Coaching

Coaching · RowingRelated

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Coaching Rowing

Technical, physiological, and mental perspectives on coaching rowing — from methodology and drills to the principles behind the greatest coaches in the sport.

60+Articles
7Series
2010–2018Archive Span
Featured Series · The 30 Best Rowing Coaches of All Time
I
Part 1 · Places 21–30
The Foundation
Who rounds out the bottom third of the all-time list? The coaches who built traditions, programs, and national identities in the sport.
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II
Part 2 · Places 11–20
The Contenders
The coaches who defined eras, built dynasties, and won at the highest levels — but who fell just short of the top ten.
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III
Part 3 · The Top 10
The Greatest
The definitive top ten — the coaches whose records, influence, and legacies stand apart from all others in the history of the sport.
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All Coaching Articles
'Best Rowing Drills' Series
Coaching Methodology
Athlete & Team Development
Technique & Technology
Indoor Rowing
Cross-Training
Rowing Machine Reviews
'Great Ones' Series — What Makes the Great Ones Great?

Trending posts this month

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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8 Tips to Tackle Your 2k Erg Test

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Lightweights racing at Crash-Bs in 2012 (Photo: B. Kitch) The junior and collegiate indoor rowing season is just around the corner, and that means sooner or later you are going be testing yourself for 2,000 meters along with your teammates. Whether it's at your club's boathouse, a regional championship, or Crash-Bs, there are a few tips that can help you to achieve your goals this winter. There are as many ways to approach a 2k as there are people rowing, but given my experience the following, simple tricks can put you in the right place when the electronic starting official let's you know it's time to go. 1. Don't worry if you can't sleep. Being nervous is natural, and look at it from the positive standpoint of neurological and physiological preparation: your body and mind are ready to get after it. That's good. The best advice I ever heard regarding sleep was as simple as this: when your body needs sleep, it takes it (I believe this came from Matt Pi...
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"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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Coaches' Corner: Swing

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One of the most important, rhythmic sequences in the stroke is the movement of the upper body from the finish position through to the body-set position.    The video above, published by Everett Rowing Association , is a good example of the benefits of good swing. The stern four of this crew have gone on to prominence in the collegiate rowing ranks, and the eight move very well together out of the bow.  Swing is easy to work on during the winter, as is team-wide uniformity of swing, by lining up the ergs at your training session and having the rowers do their steady state training together. If your team can match their hand and body movements as they establish good body position on land, it will solve a great deal of issues when you take to the water once again in the spring. Swing begins with good posture at the release.   The rower must be sitting tall, making sure that the ribcage is not collapsed over the hips. The abs must be engaged in this position, so that...
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2012 U.S. Olympic Rowing Team Lineups Announced

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London looms (Photo: © B. Kitch) The 2012 U.S. Olympic Rowing Team lineups are now known (though the alternates have yet to be officially named), with the final three crews announced this afternoon, pending final approval by the USOC. The U.S. will have crews entered in all events, with the exceptions of the men's double and men's lightweight double. Following two silver medals (in two appearances) on the World Rowing Cup circuit this summer in the women's pair, Beijing gold medalists Elle Logan and Erin Cafaro have returned to the eight, and will enter the 2012 Games as defending champs in the event. The women's quad contains three-of-four athletes from last year's silver medal crew in Bled, with the addition of Kara Kohler (who began rowing only three years ago, and got her first experience sculling internationally at Henley last summer, later winning gold in the W4- in Bled). The men's quad is without either Warren Anderson or Sam Stitt, both of whom we...
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