Deep Cove Rowing Club Corporate Challenge & Learn to Row Programs

Corporate Challenge Overall Goal: A successful C.C. crew should be able to row for 750m, all together, with a straight course, and be smiling!

Learn to Row Overall Goal: A successful LTR athlete should be able able to join a Rec program without worry.

What to Teach? Hands –(grip) Body –(sit bones and strong back) Sequencing –(legs/body/hands - hands/body/legs)

Hands Without a proper grip, chances of success are minimal. –Flat wrists –Handle in fingers, not palms –Left hand leading on both drive and recovery –Right hand tucked in and behind left –Thumbs maintain outward pressure

Body Position Primary Focus: Sit bones –“If your seat hurts a little at the end of the day, you are sitting correctly.” –If sit bones are not engaged, correct body position and power application are nearly impossible to attain. 1st day: Demonstrate on erg

Body Position Secondary Focus: Core Strength –“Hold yourself up with your core, rather than tightening your back. You should try to sit straight, but with extremely relaxed shoulders.” –Main goal is to have the back move in a uniform fashion, rather than contorting. 1st day: Demonstrate on erg

Sequencing For a crew to be successful, all athletes must be moving as one. Legs/Body/Hands - Hands/Body/Legs –From the catch, maintain core strength as athlete pushes on the feet. –Maintain forward posture until legs are down, then open the body …without disengaging sitbones –Draw the hands into the body in a horizontal line –Reverse.

Drive Recovery

Good Sequencing…

Sequencing gone wrong…

Hint… For all of these technical points, the pause drill is your best friend!

Grip Drills “Fingers” Have rowers row using only fingers; starting with index finger only Add in each finger until all four are gripping handle 20 strokes each finger “Hands-Away Pause” 1 / 3 / 5 / 10 strokes, pause hands away Ensure pause is minimum of 3sec, allow rowers to visually check grip

Body Position Drills “ Hands & Body Away Pause ” 1 / 3/ 5 / 10 strokes, pause hands and body away Ensure pause is minimum of 5sec - Check and correct position during pause “The Sit Bone Swing” All four drill Have crew start at finish Focusing on pivoting forward through the hips, crew travels into the catch, pause Use feet to ‘ pull ’ the catch to them, rather than going to meet it Aim is to travel towards finish line, without actually taking a stroke

“Feet Out Rowing” Place feet on top of shoes (Note: do not let rowers crush heels of shoes) Add this into other drills, as it forces proper finish position

Sequencing Drills “Eyes Closed” Rowing continuously, rowers alternate every 5 / 10 / 20 strokes eyes open / closed Learn to ‘ feel ’ the rhythm of the boat Learn to ‘ hear ’ each other at the catch and finish “Switching” 3 rowers in, 1 out; switching every 10 / 20 strokes Start with bow out; move to 2-seat; then 3; then stroke; back to bow Trying to have as little disturbance in the rhythm as possible

But… remember the #1 drill of all: “Pause” Any pause drill helps to fix many technical issues your athletes will have. Finish / Hands away / Hands and body away ; individually or all three in one pause cycle 3 / 5 / 10 strokes Underlined pause positions are preferred.

Check your knowledge… What is the major technique issue for this crew?

Answer: Sequencing 4 rowers, 4 finishes - Pause drill - Hands away - Hands/body away

Check your knowledge… What is the major technique issue for this athlete?

Answer: ( Not much is wrong, but, ) Grip Left hand is coming in too quickly -Pause drill - Hands away - Hands/body away

Check your knowledge… What is the major technique issue for this crew?

Nothing is wrong with this crew. They won the Olympic Gold, after all. Some crews need very little coaching, all they need is time.

K.I.S.S. “Keep It Simple, Silly.” In rowing, there are thousands of things to think about. However, nothing is attainable with proper grip, body position, or sequencing. 90% of C.C. or LTR athletes will spend all their time on these 3 points.

Basic Training Categories Cat VI –Rhythm 60% of program Cat V –Rhythm & Consistancy 25% of program Cat IV –Sustained Endurance 10% of program Cat III –Constant Power 5% of program

Very rare for any C.C. or LTR athletes to get to this level Cat II –Race Pace Cat I –Max Power

Main Goals Corp. Challenge –To have fun!!! –Able to row 750m –Straight line –All together Learn to Row –To have fun!!! –Understand rowing terminology –Understand basics of the stroke –Able to comfortably join a Rec program

A success…

Not so much… (… but they are smiling )

Open Discussion What situations are you likely to encounter (again) as a Corporate Challenge coach?