Author: readyallrow

Q&A Rowing Technique

Question of the Day

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Hi! I tried looking online about my “problem” and I couldn’t find much so here I am, looking for some help! My coach always tells me that I “open” the body too early at the catch/drive. I don’t understand what he means because every time I try to correct it, I’m wrong. Do you have any solution that could help me? Thanks a lot.

Sure! So, opening up the back/body too early means that you’re starting your layback before the legs are all the way down (aka before you’ve finished the leg drive). I’ll try and illustrate this below with one of my typically-crude illustrations because I think things like this are easier to understand when you can visualize them. The explanations are in the picture but if something doesn’t make sense, feel free to comment and I’ll clarify.
Coxswains, this is something in particular you can be watching for when the rowers are on the ergs. If you see someone opening their back too early (as illustrated above) or doing the opposite, which would be shooting their tails (when you essentially take the legs completely out of the drive and use only your upper body for power, leading to lots of fun low-back problems), correct them and go through the proper sequence with them once or twice until they get it.

Rowers, if you’re having issues with getting the sequencing down, try doing the reverse pick drill on the erg (or ask your coach if you can add it to your warmup the next time you go out). This will go through the legs-back-arms progression one section at a time starting with legs only (arms and body stay in the “body over” position), followed by the back (legs down, back in the layback position, arms straight out), and then finishing with the arms (legs – back – arms).

HOCR: Yaz Farooq’s Coxswain Clinic

Coxing Racing Rowing

HOCR: Yaz Farooq’s Coxswain Clinic

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Previously: Getting to the starting line || Steering through the bridges || Landmarks along the course || Steering around the turns || Race plans || My general race plan

Since last year was the first year that I was coxing Head of the Charles I wanted to learn as much about the course as possible so I went to Yaz Farooq’s clinic that she hosts the Friday before racing begins. If you aren’t familiar with Yaz, she’s a former collegiate (walk-on at the University of Wisconsin) and national team coxswain who competed at both the ’92 Barcelona games and the ’96 Atlanta games, in addition to four world championships. If you watch the Olympics you’ll recognize her voice since she’s one of the commentators for the rowing events for NBC.

While the clinic is highly recommended by the HOCR officials, it isn’t mandatory to attend. There is no official HOCR coaches and coxswains meeting though so it’s entirely up to you to familiarize yourself with the rules and the course on your own time. HOCR does have a video that goes over the starting procedures, the course itself, and what to do after you finish the race so at the very least you should sit down and watch that. I went over it in two parts last year, which I’ve linked to below.

Related: Getting to the starting line and Steering through the bridges

During the clinic Yaz goes over video from her HOCR races, how to handle the turns, how to steer a bow loader during the race, etc. The head official/chairman of the Regatta & Rules committee, John Lambert, is also there and spends a good amount of time going over how to handle traffic through the bridges, what the different penalties are and how they’re assessed, etc.

I took a lot of notes last year so I’ve posted all of them below. I’d consider this a brief overview of what is discussed at the clinic and not an actual substitute for going. A lot of my notes are in shorthand and not actual sentences (I was writing fast) so if you want/need clarification on anything, feel free to ask.

24 official referee stations along the course (if something happens, someone will see it)

Preparation – look for opportunities

Row a clean course; learn the course, the crews in front of/behind you, practice passing beforehand

Minimize excess steering … have as little effect on the balance as possible

Share details with your crew so they’re mentally prepared

Weld = halfway

If you get to the basin inside 15 min to your race –> straight to the chute

Chute = easy place for accidents; be aware!

Odd # bows = Boston, even # = Cambridge

Hug Cambridge shore/green buoys; watch at Magazine Beach, buoy can get dragged out from SADL launches, will still get penalized if you’re inside them

WATCH FOR CREWS LAUNCHING AT SADL

How to pass: make intentions obvious when within one open length, yell what side you’re taking, make it obvious, point bow to that side, use bow for reinforcement, no swearing at other boats (typically OK for your own though)

Related: How to pass crews during a head race

If crews are being defiant, tell them they’re risking a penalty; be firm but not a jerk

When another crew panics, recognize it, let your boat know, help other crews by instructing the other boat what to do to give way to passing crew (you)

Increase pressure/rating when you think you can get ahead of a crash, if you’re gaining on a crew and need to pass before a bridge, and/or if you’re gaining on a crew and want/need to get inside of a turn

Decrease pressure if you’re being passed or forced to the outside in order to get a cleaner line or if you’re barreling up on crews going through a bridge that can’t accommodate all the crews (WEEKS)

Goal = fastest time

Passing strategy when being passed: make intentions obvious before giving away faster course

Along Powerhouse stretch, select arches based on traffic; Cambridge arch vs. center arch =

Exit Western (Weeks setup): point on outermost edge of buoy line then change point to the blue dome at Harvard (Lowell House). As you close in the dome will disappear behind the trees. Begin turn to the port when level with the turning tree.

Ease  onto medallion from turning tree then crank it

Traffic strategy at Weeks: if on the inside, be ahead of crews on starboard otherwise you may be forced too close to port abutment; make sure you have at least half a length of open between bow and stern. If on the outside, give yourself half a length of open so you’re not t-boned by the inside crew if they underestimate the turn. If you’re level/behind crews on inside, corner will be fine i you maintain headings (you can cut across their wake if they go too wide). Drop to half-pressure for a few strokes to cut across and clear stern/bow.

Communication with crew: let them know major turns coming up, tell them when steering, tell them when you need power, tell other side to power down if needed, tell when to go back to even pressure

Coming out of Weeks, be pointed at center arch of Anderson

At Anderson, turn to starboard, need to immediately get set for “the big turn”

Exit Anderson, point to right side of tall white apartment building; do not follow the shoreline

250m from Anderson/Newell = start of Eliot turn

Point to outermost buoys, gradually follow turn

Eliot: steer sharp to port before the bridge to get line through center arch (starboards); should take five hard strokes from starboard to get you around, might need more depending on the wind. No blades over the buoys, just hug it.

When launching from FALS, come thru turn slowly by fours or pairs

Traffic strategy: pay attention to crews on starboard side, must get ahead or fall behind

Eliot headings: go through diagonally port –> starboard, hug the buoys hard by Belmont dock, get buoys under the riggers

Finish line: last 500m, aim for center of the finish line buoys. Boardwalk = 20 strokes to go. Paddle all the way to the end of the buoy line to avoid penalties.

All the information below is from John Lambert and is on rules, penalties, etc.

Be familiar with the rule book and any changes before racing

Athletes given benefit of the doubt, minor blade clashes = not a penalty

Bow #1 is the only bow with the opportunity to have a perfect race

Are responsible for safety first and foremost

Umpires are at every bridge and turn, are there to ensure fairness, safety, determine violations, assess penalties

Travel lanes: do not interfere with other races; double buoys between Weeks, Eliot; stay between white buoys and shoreline. Buoy violation = 10 seconds/buoy if hull is outside travel lane. Interference with another race by hull or blades = severe penalty or disqualification

Buoys: orange (continuous) = Boston, green (occasional) = Cambridge; 10 second penalty/buoy if hull goes over. Buoys can change depending on depth of river, wind, waves, etc. Blades can also get caught in buoy lines.

Violations: disregard for safety = 60 second penalty = even during practice on Friday

Get to the finish line as fast as possible based on the circumstances you’re given

Passing: passing boats have right of way; yield must begin when there is one length of open and closing (failure to yield = 60 second penalty). When passing, can’t force crew off course, when yielding can’t cut buoys.

Non-yield interference: 1st = 60 seconds, 2nd = 120 seconds, 3rd = DQ

Do not press luck when passing and force a collision; cannot do anything blatantly unsafe. USE YOUR COMMON SENSE.

If there is a severe collision (injury, hull damage) = 60 second penalty; impossible to credit crews who are effected by collisions

Conduct: personally abusive language = penalties; not directed at anyone = no penalties

60 second penalty for no bow number

If late to start, report to any official, don’t jump in (be polite, follow instructions immediately)

Boats must finish with coxswain aboard (…duh?)

Communication with bowman when in bow loaders: they should tell you what side you’re being passed on and how fast; when passing, tell when clear to steer at will to avoid cutting off crews. Discuss in advance.

Tl;dr: be prepared. Know what you’re getting into and know that whatever plan you have is probably going to change before you get to Magazine Beach. Be prepared for the unexpected and know how to handle every situation when something happens. Never panic. Make it to the finish line in one piece. Have fun.

Image via // Boston Magazine

Q&A Rowing Teammates & Coaches

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Hi, I’m debating talking to my coach about why I am not in the first boat. I am not trying to be cocky I just want to know what’s preventing me from being in the top boat. I’ve consistently been within top 5 for both raw scores, and weight adjusted on the ergs. My coaches tell me I have a great attitude and I’m assuming my technique is fine because he has never said otherwise, plus I stroke 2V. When we do pieces at most 1V is a seat ahead of us. Do you think asking could come off as egotistical?

There’s definitely a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it but as long as you’re not coming off as whining and “why am I not getting my way, you have no idea what you’re missing, I’m so much better than this person”, I don’t think there’s any harm in you asking. I would actually encourage you to talk to your coach and see what he/she says. If you truly think you’re on par with the rowers in the 1V and your coach doesn’t give any indication that he/she disagrees, I would ask for a seat race.

If your coach gives you a reason or reasons as to why you’re in the 2V, take it in and make an effort to work on whatever things might be keeping you out of the 1V. It’s possible that there’s nothing keeping you out except for the fact that only eight rowers can fit in the boat (which sounds like that might be the case). As annoying as it is, let that motivate you to work harder so that when it comes time to make lineups your coach says “this guy who’s been stroking the 2V has really been stepping up lately, let’s see what he looks like in the 1V”.

Coxing How To Q&A Technique

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Hi, I never know what it means when someone asks me what the boat “feels” like. Like the rush for example. I’m not sure what that feels like vs. a boat with no rush. Just in general, I’m not sure how to gauge whether a piece felt good or bad. I feel like the only things I can see are blade height, square up timing, catch timing, and if bodies are moving together, and I can tell if the boat was really moving and if there was power. But what else should I be aware of?

Rush is something you need to communicate with your stroke about because they’re usually going to feel it more than you will, unless it’s really bad. You’ll know if the boat is rushed (without your stroke telling you) when you’re getting thrown back and forth in the seat. When you’re rowing normally you can sense the rhythm and see/feel that one part of the stroke lasts longer than the other but when it’s rushed you can’t see a difference in the ratio, which is a good indication that the boat is just spinning its wheels.

Related: Coxswain skills: “So, what did you see?”

This is what I wrote in response to an email how to develop better boat feel:

“There’s no substitute for being in the boat so try to get out as often as possible. Experience on the water is key. By now you should have a good sense of technique, what the blades should look like, what the bodies should be doing, etc. so now’s the time to start applying that to their respective effects on the boat. When you’re on the water, commit to feeling every stroke the rowers take. Pay attention to their effect on how the boat moves in response to the calls you or your coach make.

To feel how the boat moves, the best way to do this is to become “one with the boat”. You want to position yourself in the coxswain’s seat so that if someone were to pick the boat up and flip it over, you wouldn’t fall out. Have your feet flat against the footboards on either side of the cox box, slide your hips into the back of seat, and brace your arms against the gunnels. You want your body to be tense enough that you can feel every movement of the boat but not so tense that you feel like you need a massage afterwards to get rid of all the kinks. You don’t necessarily have to sit like that for an entire 90 minute practice but getting in that “coxswain’s stance” every so often throughout practice does a lot more for you than just sitting there and letting the boat move you around like a rag doll. When I’m in this position, I aim to focus on four things: the kick at the catch, the surge on the drive, the acceleration at the finish, and the relaxation on the recovery.

Personally for me, I see what’s wrong almost always before I feel it, especially during a race. I can feel when the power is off, when someone is catching early, or sometimes when there’s a lot of rush, but the really nitty-gritty technique stuff is more noticeable to me just by watching the blades rather than trying to feel it out.

Having a good sense of boat feel is a big part of being a good coxswain and it’s most definitely a skill that everyone should learn but I think some people put too much weight on it sometimes. Just like different people have different learning styles, I think coxswains have different ways of knowing what needs to happen in the boat – some operate more on what they feel, others more on what they see. It’s all very philosophical if you think about it. I don’t think one is right, wrong, or better than the other though. I’m a very visual person so I go off what I see because it’s easier for me to convey what’s happening to the rest of the crew.

Even though the crew should be going off what you say and not necessarily what they think is happening individually, I think boat feel is very much open to interpretation. Unless the rowers understand and feel the same thing you’re feeling, it can be hard for them to make the necessary adjustments, even if you’re telling them exactly what needs to happen. I’ve heard and read boat feel be described as being similar to the concept of love – you can explain the concept to anyone but until that other person feels it too and really gets it, there will be a gap, similar to a language barrier, where things get lost and/or are misunderstood. This is more of an occurrence with younger crews compared to more experienced ones though, which reiterates my point that time on the water is everything.

Feeling the boat requires a lot of concentration. A lot. There are a lot of subtle hints that you might naturally not pay attention to but when you do pick up on them you’ll be able to recognize the part they play in developing (or hindering) the boat’s speed. Sometimes when we’re doing steady state, especially if we’ve spent the past few practices doing a lot of drilling, I’ll just not talk for a few minutes at a time and instead focus on what the boat’s doing.

In addition to sitting properly in the boat, total silence is another thing that helps me feel what’s going on. As long as we’re in a straight section of the river (sometimes few and far between on the Charles) and I’ve got a good point, I’ll close my eyes for 3-5 strokes and base my “observations” off that. I listen to the oarlocks, the slides, the catches, the water, the rowers breathing, etc. Sometimes I’ll have the rowers do that too, except we’ll do ten minutes of eyes closed or two minutes closed, one minute open. Not only does this help them feel out the rhythm but it also helps me later on because when I ask them for feedback on how the boat felt, they can tell me exactly what they felt, what they thought was working, what felt off, etc. Whenever somebody says “that felt good today” ask them why it felt good, make note of it, and see if you can replicate that same environment tomorrow.”

Knowing whether a piece was good or bad is something inherent, I think. You just know when a piece is bad and you just know when a piece is good. One of the first ones I ever did as a coxswain was when I was a novice and it’s something I think about every time one of my boats has a good piece. I knew nothing about technique, what I should be looking for, or anything other than how to steer at this point but at the end of it I just smiled and said “that felt good” because it did. I swear it was the closest I’d ever been to flying at that point because the power was there, the strokes were clean, and there was this quiet intensity that encompassed the boat…it just felt like we were gliding over the water. My coach did the best thing I think a coach can do though after that because instead of responding with “good” he asked “why” knowing full well that I had no idea why. He made me think really hard about what I saw and felt, and then let me struggle with trying to come up with the words to explain it. He told me to think about it for the rest of practice and have an answer for him when we got off the water.

This was all in the spirit of teaching me something – he didn’t say it like he was annoyed that I didn’t know what to say. Once we got off, he sat with me and listened to me explain what I thought and then went over everything I said in actual rowing terms so that I could tie together what I felt vs. what I saw. It was one of the best teaching moments I’ve had as a coxswain because that really kickstarted my education on the rowing stroke.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your rowers, specifically your stroke seat, and ask them what they thought and how it felt to them. Sometimes they feel things you don’t but finding out what that was lets you look for what could be contributing to that (positively or negatively) on the next piece.

Coxing Q&A

Question of the Day

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In your opinion, what is the worst mistake a coxswain could ever make?

This is tough. I think the worst mistake a coxswain could make is one that they’ve made in the past and made no effort to correct which then leads to time being wasted during practice or worse, an injury to someone in their boat and/or someone else on the water, and/or equipment damage. As a coach, that would infuriate me, especially if it’s something I’ve pointed out to them and told them what they need to do differently in order to avoid making the same mistake again.

Ergs Q&A Training & Nutrition

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I am doing an 8k sometime this week. I’ve done a 30′ piece before, and I’ve done a few 4k but nothing like this. My split for the 30 minute piece was 2:05.8 but that barely got me into the top 16. I’ve improved a small bit since then but not much. Recently I’ve been making top 3-5 on our erg pieces and I really want to make the first boat, however I know about 3k into it, I’m going to be telling myself I really don’t care and it’s not worth it. How can I approach this physically and mentally?

Have a plan. Break the piece down into whatever size chunks you want (8x1k, 4x2k, etc.) and plot out roughly what splits you want to shoot for during each chunk. Be reasonable and realistic with these. It’s better to say your goal is a 2:05 split and then actually be at 2:04.6 instead of shooting for 2:03 and then being above for the majority of the piece.

Related: On a lot of rowing blogs I hear people mention “negative splits”, especially when discussing 2k’s. What exactly are they and can it be beneficial to know how to properly use them?

Mentally, think about this. You said you want to make the first boat but you also said that 3k in you’re going to be saying you don’t care and it’s not worth it. I think all rowers question whether or not it’s worth it while they’re in the pain cave but deep down they know it is otherwise they wouldn’t have started the piece in the first place. No one that’s truly serious about the sport or making the top boat would say to themselves that they just don’t care in the middle of the piece though, no matter how arduous it is. If making that top boat is your goal then putting yourself through 8000m of pain is worth it by default.

Pushing yourself for that long is going to test your endurance, it’s going to hurt, and at some point you are going to want to quit. What makes you a stronger, more resilient athlete isn’t pulling the fastest splits or coming in first, it’s pushing through the pain and finishing the piece regardless of what happens in the middle. As a coxswain (and a coach) I obviously want fast people in my boats but even more so than that, I want people who know what pain feels like and who know how to overcome it.

College Coxing Novice Q&A Recruiting

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Do colleges ever recruit novice coxswains? By the time recruiting happens I won’t have done any races so is it still possible to get recruited?

Nooo. Being recruited is something that only those who have been at it for at least 3-4 years should consider. Two, maybe, if your erg scores are off the charts but for coxswains, definitely 3-4. It is very, very unlikely that those with two years or less of experience will be recruited, although there are some anomalies (pretty much all of whom are rowers). No coach though is going to consider someone that doesn’t have race experience, since that’s obviously one of the best, easiest, and most available ways to gauge someone’s skill level. Plus, coxing at the collegiate level is tough – way tougher than high school. You really need those three or four years of learning about the sport and gaining the technical knowledge and leadership experience in order to get off on the right foot in college. There’s a lot of pressure because the coaches have extremely high expectations of you, especially and even more so if you’re a recruit. They’re not unattainable, just very high. It’s rare enough for coxswains to be recruited as it is because the coaches want to save the scholarship money they have for the rowers.

If coxing in college is something you’re thinking about, you should consider walking on, which anyone can do. Typically walk-ons make up at least half of the overall team and can be people who rowed/coxed in high school but didn’t go through the recruiting process or people who had never touched an oar before coming to college. Once you’ve been accepted and everything you can email the coach and say you’ve been coxing for a year or however long it’s been and that you’re interested in joining the team once you get to campus. They’ll give you some information and let you know when to show up at the boathouse.

Coxswain Recordings, pt. 13

College Coxing Racing Recordings

Coxswain Recordings, pt. 13

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Purdue University 2012 SIRAS Women’s Varsity 8+

The race starts around 2:40. Right off the bat, the only thing I noticed when I was actually watching the video (vs. just listening to it) is how the stroke seat is looking a solid 90 degrees to her left the entire race. Her rowing is pretty unimpressive too – she’s missing a ton of water at the catch because she’s rowing it in nearly every stroke. Even though the coxing was pretty good, I just couldn’t get past this. You have to be paying attention to the bladework and call the rowers out on that (especially when it’s your stroke/stern pair). She does say something at 4:41 about getting the heads in the boat but a couple strokes later the stroke is looking out of the boat again.

At 6:20, I liked how she started the second ten of that twenty with “10 to start off the third 500”. Since that’s usually the hardest part of the race, phrasing it that way kinda gives you a renewed sense of focus and motivation to make those strokes good.

Make sure when you’re saying finish/recovery calls, you’re not calling them at the catch (and vice-versa). She did this with the “send it” call at 6:45. It’s fine to say something like “send it now” with the “send it” part at the catch and the “now” emphasized at the finish but just saying “send it” at the catch is incorrect.

When she calls paddle at the end I was nervous because from it doesn’t look like their bow ball was through the line yet. Even if you hear the horn you should always, always, always row through the line, meaning you don’t call paddle until YOU, the coxswain, are through the line. It’s extra security, just in case.

Other calls I liked:

“Move this boat…”, with regards to keeping the heads in the boat

Purdue University 2013 Men’s Lightweight 8+ vs. Notre Dame JV8+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=zEIWL8p280E&NR=1

This coxswain actually emailed me this video a couple months ago to listen to so below is some of what I sent her.

“Overall, this was really good. Your aggression was good but I could see what you meant about it not being as intense had you been in a closer race. When I first started coxing and had leads like that with my boats, I let my intensity come down a little too. After a couple of races I shifted how I did things and instead of “cruising” the rest of the way I completely stopped paying attention to the other boats and focused solely on my crew. Even though you’re beating the other boats handedly doesn’t mean any of the intensity has to go away. If anything, you almost want to get more intense to keep the rowers in it. They can CLEARLY see they’re beating the other crews so it’s easy for them to start to power down but it’s up to you to make sure they stay at 100%.

It’s not so much about “proving” you can win, it’s more about the psychological mindset that it puts the rowers (and us, to an extent) in. If they know that all they have to do is get ahead before you ease off of them, that is what they’ll start to look forward to each race. If you can keep the intensity and aggression in your voice for the whole 2000m they’ll continue to push for the whole 2000m. It’s all psychological. When it comes down to that one race where you have a crew that’s pushing you down the entire course, you’ll be better prepared to fight them off if you can mentally go 2000m instead of 750m or 1500m. Make sense? Obviously there are exceptions, like if you’re in a qualifying race and all you’ve got to do is place to advance. At that point  you want to conserve some energy so you can go all out during the final. If you’ve got a lead on a crew like you did during this race, it’s OK to back off a little as long as you don’t completely turn the gas off and let the other crew(s) come back on you. When that happens it turns into a frantic situation that results in the rowers expending more energy than they otherwise would have needed to.”

At 1:23 they take a 10 after the start, which is an odd/unnecessary move (literally and figuratively). If you notice you’re even with another crew and you want to make a move, use the settle to walk. After the start (high stroke rate and settle) you want to give the rowers a chance to get into their rhythm. If you go straight from the start into a power 10, especially one that doesn’t have a direct end goal, it makes things slightly frantic again and doesn’t give them a chance to actually settle into the rhythm they just tried to establish.

When she tells them at 1:58 that Notre Dame had moved over a lane, that would have been a good point to take a 10 or 20 to capitalize on their coxswain’s steering error. Coxing is the ultimate form of psychological warfare – when another coxswain gives you the opportunity to take advantage of their mistakes, take it.

Jumping ahead to the end of the race, when she says “last few strokes” they actually took 17 before they crossed the line. If you say “last few” they’re most likely going to assume that means 5 or less. Try and be specific. If you don’t know how many strokes are left, guess, but don’t say something general like “last few”.

You can find and listen to more recordings by checking out the “Coxswain Recordings” page.