A Hunt For Speed
A Problem You And I Share
Let’s have a discussion about a problem that you and I probably have in common—speed. Specifically the need for speed, and the ensuing hunt for it.
Regardless of what your involvement in rowing is: as coach or coxswain, as sculler or sweep rower, recreational rower or national team member, at some time or another there will well-up within you the need for speed.
I call this need a problem because so often it (the need) can take away from the enjoyment and satisfaction a person can get from rowing. For instance, as I write this I’m sitting at my kitchen table on a bright sunny afternoon putting together my training plan for the upcoming season—trying to satisfy my own team’s need for speed—my two sons are begging me to come play football with them. I would much rather be playing than working on such a gorgeous day but I have a need that must be addressed.
As a college coach I’ve been doing this for 30 years—hunting for speed.
And during that 30 years the need for speed has been both a friend and a foe. A friend because it (the need) constantly reminds me that I must be the best coach I can and stay up on the latest and greatest techniques, equipment, and theories in the world of rowing. A foe because there is never enough speed. There is always someone faster and always a need for more speed to be gained. It often seems like whatever is done is not quite good enough.
One thing I have learned during that time is that finding speed, regardless of the sport, can be a very demanding and exacting process. And the process of finding the speed I need if not kept in check can be crushing. I’ve seen the process of speed-hunting flat out destroy several of my peers and friends.
And yet there are other peers and friends who continue to find speed (they or their team are fast) and they are not crushed. They are having fun, finding enjoyment, and doing a darn fine job of it while others around them swirl and crash.
One example of this is Coach Mike Spracklen. Mike’s teams have won numerous Olympic medals, and yet he continues to enjoy what he does. I asked him about this when I was putting together my book Finding Happiness Sitting on Your Butt Going Backwards. Mike told me:
Just being in a boat is fun.
Rowing in a good crew is fun.
The challenge of competing is fun.
But the best fun of all is winning.
Fun. Speed. Fast. Winning. Fun.
He was smiling while he told me this. It was during an Olympic year.
How do they do it?
A System
That is what I wanted to know, how do they do it? How does a sculler continue to row fast year after year, and keep on smiling, laughing and having a great time? How does a well respected coach find time to make her team fast, raise a wonderful family, and actually be a nice person? How does Spracklen do it?
I wanted to know how they do it so 20 years ago I started a mission to find out. It seemed the best way to begin the process of discovery was by immersing myself in all aspects of rowing, finding those persons, and then asking one heck of a bunch of questions.
So that is what I did.
I volunteered for every and all aspects of rowing I could, from committees to assistant coaching to driving trailers around the world. And I found folks from all nationalities who had found speed and were having a blast. And I asked them questions.
To each of them I specifically asked this question: How do you do it?
And each of them gave almost the exact same response: I have a system.
A system? What the heck? Did I miss something at the Convention? Was there some secret memo given out at Joy of Sculling while I was in the bathroom?
A system?
And the more I asked, the more the response came back—a system.
But then I began to notice something interesting, that when they described their systems there were differences between the systems. Many differences. In fact, no two systems really were the same. But there was this common thread of a system.
I Borrowed
So armed with this tantilizing bit of info (that there is a system) I went home and tried to build one for my own hunt for speed. And what I found is that no one’s specific system would work for my team (for instance using the exact same training program that University of Virginia’s team uses for my team of Division III rowers did not work). However bits and pieces did work.
So I borrowed from this coach and from that one, took a little from there and some from here and wove together my own system that I am using today.
And over the next several posts I plan to share that system with you.
One aspect of ‘system’ is that it has to become part of the team or club culture so that it carries over from season to season as something other than a designated set of workouts or exercises.
Mike, I think that you have already started on the direction of getting faster: planning your season. If you fail to plan, plan to fail. It is the constant whether you are a college coach or a master’s coach coaching rowers who average more than 60 years old. Looking forward to more posts.
Was Jim Joy at Phoenix? I wanted so much to meet him. Have read his book and emailed with him. I agree with Dobson, with a plan you are just wondering from one day to the next. I like to say, wondering in the forest of life. Sensible goal setting is vital. It is something you believe in that works. I am also coming to the conclusion that the type of oar blade you are rowing with makes very considerable difference in the style of drive. More on that someday. But back to the Plan.
Error, I meant without a plan you are just wondering…..
Sorry
Hi Mike: I’ve got a great bunch of HS juniors at Miami Rowing Club. They were fast last year, so they should be faster this year. I will look forward to each installment of your “Plan.”. One thing you already included was the aspect of having FUN. You’ve got plan to do enough work, but that plan has to include enough fun, too, to get to the ultimate fun of winning…which of course requires boat speed. Hmmmm. Andy
Hi Mike: Thanks for all the work you do to help coaches. I had an epiphany this year that relates back to your top five drivers of boat speed (in order): Athletes’ Ability, Their Training, Technique, Equipment & Rigging. I took a look at all the time I spend on the training plan, drills, tweaking the rig and shopping for the best boats/oars. If I invested a fraction of that time on #1…how fast might we be? We’re a HS club that pulls from close to 20 schools so recruiting has been an afterthought. The kids just sort of show up. But are they the ones that produce speed? Not always. What if I was more intentional about recruiting more guys like our latest addition to the roster – 16yr old former basketball player who is 6-6, 215lbs and dad rowed in college so “junior” already knows how to scull. OH YEAH! How do I find more guys like him…isn’t the rest just details?
hi there MIke
i agree that planning and systems are key
its finding and sticking to a working plan and system that i find a challenge
I am looking forward to reading what you have…I love reading your material. I have learned a great deal from you already just over the last 4 months.
It’s the never ending quest, the weird thing is that boat speed doesn’t necessarily come from erg scores, many times I’ve seen two scullers face off and the one get clobbered despite being significantly faster on the erg. There’s something else that’s beyond technique beyond erg scores that I can only describe as “getting it” a certain feel for the water or something like that. Erg scores can be dropped like stones with hardcore training, don’t get me wrong a good erg score is always to be chased, but technique plays a very important role that some coaches overlook.
@ Tony: Culture is big. Really important. Great point
@ Joe: Yup on fail to plan, that seems to be one of the biggest advantages.
@Jim: Did not see Jim @ Phoenix, and type of blade does make a difference. I think like the type of steering wheel on your car can make a difference in how you drive. Big or small, both have an impact.
@ Andy: Fun . . . yes. Warmth of Miami . . . absolutely.
@ Dan: Thanks for the kind words. Appreciated. Recruiting . . . hmm . . . more on that coming up real soon.
@ Rayne: Thanks for the shout out. Appreciated. Hopefully there will be more to learn (ahh . . .there always is).
I’m relatively new to sculling and have been working on my personal training plan for the year. I look forward to learning how I can improve with tips from your system. Thanks for your postings, I enjoy reading your thoughts on rowing.
Systems are a darn funny thing because of what they allow to happen – take a hard look at what we’re doing. Coaches can influence outcomes over time because those systems allow up to KNOW (and I mean really, really know) what we did. Tweak something and it might be the answer. Even if it’s not, given enough time and enough tweaks speed becomes a developmental process rather than some mythical creature hidden in the water – very predictable and replicable.
Recruiting seems to be an area that could benefit enormously from solid systems.
All the best -
I am a recreational sculler in my sixties. I row about ten miles every other day. Coaches seem to consider that I am not a serious rower because I avoid anerobic conditioning, although I work on everything else. I don’t particularly want to race, but I want more speed in order to cover more distance in the time I have for workouts. I would love a system for training on the water.
Am eager to learn more from you…Have found your explanations quite helpful. You write well. Thanks for sharing.
As a high school rower I have found the best way to get faster is when our coach involves our input into the workouts. Usually after lifting one of the kids will lead an abs class. That has really helped out, every one is competitive and works to create the hardest class possible and our competition motivates each other. Other times the coach has let us pick workouts for circuits and it makes it a lot more enjoyable than having to do what the coach has planned by himself.
@ Jo: Good for you for investing time. Hopefully we all can help with your success.
@ Todd: Yes (again) on recruiting because the athletes are a huge key to success. Great athletes will make up for poor coaching much more so than great coaching will make up for poor athletes.
@ Phoebe: I certainly consider you a serious rower. Have you ever read the book Full Immersion. It is about swimming, but you might find it of interest for what you are trying to do. Go get ‘em.
@ Tim: Sounds like you’ve got a good coach there.
Hi Mike,
There is always someone faster, isn’t it?
I think that having a system is a good way to be faster but one that fit your needs, one that is suitable for you and your team.
We can find books for everything, technique, rigging, training, you name it but what it makes teams go faster it’s not there.
So i try to absorb everything i can about our sport to be faster every time.
One idea here, another there and we can build our own system.
Cheers from Portugal
David
Hi Mike and All -
As a Masters rower in my 60s, I am very much looking forward to seeing where the discussion ends up. Most members of the discussion will undoubtedly be focused on young active competitive crews. Our masters group is relatively new (2y) and small (10-12) but dedicated, and we love rowing and working hard but within our limits. We train hard but have the challenge of developing seasonal training plans that match our physical, mental and time constraints, not to mention that many of us did not row competitively when young so technique training is critical. As Phoebe mentioned, masters rowers are serious and must find coaches who can adapt to develop a masters rower mentality — and plan — to make it work. Tony
Hi Mike- Thanks for all the work you do. There are allot of coaches out here that influence countless athletes. Thanks for being that rare breed of coach to the coaches.
Best wishes, Mark Borchelt