Review: USRowing’s Coaching Videos

Pat wrote to ask this question:

“Mike, Do you know of a book that holds all of the skills and drills necessary for coaching?”

Pat desires to get better at rowing drills (which is great) but he may be asking a little too much—I don’t know of any resource that holds ALL the drills. Each resource is biased by whoever produces it and he or she will usually include only their favorite ones.

So although I don’t know of a definitive resource there are certainly several good resources available.

At the most recent USRowing Convention in Atlantic City I purchased the entire set of DVDs offered by USRowing. (In the flavor of disclaimer I had nothing to do with the production of these videos although I do work with USRowing, and I don’t receive any affiliate fees from them). This is one resource that I recommended to Pat and thought you might like to know about them also.

There are several titles in the series, here are a few of my favorites:

• Coached Drills
• Sculling Fundamentals
• Introduction to Rigging
• Coached Drills II
• Trailering I
• Safety DVD 2007
• Sweep Technique, The Art of Moving the Boat
• Coached Drills III, Starts & Sprints

(The titles are self explanatory.)

The Good Stuff

There are three great things about these disks.

1. They hold some stellar information, and most use several current coaches to discuss and show how their drills work.
2. The director, Willie Black, puts his heart and soul into these.
3. Most cost only . . . drum roll please . . . $20.00 each.

I found the info in these disks to be simply presented, with discussion and presentation of the drills in action. The Coached Drills disk was especially helpful and I saw a few drills that were new to me. A good teaching component of the drill disks is to show athletes the drill on the disk first, before they attempt it, to help them learn it correctly.

What Could Be Better

Most of these disks are CDs not DVDs, so they hold less information than you would normally get with a regular DVD.  That means you won’t see a lot of flash and fancy effects yet the message is still there. I would have also liked more detail in some drills, possibly more in-depth discussion.

Overall

I’ve found these DVDs a great resource and highly recommend them to beginner to intermediate coaches/coxswain/rowers. My money was well spent.

So What Action Should You Take?

Do an assessment of your rowing or coaching, in terms of an area that you would like to improve. Then check the list of USRowing DVDs and see if there is one that might help.

Additionally, if you have a resource of drills please leave a comment and share it with us.

Electronic Pitch Meter (Nielsen Kellerman): Product Review

Looking to get the pitch of your rigger correct? Then you need to have a pitch meter. Pure and simple.

There are several selections of meters on the market, ranging from the basic to the technical. The new Electronic Pitch Meter by NK (Nielsen Kellerman) is somewhere in the middle. The following text and video is a review of the meter.

What I Like

There are several things about the meter I like. It fits in your pocket with no sharp ends that can really get your attention. It is lightweight. Seems durable. And it can be used to measure more than just a rigger’s pitch. For example, it does a great job reading the angle of a footstretcher.

I especially like the “hold” button which allows you to find the pitch and then “hold” the measurement so that you can read the screen at your convenience. This is especially handy when it might too dark or too sunny to read the display.

The buttons are easy to press, and the meter fits right in the palm of your hand. I also like the accuracy and precision of the meter, and having readings in tenths of a degree is a plus.

What I Didn’t Like

There was little that I did not like about this meter, but a few items that I want to note. First, rowing is a water sport and often electronics and water do not blend well. Although I have not had an issue with this yet, I would be very hesitant to take the meter in a launch or use it outside on a rainy day.

Second, I am pretty tough on tools, as I would guess most coaches/Riggers are. Although the meter has been durable so far, I am not sure how it will handle life in a tool box, or a drop from a shell onto concrete. It does comes with a small case that offers a little protection. In all, something to consider.

MaxRigging Buying Advice

If you are looking to take your rigging to a new level then this would be a tool to consider. It does offer some convenience and accuracy that older manual meters do not. The compactness is also a nice benefit. However if you are just starting out in rigging or are on a tight budget you may want to consider a simple mechanical meter first.

• Electronic Pitch Meter
• Nielsen Kellerman
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Price: $85.00 US

Product Review: Flip Mino Camcorder

One of the tools that I’ve been using for the past year is a camcorder made by Pure Digital. The specific model is the Flip Mino Camcorder.

I really enjoy the camera and have recently bought two more to use with our coaching staff. The following 5 minute video will give an indepth review, along with actually footage taken with the camera.

Below are links to the camcorder, tripod, and the Pelican box I showed in the video. A disclaimer, these are affiliate links, and we receive a small amount for each purchase made through these links. If you are thinking of buying any of these items we would greatly appreciate you purchasing through these links—the funds help support us to continue providing quality information. Thank you.

1. Flip Video Mino Series Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Black)
2. Flip Tripod for Flip Ultra and Mino Camcorders
3. Pelican Micro Dry Case (1030) (Yellow)

My Ten Favorite Rowing Tools For On The Water

Over the summer, I’ve been out of the coaching launch—watching the Olympics, conventions, and enjoying the slower life. Now it is time to get ready for the Fall season and that means getting my coaching gear ready.

As I begin that process the first things I go to grab are my favorite tools. Those items that make my life (and job) in the launch better—and more fun. I thought that it might be a good time to share some of those with you since I’ve been receiving a fair amount of tool-related questions lately.

Following are ten items I love to have in my launch. Before I get to them I wanted to let you know that this post contains a few affiliate links. (That means if you use the link to buy an item I earn a commission fee of a dollar or two from the sale.) Also, most of the items here you could take along with you in a shell if you are a sculler or coxswain, and aren’t in a coaching launch.

Favorite #1: I love my watch. A good watch can make all the difference in my practice. How, well . . .

• I can tell how long pieces are
• I measure rest time



• I know when to come in

I recently wrote a review about NK’s T1 Cadence. I love the watch. Sometimes I forget my strokewatch, but not my T1.

Favorite #2: The power of a megaphone. Way-back-when I used to coach with the old cheerleader type megaphone. It worked well, but as I aged and as the hearing ability of rowers decreased due to hours of iPod use, I fell in love with a powered megaphone.

My favorite is a POWER MEGAPHONE 25W with the detachable mic. There seems to be several versions, and I have had success with Radio Shack’s model, although I found the same make on Amazon for about $25 less. It is tough, doesn’t gobble batteries, works well in one hand, and doesn’t cost an arm/leg. In the past I’ve also bought an extended care plan because I’ve been know to break a few items in my time. If you buy online you might save a few dollars.

Favorite #3: Flip Video Mino camcorder. I’ve used video taping for years, but there have been two main drawbacks—I usually don’t have the camera really handy when I want/need it, and I’m afraid of getting the camera wet.

My solution, the Flip Video camera. It fits in my pocket—always handy. My version costs around $75.00—gets wet or falls in . . . oh well. I’ve been shooting all the videos for my blog with it. Love it. (Note a newer model has recently come out, with a 2x zoom, and the older model has been discontinued. I plan on doing a product review of the new model next month.)

Favorite #4: My favorite wrench. It is 7/16 x 1/2 inch box end wrench. It is offset (basically bent in the middle) which has saved me much knuckle skin. A good one doesn’t float (neither does a bad one) and is not cheap—around $9.00. But those drawbacks pale in comparison to how many times it really has come through for me. With that and my second favorite wrench most on-the-water-jobs can be handled with a smile.

Favorite #5: My second favorite wrench. My second favorite is an adjustable wrench. This wrench combined with the #1 favorite wrench helps me handle most on-the-water quick fixes. The trick to using an adjustable is to make sure that you have a good grip on the fastener to reduce slipping. Mine adjusts up to 3/4 inch which means it will fit almost all larger rigger fasteners.

Favorite #6: Duct Tape. What can I say, give me a big enough roll of duct tape and almost any problem can be solved. You can buy it anywhere, it loves abuse, and when you need it, roll it out.

Favorite #7: Hat. When I am outside I have to wear a hat. I love the soft-front baseball caps. I never go on the water without mine. It improves my vision, great in the rain, and helps me do a variety of coach cores such as:

• pick a name out of the hat
• swat horse flies
• cover my eyes when the races are too close to watch

Favorite #8: Sunglasses. I am positive that without my sunglasses I would have lost my eyesight by now. The reflection of the sun off the water can destroy eyes. Mine are polarized and made of shatterproof plastic. I also use a Croakie with them and that helps me keep the glasses around quite a while longer (my current pair is on three years and counting).

Favorite #9: Idea catcher. I write tons of stuff in my notebook. I love having it with me. I know that there are a wealth of discussion about which is the best. I like moleskine note book, but I’ve used almost every make and brand. I try to keep a pocket notebook and pen with me always—it is my idea catcher, but also helps me

• record practice data
• store rigging numbers
• sketch ideas

Favorite #10: My PFD. I don’t, repeat, don’t go on the water without one. I swim well, kayak,  have been a lifeguard, EMT, and a whitewater trip leader. None of those things make a bit of difference when you fall in—life quickly turns upside down. I always have my PFD on. It keeps me warm, improves how visible I am to others, and it floats me.

No lecture here—you do what you want, but me . . . always a PFD.

Bonus Favorite #11. Gum. A good piece of gum is worth its weight in gold. It keeps me busy, especially on race day. And I think my rowers enjoy it when I chew gum because they think I talk less. And there is something very personable about offering a friend, competitor, or even a stranger a piece of gum. Sugarless . . . of course. Eclipse rocks.

Those are my favorites. There are lots of others that I take on the water with me, which I will write about in this series.

How about you? Got a favorite you take? Let’ s us know about it.

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Is Row2k A Good Source Of Rowing Info?

That is a question I just got in response to my recent posts on the Olympics.

My response, without hesitation was a “Heck Yeah. The Best.”

The question came from a reader, who wanted to know if the info from Row2K  is credible and unbiased.

Fair question.

In one of the college courses I teach we go deeply into the topic of bias. It is everywhere, and the best we can do is to reasonable try to control it when we present information to others.

Read their posts. Especially the daily ones from Ed Hewitt. Biased? No way. Full of American info—certainly. Read closely and you will find info about all other countries teams. Big and small. Fast and slow.

They dig. They work hard.  It is good stuff.

• Newsworthy
• Interesting
• Entertaining
• Unbiased (as best as possible)

Row2k rocks. The popular press should met their standards.

Nielsen Kellerman Cadence T1 Wristrate Watch (product review)

Sports that count on timing, such as rowing, need watches. One of the leaders in making reliable and useful timing tools for rowing has been Nielsen Kellerman (NK). Their watch, the Cadence T1 Wristrate was first released in 2005 and since then it has been a steady seller for NK.

The Cadence is basically meant to do two things: allow the user to get stroke ratings, and act as a convenient timer. It also fills the role as a wrist watch. Here is a sampling of some of the features of the Cadence T1:

• takes stroke ratings on the wrist
• takes ratings when attached to an oar
• timing, with memory
• dual lap/split chronograph
• alarm
• water resistant

I’ve been testing a Cadence T1 for almost a year, as of this posting, and I wanted share my impressions of the product.

What Sets It Apart
Up until it’s release there were few options for coaches and rowers for taking stroke ratings and times. One of those options is NKs Interval 2000 Split/Rate Watch, the one frequently seen around coach’s necks at regattas. The Cadence T1 is about 1/2 the price of the Interval and as you might expect does have significantly less features.

Another option is to use a stroke counter that is in a shell, such as NK’s Cox-Box or Speed Coach. Also, more experienced coaches can often tell ratings by counting or by using a standard timing watch. I’ve found that the Cadence T1 sets itself apart from these other methods because it can:

• tell ratings without the use of wires by use of tilt-switch technology
• be easily switched between boats or positions in a boat
• be comfortably worn on the wrist, acting as a standard wrist watch
• stylish and competitively priced

The Pluses
Over the year I’ve found the Cadence to be extremely easy to wear. As a matter of fact I’ve never forgotten it. I put it on in the morning and not only do I have a stroke watch at practice, I also have one watch at staff meetings,  weddings, and picking the kids up at school. To me, this was a big plus. I found with my other watch, the Interval, I did not have it at about 1/3 of my practices because I would leave it somewhere and forget it.

The Cadence has proven itself to be tough and well made. It has survived through two kids, a full year of practices, and a summer of swimming, boating and yard work. It has large buttons that are easy for small and large hands to press, and the screen is easy to read. I found it very simple and almost intuitive to switch between settings.

One important plus for me is the customer service of NK. When I did have a problem, which I will discuss in a moment they were top notch.

The Minuses
When I bought the watch, it did not work out of the box. Either the watch or battery was defective. A quick call to NK solved the problem, and the tech folks were knowledgeable and helpful. Another problem I had showed up about 6 months after having the watch. The end of the band separated making it almost impossible to put the watch band through the slot in the watch. Again, customer service came through and a new band was quickly on its way.

A large minus I’ve found it that it is difficult to get accurate ratings by hand. This is where the Interval watch excels and the Cadence falls down. I’ve also noticed that it is often difficult to keep the watch on an oarhandle from slipping so that is is hard to read while rowing.

MaxRigging Buying Advice
If you are looking for an inexpensive and simple way to take ratings, do some timing, and have a watch that is often handy, the Cadence T1 would be a good bet. After 28 years of coaching I find it handy and it does fill many of the needs I have, and the purchase was a good way to save money when I needed, as a coach, to be frugal. When time comes to replace it, for general use, I will buy another.

However, if you want more precise measurements, where accurate ratings are crucial, then you will probably be happier with one of NK’s Interval Split/Rate Watches.

Have an opinion about this product? Share it with our readers.