had become accustomed to lower impact alternatives, such as two-footed jumping on the spot (jumpies).

Bounding and hurdling: If forward motion is more the name of your game, try some bounding. This is a form of plyometric training, where over sized strides are used in the running action and extra time spent in the air. Two-legged bounds reduce the impact to be endured, but to increase the intensity one legged bounding, or hopping, can be used. Bounding upstairs is a useful way to work on both the vertical and horizontal aspects of the running action. Multiple jumps over a series of obstacles like hurdles are valuable drills for athletes training for sprinting or jumping events.

UPPER BODY

Press ups & hand clap: Press-ups with a hand clap in between is a particularly vigorous way to condition the arms and chest. The pre-stretch takes place as the hands arrive back on the ground and the chest sinks, and this is followed quickly by the explosive upwards action. Once again, to get the best training effect keep the time in contact with the ground to a minimum.

Medicine Ball: Another means of increasing upper body strength popular with throwers is to lie on the ground face up. A partner then drops a medicine ball down towards the chest of the athlete, who catches the ball (pre-stretch) and immediately throws it back. This is another high-intensity exercise and should only be used after some basic conditioning.

Race Lineups

Rowers:

With our first race just around the corner (September 29), I want to be clear how boatings will be made. We have two eights worth of freshmen athletes; therefore, I will refer to the boats as the freshmen eight and novice eight.

Neither eight is considered a priority, because I will be coaching both boats equally. And, it is my goal to bring out the potential strength and speed of every athlete in both crews.

The freshmen eight will be the faster of the two eights - freshmen races typically finish with times faster than novice races. I will set the boats based on three criteria:

- Improvement on the water;
- Improvement on the erg; and
- Attendance.

As freshmen athletes who are new to sweep rowing, it is less important for me to boat based on strength. I will look for rowers who are focused on learning the appropriate way to row and who are dedicated to our team goals. Don't hesitate to ask me at practice about your seat. Just don't ask me about somebody elses...we are a team.

Resistance Training Program

Rowers:

Your goal, if you choose to participate in a resistance training program, is to build strength. This complements our water training, which focuses heavily on technique and endurance. Each resistance training session should last only 30 minutes or less with only 2 to 3 sessions per week. Please follow this program carefully.

THE PROGRAM

1. Stretch at the beginning of each session
2. Ask the gym teacher or instructor to help you determine your 1 rep max or to show you the proper way to do each exercise from the list below if you are uncertain
3. Each day, choose 6 exercises from the list, with at least one from each set
4. Perform 2 sets per exercise of 8-10 reps each at about 75% your 1 rep max
5. Allow 45-60 seconds rest between sets
6. Stretch after each session

Note 1: Know your exercises beforehand so you can rotate through the session efficiently
Note 2: Try a unique exercise routine each session

THE EXERCISES

Lower Body

• Squats
• Leg Extensions (quadriceps)
• Leg Curls (hamstrings)
• Dumbbell Lunge
• Calf Raise
• Leg Press

Core

• Lower Back Extensions (aka: Superman)
• Cleans
• Sit-Ups (option to use a medicine ball)
• Elbow-Knee Touches
• Plank Holds

Upper Body

• Bench Pulls
• Upright Rows
• Bicep Curls (w/barbell)
• Overhead Extensions (triceps)
• Flys
• Bench Press (w/free weights)
• Lat Pull Down

Coxswain's Responsibilities

Rowers:

What exactly is the coxswain's role on the freshmen team.

1. Safety. The coach and the coxswains together ensure that you, the rowers, are safe. Whereas the coach makes sure your technique is proper to avoid injury, the coxswain makes sure he steers you safely down the river, reminds you to re-hydrate when there are a few seconds to catch your breath, and report to the coach any comments on rower fatigue and complaints. Safety is the first and foremost responsibility.

2. Motivation. The coxswain needs to learn what charges each rower. Is it competition? Is it teamwork? Is it personal achievement? Coxing is not just a series of calls...it is not "row row row." Absolutely not. If the rowers don't respond to a certain call, figure out what call does elicit the desired response. It is very much a problem solving role. Go home after practice and think about what calls worked and what calls didn't. Discard the ineffective and rehearse the effective.

3. Be Prepared. Ready rowers: THE COXSWAIN IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR WATER BOTTLES! Figure it out. Bring your water down when you bring the oars down. Bring it down before warm-up. But do NOT throw your water bottle into the coxswain's arms just before we get hands on the boat. Coxswains, you must have in your hands a cox box, headset, and head band. If you remember, bring some tools for quick fixes in the boat. Most importantly, your cox box must be charged. Please do not be on the dock and discover your box is out of battery. Charge it after practice!!! Once the boat is on the dock, no one should be running back up to the boathouse. You and the Captain will make sure both sets of oars are down before warm up. If there's another pair, rowers, grab them.

4. Be On Time. Coxswains, please always keep an eye on the time. When we are boating out, it should not take more than 3 or 4 minutes. Same thing for when we dock at the end of practice. You must be in control of where your rowers are. Make your calls efficient and clear. "Starboards stay with the boat, Ports oars." "30 seconds." "Starboards, run out your blades." "Starboards, one foot up and in." "Starboards hold, Ports in." "Countdown from bow when ready." "1..2..3..etc." "Push off the dock in two: 1...2" And your off. This is a system.

5. Protect the Equipment. When our hands are on the boat, the coxswain is the only one voice. Protect the skeg and rutter with your life. Remind the rowers of the riggers in the boathouse. Make sure the boat doesn't scratch against other boats. "Shoulders in 2." "Hands in 2." "Heads in 2." Etc. Make the calls LOUD and CLEAR. LOUD and CLEAR!

We are developing a routine, something that will be done the same everytime we row.