One Trick To Keep Rowing Fast

I’ve spent the past 35 years in the pursuit of speed. Over those years a few common themes have popped up. In a nut shell four of those are:

1. Most people (rowers, coxswains, coaches) will work intensely hard to go fast
2. Speed (the art and science of going fast) is always a work in progress
3. There will be a price to pay for going, and trying to stay, F-A-S-T
4. Going F-A-S-T can be fun, really fun, but you have to work at the fun part. If you don’t do this one well, #3 becomes a huge factor

These may sound somewhat discouraging (not meant to be). However, as I sit here waiting to race my first heat at the NCAA Championships, those four themes keep coming to mind.

Number 4, working at the fun part, is probably the most difficult.

One trick I’ve learned to help find the fun is to row slow.

What I mean by that is to ever-so-often go out in a boat and row for pleasure. Take a spin, look for wildlife, throw a fishing line over the side (makes no difference at all if the only thing you catch is an old raincoat-which I’ve done), really check out that sunrise/set, play a trick on a sculler.

I’ve written about it, but friend Chris Partridge has written extensively and dedicated a whole site to this. Heck, viewing his site just might help you with the fun part.

There is an entire slow movement developing these days (Slow eating. Slow driving. Yes, even slow sex). Why are people interested? It seems the slow is helping some be fast.

Hmmm . . .

Bored With Your Rowing? Five Ways To Get Your Zing Back

Does this ever happen to you: you get in the shell, shove off the dock, and then you hear yourself ask:

“Why am I doing this?”

Ahhh . . . a sign that you may be getting bored with rowing.

Yes, it does happen. Quite often. What can you do? My suggestion to get the zing back in your rowing is to try a variation of a theme. Instead of break dancing, try the foxtrot. Instead of email, hand write a letter. Instead of your normal rowing try . . .

1. Go to the dark side
If you are a port—go to starboard. You a starboard—go to port. Why? To live on the wild side. Spice things up. Get a different view.

We have a small team so I have our rowers be bisweepual, they switch sides each year. It helps with body development. It helps with brain engagement. It helps keep folks smiling. A lot of new experiences go on when you switch sides.

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