What is a rowing mindset? Do you need one? And can it be trained? Timestamps 01:00 Rowing for life Welcome Jack Burns from Edge Rowing who has an interesting backstory. He enjoyed the process of learning to row rather than the external competitions and winning. His struggles were around injury and mindset. He learned the systems and tactics for mindset improvement in a systemised way. 03:45 What is performance mindset? Ability to handle external factors, to perform to the limit and ability to visualise what you want to achieve. Where is your attention going, how to handle distractions and nerv ..read more

Hello again Reader Sometimes I’m amazed by how many people go rowing, how those folks get into rowing, and what it does for them. ​Wonder woman rows on the Potomac. Lynda Carter (actor) sculls She aligns the learning to scull process with balance – both in her life and in her boat. Getting high profile people to talk about their rowing is great for our sport – have you seen any others? I found a video about a bunch of ex-rugby players in New Zealand, including an All Black, taking up eights rowing. The humour is quirky! Boat phone mounts Ellen Braun replie ..read more

What changes are needed when doing big or small boats – length / inboard. Timestamps 01:00 It’s all about gearing. How long are your oars and what is the ratio for the outboard to the inboard? Small boats versus large boats. You have to carry your share of the total mass of the hull, riggers and oars. In a single scull you are carrying around 14-17kg. As the boat gets bigger, you carry less mass because it’s shared between more people. If you have a bigger boat – you can afford a heavier gearing on the oars. Coaches try to give each athlete a consistent load to move the boat so you don’t have ..read more

Hello again Reader Are you getting back on the water after the winter freeze? Time for a quiet refresher course in bladework skills and ways to mitigate the “erg effects” on your boat technique. Many people row somewhat differently on the indoor rowing machine. And the lack of water means we lose our skill handling the oars. Coach Carlos Dinares told me that he recalls being forced off the water in Bellingham, WA, USA by bad weather. After three days of indoor rowing the weather cleared and he was able to get back into his single scull. He was surprised at how slop ..read more

The masters rowing cohort is the most physically diverse of all the groups of athletes in our sport. Think about juniors – yes they may start rowing aged 13 or 10 but most are on a clear pathway of physical growth as they mature through puberty up to age 18. Similarly with under 23 or open athletes. They may be physically mature, and with training most are getting fitter and stronger over time. Masters are different.  There are two types of masters athlete – those who return to the sport after learning in their youth and those who are new to the sport. The first group’s mobility and stren ..read more

Ways to use your boat rig to get a longer arc for the oar. Simplifying why it works and some key principles. Timestamps 00:30 Rebecca’s new shiny object is a wing rigger mounted gadget to mount a stroke coach and water bottle over your rigger. Check out the 3Drow website for 3D printed rowing accessories. 01:45 Rigging a longer stroke Having the oar in the water longer (distance rather than time). Taking the tip of the blade through a greater distance each stroke. Use the principle of the lever to understand how rowing oars and sculls work to propel the boat. Inboard and Outboard ratio is impo ..read more

Hello again Reader Do you remember the advertising for “The Bug”? It destroyed the prevailing narrative of American car ownership which until that point was all about gaining status by driving a Cadillac. For us foreigners, the steps up the ladder started with Chevrolet, then rose through Buick and Oldsmobile before the pinnacle, Cadillac. It was a classic case of inadequacy marketing. Until Volkswagen came along with the VW Beetle. As masters rowers we are very aware that our sport and our culture celebrates youth. Yet we know that an active life can be w ..read more

What rig should masters rowing boats and oars use? How can clubs set up their equipment to suit as wide a range of athletes as possible? Timestamps 00:45 I got a pair of mis-matched sculls and so I’m on a rant…. this is easy to improve. Comfort in the boat and ease of use are the most important for rigging club boats. All clubs should have standardised rig across the boat fleet. 02:00 Rigging basics Your rig enables you to move the boat in comfort – your torso and legs. Be able to sit comfortably at the boat in the finish. Look for your shins not hitting the deck, hold the oar so forearm at th ..read more

Hello again Reader In this month’s programs we have training plans for folks racing 5k in March, 1k in May or June, and 1k later in the year. Each is customised to create a planned build-up to a race event. If you are planning sprint racing get going with a masters-specific program in March and you’ll be well-prepared come race day. In addition there’s an article on impostor syndrome in rowing and a solution, should you or your club know it exists in your group. If you’re curious what our training programs are like, you can download a couple for free. Try them out ..read more

I am using a daily monitor app to better understand my need for rowing rest and recovery. Timestamps 00:30 US Masters Rowing Camp April 2024 includes Rebecca as a coach. 02:30 March 2024 Masters rowing training programs by Faster Masters Rowing Head race program includes a taper week. The 1k May and June program is for sprint racing. Imposter syndrome in rowing and how to cure it. McGill spine stabilisation big 3 exercises. Technique sequential versus concurrent stroke profiles. Get yourself a program including discount coupon. 06:00 Heart Rate Variability tracking This tracks the variation be ..read more