Do you remember the advertising for “The Bug”? It destroyed the prevailing narrative of American car ownership which until that point was all about gaining status by driving a Cadillac. For us foreigners, the steps up the ladder started with Chevrolet, then rose through Buick and Oldsmobile before the pinnacle, Cadillac. It was a classic case of inadequacy marketing.
Until Volkswagen came along with the VW Beetle.
As masters rowers we are very aware that our sport and our culture celebrates youth. Yet we know that an active life can be well lived through decades – we are the proof.
Masters cannot compare themselves with youth rowers – that’s daft. We won’t fall for the “inadequacy” spiel which sport often projects. We are masters and we know why we love what we do.
It’s up to us to take control of our rowing destiny – to make the sport more the way we want it to be and to guide the inexperienced and ignorant to an awareness of rowing as a sport for life.
I truly believe that rowing is leading the way across masters sports demonstrating ways to embrace masters as well as adult beginners, fitness rowers and new formats like coastal and paddleboard rowing.
So if your club is not balancing the needs of the masters with those of other training groups, what are you going to do? If your Federation does not have a strategy for masters rowing, or a pathway for adult beginners into racing, what are you going to do?
Faster Masters Rowing stands alongside you, we have tools, examples, research and expertise to help you, Reader and everybody else who is reading this too. Together we’ll make our sport the way we want it to be.
Our future is in our hands.
We have the mastery and the connection with other masters rowers. Nobody is ‘doing this alone’.
Masters conference
I hope you can organise a group watch party to join me on Saturday March 23rd 2024 for the virtual masters rowing conference – details below.
Have a great rowing week.
Rebecca
Our most recent podcast
Rigging basics – rig club boats around a standard average and then allow members to adjust to suit themselves. Make it obvious and easy for members to change. Click the image to watch.
Boathouse Chat for the Weekend
So, What About Those Ergs?…I can still get drawn into erg comparison hell. But time, context, and perspective have taught me that erging is a way to do off water training that might (if you’re lucky) come close enough to rowing that you can fantasize.
This is an article extract from the Masters Magazine subscription. To read in full, including a solution to feeling like an imposter, buy the magazine.
It is surprisingly common to find masters rowers thinking that they are less skilled, less deserving of being in good crew lineups and generally “talk themselves down”. Have you noticed this?
They may be suffering impostor syndrome, defined as the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills.
Personal perception is the key to understanding this. It’s about how you view yourself, and that persistent conversation with the voice inside your head – who may be a little destructive devil in need of some restraint.
I consulted a business leadership coach about this topic and she gave me this great insight.
A feeling of not belonging is a type of shame.
Empathy is the antidote to shame – and kindness is the flipside of judgement. If you’re to have more rowers at Masters level, clubs need to a be a strong sense of welcoming. Good clubs could have a…… Read full article.
US Rowing is hosting a one-day event for masters. The speakers are excellent including Volker Nolte, Simon Hoadley and Lindsay Schoop. The day wraps up with a panel on growing masters rowing which I will be moderating. View the full schedule.
All ticket holders will get links to the recordings afterwards – even if you can’t attend live.
One ticket option is for a group – have a watch party at your club and save $$ on the individual price. More than 5 people and you’re quids in [look up that phrase].
Hello again Reader
Advocacy or speaking up for masters rowing is one of the goals for Faster Masters Rowing. As a business, we benefit when there are more masters in the sport and also when there are more organisations catering for masters such as clubs, regattas and rowing businesses.
Since we started in April 2019, masters rowing has grown significantly in participation headcount. Starting a podcast and weekly newsletter to communicate on topics of interest means we now have a large global…
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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