Coaching

Here you'll find a collection of our articles dedicated to coaching, across technical, physiological, and mental perspectives, as well as our thoughts on best practices. 

This page will continue to be updated as we add new relevant articles to RR.

The 30 Best Rowing Coaches of All Time—A Three-Part Series:

'Best Rowing Drills' Series:

Rowing Coaching Methodology:

Rowing Technique and Technology:

Rowing Machine Reviews:

Indoor Rowing:

Coxswain Resources:

  • See our new Coxswain Resources page, featuring interviews, videos, links to recordings, and ongoing updates 

Cross-Training: 

'Great Ones' Series:

-RR

Trending posts this month

"I Row Crew" — Rowing in 'The Social Network'

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Like many of the rowing faithful, I've been keeping up with the saga penned by Dan Boyne about the filming of the rowing scenes in David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin's The Social Network , and I must say I had high hopes going into the film. The first problem I encountered: the phrase, "I row crew." It was uttered so many times before anyone "rowed crew" on the water that I had trouble buying any of it later. It's understandable that the character of Mark Zuckerberg makes that mistake, since he has no idea about the sport. But when the Winklevoss twins themselves utter the phrase several times, one begins to wonder where Boyne was when these lines were not being chopped or changed. Seriously, who says that? As far as the actual rowing goes, the first scene, which has the twins out training in a pair along with the rest of the Harvard squad, is not all bad — it just ends that way. The line, "Those guys are freakin' fast" is certainly every b...
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The Complete Guide to Rowing Machine Benefits: Why Indoor Rowing Is Perfect for (Virtually) Everyone

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The rowing machine (or ergometer) has evolved significantly over decades, but its core purpose remains unchanged: bringing the comprehensive full-body training experience from water to land. Today, with immersive workout experiences available through streaming platforms and integrated displays, the gap between indoor rowing and on-water training has narrowed substantially. Of course, it's never going to be a 1:1 feeling from the dock to the boat, and rowers (typically with not-great ergs) are apt to point out that 'ergs don't float.' But the value of rowing machines for fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and beginners alike is undeniable. Document Table of Contents: Essential Rowing Machine Benefits Cardiovascular Health Improvements Indoor rowing provides exceptional cardiovascular training by consistently working at the edge of your lactic acid threshold, building greater endurance, power, and VO2 max capacit...
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Inside Cal Rowing: Nick Trojan's New Feature Film on the Golden Bears

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Inside Rowing || Cal Berkeley Mens Rowing from Sneeky || Nick Trojan on Vimeo . Last year around this time, USRowing athlete-turned-filmmaker Nick Trojan released his first in a series documenting some of the most storied rowing programs in the country, offering a window into Harvard Crew . Now, he's releasing the second in that series—this one on the program at Cal, where Canadian Olympian and Cal grad Scott Frandsen has taken the reins as head coach. Here, we catch up with Nick on the background and inspiration behind the project, as well as how he crafted this piece on the Golden Bears. RowingRelated: What is the inspiration behind your series on rowing? What is it about the sport that you feel the need to communicate? Is there more to the story than what is out there now? Nick Trojan:  I'd say my love for competition and my love for watching movies and filmmaking itself have driven me the most. Ever since my dad let me use our family's video cam...
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Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? At Marin Rowing Association, Culture is Key

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Hands in after training  My alarm goes off—it’s 4:22am.  It’s been a while since I did this. Immediately, I think back to a college dorm room, rolling out of bed and running down the steps to carpool caravan to Marina Del Rey.  Not this time, though. It’s a Tuesday in late September, and I’m heading across the Golden Gate Bridge to Greenbrae, California, where I’ll meet with the Marin Rowing Men’s Masters squad. Fortunately, it’s an unusually warm morning—and when I roll in, the boathouse is already buzzing with activity.  Launch time: 5:10. Heading out into the Bay before dawn The Marin Rowing Association program has both men’s and women’s masters boats competing to win at every event they attend. In the fall, that can only mean one thing: The Head Of The Charles .  The boat that Coach Rodrigo Rodrigues and I spend most of our time with is the Grand Masters eight—average age 60+. But that’s just one of five crews that launched with us that morning. Everyone’s ...
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Best Rowing Drills: 5 Favorites of Olympic Champion Esther Lofgren

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Lofgren training in the single (Photo courtesy of Esther Lofgren) Olympic gold medalist Esther Lofgren is no stranger to success on the water. In addition to her podium-topping performance with the U.S. women's eight in London, Lofgren also won two world titles (2010, 2011), with her first international medal—a bronze—coming in the women's straight four in 2006. Here, Lofgren shares some insight into the drills that have helped her progress technically along the way.
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