Category: Q&A

Coxing Ergs Novice Q&A Teammates & Coaches

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Hello! I’m a novice coxswain and I’m still learning so I often ask my rowers exactly what they want to hear. When we erg often the varsity team helps cox them. I honestly feel like coxing ergs is kind of awkward and I am not the best at it (but I’m still learning). After asking one of my rowers what I can do to improve she told me that she didn’t like my coxing style and she preferred one of the varsity members. I am not able to cox like that – it doesn’t come naturally … what should I do?

It’s good that you ask your rowers what they want. Don’t be offended or take it personally if somebody says they don’t like your coxing style. Some rowers like to go into bubbles on the ergs and don’t want any coxing. Others prefer other people’s style. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad coxswain or anything. I would talk with the varsity coxswain that your rower likes and ask her for advice. Observe her (and the other coxswain’s) style when she’s with people on the ergs and take notes. It’s like putting together an outfit … everybody has their own style but we all draw inspiration from other people.

Related: Advice for coxing a 5k on the erg? There are only so many times I can remind my boys to keep their back straight and drive with their legs. 

Don’t go into every erg piece thinking “this is awkward, I’m awkward, nobody likes my coxing … SHIT!”. Go into each piece and look at it as a new learning experience each time. Try and pick up some new tips when you watch the other coxswains and use that to help you come up with your own way of calling pieces. Practice on rowers (who don’t mind being coxed) and then get feedback from them when practice is over. Find out what worked, what didn’t, and what you can improve on, and then use all that information moving forward.

Coxing Novice Q&A Racing

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Hey! I’ve been rowing for a few years but now I’m a coxswain but I’ve only been doing it for a few months and I’m soon entering my first race as a cox. Any tips on how much to shout/what to shout to the crew?

OK well, first piece of advice is don’t shout. One of my biggest pet peeves with coxswains is that they think their job is to shout at people, so that’s all they do … they just shout. Don’t do that. If all the rowers hear is you yelling at them with no substance or meaning or reason behind it, they’ll tune you out.

Related: Hi, I’m a beginner coxswain for a men’s novice 8 and my first regatta is coming up in two days. I’m super super nervous and I was wondering if you could give me some really good calls I can make in the middle of the race … I usually end up not really know what to say and repeat the same things over and over! Thank you so much!

Have a race plan that so that you’re not ad-libbing the entire race as it happens. Race plans give you some structure and make it easier to come up with calls because you’re going to have different focuses throughout the race that based on what’s happening around you, where you’re at on the course, what you’re seeing within the boat, etc.

Related: HOCR – Race plans and My race plan from HOCR

Spend some time listening to recordings too – that’ll help you learn how other coxswains handle races, as well as what they’re saying, how they’re saying it, and how often they’re saying it.

Related: Interesting question: How often do you think a cox should talk during a race? I feel really awkward and useless if I stop talking for more than a few seconds, and when I rowed our cox would talk almost constantly during races. However, at a regatta briefing the other day the OU Captain of Coxes implied that coxes should only be talking every few strokes. I guess it depends on the standard and nature of the crew, but what do you think?

I know there aren’t any specific calls in here but once you’ve established a race plan and what your boat wants/needs to focus on during the race, you’ll easily be able to come up with a set of calls that work for you and the crew.

Coxing Q&A

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This is probably going to sound really stuck up but I promise you I am not intending it to be that way. I’m the only coxswain my team has. I’ve coxed them through every race and I love coxing so much and I love my team, but one of my rowers now says she wants to be a coxswain and there’s only enough girls for one boat. I’m honestly terrified she’s going to try and take my spot and I want it way more than she does, to be quite honest. I’m just really worried and idk what to do.

I understand how you feel – when you’re doing something as specialized as coxing (and have been doing it well for awhile) it’s hard to think of someone else doing what you do. If you are the coxswain though and you’ve coxed every race and practice and have been doing a good job, I doubt your coach will randomly up and decide one day to stick this other girl in. Especially if you only have eight rowers, I think it’d be safe to assume your spot is safe. If your coach hasn’t said anything to you or the other girls about it, I wouldn’t worry too much.

If he/she does decide one day to put her in the coxswain’s seat, don’t freak out about it. Maybe he’s just appeasing her for the day. If it starts to become a continual thing, talk to him and see what his plan is. Have a mature conversation and don’t look at coxing as a possession you don’t want your younger sibling to have just because it’s yours. Maybe he’s just trying to get someone else to gain some coxing experience in the case that you can’t be there. You never know.

Keep in mind too that competition is a good thing. It makes everyone better so if she ends up becoming a full-time coxswain, keep an open mind and be prepared to up your game in response to her upping hers to match you.

College Ergs Q&A Recruiting

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I am an openweight girl rower who is 5’9″. I really want to get recruited to college. What erg times should I have to even be considered? Thanks!!

Typically coaches are looking for times that are sub-7:30ish for heavy/open weight women but it varies amongst programs and divisions. You should ask the coaches you’re talking to what their expectations are. Keep in mind that erg times are important but they aren’t the only factor – they look at your physiological stats (height, weight, etc.), grades, etc. too.

College Q&A Recruiting Rowing

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Hi I’m a lightweight junior girl. I weigh 125 and am 5’3″. Is an 8:30 a good 2k time and what should I lower it to for recruiting purposes? I have been rowing since my freshman year.

To be recruited to a D1 school, you’d need times that are around 7:45ish. Schools that have strong lightweight programs are looking for times closer to sub 7:40, but most coaches will give you a look if you’re sub 7:50. There aren’t many women’s lightweight programs across the country though so if you specifically want to row lightweight, make sure you look at schools that have dedicated lightweight programs.

To be honest though, because of your height and erg time right now, it seems unlikely that you’d be recruited as a rower – they’d probably ask you to be a coxswain. Someone I knew in college was around your height/weight and had an 8:20ish 2k but was asked to cox instead of row. If you went to a D3 school or somewhere with a club team, then you’d have a higher chance of being able to row. They’re still competitive but are typically much less strict with the height-weight stereotypes than the top schools are.

Coxing How To Novice Q&A

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It was commented on yesterday that I was ‘too quiet’. I think part of it is because I’m still concentrating so hard on the steering in an 8 (it’s a work in progress) that I forget the speaking part. Also, I’m coxing a boat with people in it who helped teach me to row so I struggle with the idea of ‘correcting’ them! I need to find my ability to motivate them, steer, and not panic about other boats around me. How do you multi-task when coxing? Any advice?

It’s pretty normal for new coxswains to initially be “too quiet” as they try to get the feel of things. I would talk with your boat and explain that you’re still working on your steering and because it’s so important to not hit anything (duh), you don’t want to try and do too many things before you’ve got this one REALLY important thing under control. Little by little each day, try and start talking just a little bit more while they’re rowing. Listen to what the coach is saying and repeat the technical advice he’s giving. Tell them how much time has elapsed on their steady state, what their stroke rate is, timing is looking good, etc.

Once you’re comfortable with all that, let them know that you’re going to start increasing the amount of time you spend talking in the boat but still let them know that you’re main focus is still on steering, at least for right now. If you let them know WHY you’re being quiet, it’s easier for them because they at least know that it’s not because you’re not paying attention or because you’re uninterested in being there. Talk to your stroke too – she’s right there so she can give you some things to say if you can’t think of anything. Bring that up with her one day before or after practice and see what she says.

One of the things I learned when I started coxing my masters 8+ was that even though these women were old enough to be my mother, I can’t be afraid to tell them when they’ve screwed up. Plain and simple. We are there for a reason and that is to tell them not only what they’re doing right, but what they need to improve on. Think of it like this – they taught you to row, right? Assuming they’re good teachers and you learned a lot and became a good rower following their coaching advice, you should have a solid background of things to look for and be aware of regarding the stroke. Without their coaching, you wouldn’t know what nuances to look for had they not taught you. Pointing this stuff out to them shows that you absorbed what was taught to you, which in turn will hopefully show them that you’re invested in this and really committed to helping them get better. If their timing is off or someone is washing out, you have to tell them. It’s a lot harder when the people you’re coxing are older than you but it’s part of the job. They’ll respect you a lot more for it too.

I always get a little nervous when I get near other boats, not because I doubt my abilities, but because I don’t know theirs. I have no idea if their coxswain is paying attention or knows how to steer or anything else. If I was hooked up to a heart rate monitor on the water, every time another boat comes around, you’d see my HR spike. My blood pressure too, probably. I’ve talked to other coxswains who are the same way – it’s our version of being a defensive driver while on the road. (Remember, defensive and aggressive are two different things … don’t confuse them.)

In Grey’s Anatomy there’s a scene where Dr. Sloan is talking to the residents and interns about a patient with an exposed carotid artery and the patient looks at the doctors and says “they look scared.” Dr. Sloan replies “They’re medical professionals. A healthy level of fear is encouraged.” We’re rowing professionals  – a healthy level of fear is encouraged when we’re on the water. Internalize it though. Don’t make it outwardly known that you’re freaking out because the coxswain ahead of you just spun right in the path of your boat while you’re doing a race piece. Just steer around them (or stop if necessary) and move on.

Related: How to steer an eight or four

Multi-tasking while coxing is like having someone (or multiple someones) in the car with you. You’re driving, you’re listening to music, you’re talking, you’re watching the speed limit, you’re watching the cars around you, etc. It’s very similar to being in the boat, especially the “watching out for other cars on the road” part. You get better with practice, but you can’t be afraid TO practice. You’re ALWAYS going to have to be steering and doing something else, so it’s something you have to get used to pretty fast. Steering is also something you want to pick up sooner rather than later so that you can turn your focus to other things. Have your coach critique your steering one day so that you know how you’re doing. Ask your stroke to watch you line for a few strokes while you’re out and see what she says – are you moving directly away from one point or are you drunk steering down the river?

Once I’m used to a particular body of water and know it’s twists, turns, etc., steering becomes an afterthought. I go on autopilot and my focus turns away from my steering and onto the rowers, which is where the majority of our focus should be anyways. As you get more comfortable with the river or lake you’re rowing on, the multi-tasking thing will be a lot easier and eventually you won’t even realize how many different things you’re doing at once.

Coxing Ergs Q&A Teammates & Coaches Training & Nutrition

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My coach makes coxswains do winter workouts and 2k’s with rowers. Do you think that’s fair? We don’t get a break with the workout, at all. We have to do the same exact thing as rowers.

I think it’s fair that they ask you to work out with your teammates … I don’t think it’s fair if they’re expecting the same exact level of athletic prowess from the coxswains that they do from the rowers. The teams I’ve been a part of, even collegiate teams, gave the coxswains separate workouts to do so that they were still doing SOMETHING while the rowers did their thing. I don’t want to say that coxswains are not athletes, because we are, but in an eight, we aren’t the athletes. The rowers are.

In my experience, some of my friends that have coxed, including myself, have had various health related problems that makes it difficult to be as athletic as we used to be. I dislocated my knee pretty severely when I was in high school and can’t run (unless my life depends on it) because the pain from the cartilage degeneration is so painful. Others have asthma or injuries from other sports that prohibit them from running, lifting, etc. If any of those things apply to you, you need to sit down and talk with your coach. Your health concerns should be just as important to them as the rower’s.

You guys should all know my feelings by now regarding how coxswains are treated by the coaches. Often times we’re ignored and left to fend for ourselves. If you are working out with your team and you are injured or develop an injury, do NOT let your doctor, athletic trainer, coach, physical therapist, etc. brush it off JUST because you are a coxswain. Get checked out immediately and make your coach aware of the situation. Get your parents involved and have them speak to them if you’re unable to.

Most importantly, know your limits. I promise you that your rowers see you working out with them and they do appreciate it, but they want you just as healthy as they want their other teammates. They don’t want you to get injured or overdo it either. They will understand and they hopefully already DO understand that our tiny bodies cannot squat as much as their freakishly tall frames can.

If you feel like the workouts are pushing you to a point that is uncomfortable for you (and this is where knowing the difference between discomfort and pain is crucial), talk to you coach. Compromise and say that you will continue to workout with the team, but you need to do something else – treadmill, stair master, core, elliptical, bike, etc. If they still insist on you doing the workouts at the same level as the rowers, have a conversation with your parents, your trainer, etc.. Coaches need to understand the limits and abilities of their athletes and it is their responsibility to know when they are pushing someone too far.

Ergs High School Q&A Rowing Training & Nutrition

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I’m entering my third rowing season this spring but at a different school than I rowed at last year. I come from a good boat at a very strong program but nobody takes me seriously and I want to do really well on my first erg test. The only thing is my old program did 1.5 tests and my new program does 2ks and I don’t know how I’m not going to die that last 500. Do you have any suggestions? I’m a 5’10” 155 lb girl with a 5:45 1.5k.

Before you do your first test I’d suggest doing a 2k or one of the 2k predictor workouts (like 8x500m) just to give yourself a baseline of where you are and what you can expect your time to be. This will also give you an idea of how far into that last 500 you start to really feel the fatigue. Practice, practice, practice – lame answer I know but trust me, you’ll feel a lot better if you’re prepared going into your first test vs. going in blind and not having any idea about what’s going to happen. Jot down some notes after each practice 2k … anything you notice will help you mentally prepare for the “real thing”. Where do you start to feel tired, where would be a good spot to start your sprint, when does the voice in your head tell you to quit because you’re too tired, how do you FEEL, etc. Try giving yourself power 10s, practice making a move at the 1000 meter mark, start building into the sprint at 350 to go, and then start sprinting with 250 to go. See how it goes, tweak it, and find what works for you. Build a “plan” for yourself to loosely follow during your test.

One of the things I liked doing in high school was doing longer pieces than what our races actually were. Instead of doing practice 1500m pieces before regattas, we’d do 2ks. Same with our erg tests – it was ALWAYS 2ks, never 1500s. This helped the rowers a lot because instead of succumbing to fatigue at the end of the race, they KNEW their bodies were prepared to go an extra 500m, so they had an extra 500m of “reserve fuel” already stored and ready to use. I’m convinced that that was a key part of why my team was so successful. It also helped them mentally too because even though they were exhausted like everyone else, they knew their bodies were capable of more than the other rowers we were racing against. That mental edge was HUGE. Make sense? Practice your straight 2k to get a guesstimate of your time and to practice when you’re going to make your moves, but also make sure you’re doing longer steady state pieces to start building up your mental and physical reserves.

If your 1500m time is 5:45, that’s roughly a 1:55 split, which means your 2k would be about a 7:40 … that’s pretty good. Try and hover around that split while you practice and see if you can finish in the 7:40ish range. Don’t settle for that though – if you’re feeling strong and know you can push that split down another second, try it. You’re not a novice and you’ve clearly already proven that you’re a strong rower if you were in a good boat with your previous program so just go do what you know how to do. Don’t try and beat the other girls times just to “prove” yourself. Focus on YOUR erg, YOUR piece, and YOUR time. Let your erg scores, your time on the water, your attitude, your leadership skills, and your commitment to the team speak for themselves.

Coxing High School Q&A Teammates & Coaches

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As a cox how do you approach favoritism from coaches? Like, there’s a girl on my team whose dad is an assistant coach at our club (but for novice) and I feel like our varsity coaches favor her because she is the coach’s daughter. What do/can I do? I like her but I still feel like this is unfair.

Growing up, I played softball for about 10 years before I started coxing and I was fortunate enough to have my dad be my coach every year I played. I think a major reason why I’m so unbiased towards people is because he never gave me special treatment – even when I tried to get it. I wasn’t encouraged or scolded any more or less than anyone else on my team. When I got to high school, I was in the marching band (clarinet) and one of the directors had some seriously hardcore favorites that just got treated way better than everyone else. It annoyed me in a “roll my eyes every time I noticed it” kind of way. There wasn’t anything we could do about it and it wasn’t a HUGE deal in the grand scheme of things so we all basically just had to deal with it and ignore it. Since I’ve started coaching I’ve tried to do the same thing that my dad and HS crew coaches did and not have favorites. I’ve found that even though there are people I like infinitely better than others, I have to treat them equally and not let the people I like get away with shit that I wouldn’t let the others get away with.

One of the hardest lessons to learn is that there will ALWAYS be a favorite. It’s an inevitable truth. Why do you think they favor her? I feel like crew is a hard sport to play favorites with but, then again, I’ve never really seen or experienced it with any of my teams. Unless you, for example, pull an infinitely better erg time than she does and she gets boated over you with zero justification, there’s really not much you can do except ignore it. It’s possible that the coaches just know her better than other people on the team if they’re friends with her dad, so general conversations can seem like favoritism if other people don’t experience the same thing with them.

I wouldn’t let it bother you unless it comes to a point where people are getting displaced in the boat in favor of those who haven’t earned that seat. If that happens, then I’d bring it up (maturely) with one of the coaches and ask why that person was chosen instead of you or whoever. Don’t be accusatory though. Go to your coaches from the angle of wanting to know what you need to improve on so that next time YOU are the one that’s chosen. If they give you a legitimate answer as to why the other person was put in the lineup, you have to trust that they made the right decision, even if to you it feels like the wrong one.

Coxing Novice Q&A Teammates & Coaches

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Hi! I’m a novice rower and asking for advice concerning my coxswain. She doesn’t get really fired up during races and falls back on just correcting our technique when we really need motivation. Anything you know that helps? We’re a girls team btw.

Have you talked to her about this? Does she know that it bothers you guys when she only focus on technique and doesn’t give any motivation? If you haven’t it’s possible that she doesn’t know there’s a problem.

Whenever you go out and do a piece, ask her if she can throw in some more motivational calls and then give her some specifics – tell her exactly what you (and the rest of the boat) want to hear. Explain that technical calls are really helpful at the beginning but as the race goes on, you need more motivation because as you get more tired it starts to feel like you can’t go on and you NEED someone pushing you and telling you that you can. Hopefully she’ll listen to you and try and throw in some more motivational calls – if she does, acknowledge that. At the end of a piece or after practice, say thank you and that you really appreciated her trying to throw in some new calls. Tell her that it really helped and ask if she can keep doing that.

Another thing you could do is have the other girls in your boat write down one or two things they want to hear and then give that list to her so she can read it. It’s possible that she knows what to say but just gets overwhelmed or forgets, so perhaps seeing it right in front of her will help remind her of things to say. You could also find a recording or two that you like (check the “recordings” tag on here and you’ll find some sprinkled through various posts) and then send her a link to it. Say that you came across these and really like how the coxswain does this or that or whatever and could she maybe try something similar the next time you go out. If she’s a novice like you, she’s still learning how to do this whole “steer-cox-think about 90430943 things a minute” thing, so maybe having one of the varsity coxswains talk to her might help. Ask them if they’d mind giving her a couple pointers on things to say during races, specifically relating to motivational calls.

Asking coxswains to do something is a little like herding blind cats sometimes … it can be hard because coxswains are usually stubborn and typically don’t like being told what to do. Be nice when you talk to her. Don’t all come at her at once with pitchforks and accuse her of not listening to you or of sucking as a coxswain. Talk about it one day after practice and see what happens.