In this month’s programs we have training plans for folks racing 5k in March, 1k in May or June, and 1k later in the year. Each is customised to create a planned build-up to a race event.
If you are planning sprint racing get going with a masters-specific program in March and you’ll be well-prepared come race day.
In addition there’s an article on impostor syndrome in rowing and a solution, should you or your club know it exists in your group.
If you’re curious what our training programs are like, you can download a couple for free. Try them out, you will see how good they are.
I went to the oar racks this morning to take a pair of club sculls and found that the buttons were at different positions. SO frustrating, as I want to maximise time on the water for early morning rows.
Has this happened to you?
Masters must take good care of equipment – particularly if they are shared with other training groups in the club.
When it comes to oars do you have a routine to check the lengths and inboards before each regatta? I used to check the oars at the regatta when unloading boats, but of course if you alter the length/inboard on race day you will be racing with an altered rig, which wasn’t what you trained with in practice.
Definitely sub-optimal.
Tell me what the problems are you’re facing – and if we have ideas or solutions, we’ll send them over.
Have a great rowing week.
Rebecca
Our most recent podcast
How ready are you for today’s workout? HRV tracking may help you be more effective for the hours you invest in training. Click the image to watch.
Boathouse Chat for the Weekend
Hello, I will go rowing in Spain in two weeks. Are there some Spanish rowers in the group who could help me find some basic words and commands used when rowing, such as crew, boat, oar, rower, stroke, seat, half-slide, full-slide, ready go, urgent stop, we are behind you…and so on. Thanks
Are you on the committee running a masters regatta? Would you consider adjusting the events you offer to accommodate the needs of masters rowers?
Here’s what I mean.
We all know that masters rowing is growing – lots of newcomers, lots of learn to row classes and new clubs are starting. There is a risk of a split happening in masters rowing between those who learned to row in their youth and those who learned as adults. Why? Because it takes years before they are competitive against others who’ve rowed for longer.
And there is a solution.
A pathway for masters
We need to create a fun and fair racing environment for masters. But there’s a baked-in disadvantage for those who are new to racing. When age groups compete, it’s aligned and adjusted based on a racing handicap system. This fails to take account of newcomers who are still learning how to row and how to race.
Can regattas run events for newcomers – so that if you are in your first 5 years of racing, you compete against similarly experienced athletes, rather than in the age group categories?
The San Diego Crew Classic and the NZ Legion Regatta added these “New Masters” events. Could your regatta do that too?
Do contact your local regatta organisers and lobby them. Here’s Rebecca’s slides explaining the need for a masters athlete pathway.
Oar lengths for masters
How to rig a single scull for your height
Rules for rigging rowing boats
Make yourself comfortable
Centre yourself – at the catch hip on the pin centreline
Oarlock height – keep your forearms above the handles
Sit in your boat and get someone to observe – if they aren’t an experienced rower, just get them to take photos of you – from as low down as possible so you can examine in close up.
What sculling rig is best?
Sadly “it depends” is the only correct answer here. It’s more important to see the person in the boat than to just follow rigging numbers. Customise to your flexibility and strength…… Read full article
Masters rowing photos
Nathalie Pham rowing in Rome, Italy
Click the image to see more masters rowing photos.
Whenever you are ready….
Here are ways Faster Masters Rowing can help you:
Align your training to your physical capacity with a program
Hello again Reader
Across the world there are events at different times of year. When Marlene and I started this business we researched the major events for masters rowers in English-speaking countries. We designed the training programmes to cater for the majority using our standard training plans. Sometimes, these don’t exactly align with races you want to do.
We got this question from Michael
Do you by any chance have a training program for a single sculler taking part in a 16km head race?…
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