Tag: rowing

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 24, 2012

Where I live we are in the mid of racing season and obviously have the Christmas break off from set trainings. I am planning to lose a little bit of weight for rowing, hopefully have finished just after mid January when we have seat racing planned just before summer camp. I am only aiming to lose 6kg and I have already nearly lost 2, I might not quite get there but yeah. Our coaches generally only weigh us at the start of the season (as we are too young for weights). Should I ask to be weighed before the seat racing so it doesn’t affect the results? When doing seat racing do you take into account rower’s weight? If I lose weight, will it affect my erg score? I am ‘lightweight’ but we don’t race under weight categories, but under age & gender.

If you only race under age/gender, I don’t think it would matter too much. If you’re racing against another “lightweight” they’re just going to look at whether you’re under 130lbs (or whatever lightweight is for you) and go from there. They won’t care about the specific weight. If you want to weigh yourself, you can, but I doubt your coaches would take it into consideration. It’s a question worth asking them though just to be sure.

If you lose weight but maintain or gain muscle in place of the fat you lose, then no, I doubt there will be a change in your erg score since you’ll be maintaining your strength. If it is affected in some way, I would assume it’d be positively because hopefully you’re losing weight through proper diet and strength training, which means you’d be building muscle. Increased muscle mass = increased power = lower splits. If you lose weight (typically in an unhealthy way) that causes you to lose both muscle AND fat, then yes, your erg score will probably be negatively affected.

Video of the Week

Video of the Week: Merry Christmas!!

By readyallrow December 24, 2012

Ergs Q&A Rowing Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 24, 2012

This question was sparked from the answers involving fast twitch/ slow twitch fibers. My team is off for a few weeks for the holidays (yay my coaches have hearts!) but we were told 2 things before we went off to enjoy our break: 1) to keep up with our workouts (obviously) and 2) to expect a 2k when we get back. What would the best workouts for me to do to prep for a 2k?

I think I mentioned this in the previous question, but plyometrics and intervals are great because the amount of time spent doing “work” is short, which works your anaerobic system. Depending on how much time you have available during the week to workout, I’d try to do something like this:

Monday: Steady state + lift
Tuesday: Intervals (8×500, 40 seconds on/20 seconds off, etc.)
Wednesday: Circuit
Thursday: Steady state
Friday: Steady state + core

That’s a very rough outline, but hopefully you get the idea. On Saturday or Sunday, I’d try to do a long run just to switch up your training and get you off the erg for a bit. You don’t want the fast twitch to overtake the slow twitch by too much – there needs to be an equal balance of the two, so make sure you’re not dropping the marathoner in favor of the sprinter.

Q&A Rowing Technique Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 23, 2012

Hi! I was looking at this past question from back in October. I know I do this too but, I watched the video and I don’t know if I do the shooting the slide thing but I do get pain in my lower back after longer rowing sessions. I don’t understand how to fix the problem unless I am in a single. My coaches mentioned placing the oars, then waiting to feel something to ‘grip’ on to then take the stroke. How am I meant to apply this in a boat?

To answer the first part regarding the pain in your low back: it’s possible that you shoot your slide a little bit but not enough that you’d be able to see it on video unless you slowed it down. When I’ve watched video before with my coaches I’ve seen things in slow motion that I never noticed at regular speed. It’s usually the really intricate stuff that most rowers don’t worry about until late high school and college, but if you look closely, you can see it. Other causes of low back pain that I can think of are:

Arching your back. In an effort to sit up straighter, some rowers will unknowingly puff their chests out and exaggerate the curvature in their backs

Not enough core strength. If your core muscles aren’t developed enough, it can make your low back sore from trying to maintain good posture. Planks and side planks are two of the best exercises a rower can do in order to develop their core strength. Try adding those into your stretching/workout routine if you don’t already do them and see if that helps. A really basic assessment for core strength is to do a plank and see how long you can hold it for. 30-60 seconds is average, longer than 60 seconds is considered strong, and less than 30 seconds means you’re a weakling.

Herniated disc. This is one of the most common injuries with rowers. This article from the New York Times explains everything you’ve ever wanted to know about them. Even if you think this is a slim possibility, you should still go to the doctor just to have it ruled out. Rowers careers have ended over these things and it’s unfortunate when they find out that if they’d gone to the doctor sooner, something could have been done to correct it.

There are many other causes of low back pain, including just plain poor technique, but these are some of the most common causes. Regardless of whether or not the pain is acute or constant, you should really get it checked out. Better safe than sorry. Also make sure you stretch before AND after practice.

Going back to what your coach said about “placing the oars”, this is something I’ve heard one of the Harvard coaches say and it’s one of the reasons why you don’t want to have a “death grip” on your oar otherwise you can’t feel what your coach is talking about. When you’re on the recovery you’re pushing the oars away from you (in the direction of your fingertips). At the catch when you place the blades in the water, you’ll feel the oars change direction because there will be a slight push-back into your palms. When you feel that push-back, that’s when you start your drive (which is why it’s important to make sure your slide is synced with your blades).

High School Q&A Rowing Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 23, 2012

Hi, I’m a 5’6 140 pound 16 year old girl. I’m a first year varsity rower with the second best scores on my team, yet my coach still won’t put me in his varsity four in favor of a girl who’s slightly taller than me but not as fast, even though he already has a girl my height (the one girl on the team who consistently beats me) in that boat. Is it because of my height? What can I do to make him show him I am better than she is?

I don’t think it’s based strictly on your height, especially if he already has another 5’6″ rower in the boat. If you have good erg times, my next guess would be your technique. Power and strength can only take you so far – what really gives you that extra inch is how well you row. If you and this other girl are similar in every other category, that would be why I assume your coach chose her over you. That’s purely speculative though. Before trying to show him why you’re “better” than her, first find out what makes her “better” than you. Talk with your coach and say that your goal is to row in the varsity four. You notice that you and this other girl are very similar and you want to know why she was chosen over you so that you can work on whatever the deficit is in the hope of eventually getting in the boat. If you do any erg pieces with your coxswains around, ask one of them to watch you and point out anything with your technique that you could work on. Talk with your coach about what he’s looking for in a V4+ rower so that you have some idea of who he wants in the boat. Be mature in your approach to talking with him and don’t let it come off as bitchy or whiny – that’s a surefire way to ensure this other girl stays in the boat all season.

Don’t let your main focus during training be about proving yourself against this girl. To an extent, yes, that’s what you have to do in order to be in the boat, but your main focus should be on becoming an overall better rower – getting stronger, working on your technique, improving your splits, etc. If you do all of that, your rowing will speak for itself.

High School Q&A Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 21, 2012

So this might sound funny but why am I always hungry?I I’m a high school girl and I began rowing about a year ago so while I have my general bearings, I’m still learning something new about the sport everyday and I was just curious. Ever since I’ve started rowing I’ve noticed that I have a much bigger appetite than when I participated in other sports. Is it just cause I’m a growing teenager or is this every rower?

It’s partially because you’re a growing teenager, but it really is every rower. Rowing is a full body sport in that it requires a LOT of muscles from nearly every major muscle group. In order for your body to have enough energy to fuel those muscles during practice or a race, you have to eat … a LOT. The number of calories you burn is a lot more than with any other sport, so the calories you take in has to be significantly higher than what you’re probably used to. Elite rowers (and I’m sure many collegiate rowers as well) tend to eat something small when they wake up before practice, something small after practice, breakfast, lunch, a mid-afternoon snack, followed by dinner, and maybe another small snack after that. During the Olympics I remember reading many articles that talked about the diets of some elite rowers and they were taking in something like 6,000 calories a day at the peak of their training, which is (hopefully) 2-3x what the normal person would eat.

If you have a bigger appetite than normal, don’t ignore it. Make healthy decisions on what to eat and recognize the fact that it’s just your body telling you that it’s working hard. As long as you’re not shoving Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory down your throat every time you sit down for a meal, the likelihood that you’ll gain any weight is slim since you’re burning it off through practice/racing and daily living.

College Q&A Recruiting Rowing

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 20, 2012

Do recruiters look at certain clubs more such as Marin or CRI?

I don’t know for sure, but I’d think they would look more closely at someone who came out of the more prominent programs vs. someone from a lesser known program, simply because of the exposure and reputation they have. It’s kind of like players going to the NFL – guys from Division 1 programs have a better shot compared to someone from a D3 team.

You also have to assume that someone who rows for a program like that carries the same values of dedication, hard work, excellence, etc. that helped raise it to prominence in the first place. Stuff like this really catches the eyes of coaches, especially when they know those programs are frequent contenders at regattas like Head of the Charles, Canadian Henley, Club Nationals, etc. It’s definitely something that I think could give you a bit of an edge but it’s not like, the defining quality when they look at recruits.

College Ergs How To Q&A Rowing

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 20, 2012

Hi there! Your advice is absolutely wonderful and I love your blog. I am a second-year varsity rower at a D3 school. My question is about ERG tests. Recently I’ve hit a mental block on my 2ks. My PR is 1:58.3. Last year, my 2ks were my best test, but on my past 2 I have literally stood up at about the 700 mark and the 1000 mark, respectively, somehow afraid of the pain/speed. I’ve never done this before. Do you have any advice on how to push through that moment in tests where you want to stop?

Acknowledging the imminent pain before you start your test will prepare you for when you finally feel it. That way, when you hit that point you can say “I knew this was coming, I’m not surprised I feel like my body is being run over by a tank, I have to keep going”.

In the grand scheme of things, 2ks take up like, 0.0005% of your day. If you quit in the middle, how much time after your test do you spend thinking about it? For most people, it tends to ruin their day. If you do well on it, you don’t think about it that much afterwards.

Related: 2k test strategy

Don’t let 7-8 minutes out of 1,440 stress you out. You have to push and remind yourself of the bigger picture, which is whatever goals you’ve set for yourself.

Q&A Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 20, 2012

I am not sure if this is a stupid question to ask but … will my performance improve if I actually start eating well?? I eat not so great foods, small amounts of fruits and basically no vegetables. If I really eat better will it help me improve? I already have an erg time in the top girls, so I am not really bothered by it unless 1, I start getting worse and other girls getting better, or 2, it’s really going to help me with my performance. I came to you as you are great at giving advice!!

Not stupid at all. This is actually a really good question that at some point I think all high school rowers ask themselves.

Short answer: The improvement you see to your rowing performance is indirect. Where you’ll really see improvements will be in your overall health and fitness, which will then lead to additional gains that can improve your rowing stamina, strength, etc.

Long answer: Your body needs healthy foods to run efficiently. If you eat unhealthy stuff, you’re most likely not getting the nutrients you need, you’re probably tired and sluggish, your energy levels are low, and you have an unnecessary layer of fat on you that you otherwise wouldn’t have. The last one is the biggest thing that people tend to be aware of when they’re exercising and wondering why they still don’t see any muscle. The phrase “abs are made in the gym but revealed in the kitchen” is so true. You can exercise and workout all you want, but unless you’re eating a healthy diet, no one is ever going to see all the work you’ve been putting in. Maintaining a healthy diet helps you last longer during practice or races and recover faster from them, as well as helping to increase your muscle mass. If you’re eating foods low in nutrients, you’re not getting any of those benefits. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, etc. are essential parts of a rower’s (or any athlete’s) diet, so adding them into yours can only help you.

Losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight is about 70% what you eat and 30% how much you exercise. If you replaced the not-so-good food you eat with healthier options, think about how the gains you would make. Last longer, recover faster, build more muscle…if you’re one of the top rowers now, who’s to say that with a little diet tweaking you wouldn’t be THE top rower? Your diet is definitely not something to get complacent over, so don’t assume that swapping out a candy bar for an apple won’t make a difference. You should be aware of what you’re eating and how it impacts your performance, both positively and negatively. If the other girls start getting better and you get worse, that has little to do with your diet. That’s more about strength gains and technique adjustments. Having something not-so-great is OK every once in awhile but not all the time. Cliche as the phrase has become, moderation is key.

Q&A Rowing Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By readyallrow December 20, 2012

Hi, I feel like my endurance is decent, 10K is fine, etc. but my sprinting for a 2K race is worrying me (I started in August). I don’t know how to make it brilliant and I also struggle to get the full power out of my legs (or what it seems like to me).

Sounds like a marathoner who decided they want to switch to the 100m dash. The best way to prepare for a sprint is to practice. If all you do is long steady state pieces, you’re conditioning your body to excel at those kinds of races. Throw in some 100m, 500m, 2ks, etc. and practice bringing the stroke rate up during those pieces. Don’t try and go straight from a 22 to a 34 though…if you’re not used to rowing at a high stroke rate like that, start slow and gradually bring it up. Start at one stroke rate for a few pieces and when you can hold that stroke rate without losing your form or getting tired while still maintaining a good split, bump it up two beats for the next few pieces. When you can hold that, take it up again. The number of beats you’ll be able to take it up will decrease the more conditioned you become and eventually you’ll hit a point where you physically can’t push it up anymore (similar to a plateau).

As far as getting full power out of your legs, it goes back to the marathoner vs. sprinter thing. The muscles in your body are made up of two types of fibers – slow twitch and fast twitch. Slow twitch fibers are responsible for slow muscle contractions and are considered to be “fatigue resistant”, meaning they can go for long periods of time before they start to get tired. Fast twitch fibers are the opposite. They contract quickly and become fatigued rapidly. Marathoners, who tend to run for long distances, have an abundance of slow twitch fibers in their systems. Sprinters, who run very fast for very short distances, have an abundance of fast twitch fibers. Rowers are the hybrid child of marathoners and sprinters, so our training programs have to adequately build up our slow twitch fibers and our fast twitch fibers.

For you, if your endurance is good but your sprinting isn’t, it sounds like you have a decent amount of slow twitch fibers but not enough fast twitch ones. To increase those, you’ll want to add things like plyometrics, specialized strength training, and short bursts on the erg (or the track) to your training program. The strength training you do, in terms of frequency, volume, exercises, etc., has to reflect the season you’re in – pre-season, in-season, post-season, and off-season (winter training for us). For rowers during winter training, we’re preparing for the spring sprint season, so your strength training should be strength-endurance based, i.e. circuit training. Then it will shift to strength (building up the main muscles used in rowing), followed by a shift towards power (Olympic lifts and plyometrics), and then finally to power-endurance (to prepare for head race season – low weights, high reps).