We are what we repeatedly do – Aristotle
Assuming the Sage was correct and my mis-quotation hasn’t terminally annoyed you, are there specific things which we can do which will help build a rowing team who don’t cop out when the going gets tough?
This was the topic on the recent Rowperfect Rowing Coaches skype call. Awesome group of supreme experts – I can ask them anything and get great insight and practical answers.
Duncan Holland summarised it like this
We don’t control your racing (because we aren’t allowed to coach when you race) so how can we ensure that our crews practice the way we want them to race?
And the corollary
Without blowing away the ‘average’ athlete who’d be put off by the intensity of a top group.
How to teach training intensity
The group came up with a couple of session plans which could help your coaching
- 30″ row and 4 minutes rest. Rowing is maximal and you record the watts achieved. Do this 7 times and repeat twice per week. It’s a rowing equivalent of the cycling Wingate Test. Recommend building up from doing it two times per practice up to 7 times. This is a form of Hight Intensity Interval Training HIIT.
