Faster Masters Rowing Radio - the podcast for masters rowers. Tips, advice and discussion from Marlene Royle and Rebecca Caroe.
- Rowing Gloves yes or no?
- Pin spacers how high?
- Water or sports drinks in the boat?
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Listener Questions answered
01:00 This past week we have been supporting masters rowing by hosting the Racing Starts Challenge. If you missed it, you can still get all the webinar recordings here
https://fastermastersrowing.com/register/vip/
05:00 Funny animal stories from rowers
16:00 Do rowing gloves work or is it faster to develop callouses? 
22:30 Should you opt for a higher pin height using spacers unless the water is flat?
Your oar goes to the centre of gravity. If you are high, your hands are higher than your centre of gravity.
Set at the correct height you shouldn't have to change rigging - altering the rigging doesn't help rough water rowing.
https://fastermastersrowing.com/how-to-row-in-rough-water/
26:00 Thoughts about carrying water or a sports drink in the boat
Rebecca interviewed Dr Stacy Sims who says you should get your calories from food and your hydration from water. Water gives best absorption with a teaspoon of maple syrup and a pinch of salt. The glucose base absorbs better into the body than fructose.
https://rowing.chat/dr-stacy-sims-sporting-women-are-not-small-men/
Go by your thirst. It's a good habit to have water with you in the boat.
32:30 How do you determine stroke versus bow in a double scull?
Be flexible. The best combination is the one that makes you go fastest for the race you are training for. Try switching seats. You need a good mindset in the stroke seat.
43:40 How to keep your muscles warm during a long wait before the start of a race?
Wear more clothes - a light down jacket is good.
Try to do things to move - loop around if you can.
Tapotement - gentle vibration stimulation of your muscles. "rapid and repeated striking of the body as a technique in massage."
Following a training plan sounds so simple. You just read the workout and do it, right?
Well - yes, but. There are many things which can get in the way of an effective training program - firstly training on the right day with the correct workout. Rowers are competitive folks and many harbor fears of missing a workout and then guilt that they need to "catch up" on the missed session. This is the most common trap you can fall into when getting your training wrong.
Our podcast explains some of the reasons why you should vary your workouts, how to plan workouts to fit your schedule and when you should not change the workout programed.
05:28 This Past Week - what we do to advocate for masters rowing.
Have you got a club newsletter and would you like to use masters rowing articles we've written? Get in touch
https://fastermastersrowing.com/contact-us/
Marlene's article on the oarlocks open drill is published in Rowing News Magazine
15:30 Rowing into a headwind with lumpy water is it better to keep the rate up to maintain boat speed or stay long and row slower?
Hold onto your finishes - know why you make your compromise.
23:00 Guidance on painting blades. Clean / Sand / Prime / Paint one colour.
masking tape skill is essential. Pull it off immediately you've painted. Paint the other side of the oar the next day.
You need structure to your week. Map your days and align to your training phases.
A plan is organised to build progressively - skills, fitness and mental skills.
What is the plan is set to achieve? Strengths, weaknesses or a race event and a peak?
Support this show with a donation
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35:30 General preparation times of year are different from specific preparation. More flexibility is possible. But stick to the sequence.
37:00 Varying the plan (how and when). We keep sessions to 60 minutes in the Faster Masters Rowing training plan so consider your days. If you are tired or under-recovered you should vary the plan.
39:30 What to do when life or the weather gets in the way of your plan. Wait a day. If you are injured or sick, be conservative and rest.
42:00 When it's NOT OK to vary the training plan. coming into a peak event, the taper is designed to restore your muscle glycogen to its full levels. This takes 7 - 10 days. Too much work will hinder this and you won't get a peak performance.
45:00 What to do when your crew is on a different program. don't overdo the intensity if you combine programmes. Can you blend the club team boats into your programme?
How to put new grips on your sculls. Possibly the bit of boat maintenance most likely to make you laugh out loud.
Discussion on capsizing in cold weather.
05:28 This Past Week - what we do to advocate for masters rowing.
Facebook discussion on capsizing in cold weather
https://www.facebook.com/groups/595853370615544/permalink/1658366544364216/
The discussion about capsizing from your single - the rule of thumb when air + water temperature adds up to less than 90 degrees Farenheit.
Straddle and Paddle technique advocated by Carl Douglas
10:00 The re-entry exercise. If you don't get back in your boat the first time your chances of succeeding the second time go down considerably. The key is getting the first kick to get your hips above the boat.
12:00 Getting back on the water. Marlene's checklist of safety items.
15:00 the Windy app recommended by Guin Batten
https://windy.app/
29:00 Dynamic warm ups in the boathouse
This is not for stretching and flexibility - do that after your workout. Dynamic warmups increase blood flow and raise your body temperature.
Flex and extend your ankles - start here and work up the body. No equipment is needed.
1 minute of hopping will compress your discs and help maintain your bone density.
Thixotropic muscle tissue.
We dive into the challenging topic of eating disorders in rowers including revelations from one listener about his bulimia.
02:00 This Past Week - what we do to advocate for masters rowing. Reading ROAR by Stacy Sims.
10:00 What's in the April program on Faster Masters?
1k and 5k programs. Technique videos of sculling we like. Rigging Quick boat setup. Guidelines on crew lineups for training. Organising race day checklist.
15:00 Masters Championships events around the world - UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, European Masters all have dates for regattas in 2021
19:00 The Female Athlete video interviews Jessica Diggins and her coach Matt Whitcomb about her eating disorder, bulimia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eupn8Td7Zo
Jessica notes that coping with the stress of training led to her eating disorder
Genetics loads the gun but the environment pulls the trigger.
The desire to be lean as an athlete is a psychological condition. Get professional help.
My brain is the major factor in success as well as equipment, training program, technique.
23:00 Matt Whitcomb talks about athletes working with dieticians. Going to your coach for help is hard because there's an imbalance in power because coaches are often selectors too. Showing vulnerability can affect selection.
The best a coach can do is say I am here for you if you need to talk.
The coach's job is to facilitate help, not solve the problem. They can help create a culture of openness where these things can be discussed without judgement.
31:00 Mark Madeley confirms that when he was training internationally, the lightweight rowing coaches didn't know about nutrition. He was a lightweight for South Africa and suffered bulimia under pressure training alongside the heavyweights and being expected to eat with them as well.
34:00 Focus on your lean body mass not your weight on the scales
Sleep 7-8 hours a night
Front-load your calories with carbs in the morning and protein int he afternoon. Your body metabolises carbs better earlier in the day.
Increase your intake of foods with Vitamin B12, Magnesium, healthy fats and omega 3 oils.
Match fruits and vegetables and grains with proteins to control blood sugar spikes.
37:00 Red Flag warnings for female athletes are a triad disordered eating, amenorrhea and osteoporosis.
41:00 a consultation with a sports nutritionist can be beneficial. Timing your calories can affect weight as much as what you eat.
43:00 Taking really good care of ourselves is this week's goal.
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
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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.
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