Category: Novice

College Coxing High School Novice Rowing Teammates & Coaches

Teachable moments

By readyallrow January 23, 2014

Yesterday someone posted a thread on Reddit titled “Things I Wish Novices Knew” and when I read it I ended up having a much different reaction than I thought I would. Maybe it’s because I’ve been around the sport for awhile, maybe it’s because I talk to so many novices on here, I don’t know. I cringe at the thought that maybe it’s just because I’m getting older but I’m starting to lean more towards finding the teachable moments in situations like this rather than just reading what’s written, closing the tab, and quietly moving on.

I posted a really long response to the original post (unintentionally, to be honest…) and got a couple emails from people asking me to post it on here because they thought it was “good advice that I wish my teammates would listen to” and “I know several people on my D1 team that need a reminder of how to treat/work with novices if they want them to stick around”. Another person asked “Can you please post this on your blog? I don’t think many of my teammates are on Reddit but I know many of them, including a couple of our coaches, read your blog and this is something I think they should all read. None of them would take it seriously if I brought it up (I’m a junior in high school) but I know they will if they see if on your blog.”.

Here’s the original post:

And here’s my reply:

“OK, I’m going to play devil’s advocate here and say that instead of just posting all this stuff on Reddit and snarking on the noobs because they’re all complacent about, well, everything, maybe actually spend some time discussing all this stuff with them. Like [username removed] said, regardless of whether or not this was what he/she actually meant, they just started and they’re still learning. The upperclassmen when we were novices probably/definitely felt the same way about us as we do about the novices right now. There’s no excuse though to not spend the time teaching them all this stuff. And maybe you are, who knows, but if you’re doing it through various offhand, easy-to-ignore conversations or pissed off diatribes before or after practice, your message isn’t getting across.

If they aren’t used to participating in a sport, let alone one that says “fuck the elements” like crew does, they ARE going to assume that on certain days you won’t have practice because of the weather. That’s what NORMAL people do. They see that it’s foggy and think “I can barely see across the street, there’s no way we’ll be on the water today” or “It’s basically hurricane-ing outside, we can’t row in this”. That’s a NORMAL reaction for someone who hasn’t done crew before. You can say “don’t assume we won’t have practice” but part of them always will, at least for the first year.

Instead of having issues with people missing practice, why not have someone send a text to the novices (or everyone) in the morning if the weather looks iffy and say “practice is on, see you in an hour at the boathouse” or “fog’s pretty thick this morning, we’ll be in the erg room on campus at 7:30am”. I know it might seem like you’re holding their hand and making them less responsible but in situations like this, communication is key. Assuming that someone is going to assume something and then getting pissed when they assume the opposite of what you want them to assume is pretty messed up on your end.

If you want them to respect the boat, have them help you fix it when something happens to it so they can see how much time and effort goes into repairing the damage they caused or contributed to. If you’re a club, ask them contribute to the repair costs if they snapped off a fin or lost all the nuts and bolts to one of the riggers. Just saying it’s worth more than your tuition literally means nothing. It’s a fun fact you can tell people at the beginning of the year but after that, no one cares. I can pretty much guarantee you that the only time you start thinking about how much your tuition actually is is six months after graduation when you get your first student loan payment in the mail.

Saying the boat has won more championships than you is a real asshole thing to say, plain and simple. I bet the boat you row in has won more championships than you too but again, that doesn’t really mean anything. All it does is make them feel less a part of the team and lower on the totem pole than they already do/are. Don’t say shit like that to people who are new to the sport if you want them to stick around.

If you want them to go to bed on time, talk to them about time management. How do you manage your schedule? Give them actual examples instead of just repeating the same shit they hear from their parents, teachers, and advisers. Don’t just say “you’ve gotta be awake for practice”. Yea well, no shit. There’s a difference between being awake and being awake and they’re most likely going with the definition of awake that says “my eyes are open” instead of the one that says “my eyes are open and I’m firing on all cylinders”. Explain to them how just having your eyes open doesn’t count as being awake and why it’s important for everyone to be fully coherent at practice because at the very least, it’s a safety issue if they’re not.

If they say they’re having trouble getting all their homework done because they’re having difficulty understanding the material they’re learning in one of their engineering classes, say “oh, Andrew took that class when he was a freshman too and did pretty well in it … you should ask him for help and see if you guys can get together sometime”. If they’re working on a really big paper, offer to proofread or help them edit it. If they’re terrible at math and struggling with their calculus class, hook them up with the person on your team who just happens to have been a TA for that class last semester.

Even if you did everything all by yourself your entire way through college not everyone is like that and sometimes people need help but have a hard time asking for it. If you want to earn their respect as a teammate, be there for them OUTSIDE of practice, not just when you’re at the boathouse. Offer to help them when you can see they need it. Stuff like this will not only help them understand the close-knit feeling that being on a crew team has but it’ll also help them get their work done, stay on top of their classes, and go to bed (hopefully) at a slightly more reasonable hour.

Tuning out, goofing off, etc. is to be expected until you help/make them understand that they are ONE boat, not five or nine individuals. In order for the boat to run smoothly, everyone’s gotta be on the same page. If you’re that one person who is on page 3 while everyone else is on page 5, the boat will be effected. If you can see that they’re tuned out, figure out why. Don’t just brush them off. Engage them, ask them how the boat feels to them, what’s something they’re having trouble with, how does what we worked on yesterday feel today, DUDE your catch timing looks so much better than it did last week, oh, your back’s hurting and that’s why you aren’t focused? well, your posture’s not great right now so let’s fix that and see if it helps. Stuff like that.

Make sure each member of the crew (including the coxswain) gets an equal amount of attention, regardless of how big someone’s issues are compared to someone else. Don’t give them the chance to goof off or tune you out because if they see it, they’ll take it if they’re that kind of person. You, the coach, and the other rowers might know that they’re fucking around but until one of you steps up and addresses it or finds out the root cause, it’s going to keep happening.

To an extent, I don’t disagree with you on having a healthy fear of the sport. I do disagree with what you said about how it will help you avoid things. People new to the sport (or any sport, really) don’t understand that healthy fear the way we do. All they hear is the word “fear” and think “this is something I should be afraid of” and then they become scared of those things. What happens when you’re scared of things? You become meek, timid, and do everything you can to avoid being out-pulled, running into things, catching crabs, etc.

In the boat, you know what that translates to? Pulling harder than you’re capable of right now which leads to you getting injured. As a coxswain, you become over-zealous with the steering leading you to zig zag across the water or you firmly plant yourself smack in the middle of the river so that you’re far, far away from anything that might impede your path, traffic patterns be damned.

With catching crabs, you try to avoid catching them by fighting the handle which either a) gives you a really sore ribcage for a few days or b) throws you out of the boat, which then causes copious amounts of embarrassment that makes you question whether or not you want to keep doing crew. As a novice, is being out-pulled that high on the priority list? No. Learning the stroke and developing good technique should be WAY above anything involving power. If you want to worry about being out-pulled when you’re just starting out, go join CrossFit. The douchebro attitude you’ll develop and the injuries you’ll sustain will be the exact same. You’re most likely all gonna be in the freshman/novice boats anyways so it’s not like there’s going to be THAT much individual competition.

If you want them to worry about not hitting things, have an experienced coxswain walk them out of the boathouse and down to the water with the novice coxswain beside them so that they can see the path of least resistance that they should take when going out/coming in. Remind them that the equipment is precious and they should treat it as such. That’s all you have to say. Have your experienced coxswains explain how to steer the boat, what to do if they get in various less-than-ideal situations, etc. and then put them in a boat of experienced rowers so that if something DOES happen they’ll at least have knowledgeable people on hand to help them out. If they hit something because they don’t know how to use the equipment because YOU as the coach/experienced teammate didn’t THOROUGHLY teach them how to use it, that’s on you WAY more than it is on them and you HAVE to understand that.

Telling them to be afraid of something is going to do the exact opposite of what you want. Instead of saying “have a healthy fear so you can avoid all these things” explain to them that these are things you should always be conscious of so that you can always be striving to improve. Let the thought of catching a crab MOTIVATE you to really work on your technique so that crabs don’t happen. This will lead to all of those issues becoming less-than-likely to occur because you’ve developed the necessary skills that allow you to avoid them with no effort.

Raising the hands, lowering the blades, etc. is just something that you’ll have to keep explaining to them until it sinks in. I’ve worked with enough novices to know that they think the handle is everything, so if you say “lower the blade” they’ll put their hands down instead of the blade. Come up with some drills or something that will help them distinguish the two. You could do something like a basic catch drill at the finish and have them say “blade” when the blade goes in/hands go up and “hands” when the blade comes out/hands go down. I donno. Do the thing where all the starboards put their hands on the gunnels and all the ports lift their hands up to their faces, then switch, then have them figure out how to balance it on their own. Once they’ve got it, ASK THEM what they did to fix it and how did they know that’s what they needed to do. The more you engage them instead of just talking at them the better they’ll understand and the more focused they’ll be come.

Novices drive me insane so it’s not like I don’t understand how you feel. I’ve been in your position as a coxswain and a coach many times. I’d pick an experienced crew over them any day but working with them has taught me a lot of things that we tend to forget the more experienced we become. 10+ years of coxing more and more experienced crews made me complacent about a lot of the basic stuff. It wasn’t until I started coaching novices that I had to really go back and think about each individual step so that I could break everything down into individual parts so that they’d understand what I was trying to communicate. You really do have to spell out everything for them in the beginning. Is it time consuming and kinda annoying? Obviously, but it pays off in the end.

I’m one of the most impatient people on the planet and I get frustrated very easily when things that seem like common sense to me appear not to be to other people. With novices, everything we think is common sense isn’t to them. You have to be patient and work with them but I promise you that when it clicks and they finally get it, you experience a really rewarding sense of accomplishment, not only for them but for yourself too.

As much as I enjoy snarking on novices for the silly things they say and do (and man, do they say and do some seriously snark-worthy things…), ultimately that doesn’t do anything to help them get better. If they’re (hopefully) working hard to get better we should be working just as hard to help get them develop their skills and become competitive athletes. You most likely had someone like that when you were a novice so now it’s your responsibility to go be that person for someone else.”

I won’t elaborate any more on this since I think I covered everything pretty well already but what I hope you guys will take away from this is what I said in the last paragraph. That doesn’t mean you have to stop getting amusement out of the things novices do – I know I never will – but at least guide them towards the right way of doing things instead of just posting about it on the internet.

Image via // @lucerneregatta

College Coxing High School Novice Training & Nutrition

“The Coxswain in Winter”

By readyallrow January 2, 2014

My coaches showed us this article sometime in high school, possibly my sophomore of junior year and I remember thinking “holy shit, somebody else gets it!”. Because of that, I really took to heart what was said and learned to appreciate the winter training season a little more than I had previously.

It’s written by Charles Ehrlich, a former coxswain (Phillips Exeter, Harvard lightweights, and Leander Club) and coach (William & Mary, Oxford lightweights, etc.). I wanted to share it with you guys because I think you’ll definitely be able to relate to this and hopefully be able to take away a few things that you can apply to your own winter training experience. I’ve gone through and highlighted some of things that I’ve tried to reiterate in here and that I think are important for you guys to ponder.

“Winter is the most ill-defined time of year for coxswains. The training shifts to the land and there is not much obvious for the coxswains to do but stand around.

I remember my first Winter as a coxswain. In the Fall of ninth grade (I think that is Third Form, for you Brits out there – 14 years old), we had a physical education program designed to introduce us to all of the sports offered at the Academy, which included rowing. But we really didn’t have a clue. I knew I wanted to be a coxswain, because when I arrived at Exeter the rowers in my dorm looked at me, loud and diminutive, and trotted me down to the boathouse to meet Tom Taft, the boatman (now at Yale). Tom quickly sold me on the sport. But my intro that Fall was brief.

We were finally allowed to join the team for real in late Winter, when we were introduced to the ergs. This was in the days of the Model A, rickety contraptions made out of old bike parts. To provide air resistance, the manufacturers, the Dreissigacker brothers, had affixed plastic flaps to the spokes of the flywheel (actually a bicycle wheel). As the ergs got use, these flaps had a tendency to become dislodged, and would fly at great speed across the room. The footstraps were also primitive, and tended to wear out. So coxswains were employed to hold down the feet of rowers testing on the ergs. Because of the flying flaps, however, this job was considered fit for those coxswains at the bottom of the pecking order. So I spent my first few weeks on the team dutifully holding feet down and ducking to avoid flying flaps, not having the slightest clue what was going on. I remember these enormous looking Seniors teaching me exactly how they wanted their feet held, and when I got it just right they smiled at me and said approvingly: “Keep it up! You’ll make a great coxswain.”

When we weren’t in the erg room, we were doing land-training circuits in the wrestling room or running around the indoor track (Winters in New Hampshire preclude much outdoor training). As far as I knew, I was supposed to join in. I used to enjoy running (a good sport for someone like me with little hand-eye coordination), until I damaged my knee when I was twelve, but even so I limped along as best I could.

The point of all of this, however, was simple: Even though I wasn’t coxing and knew virtually nothing about the sport, there was something I could do to become a better coxswain that Winter.

Even though I wasn’t coxing and knew virtually nothing about the sport, there was something I could do to become a better coxswain that Winter.

I could train with the rowers and get in shape with them, while bonding. I could hold feet better than any other ninth grader. And while holding the rowers’ feet, I could look at the odometer needle (these were the days before computers on the ergs) and try to figure out how the needle’s fluctuations correlated with the strokes being taken. Whatever it was, I had a purpose.

Most coxswains going through Winter training at least come in with a little more background and do not have to feel like tools or glorified footstraps. But whatever it is a coxswain does in Winter, it must contribute in some way towards learning how to be a better coxswain in Spring.

But whatever it is a coxswain does in Winter, it must contribute in some way towards learning how to be a better coxswain in Spring.

Rowers hate Winter training. People row because they enjoy rowing, not because they enjoy sitting on ergs, lifting weights, running up and down endless stairs, or splashing around monotonously in the tanks. But they put up with all of this for one reason: it gives them skills which will make them faster in the Spring. It is frustrating waiting for the ice on the Charles River to melt (or the floods on the Isis to subside). But if approached with the right attitude, Winter training allows rowers to emerge in the Spring with an increased knowledge of their own capabilities.

Coxswains must approach the Winter with the same attitude. Too often, coxswains only make token appearances at the boathouse. The logic is, of course, that off the water the coxswain is not necessary. Certainly, it is true that it matters not in terms of boatspeed what sort of physical shape a coxswain is in. Therefore, many coxswains figure they’ll use the free time to go study or something rather than trying to figure out how to become a better coxswain.

Winter is a great time for coxswains to work out – time they usually spend sitting immobile in the stern of a boat can now become workout time. The crew really does not expect the coxes to set any sort of speed records, so if they are not the most athletic specimens in the world that is no problem. But working out with the crew accomplishes several objectives. First of all, the rowers appreciate the effort and that effort alone is all that is necessary. They will only gain respect for a coxswain willing to put in the effort. Furthermore, when the cox needs to ask the rowers for superhuman effort during a race in the Spring, the rowers will know that the cox knows what he is asking for, and that will make it easier for them to respond. And that leads to another underlying truth: that the coxswain really will understand what he is asking for, because the coxswain has been there himself.

The crew really does not expect the coxes to set any sort of speed records, so if they are not the most athletic specimens in the world that is no problem. …and that leads to another underlying truth: that the coxswain really will understand what he is asking for, because the coxswain has been there himself.

I have erged myself into oblivion: one year at CRASH-Bs I blacked out with about 800 meters to go, yet somehow finished the piece (albeit slowly). The next thing I remembered was forty-five minutes later when I awoke on a cot in the Red Cross observation area where they had administered oxygen. When I asked a crew to row until it passed out, I knew what that was like and the crew knew it.

I did the CRASH-Bs every year as an undergrad, as did most of my fellow Harvard lightweight coxswains. We also had a Christmas Challenge contest over the Christmas vacation, where exercise added up to points. Our coxswains regularly exceeded the team average in points accumulated over the break. I think this helped us to be better coxswains.

If a coxswain has a physical problem and cannot do a certain workout, the rowers will understand. No one wants to see their coxswain drop dead of an asthma attack. Since I could not run because of my knee, and rowers had priority on the ergs, I spent many practices observing the upstairs of Newell Boathouse on one of the stationary bikes in the corner. Since I was unable to do two legs of the triatholon because my knee (Harvard’s triatholon, in December, is erging, running, and a stadium – I could only erg), I have distinct nightmares of having to do three times the erg (that’s 22.5K, a long time to spend on an erg especially for a coxswain-weight person who has been coxing all Fall and has only just recently begun to train). The important thing, though, was not necessarily doing exactly what the rowers were doing but doing as much as possible.

One of my freshman coxes came to me in tears a few Decembers ago. Her asthma was acting up so badly that she could not work out with the guys as we moved onto land. She was crying because she thought that she was going to have to quit. I explained that she could still cox even if she couldn’t work out. But she feared that it would count against her if the rowers saw the other coxes working out and she just sat there. But they knew she had bad asthma and had no desire to see her suffer like that. There was always something else she could do: encourage them, help me time, get them water, or my old stalwart: hold down their feet while they erged. Whatever she did would help her become better. The rowers just needed to see her there doing whatever it was she could do.

And there are a lot of things a coxswain can do off the water.

There was always something else she could do: encourage them, help me time, get them water, or my old stalwart: hold down their feet while they erged. Whatever she did would help her become better. The rowers just needed to see her there doing whatever it was she could do.

Ergs are a tricky topic. They play mind games with rowers. A little computer readout basically says to the rower: “Ha ha! You aren’t pulling hard enough!” It is hard for rowers to overcome this mental problem, and so they react to it in different ways. Every rower has different approaches to coxswains on the erg. Some like to be yelled out like they are in a boat. Some like to be told specific things (how fast someone two ergs over is going, or technique pointers as they get tired, or reminded about some dude at Princeton). Some, who in a boat might like a lot of chatter from their coxswains, want complete silence. Most rowers get downright ugly when they erg if a coxswain crosses whatever line it is that they have drawn between their pet likes and dislikes. Coxswains must learn not to take it personally if a rower who may think highly of their coxing on the water suddenly starts shouting obscenities at them from an erg. It is better not to cross the line, and let the rowers have it entirely their way.

Coxswains must learn not to take it personally if a rower who may think highly of their coxing on the water suddenly starts shouting obscenities at them from an erg.

But being there for erg tests is nevertheless instructive. It is a chance to isolate rowers individually and break down their psyches. Since coxing on the water is 100% mental and all about maximizing speed through mental manipulation, it helps to know as much as possible about each rower. Besides seeing what sort of chatter each rower responds to, the coxswain should also ask the coach what he is looking at when he observes erg tests.

Since coxing on the water is 100% mental and all about maximizing speed through mental manipulation, it helps to know as much as possible about each rower.

I watch the rowers’ pacing and rhythm as they respond to different situations and levels of exhaustion. I watch how their tech holds up. I watch their faces and see if I can read their minds. Coxswains do not get this sort of close-up view of everyone when they are sitting in a boat – so an erg is a good place to inspect the rowers’ psyche. Rowers learn about themselves isolated as individuals when they sit on ergs. The coaches learn about them isolated as individuals. The coxswains should take advantage of the same opportunity. Watch. Observe. See what can be seen that cannot be seen from the coxswain’s seat in a boat. If there are any questions, ask the coach.

See what can be seen that cannot be seen from the coxswain’s seat in a boat.

Similarly, the coxswains should use tank sessions to get insight into each rower which cannot be gained from the boat. Part of a coxswain’s on-the-water job is to get the crew to row better. That means translating the coach’s technical objectives into more proficient actual rowing. After a certain period of time, a cox should be able to coach effectively from the coxswain’s seat. But one way to double check this skill is to pay attention in the tank. Stand at the stern of the tank and observe the blades, then watch from different angles to see what each rower does which makes the blade do what it does. Listen to the coach. If the tank session is being filmed and analyzed, make sure to attend the analysis. It is not just the rowers who learn in the tank. While a cox may feel like he is just standing there while the rowers work, the observation is critical.

If, of course, the cox gets guilty just standing around during tank sessions, then this is also the perfect opportunity to hop into an empty seat if there is one. Coxswains do not normally get enough opportunity to learn to row themselves. A tank is a good place to learn. If they are lucky, the coach will not skip the coxswains when doing filming. Going through the stroke, trying the same drills the rowers are working on, and basically coordinating the motion is a great way to understand the mechanics of rowing better. Again, it does not matter how odd the cox looks in there, every little bit helps the learning process.

Stand at the stern of the tank and observe the blades, then watch from different angles to see what each rower does which makes the blade do what it does. While a cox may feel like he is just standing there while the rowers work, the observation is critical. If, of course, the cox gets guilty just standing around during tank sessions, then this is also the perfect opportunity to hop into an empty seat if there is one. Again, it does not matter how odd the cox looks in there, every little bit helps the learning process.

On the water, the cox is going to have to coach the crew, and get the crew to perform as a unit. To do that means knowing as much as possible about each rower and about what the coach is trying to get across. Winter is a great time to step back. We may not know which crew each coxswain will sit in, nor do we know the line-ups of the rowers, but that should not prevent the coxswains from making progress.

The coxswains’ schedules do not have to match the rowers’ exactly every day – since these are not water practices which need the coxswain there in order to happen, there is more flexibility. Coxswains can look at their own schedules, and mix and match the times they come down in order to observe particular bits of practices and to join in with their own work-outs. Also, it is useful to set up a different time during the day to come in and meet with the respective coach. This time can be spent reviewing films (of recent tank sessions, of Fall water practices, or of the World Championships), or simply talking about the objectives for the upcoming season and what the rowers need to be working on now. This is useful for the coach as well, because it provides the coach valuable feedback about the squad. Also, it will be important that the coach have an excellent working relationship with the coxswains on the water during the season – communication during the Winter both improves the working relationship and makes sure that the coxswain is on the same page as the coach going into the season.

Also, it is useful to set up a different time during the day to come in and meet with the respective coach.

The critical thing for all coxswains to remember is that they are always learning. Every time they go down to the boathouse – even if it is only for a land practice – they should come away thinking, evaluating what they have learned that day. If they are not sure, they should talk about it with the coach or other coxswains. Coaches often neglect their coxswains – it is a natural tendency. Coxes should realize this and not be afraid to approach the coach directly, or to chat among themselves.

Every time they go down to the boathouse – even if it is only for a land practice – they should come away thinking, evaluating what they have learned that day.

The final piece of advice I had for the coxswains assembled at this clinic was that they get their family to buy them a whole lot of warm and waterproof clothes this holiday season. When they return to the water, they will need it. After the return to the water, the weather is still quite cold. And the coxswain is in the coldest seat in the boat. Dress warmly.”

All good points, right? I hope you guys got something out of this. My challenge to you is to pick something from here that you are capable of doing and commit to doing it for the rest of the winter season. Don’t be a wallflower at the boathouse! Also, don’t forget to check out some of the other posts I’ve written on coxswains and winter training too.

Image via // @yalecrew

Coxing Novice Q&A Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 22, 2013

Hello Kayleigh! I was wondering how you view the relationship of a coxswain to rowers. My main problem is that I’m friends with a lot of rowers I cox and I don’t want to lose them as friends, but I also want there to be mutual respect. How do you deal with this? Thanks! AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!

I was friends with a lot of the people I coxed too. In the beginning there’s always a weird period where they’re like “why are you being so bossy, calm down” and/or you tell them to do something and they just laugh it off because who are you to tell them what to do? Eventually though, provided they’re not total asshats and you’re not doing your best impersonation of your favorite dictator, they’ll recognize that you’re just trying to do your job which is lead them, give them instructions, etc. If they want to succeed it means respecting, listening to, and working with the coxswains. If you want to succeed it means respecting, listening to, and working with the rowers. Similarly to what I told the person in the post below, you’ve got to lead others as you would like to be led.

I don’t think the relationship between friends has to change just because one of you is a coxswain and the others are rowers. If you guys have issues, you can’t let it interfere with what’s going on at practice. That requires maturity on both sides, regardless of who’s “right” or “wrong”. You’ve also got to establish early on that if they’re doing something that warrants being called out (like goofing off, being a distraction, not putting in the work, doing something incorrectly, etc.) you’re going to say something, not because you’re being a bitch or a shitty friend but because the coaches expect you to keep the rowers under control and it’s part of your responsibilities as a coxswain.

If someone gets annoyed just because you asked them to do something, they need to grow up. On the flip side, you can’t get pissed at them if they tell you that you’re being overbearing, overly bossy, etc. This is part of the mutual respect thing you mentioned. In order to be able to give criticism, constructive or not, you’ve got to be able to take it in return.

College Coxing How To Novice Q&A Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 11, 2013

Hi. I am a newly converted college coxswain. I have been researching like crazy about how best to motivate my rowers and I was wondering what you thoughts on this are. I have seen several videos and articles (probably some on here even) that say its on a boat-to-boat basis, but would you possibly have any bits of generic advice on how best to motivate my boats?

Interacting with the boats you cox is very similar to how you interact with your different social circles – you follow the same basic principles but you tweak it to fit the individuals you’re with. Once you start rowing with a boat on a regular basis and get to know the rowers better, you can start asking them what they want/need to hear during a piece. My default is to get one general thing from each person, something like a boat-wide or an individual technique issue (aka something easily addressed) and one personal, specific thing. Make sure you’ve got a notebook so you can write down and look back on what they tell you otherwise you’ll never remember.

My generic advice is less about the calls you make and more about you.

Be present, physically (obviously) and mentally. If you’re invested, they will be too. Even if you’re doing drills and are bored out of your mind (which you will be at some point), stay engaged and don’t let your tone convey anything else.

Be honest. If something isn’t going the way it should be, tell them. Don’t gloss over it in lieu of not hurting their feelings. They’re big kids, they’ll survive. If you see them doing something good, point it out. If it’s something that you’ve been working on for awhile and they finally got it, get hyped. Your enthusiasm will translate to them (just like your lack of enthusiasm will too). If something isn’t going right, point it out and tell them what they need to do to fix it while also throwing in a casual compliment on something that they’ve consistently been doing well. (You know the phrase “compliment sandwich”? Similar to that but less cliche.)

Don’t assume that you have to be the sole thing motivating eight individuals. You don’t. I tell every coxswain this but you cannot motivate someone who is not inherently motivated themselves. If they’re not already motivated by something internal to show up everyday and strive to succeed at the highest level, it’s going to be extremely difficult for you to help them out. If someone seems unmotivated to you, that should be your cue to take them aside and say “dude, what’s up” instead of doing the opposite and thinking “Well, if some motivation is good, cheerleader-level of motivation must be great! I’ll do that!”. The more you try to motivate them without finding out why they’re unmotivated in the first place, the more it’s going to backfire in your face. Each crew’s motivation is different so if you’re coxing multiple boats, make sure you’re not coxing your JV8+ the same way you’re coxing your V4+. One crew can find demoralizing what another finds encouraging so it’s important to recognize that motivation in general isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing.

Tone of voice is everything. I alluded to that in the first bullet point but it really is one of the most important aspects of coxing. How you say something is just as important as what you say. Know what tone is appropriate for what you’re doing at the moment and adjust as necessary. Do not be a monotone robot.

Always tell them what’s happening around them. Ideally they’re not looking around trying to figure out where they’re at, where the other crews are, how far they are from the line, etc., so in race or practice-piece situations, they’re relying on you for that information. It might not seem like it’s that motivating to hear their location and stuff but when done properly, it is. If you say “100m down, 1900m to go” you better hope your legs move fast once you get back on land because they will eat. you. alive. Something like “We’re crossing 750m now, this is where we dig in to make our move and take back that seat from FIT. I’ve got bowball on two seat, gimme their bow man…” would be more appropriate. Never underestimate the power of these kind of calls to motivate your crew. They are an essential part of your repertoire.

Other than that, the last generic tip I can offer is to not force anything and don’t try to do everything right away. Learning how to best motivate your crews, even in the general sense, takes a bit of time. Listen to some of the recordings I’ve posted and read what I’ve said about them (click the individual “parts” at the top to see this) too. I typically try to note what I think is motivating, what doesn’t, how it could be done better/differently, etc. so that should help you come up with some calls to try the next time you go out.

Coxing Novice Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow November 19, 2013

Hi! I just started coxing this fall, and towards the end of the season my rowers told me that the calls I was making during our race pieces were good but that I should work on being more controlled with my voice. I think it’s because I’m nervous about being silent for too long so I rush everything out but then I also run out of things to say. I also think I need to work on being less repetitive and have a little more intensity to my calls. However, we went off the water right after that. Is there any way I can work on this over the winter? I really want to work on these things and I’m bummed I won’t really have a good opportunity the whole winter. I cox the guys on the ergs but it’s very different than being in the boat. Right now I’m just listening to tapes when I have spare time and taking notes, but is there any way to actually practice this before spring?

One thing you can do in the winter to increase the variety of your calls is get together with some other coxswains, listen to some recordings (including each others), and start creating a list of calls for … everything. Catches, finishes, drive, recovery, making a move, sprinting, etc. Everything. Google Sheets is a good way to keep it all organized. With each call you write down, make sure you understand where it should be called (meaning where during the stroke and if necessary, where during a race or piece), what its purpose is, and how it should be said (tone of voice, intonation, etc.) – all good things to write down next to each call.

Another thing you can do is get some video of crews on YouTube (or your own crew, if you have some) and watch it with no sound while practicing your calls. The coxswain’s view of races would be a good way to practice this. This allows you to practice making the calls at the correct spot in the stroke, as well as work on your intensity, tone, control, etc. during the more “frantic” parts of the race. It’ll also help you work on your pacing so you don’t use all your calls up right at the start of the race. I’d recommend doing this with the other coxswains so that you can critique each other and get feedback on everything.

When you’re coxing the guys on the erg, make sure you’re coxing everyone and not each individual, if that makes sense. Normally when you think of coxing people on the erg you think about standing behind them giving them power 10s. What I’m talking about is talking to the entire group of rowers and making calls similarly to how you would in the boat. Make individual calls if/when necessary but the majority of what you’re saying should be directed towards everyone. Forget about the 5s, 10s, etc. and focus more on making general reminders about the bodies and helping them visualize being on the water with an oar in their hand. Take calls from the list you’ve been creating and try to incorporate 3-5 into your vernacular every few days until they become a regular part of your vocabulary.

It’s great that you’re going into the next few months knowing exactly what you need to work on. It can be tough working on the audible part of coxing in the winter but it’s definitely possible if you get creative.

College Coxing Ergs High School Novice Rowing Technique Training & Nutrition

Coxswains + Winter Training

By readyallrow November 19, 2013

The winter training season is a great time for coxswains to dive into educating themselves, developing their skills, and strategizing for the spring season but what typically ends up happening is one of two scenarios. Regardless of which one it is, they almost always show up to practice bitter because they know that they’re about to do either nothing or something very unpleasant for the next two hours when instead they could be studying or doing a million other productive things that don’t involve “glorified people-watching”, as one coxswain put it.

Scenario one

…involves them wandering around or sitting on an unused piece of equipment with their iPhone stopwatch open (and several other apps open in the background) and calling out switches on the machines or transitions on the erg every 30-60 seconds. After ~60-75 minutes their eyes are glazed over and their voices have reached that monotonous robotic stage that says to everyone around them “I don’t want to be here”. When the coach calls everyone into a sweaty and smelly huddle at the end of practice to congratulate them on a killer workout, you and the other coxswains hang back (arms folded or pretending to “put stuff away”) because you can’t hold your breath for that long and you value your nasal passages too much to put them through that kind of torture. Also, there’s not enough antibacterial gel in the world to convince you to come close to touching a bunch of sweaty rowers. Once you’ve been dismissed you’re the first ones out the door, complaining all the way to your cars that you can’t believe you have to show up when you’re literally not doing anything knowing full well that this is what things are going to be like for, at minimum, three more months.

Scenario two

…involves showing up and erging (“just hold whatever pace you can manage”) or lifting (“lift what you can”) with the team, which results in some coxswains feeling ridiculous, intimidated, or both. In one case, a collegiate (male) coxswain emailed me earlier this year after he injured himself (back and shoulder) trying to lift more than he was capable of (despite being fit and in good shape) because he felt pressured to match up to what his teammates were doing.

In addition to what I said in the post linked below, below are some options of things that you can do over the next few months to put you in the best possible position come springtime.

Working out

I’ve talked about this in the past and stand by what I’ve said before: I’m not against working out as a coxswain and I do think it should be a part of your own winter training program however I don’t necessarily think coxswains should be doing the exact same workouts as the rowers. Body weight circuits? Definitely! Lifts? Nah. Ergs? For the purpose of this conversation, no. I’ve been talking about this with some of the coxswains here over the last couple weeks and they brought up some points that I hadn’t thought of before but do actually agree with. Here’s an excerpt from an email I wrote that pretty much says what I think:

“No one is against working out but they’re all pretty against working out with and lifting at the same time as the guys. I think they brought up some good points too, the gist of them being that they think it’s too much of a hassle for the guys (who need to be using the equipment) to work around people who don’t need to be using it. The squat racks would constantly need to be lowered so they could use them properly and regardless of what they’re squatting, it seems unlikely that they could adequately spot each other anyways, which is a pretty big safety issue. We all agreed that the guys probably know that they physically can’t do the same workouts they’re doing and some of the coxswains felt it would come off as mocking them or not taking things seriously if they’re lifting 10lbs while the guys are lifting 100lbs. A couple of them mentioned back and/or joint problems that they have that they also don’t want to risk exacerbating over something that ultimately isn’t going to help their coxing.

I talked to them about doing core, running, or riding the bikes while you guys lift and everyone seemed on board with that. (One of the coxswains) said that she’s already meeting with (our strength coach) a couple times a week and doesn’t want to over do it by doing more of the same so she (and three of the other coxswains) all said they’d be up for running if that was an option. (One of the other coxswains) said that when they went running on Tuesday they ran to the vet school, did some core, then ran back. (One of the freshman coxswains) can’t run because of her hip and I think her knee(s) as well but said that she’d do core while (one of the other injured coxswains) could ride the bike with us if there was one available. It seems silly to make (the injured coxswains) do something where they could injure themselves more and then potentially be out of the boat in Florida.

My point is that everyone is willing to do something while the guys are lifting but no one is comfortable doing the actual lift routines. Having a strong core is actually pretty important for coxswains for a lot of reasons so if you wanted everyone doing the same thing instead of being spread out doing multiple different things, doing core would be a valuable use of their time. It helps them feel the boat better because they’re better able to stabilize themselves in the seat and it also helps them project their voice better which ultimately decreases the likelihood of them messing up or losing their voices.”

I’ve gotten messages and emails in the past from coxswains (girls and guys) who aren’t comfortable doing the workouts the rowers do but feel like they have no choice but to do them. Are there going to be coaches who insist you do the same workouts as the rowers regardless of whether or not you like it? Yea, but that’s not always a bad thing. You’re not always going to like everything you have to do and sometimes you really are going to have to just HTFU and do it. (There are many times on here where I struggle to say something more helpful than “just suck it up” and this is partially one of those times.)

As someone else said, the rowers “really appreciate seeing coxswains at least participating in winter training even if it’s not at the same level. It gives a sense of solidarity in the team”. This is usually what the coaches are going for, which I’m totally on board with, but they do sometimes tend to overlook what each individual is capable of in favor of establishing a sense of unity in the team. I can understand that so I’ll cut them some slack on that one. If there’s part of the workout you’re not comfortable doing or physically cannot do for whatever reason though you have to speak up. Talk to your coach in private and present an alternative solution. Don’t just say “I can’t do bench presses because the bar alone is half my body weight” because that can come off as an excuse instead of a reason (or safety issue, which it can also be). Instead, say something like “I think I’d benefit more from doing a core workout or body circuit because (insert reasons WHY it would benefit you as a coxswain here), would it be OK if I did that while the guys did their lift, power hour on the erg, etc.?”. If you show that you’re taking this seriously and are still willing to workout during practice alongside the rowers, your coaches are more likely to accommodate your request.

I could talk about this all day but to reiterate, I’m not against coxswains working out throughout the winter. I just think that if they’re going to be working out they should be doing something that will benefit them the same way lifting benefits the rowers. Like I said before, having a strong core helps you feel the boat better (especially beneficial if you’re coxing a four) because you’re better able to stabilize and brace yourself against the hull.

It also comes in handy if you’re working with a boat that isn’t technically sound yet because you’re better able to resist the effects of the checking of the boat, whereas if you’re lacking those core muscles you’ll end up flopping all over the place and can end up hurting your back or ribs, both of which have happened to coxswains I know. The other benefit I mentioned is being able to project your voice better, which is also something I’ve talked about before.

Listening to recordings & watching video

This is the default activity for many coxswains throughout the winter. This tends to be a solitary activity but if possible, I’d ask your coach if you and the other coxswains can use the coaches office or go to another quiet place in the boathouse and listen to the recordings together. Being able to listen to it with other people lets you have a discussion about why something sounds good, why it doesn’t, etc. I listened to some recordings with the freshmen earlier in the fall and was really surprised at things they pointed out that I hadn’t even noticed before, even after listening to the recordings a few times. I think once you listen to a recording by yourself so many times you start to get tunnel vision (or hearing, in this case) which is why listening to recordings in a group setting can be beneficial. As great as it is listening to other people cox, I’d really encourage you to listen to your own recordings with each other too. Yea, it’s uncomfortable but you’re all in the same boat so it’s probably not nearly as weird as you think it is. Constructive criticism is what you’re going for.

In addition to listening to recordings, video is another great tool that you can use to educate yourself with. The winter is the best time for the coxswains to gain a better technical understanding of the stroke and being able to see rowers on film can help with this. If you don’t have video of your crew on the water, go on YouTube and find some of other crews. There’s no shortage of it on there. You can also watch the videos on the recordings page and just mute the sound so you can focus more on the blades and less on the coxswain’s voice. The goal of doing this is not to point out every single flaw you see with a rower or a crew but rather to isolate the good and bad, figure out why it’s good or bad, and then determine what needs to be done by the rower and said by the coxswain to correct (or maintain) it. Spending time doing this in the winter will help you have a faster reaction time in the spring because you’ll know exactly what to be looking for with the boat and with the individual rowers and what to say to elicit a change if necessary.

If you want to critique your own rowers, grab your phones (or video camera, if your team has one) and get 10-15 seconds of video per rower. If they’re in tanks, to to get video of them from the front and side. If they’re on the ergs, one side only is fine. Make sure it’s clear footage and not shaky and don’t distract them, get in their way, or be annoying while you do this. Once you’ve got some film, sit down and critique it.

Tanks & ergs

OK, so before I said that I didn’t think coxswains should do the erg workouts that the rowers are doing but I do think that coxswains should get on the erg or in the tanks if/when they can. If they actually take some strokes themselves, that’s just another thing that will help them get a better feel for the stroke. This would be especially helpful too for novice coxswains who haven’t coxed or rowed before. Having them actually do the drills that they’re calling for or doing a modified steady state piece will force them to think about their calls (“if I was rowing and a coxswain said this to me, would/how would I respond”), where they’re calling things, their technique, and give them an idea of how the rowers feel when they’re doing it. If they can put themselves into a similar situation as the rowers then they can get a better idea of what they should say to keep them present, motivated, etc. during a piece. Obviously their technique doesn’t need to be varsity A-boat perfect but my opinion is that if they’re going to be telling the rowers to fix their technique or do this better/sharper/cleaner or whatever, they should at least be able to adequately do it as well.

It’s not about just getting on there and doing a workout just so you have something to do, it’s about being given some instruction, gaining insight, and getting some experience doing what they’re expected to coach the rowers on. How can you be expected to tell the rowers what to do if you’ve never done it yourself? You have to get in there and go through each motion while making a concentrated effort to understand what your body is doing. If you just get on the erg and screw around because LOL MY SPLIT IS LIKE 4:27 you’re really not accomplishing anything.

This is something you can do anytime the team isn’t using the tanks or ergs but it isn’t something you should do alone. If you’re doing it alone, how do you know what you’re doing right or wrong? Ask your coach to work with you for 20-30 minutes or if they’re not available, ask a varsity rower or another coxswain if they can watch and observe you and the other coxswains the first few times you use the equipment. Captain’s practices are a good time to do this because the atmosphere is a little more relaxed. Take turns doing this so you can get used to seeing different kinds of technique and recognizing what needs to change with each one.

Practice your calls, calling transitions, getting to know the rowers, and developing your “voice”

This is something you should definitely be doing . One coxswain said…

“Our coach expects our coxswains to be at practice helping run things. We get the workout before hand and they alternate calling rating shifts in time pieces/steady states and correcting form.”

It’s unlikely that you’re going to be coxing like you would in the boat but you can still call out technical issues when you see them, general reminders, etc. Save all the motivational calls for when you’re on the water. The rowers don’t need to hear “show me how bad you want it” in November when they’re staring at an erg monitor (or ever, really). If you want to motivate them, write “NCAAs”, “IRAs”, “YALE”, or some other word on a piece of paper and post it at the front of the room. That’s all the motivation they need. Focus on technique and calls relating to the bodies and blade work. If they’re on an erg, help them visualize being on the water. Think about the words you’re saying and how they sound coming out of your mouth – do your calls sound genuine (like you’re paying attention) and assertive (like you’re confident in what you’re saying) or bored (disinterested) and tired (played out)? Get feedback from the rowers so you can gauge how you’re doing, what calls you should keep, what you should adjust, etc.

Don’t forget to also spend time talking with the rowers to find out what they need so you can give them some individual attention when necessary. If you’ve got a rower who’s trying to PR on a piece to show that he’s A-boat material, remind him of his split every few minutes. It’s as simple as saying “1:48” quietly in their ear as you walk by. Stuff like this shows you’re invested in them and that you see them as people and not just as athletes. It can be easy to lump them all together, especially during the winter, but now more than ever is when you should be putting them under a microscope, scrutinizing their technique, figuring out their tendencies, learning about what makes them tick, etc.

Have a schedule

I just gave you a ton of options of things to do over the winter, not all of which can or should be done on your own time outside of practice hours. It’s also helpful for knowing when exactly you’re needed by the coaches and when you’re free to do your own thing. Sit down with them and the other coxswains and come up with a rotating schedule similar to what the rowers have, that way only the necessary number of coxswains are with the team to record times or call stuff on the ergs while everyone else is listening to recordings, doing their own workouts, etc. It’s pointless having five coxswains standing around doing nothing while two do all the work, so why not let the three who don’t have anything to do do something that will actually benefit them? The next day, two different coxswains can record or call stuff and so on and so forth. That way if you need someone they know that this is where they need to be on this day, at this time, but that the rest of the time they’ll be doing their own thing with the other coxswains.

If your team has a MWF lift + land workout schedule, have one or two coxswains on hand if necessary to help monitor things and/or record results while the rest of you do your own workout and then get in the tanks. On TuTh when the team is doing steady state on the ergs and/or in the tanks, listen to recordings and watch film. The coxswains that are scheduled for that day can apply what they’ve learned through watching film to what they’re actually seeing and subsequently practice their calls, calling transitions, projecting their voice, etc. On Saturday when everyone is together doing a long erg, all the coxswains can be there but try to divide up the rowers beforehand so that each coxswain can focus on a small group (no more than eight per coxswain, if possible). I’d still encourage walking around and watching everyone but only talk to/make calls for the rowers in your group. This will also be especially helpful if you’re recording splits or times, that way you don’t have multiple coxswains recording the same people.

As un-fun as the winter season can be, it’s a great time for coxswains to up their game if they apply themselves correctly. I hope this gives you some ideas and helps you start off winter training on the right foot!

Image via // @stanfordlwtcrew

Coxing Novice Q&A Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow November 12, 2013

Help! I was told by our head coach that I was head coxswain because I was most experienced and all of the others were novices. But he’s kicked me out of the position for some girl who coxed for two months at a ‘top rowing school’ at the end of last year and had never even coxed a regatta before last weekend! She also has no idea how to race cox and never makes the right calls in a boat and almost all of her boats performed badly at the regatta. What do I do?

I don’t think you should do anything. Keep doing what you’re doing while still doing all the usual stuff you would do to ensure that you’re actively making improvements. Unless you’ve been specifically told to “do this differently/better/more effectively”, change nothing. Sometimes coaches make really … interesting … decisions for absolutely no reason whatsoever and they only realize how bad of an idea it was when it blows up in their face.

The one thing you shouldn’t do is give up or slack off. Act like nothing has changed so that when your coach sees you coxing pieces on the water and hears from other coaches that your practice went great, he’ll question his decision and if two months at a “top rowing school” (with less than favorable results thus far) was really enough to warrant kicking an experienced coxswain out of the boat.

This whole situation really has less to do with you (and to an extent, the other coxswain) and more to do with the coach. Any coach that puts a coxswain in because of superficial reasons like “she coxed at a top rowing school for two months”, “he weighs 120lbs, the other guy weighs 126lbs”, etc. deserves to suffer through the inevitable consequences of such a dumb decision.

Regardless of what happens, don’t shun the coxswain. Try to at least help her out, give her some pointers, etc. so that she can begin making the necessary improvements. Yea it sucks that she took your spot but it wasn’t her fault or decision so there’s no reason to let her keep doing poorly when there’s clearly info you could share with her, being the most experienced coxswain and all, that can help her get better. You don’t have to give up all your secrets but if you hear or see her doing something blatantly incorrect, talk to her after practice and explain how it should be done.

Coxing How To Novice Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow October 29, 2013

Hi. I walked on half a year ago as a coxswain knowing absolutely nothing, and this blog was such a godsend for me. Thank you! I was the absolute worst when I started – steering all over the place and almost dead silent during practices because I was so nervous about what to say. I’ve come a long way since then. My steering is much more consistent and I feel pretty confident about the things I’m saying in the boat but I feel like I’ve plateaued in my progress because I don’t know how to bring personality into the boat. I can rattle off canned phrases and words, but I don’t know how to really MOTIVATE the boat and get the rowers riled up. I’ve been told that I’m “too nice” when I’ve asked for criticisms from the rowers. I am not an inherently sassy person – I am actually pretty calm and mellow and I’m not sure how to address an issue like temperament. Is this something I can fix or was I just not meant to be a coxswain in the first place? All of the successful coxswains I know are so outspoken and I feel like I have a more quiet intensity that I try to bring into the boat. Thanks!

You seem really self-aware which is a great quality for a coxswain. It’s a good thing to be able to recognize where you started, where you’re at, what you could work on, etc.

You don’t have to have an inherently sassy personality to be a coxswain, although I don’t think anyone would deny that a little sass now and then never hurt. It’s not even sass either, it’s just knowing when to be assertive to get something done. I actually think having a quiet intensity and a less “in your face” approach to coxing is better because it makes your race-day aggressiveness more genuine. I actually talked about this in one of the first questions I ever answered on the blog last year (linked below). It’s sort of the opposite issue that you’re experiencing but there might be a nugget or two of advice in there that resonates with you.

This is quickly becoming my go-to piece of advice but talk to your rowers. One of the best ways to figure out how to motivate them is to find out what they find motivating. Why are they there, what drives them, what do they want to accomplish, etc. If you find out stuff like this, then you can make calls specifically for that during pieces and races. For example, if Brad says that he’s been trying to hold onto his finishes and can feel that his strokes are stronger because of it, use that during the race to kick off a burst and motivate Brad/the crew at the same time. Bonus points if you involve the crew(s) you’re racing against. In a situation like this I’d say something like: “Columbia’s washing out on their finishes, let’s take 5 to squeeze it in and take a seat. Lead it Brad … on this one … now … go!”

Another thing you can do is take a five or ten or whatever number applies to rattle off your competition. Instead of saying “1…2…3…etc.” you’d say “Georgetown … Princeton … Navy … Wisco … Harvard … Penn … Cornell … Dartmouth … Yale … “. Hearing the names of the people they’re racing that are trying just as hard to beat you as your boat is trying to beat them will make them dig deep (literally and figuratively) and crank out some killer strokes. This is best used towards the end of the race, maybe right before the sprint or so.

Motivating your crew is not all about the rah-rah-sis-boom-bah calls. Stuff like what I said above is motivating because you’re capitalizing on something that the rower(s) have spent hours working on at practice. The best way to get them to reap the full benefits of their efforts is to remind them of what they’ve accomplished during the 6-7 minutes when it matters most. To really get under their skin and push them your tone of voice has to be there too. I took out one of our freshman eights the other day and did some 20s with them racing me in the launch. The coxswain is a freshman walk-on who is still learning the ropes and finding her voice. The first few 20s they did were good but something was lacking. At one point when the guys were getting a drink I told her to get aggressive. I literally didn’t even care if it was over-the-top yelling, I just wanted her to get in their faces and push them. It’s really hard to explain what I mean in situations like that … you sort of just have to “get it” and do it. She made some great changes in her tone which resulted in the next several 20s just being balls-to-the-wall on. Once we stopped to spin I asked her how it felt and she said “better” and “really good”, to which I replied with “why?”. She said a couple things about technique but I said that I thought it was because of the change she made in her voice, which the guys all agreed with. At some point you have to just let go and do something you haven’t done before.

Don’t ask for criticism from the rowers, ask for feedback. Try to keep track of what they say (write it down) and make an effort to pick out one or two things to work on each day. Similarly to the rowers, most likely the changes you make are going to feel weird, uncomfortable, or silly but you’re definitely paying way more attention to that kind of stuff than the rowers are. Also work on becoming more confident in your role. Typically your coxing voice gets stronger as you become more confident with yourself. Forget about being “sassy”. Listen to some recordings to get a feel for what other coxswains sound like and use that to help you get a feel for you can do with your boats. When you’re at practice, try to keep everything but the hard pieces fairly conversational (like I talked about in the first post I linked to) but maintain that “quiet intensity” you talked about earlier. You’ll know the right time to bring the aggression based on what your coach has you doing.

Ergs Novice Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow October 28, 2013

Hiya, I just started rowing recently and have to do some ergs with 18, 20 & 22 m/s but I don’t quite understand how this works. Does it really just depend on my speed or do I also have to change the resistance level to get those results?

I think you mean “strokes per minute” (SPM), not m/s, which is “meters per second”. The resistance has nothing to do with stroke rates, distance covered, etc. It’s essentially like the gears on a bike – higher damper settings require you to work harder to spin the fan on the next stroke whereas lower settings require less work to spin it. It affects how erging feels more than it affects the resistance you’re working against. The dampers are usually set at 4 or 5 so I would leave it there.

Novice Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow October 21, 2013

Do you think it’s possible that rowing isn’t “my” sport ? I started late summer but I have been erging for a few months with a friend who is a rower too. Anyway, I feel like everyone is getting better (even the fall novices are almost better than I am and they have been rowing not even 2 months. I feel like my technique/strength/endurance is on a plateau and I feel shitty. I won’t even talk about the 3 awful races I had in the last weeks. IDK, i feel hopeless. How do i know if I’m a bad rower?

It’s totally possible that rowing’s not your sport. It’s not for everyone and there truthfully isn’t anything wrong with that. To be honest though, just reading your question, it sounds like what’s hampering your progress is more of a mental thing than anything physical. In rowing it’s really, really easy to compare yourself to other people (and let’s face it, it’s a huge part of the sport) but you’ve really gotta stop doing that. Focus on yourself, your seat, your improvements, etc. and let the coaches worry about making comparisons. Not everyone learns or picks things up at the same speed, which is fine, but my sympathy as a coach/coxswain ends when you start throwing pity parties for yourself. When you become what’s holding you back, I feel like there’s not much I can say to you other than sit down, figure out why you’re here, if you even want to be here, and come find me when you’ve figured out what you want.

If you feel like you’re plateauing, talk to your coach about your workouts and see what you can do to kickstart things again. Figure out specifically what needs working on and commit to working on it. Forget about how well everyone else is doing because I promise you they aren’t thinking about you or anyone else at all – they’re thinking about what they need to do in order to get the seat they want in the boat they want to be in.

Bottom line, don’t be discouraged by everyone getting better (or appearing to get better). Be motivated to work harder so you can make the coach’s job as hard as possible when it comes time to decide who’s going to be in the top boats. Until you’ve tried as hard as you can and failed, you haven’t failed yet. It’s been what, 2-3 months since you started rowing? That’s not even enough time to get started, let alone get started and fail. Figure out what you need to do differently (mentally and physically) and then do it. You might find that you start seeing physical improvements once your mental outlook changes.