Drilling down on technique

by Sara Bird

As we start winter training, now's the time to focus on technique and distance in the boat - while building up power and endurance outside the boat. It's a great opportunity to reintroduce drills, work on the feedback from Autumn selections, break down bad habits, and have some fun on the water. Your brain should hurt more than your body after boat sessions at this time of year.

First you need to know what makes 'good' rowing at each part of the stroke - so here's a break down of the technical aspects we're looking for:

Technical aspects of the gig stroke

Next, you choose at least one drill, and work it into your long row. The cox needs to introduce the drill, explain the purpose of the drill, demonstrate it, and give it time to bed in - rowers may struggle for a few minutes but the outcome is worth it. Provide feedback and practical tips, and recognise positive change.

Drills for every part of the stroke

Ideally, you'll keep cycling through these drills right up to competing - technical issues are magnified with power, and even Olympic rowers do drills to keep bad habits in check and provide variety.

Match these drills with the spreadsheet in the previous post for more detail about how to do them - and keep an eye out for future posts as we focus each week on a different aspect of training, right up to May. If you have any questions, ask the selectors.

There's a drill for that...

by Sara Bird

About 2 years ago I spent several weekends compiling the longest list of rowing drills, adapted to gigs, that I could create...and then I lost it.

But in a recent computer clear out - look what I found!

Catches too slow? Got a drill for that.
Feathering an issue? Got a drill for that.
Crew uncoordinated? Got a drill for that.
Timing out? For a drill for that.
Hands too slow/fast on the finish? Got a drill for that.
Too deep, too shallow, too slow, too quick...? Got a drill for that
Want to build power in every part of the stroke? There's always a drill for each.

And, in most cases, more than one...

Drills are great to help build and improve technique, to relieve the boredom of long rows, and should be used by any level of crew - high performing crews build drills into their warm ups if there's a niggle they know they need to sort.

Combine these with high power rowing in other sessions and out of the boat training for the perfect combination of power and technique across your training regime.

However - coaching drills requires explanation, demonstration and feedback - watch out for more posts on this.

Download the whole list at http://bristolgigclub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Rowing-drills-1.xlsx - and contact me or add comments below to add more or ask questions.

The unwritten rules of BGC training sessions:

Some do’s and don’ts for when you’re in a training boat

By Sarah Gosling

When I was first selected for a crew, I was pulled aside by a kind, experienced BGC member. She explained that there are a few ‘unwritten rules’ that, if followed, allow your rowing sessions to run smoothly and without risk of upsetting anyone else. I thought it might be nice to pass them on to other rowers reading this blog. I hope they help you achieve perfect crew zen in your training sessions :-)

• Listen to the cox - they can see a lot more from their position than you can, and have an important job in keeping you and the gig out of harm’s way. Always stay attentive to their instructions, particularly when launching and coming back into land. 
• Only stop rowing if you are told to do so - if you need to move your stretcher/seat, take off your coat, need a drink etc., just shout down the boat to your cox and they will usually organise a quick break so you can readjust. Don’t just stop rowing without saying anything. It tends to throw the smoothness and timing of the whole crew whilst alarming the cox (something must be terribly wrong if you have had to suddenly stop rowing!) and maybe skewing the boat round at a vital moment...
• Stay quiet during training pieces - there is nothing more off-putting to a cox or other rowers than 2 rowers having a conversation in the bow. Save conversations for rest periods and before/after your session. 
• Only drink water during rest breaks - this is a controversial one, but also something that can really upset people. If stroke side are working hard to pull a boat round a turn, bow side rowers should look attentive and ready to come back in at any time as a courtesy and out of respect for the effort the stroke side rowers are putting in. Similarly, in drills where some crew members are rowing whilst others are sitting out, the resting rowers should not be drinking water and having a break, but instead watching to gain tips and lessons from those currently rowing. Make sure you show support and respect for your crew. Always arrive well hydrated.
• Don’t worry if you make a mistake - there will be sessions where everything seems to go wrong, but take these as ‘off days’ and move on. Deal with issues one at a time, and don’t worry if changing one thing makes everything else fall apart- no one else will mind. Eventually it’ll all come together. 
• Stay positive and supportive of others - you are literally all in the same boat. If someone is rowing particularly well, compliment them. If they are having a hard time of it, try not to get annoyed with them as they smack you in the back for the 20th time. A happy boat usually leads to a well rowed boat, so try to keep patient and work on your own technique. 
• Keep your focus in the boat - Rowing as a crew means that you have a responsibility to other rowers around you. When your big power puddles fade as you rearrange your hair (yes boys do this too!) or try to get a look at what the men/women’s A crew are up to, the rest of your crew will have to put more power in to make up for it. Share the load by keeping your focus purely on your oar and the current drill.

13 weeks...

Planning your Crew's Training

So, selections are complete. You know your crew. Time to get in a boat and thrash it until the Scillies, right? Wrong.

Building a successful crew is about more than power: indeed, power alone can break a crew. If each crew member is heaving on their oar, out of sync, out of breath and out of their minds with frustration at the rest of the crew, the resulting rowing will be dismal.

So, you need a training plan that brings you together as a crew - and aims to 'peak' at the world champs. Such a peak should be unsustainable for more than a few weeks - you would be exhausted otherwise.

Therefore your plan aims to develop technique, power and crew mentality through the various means available to you, only aiming to weave it all together in the last month of training to produce the performance you desire in the boat, on the weekend that it counts.

13 weeks is not long: ideally you have used the autumn to work on your personal technique, build up ergo time and enter the spring ready to take it a level higher. But whatever stage you're at, these are the common recommended phases:

Weeks 1-4

In the boat: build crew technique - syncing technique across the crew during slow rowing, drills
On the ergo: build power and cardiovascular endurance - up to 10K at low rate, high power
In the weights room: build muscle - focusing on glutes, lats and quads
On the floor: build your core - through yoga, pilates or self guided core exercises

This is the time to build power, muscle, and cardiovascular capacity OUTSIDE the boat - while building cohesion, smoothness and technique INSIDE the boat. The temptation will be to set baseline times over certain distances in the boat, by which to measure your progress - but these times are meaningless as they will quickly be beaten as you get used to each other, and competing against each other in the boat can demolish long term gains in technique. Instead, refuse to take power up in the boat until technique is practically perfect at low rate (and decent pressure) for long periods - which should take two or three weeks. Use drills to establish good habits and bring the crew together - and videoing to review. Then, only hold power/rate until technique starts to deteriorate (maybe only 20 strokes). Then drop the power, regain technique, and go for it again. Coxes' role is to encourage each crew member to adapt to the rest of their crew and establish new habits. Meanwhile, outside the boat - GO FOR IT. Aim for long ergo distances at low rates but high power, interspersed intervals sessions of bursts up to 1000m and 2 min rests. This is also the time to build your crew: have meals together, make plans together and establish what you all expect of each other.

Weeks 5-9

In the boat: build crew technique with power - long distance, medium power, lots of drills
On the ergo: maintaining power and endurance, and building sprint ability
In the weights room: build muscle - increasing reps
On the floor: build your core - through yoga, pilates or self guided core exercises

Inside the boat, crews should be experimenting with power, coxes critiquing how power may disrupt smoothness and flow, and working on longer and longer power sessions, easing the rate up, focusing on technique still. Use drills to warm up and establish good habits before applying power. Keep videoing yourselves. Now's a good time to set time goals, but to review what falls apart at power and improve upon this each time. Outside the boat, you start to work on sprints, with repeated shorter distances and short rests, to start building your capacity to handle lactate (the painful acid that builds up during anaerobic activity). Continue with weights and core, focusing on areas that let you down at power, and building reps and endurance.

Weeks 10-12

In the boat: work with your race cox - plan your race, race your race, drill where necessary
On the ergo: visualise your race, get used to the distance, plan your race, row HARD
In the weights room: get the glutes firing

These are the weeks to focus on the race itself: what's your best start? What's your exact plan as a crew? What calls will you want from your cox? What happens if you clash? And to ensure you know exactly what to expect, how it will feel, and how to squeeze the very best performance from your crew and yourself on the day. On ergos and in the boat, practice each section of the race and then bring it together - videoing and critiquing yourselves as you go. Use drills to keep technique tight - consider working really useful ones into your warm up. Focus on positive crew support. Make sure your stretcher, seat, clothes and nutrition are tested and exactly how you want them for race day. The final weeks before your pre-race week should be the hardest weeks of your training calendar.

Week 13:

Pre-race week is a time to lighten the load - low weights, smooth rows with only occasional bursts, giving your body a chance to rest tired muscles from the previous 2 weeks and get ready to rampage during your racing. Eat healthily, sleep lots, and take time to reflect on how much you have achieved with your crew. Mentally visualise what's to come: prepare your race day kit.

Race Day

We'll come back to this nearer the time: but remember, every painful muscle now, every burning lung of air, every blister from long sessions will prepare you to achieve your very best on race day.

This advice comes from my own training for the British Universities Rowing Championships (winning silver and bronze medals in eights and quads), and thanks to my coaches at that time.
Further support for this strategy is available at:
1) World Rowing's Club Training Programme: http://www.worldrowing.com/mm/Document/General/General/10/73/25/FISAClubtrainingprogramme_English.pdf
2) Rowing Ireland's Club Training Programme http://www.rowingireland.ie/club-training-programme/