Creating rowing training groups which encompass athletes of different speeds and skill levels is a big challenge for a rowing coach.
You may find different ways of doing this from setting crews comprising faster and slower athletes so the average boat speed is similar, to setting off your slowest crews first and allowing the faster ones to overtake them. Doing pieces for time not distance is another easy way to keep crews closer together.
You can do the first piece, with crews starting level, then start the second piece based on who was in front at the end. This could be as a staggered start or a time handicap from a level start.
When an athlete does not stick with the group this makes it challenging - having acceptable behaviours in the group and the coach needs to reinforce these with the group for this to work.
04:30 This Past Week - Things we have done to advocate for masters rowing
Rebecca has launched expressions of interest for the peer-to-peer coaching clinics.
Marlene led the Functional Movement Assessment webinar/
08:40 Faster 5 Stroke power - Getting the most meters per stroke out of your boat. Strength training is important for masters in order to stimulate muscle recruitment. Hormone changes in men and women affect your muscles.
Important for developing a good rhythm contrast between drive and recovery. Easier learned with a more experienced rower.
13:30 Finding and creating appropriate training groups as a coach or organiser.
A group of single scullers - treat it as a pod that works together. Keep the group together relative to boat speed. The coach has to be strict to make people follow directions.
What to do if someone is disruptive or chooses not to join in with the group.
To get coaching stay rowing near the coach.
Three crews of different speeds and one coach - we had the 500m rule where you had to stop rowing if you got further away from the coach. We used the stationery stability drill to kill time until the others catch up.
22:00 Alternatives to a speed coach for rating. Ways to monitor your rating without using electronics.
Luka Spik says it's important to row without devices because it helps you focus on feel and rhythm.
28:00 Randall foils discussion about how they increase the load on the athlete.
What is the issue you are trying to solve using the foils? Is it keeping the drive horizontal - is it better to learn to scull properly and not use a device?
35:00 Death of a coach - how it affects you. Honouring their memory. Larry Gluckman died this week.
Faster Masters Rowing Radio - the podcast for masters rowers. Tips, advice and discussion from Marlene Royle and Rebecca Caroe.
06:00 This Past Week - things we do to advocate for and advance masters rowing around the world. Alan Oldham interviewed Rebecca for Rowing News - the article is titled Covid Connections
https://www.rowingnews.com/2021/03/17/covid-connections/
Marlene's Rowing News article is about a drill called the Stationery Stability Drill. When you can complete this and not touch the water you will be able to row oars off the water in any conditions.
Wellington Rowing Club is advertising for an independent board director - how many clubs use independents on their board?
Does your club offer social rowing memberships?
The Dutch mens eight use motors on their boat https://nos.nl/l/2372717
12:00 Our next webinar Functional Movement Assessment for Rowers. Learn 10 assessments and how to overcome the limitations. Tuesday 30th March 5 pm EST. Sign up for a free ticket
https://bit.ly/FunctionalMovementRowing
We are appearing on Tara Morgan's Steady State Network's Rowing Podcaster's Roundtable.
https://www.steadystatenetwork.com/rowing-podcast-roundtable
20:00 Your 2k race. Write down what you did to prepare and the race plan - what actually happened? Use this to improve your race for next time and to repeat what went well for you.
Give yourself credit for what went well.
24:40 The 3rd quarter of the race. What should you do?
It's going to be hard at this stage you are in oxygen debt. When the lactic acid is peeling the enamel off your teeth. You have to have a plan for the third quarter.
Simplify the plan as the race progresses. Practice the plan. Count 5s or 7s or 10s.
Rebecca recommends you pick a trick out of your bag to respond to what happens in your split. If it slips, which "trick" will you use to get it back?
Splits on Concept2 are run as a 3 stroke rolling average - this means it may take you a while to get the split back.
32:00 Plan your practice trials for competition. Develop the strategy.
35:00 How bad should you feel or not feel at the end of a 2k? To learn to row 100% is a skill. It takes time to learn how to cross the line. Ask yourself whether you could have done better or not.
40:00 Would you expect to exceed your maximum heart rate is OK? Calculations of heart rate are imprecise. Tests are precise.
43:00 Peak performance - did you ever have an out of body experience while racing?
Getting fit while learning to row and scull is challenging because learning how to handle the oars is more difficult than most people think.
Until you have good bladework skills you will likely find it hard to grow aerobic fitness from your on-water exercise. Do not get frustrated because we have recommendations. Firstly, you need to get used to being in a rowing boat - this will improve your rowing musculature and improve things like your ability to sit tall, rock from the pelvis and grow callouses on your hands. You need these before you can become rowing fit.
But you can get fit by rowing - we explain how in our podcast episode below.
Faster Masters Rowing Radio - the podcast for masters rowers. Tips, advice and discussion from Marlene Royle and Rebecca Caroe.
04:16 This Past Week - things we do to advocate for and advance masters rowing around the world. The CRASH-Bs had many athletes from Faster Masters racing.
Wayne Lysobey's book is Long Live Open Water https://amzn.to/30OY2rX
He wrote a poem for Marlene
There once was a man who did row
But when older he found he did slow
So he then did decide
He’d go fast on the slide
Either that or he’d get him a tow
08:00 the foot straps for rowers whose feet don't fit into big shoes.
There will be a masters Oxford and Cambridge boat race in Auckland on April 11th
11:00 Marlene refurbished her "guest boat" with a new footstretcher and shoes.
14:00 Video what's inside a Faster Masters Rowing subscription program
16:00 Our Favorite drills for Sweep 8s
Marlene likes rowing in 4s with the oarlocks open - it teaches how to keep weight into the oarlock.
Rebecca likes rowing with inside hand on the backstay20:00 One drill that we each love to do in the single & in an 8+
Our Favorite drills for Sculling 1x
Marlene likes open fingers on the recovery
Rebecca likes the quarter slide push drill
26:00 Ways to maintain fitness when you are learning to row the single
How to get fit in the single scull if you are a beginner.
Do combination workouts - it's hard to get up to pressure when you are learning and you may get tired but you won't get a hard cardio workout. Do hard sessions on the indoor rower.
Run to the club and try to get as many good strokes on the water as you can. Then stop.
Aim to start on the water rowing at the same quality as you came off from the previous outing.
Perfect practice makes perfect.
31:00 Use drills in single scull. These help you embed movement patterns.
Practice alternate strokes firm pressure and easy pressure. Learn how to build pressure in the stroke.
Take breaks - a rest is good as it frees up your mind as well as your body.
36:00 Try shadow rowing on the erg.
Marlene and Rebecca guested with Chris Brogan and Kerry Gorgone on their Backpack show - a business show, only fun!
This was our first guest appearance on another show and we learned a ton. Luckily they use the same software for streaming that we do - so it was fun to experience it from the "other" side of the fence.How did we do compared to the other guest? Did you understand what we do? Was it interesting?
https://youtu.be/bpKzTnJoIAo
Rebecca and Marlene discuss:
- How does cross training fit in? Pluses and cautions
- Force curves - common observations
- Listener Calls
06:00 This Past Week - what we've been doing to advocate for Masters Rowing
Marlene's coaching correspondence included an athlete who was under-performing and concerned about making progress. What time of day do you train? A busy schedule means you aren't getting enough sleep. You're tired. No wonder you're under-performing.
Book Recommendation The New Toughness Training for Sports James E. Loehr
https://amzn.to/3qDrMUf
Try to add 1 hour sleep a night so you get 7 not 6 hours. Take rest days during the week and do strength training.
Have a snack at work 3-4 pm and train at 5 pm when you get home. Then have a lighter dinner and eat a little later so you can get to bed by 11 pm not 12.30 am.
Rebecca's participating in the Pembroke Virtual Regatta doing 1100 meters four days in a row.
16:00 Scrimmage organisers if you would like to get a checklist ebook on how to organise, get in touch and we'll publish.
One Sporting World launch auction fund raiser for mental health - it's live now
https://m.facebook.com/events/445557209931337
The Magic Wand survey - What is the #1 thing you want/need as a masters rower?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/595853370615544/permalink/1618329025034635
21:00 Force Curve Analysis - common observations.
Last third of the drive is not symmetrical on the force curve - you are losing drive suspension
First part of the curve is very sharp - you are kicking the catch
Include strength training - is it just aerobic or is it everything?
Strength is important - it sustains muscle mass and protein stimulus for both men and women
We don't insist you do cross training. Does it fit in your schedule? Variety helps alleviate boredom.
Be careful - if it isn't something you do regularly - the shock to your body can be tough bringing tissue fatigue and possible injury.
36:00 Listener calls - we want to know new topics you'd like to hear on the podcast.
Send a text message to us +64 22 647 3993
Marlene and Rebecca discuss
- Erg racing mental approach
- Guest: Claudia Pace from Sagamore Rowing Club talking about running a club masters program
- Should you scull or sweep first?
06:00 This past week. Mitzi Nicoletti medalled twice at Denver Indoor Sprints.
A nice testimonial - Marlene Royle & Will Ruth
"Just listened to your Science of Rowing podcast as I’m getting ready for my cold long-SLOW-distance trail run. I think one reason you both are such great coaches for masters (and ancient) athletes is that you don’t just say "do it this way" but are open to conversations about technique and training. Not all, but most masters rowers I know are smart, analytical, and questioning. They need to bring their brains, not just bodies, into the coaching relationship. I spend lots of time around and with college rowers and I’m always surprised that they are so comfortable remaining so ignorant of our sport: they express little interest in learning the reasons behind technique or training or rigging or history etc. Most seem satisfied just doing what their coaches tell them to do. Way different for most masters rowers I know."
To understand ask "why" three times to fully understand.
Running a Scrimmage Regatta - checklist for organisers
15:00 Sweep or sculling first - which would you choose for a new rower. Sculling is better developmentally and a single is your "private coach".
23:00 Sagamore Rowing Association special guest Claudia Pace
A third of our members chose to join Faster Masters Rowing club program in November. We like to work on our own things and use zoom. The group's interests are not homogeneous. Everyone found their performance improved significantly. People have been more "applied" in virtual situation .
29:00 Everyone comes to the club with a different skill level. The program suits divergent goals. We do a monthly coaching call for team leaders.
33:00 How to persuade the Board / Committee to go with Faster Masters training program?
It's a good way to keep members engaged. Important to offer something over winter. We priced it out per person and made the fee accessible for everyone.
36:30 Figure out what level you can afford to do. Need a viable number of people. We walked through the program with Marlene and explained it to members. We agreed to do a trial for the winter and since then we've decided to extend it over summer.
If you don't have a coach and can't afford to hire a coach it's a good alternative to having in-person coaching.
41:00 The additional content each month really sold us. You can get out of the program whatever you want. Nobody says it is too hard and I can't do it. It is challenging.
45:00 Mental approach to ergs. There is no excuse and so do not vocalise. Be very well rested. if you are going to tolerate pain you must be rested. Helps to deal with the mental side of the discomfort.
Marlene and Rebecca discuss
- The Science of coaching masters athletes
- Erg Inspiration - how to make it fun
04:15 This past week we are supporting masters rowing around the world by:
- attending the Rowing Canada conference coastal rowing course
- Marlene was interviewed on the Science of Rowing with Will Ruth - details below
- listening to James Leath on intentional coaching
https://unleashtheathlete.mykajabi.com/
- Running a scrimmage regatta locally for masters
- Reviewing the "new masters" status for post-novice rowers before they become age group racers
10:30 Erg inspiration when you get depressed looking at the rowing machine
- make it fun. Ear buds, play list; podcast
- Groundhog day
14:00 Training programme for the Head of the Yarra - use the Faster Masters programme if you haven't got time to write a programme. Masters like to know workouts in advance because they like energy planning, time planning and consistency helps.
18:00 Rowing in 6s in an eight. What is the purpose of the exercise? If you want a stable platform, or a drill for the best chance to execute the drill, being stable is good.
When a pair drops out - have an agreed way to hold your oar when you change pairs; also an agreed way to join in the rowing; also an agreed way to hold the oar to stabilise the boat (against your knees or arms outstretched with upward pressure).
Discuss whether you want a "soft set" or a "firm set" in the drill and what the crew should do.
It's important to keep the handle pressure upwards (so the blade is flat on the water) to set the boat.
Facebook discussion
https://www.facebook.com/groups/595853370615544/permalink/1606787526188785/
24:15 The Science of Rowing - Marlene video interview with Will Ruth
[To get the video link, please join our newsletter]
The research article (Nova Scotia) is about coaching masters looking at Autonomy, Competence and Relatedness. The athletes who got coached experienced high relatedness and also greater frustration with autonomy.
To improve your coaching outcomes we need to ask if the psychological needs of the athletes being met?
Perceptions of masters are no different between the group who is coached and those with not much coaching. The sense of belonging is directly related to the amount of coaching the athlete receives.
40:00 Groups in your rowing club - how to enable a range of groups to form, un-form and meanwhile still keep the club stable.
Marlene and Rebecca talk about
- Weight loss and diet quality
- Naming your erg and your boat
06:00 This Past Week - what we've been doing to advance Masters Rowing.
Marlene has been at the Rowing Canada conference gaining a certification on coaching coastal rowing from Guin Batten.
Rebecca investigates introducing a new racing classification "New Masters" in New Zealand; and also explains how to get an eights group training together in your club.
15:00 Naming your erg - Have you named your rowing machine?
http://bit.ly/2MozjY7
Marlene's first van Deusen single scull was called Finse - the tallest mountain in Norway.
We discussed Sobakevich from Gogol's novel, Dead Souls.
22:00 Weight loss and diet quality. Since Christmas how much weight have you lost?
Changing diet habits is key. What improves diet quality?
- less sugar
- less refined foods (is there a wholegrain version?; is there a fresh version?)
- made at home means fewer preservatives
- boost your vegetables, fruits and high quality proteins.
Your brain likes "crunch" texture
Are you really hungry? Change soda to selzer water (sparkling water) - try to eat your calories not drink them.
Good habits
- small plate
- chew
- portion control
Rebecca and Marlene both use My Fitness Pal app for logging what you eat.
The World's Healthiest Foods book by George Mateljan
https://amzn.to/3cpmw2h
35:00 Plan your week - remove decisions from the moment by planning ahead.
nMarlene and Rebecca discuss
- Synching schedules. It's the hardest thing for a masters group to figure out.
- Injuries outside training
Anything that prevents you doing a full training load. And so a strained muscle, a stiff lower back or a hand blister can be part of you failing to complete a training session successfully.
Clearly there are scales and grades of injury - a blister is not the same as a broken leg!
Masters do not get injured more than younger athletes, but we are more likely to be adversely affected for longer and to take longer to return to full training.
Take injuries seriously - training on an injury usually makes it worse, not better.
05:00 This past week - Marlene is a nordic ski coach; she guested on The Science of rowing podcast and will be studying coastal rowing coaching at the Rowing Canada Aviron conference with Guin Batten.
Rebecca has been reviewing the novice masters status in New Zealand and seeking a rule of racing change. You get the behaviours your tolerate in your club.
15:00 Ways to align your crew schedule. Review your lineups, the number of people in your group and seek regular days.
Cliques in clubs can rip clubs apart. Good leadership is essential.
22:00 No wasted water time. This is something we value a lot.
23:30 Marlene has seen a huge increase in injuries from our athletes. when you get injured you have to heal the injury, rehabilitate it and then progress back to training.
These are non-rowing injuries and were caused by carelessness on land. Your body is fragile. It doesn't take much to derail your training.
Accidental injuries when you are in a fatigued state your tissue is fatigued.
26:50 The further you lean away from your body to pick up your boat it puts you at risk of injury. This is relate to poor judgement.
Be mindful of how you move your body.
34:00 The United Nations list of
Craftsbury Common is one of these heritage sites - the Trouble with Harry movie was filmed there.
35:00 Mike asks are there any good videos that can explain all the basics to a never/never rower - someone who has never sculled before?
Rebecca uses these two videos in slow motion for her beginner class. There's no commentary so you can overlay your own interpretation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=882yriTw1VA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQMaxr-gxp0
Marlene and Rebecca discuss
- Goodbye to all that
- Review of the year & forward plans
02:00 Head of the Fish trophy
07:00 Rowing From 2020 Virtual Regatta - enter by 3 January on Regatta Central
09:00 Review of the year. We went weekly during Lockdown. Marlene's favorite topic - setting up a home gym. It's important to keep up strength training twice a week. TRX straps and kettle bells, physio ball, elastic bands.
https://fastermastersrowing.com/the-perfect-home-rowing-gym/
Free training program for home rowing during Covid19 lockdown
https://fastermastersrowing.com/register/home-rowing-training-during-covid-19/
12:00 Rebecca's favourite topic - hip mobility for masters - a regular reminder of what to do. How to improve rock over and getting the handle past your knees. Separate stable body from moving up the slide.
https://fastermastersrowing.com/hip-mobility-for-masters/
15:00 What's coming up for Faster Masters? During the past year we have added 3x subscribers to the podcast and 2x the number of customers for our training programs.
18:00 Recovery is as important as training. After the workout you recover and adapt to the load. This is the OTHER training category (recovery) you get into shape after the workout.
20:00 Resilience - do the things to manage stress levels. Sleep and eating right matters.
22:00 Curling my toes reduced stability in the boat.
24:00 Virtual races and the ability to practice mental training. Stay in touch with challenges will help regular competitors.
27:00 Look around to check where the rock island is.
32:00 Electing a team captain for masters. Liaison between the athletes and the coach. What do they do? Outings, lineups, safety tests, regattas? First define the job.
Our next podcast episode will be on 14th January 2021.
See you all on the other side.
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