RowingChat

Rebecca Caroe
  • 4.3 (18)
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Rowing Chat is the podcast network dedicated to rowing. We have many shows hosted from around the world on specialist topics from Strength Training to USA news, from interviews to data analysis. Produced by Rebecca Caroe, it brings rowing news, coaching advice and interviews to you. Go to https://rowing.chat/ for links to the latest episodes & subscribe in your favourite podcast software.

  1. Abrupt training changes cause injury

    5D AGO

    Abrupt training changes cause injury

    The risks of abrupt changes of your training and surprising outcomes from practice lineups, rigging, and winter to summer transitions with guest Marlene Royle. Timestamps 00:45 The effect of abrupt changes Marlene sees these as a red flag for masters rowers. Her experience as a coach when racing season comes around was a trend from mid-summer on where their season got derailed. All were caused by quick changes, unfamiliar boats and doing a training session from another coach on top of their normal training. These are all avoidable. 04:00 Transition from winter to summer Let your muscles and tendons adapt to different stresses like moving from an indoor rower to a boat. The difference between a sculling erg and a sweep boat is clear in movement patterns. All these abrupt changes resulted in injury to tendons or muscle strain. Rule of thumb for moving onto the water is to start at 50% volume in week one and build up to full training in the new mode over 4 weeks. You won't get as fit on the water initially as you did on the rowing machine so use this time for technique. 07:00 Three injury scenarios - An athlete with mild tennis elbow changed the grips on her scull handles. The new grips were a different size and it flared her tendonitis. Be aware of any pain (it may be a very small thing). - Another had a glute / sacrum tendon tenderness and while somewhat fatigued did a practice with another club member and the following day was in a quad doing a race simulation. The boat was rigged high for her and she rowed the quad two days in a row doing another race simulation. This pushed the ligament strain and stopped her rowing for a month. - Two athletes visited another club for a quad outing and found the rigging/boat changes led to a hamstring strain and the consequent race was "cautious" and not full power. A soft tissue injury takes 6-8 weeks to heal, at best, with physical therapy. 19:00 When in an wobbly boat The temptation is to stop rowing your normal pattern and instead to "flex" and go with what you feel in the boat. This is an abrupt change in technique and not conducive to protecting your body. If you have a sensitive low back, then an unstable boat can cause a flare up. Common sense - think before you do. Common sense is not very common. For equipment make gradual changes. Want easy live streams like this? Instant broadcasts to Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn. Faster Masters uses StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5694205242376192

    22 min
  2. Masters rowing in South America

    MAR 1

    Masters rowing in South America

    Join Santiago Fuentes to discuss - the growth in masters rowing in South America (country by country differences) - the main rowing events in the region - long distance head races and sprint. — What you hope will happen next in the future

    22 min
  3. Getting ahead or behind the boat speed

    FEB 22

    Getting ahead or behind the boat speed

    Ways to adjust your stroke to match the boat hull speed. Timestamps 00:45 The boat velocity changes through the rowing stroke cycle and you can feel these changes as you row. 01:30 Efficiency is key This is a measure of the difference between a skilful crew and less experienced athletes. When watching crews in a race you can see some crews just inch ahead of the others. Efficiency is a key to why the best crews do well - they use their power efficiently; they help the boat hull to move through the water with greater efficiency - how do they do this? They manage their body mass well. Body mass is resistance to changes in velocity. This matters because the entire boat is moving forwards all the time (even though you may think you go backwards and forwards on the slide). Because of the sliding seat, the boat hull doesn't travel level, the bow moves up and down through the stroke cycle. 03:40 Maximum Boat Speed Diagram of boat speed through the water (credit British Rowing) https://fastermastersrowing.com/getting-ahead-or-behind-the-boat-speed/ Maximum boat speed DOES NOT happen in the power phase. The point of maximum velocity is after the oars have come out of the water. [NOTE: not maximum acceleration as said in the video.] At this point you are transitioning onto the recovery (arms away / body rock forwards). On a video filmed square off 90 degrees to the rowing boat - when the bow ball is at its highest point is when the athletes have moved closest to the stern (on the recovery) and the point of maximum acceleration is when the bow ball is lower and when the athlete is transitioning from the power phase onto the recovery phase. The diagram shows the boat at low and high rates (right hand side). At higher rates the point of maximum acceleration is nearer to the catch on the recovery. The boat moves differently at high stroke rates from low stroke rates. Understanding and noticing the boat acceleration feeling and how your body moves are two things you can control. If you can learn how to feel the boat movements you can make refined adjustments to how you are rowing at race pace compared to steady lower rates. 07:30 Low rate endurance rowing We get good at efficiency at low rates because rowers do a lot of endurance training. Yet athletes who race want the effect of efficiency at race rates. Can we improve our agility and how we are moving with the hull and practice in training? Periodised training plans do not include a lot of high rate work. What we can do to keep the boat skills of handling the oars and body mass at low and high rates? 08:45 Agility Drills These are key to learning the skills. Ways to move quickly and keep the handle speed in time with the boat. These can be spliced into endurance rows for short periods of time. This doesn't upset the physiological training effect. Try doing agility drills for 1 minute in every 10 minutes low rate rowing. - Half Slide rowing - go from stroke rate 20 down to half slide the rate will change to around 26-28. This forces you to prepare the handle earlier for the catch, to move with more precision around the finish - you have less time on the recovery. - Half Slide Up Twos - - Double quick hands round the recovery - - Pause drills - choose where you pause for example quarter slide or weight on the feet. Look for the moment when the boat glide begins on the slide and the athlete body is relaxed. - Double quick hands and pause at weight on the feet. Learn how to feel whether you are getting ahead or behind the boat hull speed is key to going really fast when you are racing. Get easy live streams like this https://streamyard.com/pal/c/5694205242376192

    15 min
  4. Cardiac Health and Rowing

    FEB 15

    Cardiac Health and Rowing

    Hear Becky Wilson for an in-depth review of the considerations for the masters athlete in terms of cardiac health. - Understanding your cardiac risk profile - New to rowing or returning after a long break? - How training for sport changes as we age from a cardiac health perspective. - A common mistake many masters athletes make with their training. - Age related adjustments to heart rate with respect to training in UT2, UT1 etc. - Understand and use the Karvonen Method for finding Heart Rate Zones. - Beta Blocked athletes need to do this with their calculation - Is it safe to train/compete after a cardiac event or a diagnosis of a cardiac condition? Download the slides https://fastermastersrowing.com/cardiac-health-and-rowing/

    57 min
  5. Ratio in strength training

    FEB 9

    Ratio in strength training

    Improve your rowing ratio while lifting in the gym. Timestamps 00:45 Rowing can be improved by strength training Lifting heavy has lots of benefits - today we'll talk about ratio. The contrast between the power phase and recovery phase. How to use this concept of ratio in strength training. 02:00 Improve range of movement As we age we find our muscles and tendons don't have the same range and so our stride gets shorter. Strength training can help improve or maintain RoM. Weight lifting works in two planes - when you lift the weight and when you return it to the start point. Concentric muscle movements are shortening the muscle (as you lift). Eccentric muscle movements are lengthening the muscle (as you return the weight to the start). Eccentric muscle work can help improve your range of movement. Working on this part of the strength lift can use the rowing ratio as part of the movement. 03:45 Ratio in strength training The braking effect that you use as you control the weight in the eccentric lengthening muscle phase as you lower the weight down can enable you to have greater force production. When lifting heavy for few repetitions or using small muscles e.g. doing chin-ups against your body weight you may find the difference between the last successful lift and when you fail is large. Do your first chin up One way to improve your strength and do your first chin up is to start at the top of the lift with your chin over the bar (you may need a chair to step or jump up there). Then slowly lower yourself by straightening your arms doing just the eccentric part of the lift. You will gain strength more quickly by doing this slowly muscle lengthening under load. When you've done this a few times, try doing one chin up - you probably can lift yourself up. Use approximately a 3:1 ratio in your lifting. The more ratio you can manage the more you will be working the braking effect on the eccentric lift. 06:45 Improve range of movement Consider a difficult lift like a squat using an olympic bar. Getting a deeper squat - to 90 degrees or to a deep squat position is challenging. 08:00 6 week challenge to improve your ROM. 3x per week for 6 weeks. Start each lift with an ultra-light load. This helps refamiliarise your muscles with the movement. Then add weight so that you keep good form. Try to do 3-5 sets of each lift each time you go to the gym. Do 6 sessions on power - increase the load you can lift. Position a bench behind you so you squat down to just touching your bum on the bench. Goal is 90 degrees. For a deep squat choose a lower block to sit down to. Start with 5-8 reps on power - increase load. Do 6 sessions on range of movement - lower the bench. You may need to reduce the load in order to do this. Have someone spotting for you and checking your movements. Do 6 sessions on speed - lower for 3 and push up fast for 1. So build your ratio into these sessions. 11:30 Take your ratio training from the gym back into the boat. Can you push the oar faster through the water so that you can take longer on the slide recovery? You may be able to increase your ratio thanks to your work in the gym.

    13 min
  6. White tape on the oar shaft

    FEB 6

    White tape on the oar shaft

    A visual reference to aide adjustments to blade depth. Timestamps 00:45 Low technology solutions for rowing too deep. The tape goes around the oar shaft so that when the oar is under the water at the correct depth and the handle is at the correct height for you to old. Mark exactly where the shaft is level with the water surface. You can do this where the oar shaft is wet if you do this carefully. Measure the spot, return the oars to land and transfer that measurement to all the other oars and put white tape on them too. While rowing you can look sideways at your oar to see if the white tape is going under the water and where in the stroke it goes too deep (and you can no longer see the tape). 03.30 Causes of rowing too deep Usually it's caused by the athlete holding the handle too high. Modern oar designs naturally sit at the correct depth. If you row 'over the barrel' the path of the handle is too high mid-stroke (and usually too low at the finish so your oar spoon washes out). The water is flat and so the path of the handle in the power phase should also be flat. At the catch if you take the catch by lifting your shoulders it can also cause the oar to go too deep. Tension in the hand grip also can cause the oar to go too deep. In sweep this is often the inside hand holding on too tightly. 05:55 Drills to help you correct blade depth - Backing down into the catch. Push the oars from the finish backing down and then leave the oar in the water and take the stroke. Go backwards and forwards gradually lengthening from half slide to full slide. This helps you to work out the correct handle height. - Row in circles. One person row in sweep and look out at your oar as you row so you can see the depth. In sculling just row with one oar and get a friend to hold the boat steady. - Half blade depth rowing. Row with only half the oar under the water - feel the depth by controlling the handle precisely with very small movements. - The amount of power you put on can affect blade depth. So try alternating light and firm pressure strokes to help you work out depth.

    10 min
  7. Using Mirror Neurons to Learn

    JAN 29

    Using Mirror Neurons to Learn

    How watching videos of good rowing can help improve your technique. Timestamps 00:45 Using mirror neurons Parts of our brain get activated when watching movement. Researchers noticed monkeys' brains were firing when watching the researchers eat lunch - as if the monkeys were also eating. Mirror neurons help you to understand and internalise actions, emotions and intentions. This is helpful when learning the subtleties of rowing timing points. 03:00 Yawning is contagious When I yawn the chances are you will too. This is your mirror neurons. Dr Laby from Sports Vision researched if you watch correct performances and see the technique being used. He noted that the video needs to be as close as possible to reality. This means you get best results watching at race stroke rates, not slow motion. Try to create a race situation rather than a training row. You need both - understand the movement first and then be able to do it at stroke rates comparable to a race. 05:50 Watching video Find videos online to watch - they need to be good athletes, rowing well in high cadence high stroke rate situations. Check out MostynARC YouTube channel for Penny Chuter's video collection. 07:00 Coaching demonstration When a coach tells a story about rowing, your mirror neurons activate as you listen. They make you feel that you are experiencing what the coach describes. Neural coupling with the story teller. First get the athletes to observe the task done well - demonstrate the task first yourself. This is more likely to trigger the mirror neurons as the athletes think themselves into what you're describing. Then explain the action at the same time as demonstrating as a second stage. Our Drills Compendium uses this method and adds written captions as well. https://fastermastersrowing.com/member-register/drills/ Real-time observation and real time skill correction improves skill acquisition. The experts recommend peer-to-peer observation as a further stage. Teach observation and comparison to good technique - this also has a permission-based feedback structure allows the athletes to see if they are getting the movement right.

    12 min
  8. Range of Motion

    JAN 18

    Range of Motion

    Masters have to pay attention to our range of motion as we age, without it we lose stroke length and raise injury risk. Timestamps 00:45 What this is and how to get more of it. Masters rowing is rowing with compromises - we may be less mobile or carrying old injuries. Our goal is full movement potential which helps our performance - with full range of movement we get longer strokes. Things which limit us are tight glutes, hamstrings or back muscles. Injury prevention gets more important as we age - a good range of motion supported by strong musculature helps prevent injury. Muscle capacity for the rowing movement. It's hard to teach rowing to people who cannot sit with their legs straight, who cannot get into the catch position or whose arm extension is insufficient to get the oar handle around the arc. 03:00 Things to do to improve range of motion (ROM) Active isolated stretching is different from a traditional stretch you get movement more of the time and it's a short stretch and hold. One muscle group works (agonist) and the opposite muscle group (antagonist) is relaxing and lengthening. https://fastermastersrowing.com/active-isolated-stretching-rowing/ 04:45 Decline with age We lose our full movement potential as age causes our bodies to change. Natural connective tissue elasticity reduces with age - strive to retain what you have; joint cartilage reduces too, and muscle flexibility lessens. Scar tissue from prior injuries may also exist. 06:00 Range of motion Things you can do to improve - know what ROM you have at the moment. 10 tests for yourself and video exercises / stretches you can do. Free webinar https://fastermastersrowing.com/member-register/functional-movement-assessment/ Simple changes to your rigging which help you to get into the correct rowing positions when you have movement limitations. Adapting rowing rigging for masters physiology https://fastermastersrowing.com/adapting-rowing-rigging-for-masters-physiology/ Start a practice to improve your range of motion - do it with your rowing friends. Get easy video streams like this https://streamyard.com/pal/c/5694205242376192

    8 min
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About

Rowing Chat is the podcast network dedicated to rowing. We have many shows hosted from around the world on specialist topics from Strength Training to USA news, from interviews to data analysis. Produced by Rebecca Caroe, it brings rowing news, coaching advice and interviews to you. Go to https://rowing.chat/ for links to the latest episodes & subscribe in your favourite podcast software.

Information

  • Creator
    Rebecca Caroe
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2026
  • Episodes
    500
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    RowingChat

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