Follow this link to the newsletter which is downloadable in PDF format.
NEWSLETTER HERE
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 30, 2008
May Newsletter is ready for viewing!!! Weight Loss, Training, Technique, Summer Camps
Hello Rowers
Follow this link to the newsletter which is downloadable in PDF format.
NEWSLETTER HERE
Follow this link to the newsletter which is downloadable in PDF format.
NEWSLETTER HERE
Apr 19, 2008
A couple of days ago, I was asked about my Olympic experience, here are some of my memories.
Atlanta 1996:
"In your preparation for the Olympics, what were elements of your race plan
that you focused on? How detailed was your 2000-meter race plan?"
If you want to watch the actual race footage, you can find it on google video.
Pain is my least favorite part of competitive rowing and that is why I really enjoyed putting in long hours of training, in order to be fitter and stronger then others when the push for the finish line would near. Throughout my single scull career, all my wake up call. Because I had “beaten” everyone throughout the week, directly or indirectly by time, my motivation to do it again was fizzling. By telling Marty I knew he was going to let me have it. He put it very simply. “XENO, you have nothing to lose. This is the second time at the Olympics, but your first time in an Olympic final. Don’t focus on the gold medal outcome, work yourself up. If you are in sixth, work to go for fifth, then down to fourth, then secure bronze, go for silver, and if all goes well, you have power left to charge for gold.” He relit my will to get the job done and primed me for the final gold medal run. My gold medal race plan was, conserve energy, work the first half with Cop. Add torque to the stroke rate at 700 meters to go (like Thomas Lange did in 1992 and 1988), finally attack the last thirty strokes the same way I had been training every third workout throughout my month of training before the Olympics.
"The day of the final, before arriving at the course, how did you prepare for
your race, what was important for you to do or not do? How did you feel
during this time? What type of routine did you have to help you prepare
mentally?"
I listened to ZZ Top: “Legs”
In order to fall asleep at night I would think of a stop sign which forced me to quit thinking about the race.
In 1996 I had absolutely no worries, everything revolved about my preparation for the Olympics, very little responsibility toward others.
I had key massage therapist, and physiotherapists. My coach Marty was a great road bike partner when he would come coach me in California. Between 1995 and 2002 I had no training partners, except when Marty would ride the bike with me.
I thought about the sacrifices I made to get to the boat speed that I have attained. My heart would ache when I thought about my father who died to young to watch me race in 1996.
I wanted the other scullers to hurt more than I, I wanted them to regret to have chosen to race me at the Olympics. I wanted to give them hell on water, the same way I was given hell on water in 1992. It was time. I was in search of my identity and by winning gold I accomplished that task.
"Once you arrived at the race course, what kind of routine did you have for
getting ready to go on the water? How did you feel during this time?"
In order to stay focused I would not look up. I kept a tunnel vision and would avoid other rowers I knew. I knew where to leave my sports bag and where the boat was, those were my only stops at the race course. I would relax as soon as I rowed away from the dock, once I sat in the cockpit.
"Can you describe your warm-up and gold medal race: Did everything go
according to plan? What were the most important factors that lead to a
successful race?"
The morning of the gold medal race, I kept hearing the national anthems from freshly baked Olympic gold medalists. I worked hard that it did not distract me from my own race which happened to be the LAST one of the day. Redgrave had won his fourth gold medal an hour before I would launch for my own race. I followed my regular race warm up which consisted of a forty minute row. I took a few 15 stroke pieces and did three starts of 15 strokes each.
"If you would like to describe your experience at Sydney compared it to
Atlanta, it would be interesting to know if you approached the race plan of
your final in a different way."
Sydney was a totally different ball game. I had experienced two birth of my children. My finance from Atlanta became my wife. I was far more weathered as an adult, parent, and spouse. I knew I had been rowing better then ever. I had beaten Rob Waddell in Vienna a couple of month earlier. I knew my competition and what I was capable of. I was truely cold blooded about racing in Australia. I loved that feeling of know how, without too many emotions clouding your abilities. The most amazing about Sydney is that it was my best race ever. In the middle of the race week I started getting nightly sore throats and started having a dry cough. I kept taking all this homeopathic stuff, but nothing worked. My kids had gotten the same bug, and I was kept away from them halfway across our Australian living room. During the final I had NO problem putting the pedal to the metal until the fifth minute, then whatever I was carrying with me, blew up badly. I started freezing up and Rob kept his speed. That was an incredible feeling of catastrophe. I had to pull it together. The five second lead we had on the rest of the field started dwindling down to nothing. Rob kept a little margin in front of me, Porter, and Hacker. I kept hearing voices of my former coaches and Marty saying to me to stay clear of 3 and 4 because they might gabble me down and I would end up without a medal. It was an unbelievable feeling to get away with a silver medal, having two children, married, and having enough time to spend with the family.
"What is the most important factor to prepare for a peak race that you would
like to pass on to those readers who are preparing for sprint competitions
this summer?"
Never underestimate training thousands of miles below 2mmol of lactic it is currently the best way to build stamina for 2000 meter sprint racing.
XENO
"In your preparation for the Olympics, what were elements of your race plan
that you focused on? How detailed was your 2000-meter race plan?"
If you want to watch the actual race footage, you can find it on google video.
Pain is my least favorite part of competitive rowing and that is why I really enjoyed putting in long hours of training, in order to be fitter and stronger then others when the push for the finish line would near. Throughout my single scull career, all my wake up call. Because I had “beaten” everyone throughout the week, directly or indirectly by time, my motivation to do it again was fizzling. By telling Marty I knew he was going to let me have it. He put it very simply. “XENO, you have nothing to lose. This is the second time at the Olympics, but your first time in an Olympic final. Don’t focus on the gold medal outcome, work yourself up. If you are in sixth, work to go for fifth, then down to fourth, then secure bronze, go for silver, and if all goes well, you have power left to charge for gold.” He relit my will to get the job done and primed me for the final gold medal run. My gold medal race plan was, conserve energy, work the first half with Cop. Add torque to the stroke rate at 700 meters to go (like Thomas Lange did in 1992 and 1988), finally attack the last thirty strokes the same way I had been training every third workout throughout my month of training before the Olympics.
"The day of the final, before arriving at the course, how did you prepare for
your race, what was important for you to do or not do? How did you feel
during this time? What type of routine did you have to help you prepare
mentally?"
I listened to ZZ Top: “Legs”
In order to fall asleep at night I would think of a stop sign which forced me to quit thinking about the race.
In 1996 I had absolutely no worries, everything revolved about my preparation for the Olympics, very little responsibility toward others.
I had key massage therapist, and physiotherapists. My coach Marty was a great road bike partner when he would come coach me in California. Between 1995 and 2002 I had no training partners, except when Marty would ride the bike with me.
I thought about the sacrifices I made to get to the boat speed that I have attained. My heart would ache when I thought about my father who died to young to watch me race in 1996.
I wanted the other scullers to hurt more than I, I wanted them to regret to have chosen to race me at the Olympics. I wanted to give them hell on water, the same way I was given hell on water in 1992. It was time. I was in search of my identity and by winning gold I accomplished that task.
"Once you arrived at the race course, what kind of routine did you have for
getting ready to go on the water? How did you feel during this time?"
In order to stay focused I would not look up. I kept a tunnel vision and would avoid other rowers I knew. I knew where to leave my sports bag and where the boat was, those were my only stops at the race course. I would relax as soon as I rowed away from the dock, once I sat in the cockpit.
"Can you describe your warm-up and gold medal race: Did everything go
according to plan? What were the most important factors that lead to a
successful race?"
The morning of the gold medal race, I kept hearing the national anthems from freshly baked Olympic gold medalists. I worked hard that it did not distract me from my own race which happened to be the LAST one of the day. Redgrave had won his fourth gold medal an hour before I would launch for my own race. I followed my regular race warm up which consisted of a forty minute row. I took a few 15 stroke pieces and did three starts of 15 strokes each.
"If you would like to describe your experience at Sydney compared it to
Atlanta, it would be interesting to know if you approached the race plan of
your final in a different way."
Sydney was a totally different ball game. I had experienced two birth of my children. My finance from Atlanta became my wife. I was far more weathered as an adult, parent, and spouse. I knew I had been rowing better then ever. I had beaten Rob Waddell in Vienna a couple of month earlier. I knew my competition and what I was capable of. I was truely cold blooded about racing in Australia. I loved that feeling of know how, without too many emotions clouding your abilities. The most amazing about Sydney is that it was my best race ever. In the middle of the race week I started getting nightly sore throats and started having a dry cough. I kept taking all this homeopathic stuff, but nothing worked. My kids had gotten the same bug, and I was kept away from them halfway across our Australian living room. During the final I had NO problem putting the pedal to the metal until the fifth minute, then whatever I was carrying with me, blew up badly. I started freezing up and Rob kept his speed. That was an incredible feeling of catastrophe. I had to pull it together. The five second lead we had on the rest of the field started dwindling down to nothing. Rob kept a little margin in front of me, Porter, and Hacker. I kept hearing voices of my former coaches and Marty saying to me to stay clear of 3 and 4 because they might gabble me down and I would end up without a medal. It was an unbelievable feeling to get away with a silver medal, having two children, married, and having enough time to spend with the family.
"What is the most important factor to prepare for a peak race that you would
like to pass on to those readers who are preparing for sprint competitions
this summer?"
Never underestimate training thousands of miles below 2mmol of lactic it is currently the best way to build stamina for 2000 meter sprint racing.
XENO
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 15, 2008
The male instructors at the Iron Oarsman
Watch them on our site.
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 13, 2008
Come join us raise money for the American Cancer Society in May!!!
Help us raise money and row at the American Cancer Society Relay For Life!!!!
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
ROWPRO ROW with the rest of the world!
I did my first 10K on Rowpro
Follow this link!
XENO
Follow this link!
XENO
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
From a Rochester NY Newspaper: Women Cancer Survivors Put Their Oars In The Water,
It's almost universally true: People who survive cancer discover there's much more they can do with their lives, if they just push themselves a bit.
"I had never done anything like this," says Deb Gollus of Rochester, who participates in the women's oncology rowing program at Camp Good Days and Special Times.
Gollus, 57, who works for Thompson Health in Canandaigua, says: "I had no idea what these boats even looked like."
"It just infuses energy, and shows us that we can go beyond anything we have done physically before," says Pat Bernhard, 64, of Honeoye Falls.
Bernhard and Gollus are both cancer survivors who say the program has tested them in new ways and built a sense of community with other survivors.
The rowing program is called Naiades, named for mythical fresh water nymphs or goddesses whose existence depended on the water but who were thought by the Greeks to bring to the waters inspirational, medicinal or even prophetic powers.
It seemed like a perfect name for the groups, says Jen Shulman, a former Camp Good Days waterfront director and now a volunteer rowing coach. The women "love being on the water," Shulman says. "Rowing is a respite for these ladies, a vehicle to recovery, and it makes them feel alive."
The Naiades program was inspired by a similar one in Boston, where a group of breast cancer survivors raced in the well-known Head of the Charles Regatta in 2001. It took a few years to move from idea to reality, but Naiades launched three years ago and now includes about 30 women, some of whom are beginners, some of whom are purely recreational rowers, and some of whom now compete.
The latter group rowed last year in the Pittsford Regatta and the October Head of the Genesee Regatta. They hope to compete this October in the Head of the Charles.
The groups practices during the winter at the Pittsford Indoor Rowing Center, and then in the summer on both the canal and river, working from the Genesee Waterways Center near Genesee Valley Park. They purchased a new 60-foot boat this winter in conjunction with the University of Rochester.
"It's a wonderful full-body workout," Bernhard says. "The hardest part is eight old ladies carrying a 60-foot boat that weighs 300 pounds," she jokes. The new boat, by the way, is 100 pounds lighter.
"Fishing and water never really clicked for me," says Lisa Gesinger, 46, of Webster. "I thought I'd do this just to be with other women who've had cancer." But, she says, she quickly fell in love with the workout, the water and the camaraderie.
"This is so much different from anything I've ever done."
"It's a whole team effort," says Terrie Mahoney, 47, of Farmington, Ontario County. "Everybody works like a machine, and if everyone is doing the same thing at the same time, it's a very smooth ride. If not, well... "
Rowing at twilight on the calm waters of the canal or river is itself a very peaceful experience.
Being on the water is part of the joy of rowing, Shulman says. Seeing the canal walls or the riverbank whiz by as the oars slice through the water is very appealing.
"You do have to take your cues from the person in front of you," says Roxanne Zambito, 61, of Hamlin. "The idea is to get your oars in the water at the same time with the same pressure."
"I will give up almost anything to go and row," says Nancy Harter, 51, of Greece. "I just love the feel of it." She loves the team effort, learning to work through some pain, and learning how to support the other women.
"We all have out little quirks or weaknesses because of cancer," she says. "But we help each other, and you can just feel the strength coming back."
LINK: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080413/NEWS0201/804130353/1002/NEWS
"I had never done anything like this," says Deb Gollus of Rochester, who participates in the women's oncology rowing program at Camp Good Days and Special Times.
Gollus, 57, who works for Thompson Health in Canandaigua, says: "I had no idea what these boats even looked like."
"It just infuses energy, and shows us that we can go beyond anything we have done physically before," says Pat Bernhard, 64, of Honeoye Falls.
Bernhard and Gollus are both cancer survivors who say the program has tested them in new ways and built a sense of community with other survivors.
The rowing program is called Naiades, named for mythical fresh water nymphs or goddesses whose existence depended on the water but who were thought by the Greeks to bring to the waters inspirational, medicinal or even prophetic powers.
It seemed like a perfect name for the groups, says Jen Shulman, a former Camp Good Days waterfront director and now a volunteer rowing coach. The women "love being on the water," Shulman says. "Rowing is a respite for these ladies, a vehicle to recovery, and it makes them feel alive."
The Naiades program was inspired by a similar one in Boston, where a group of breast cancer survivors raced in the well-known Head of the Charles Regatta in 2001. It took a few years to move from idea to reality, but Naiades launched three years ago and now includes about 30 women, some of whom are beginners, some of whom are purely recreational rowers, and some of whom now compete.
The latter group rowed last year in the Pittsford Regatta and the October Head of the Genesee Regatta. They hope to compete this October in the Head of the Charles.
The groups practices during the winter at the Pittsford Indoor Rowing Center, and then in the summer on both the canal and river, working from the Genesee Waterways Center near Genesee Valley Park. They purchased a new 60-foot boat this winter in conjunction with the University of Rochester.
"It's a wonderful full-body workout," Bernhard says. "The hardest part is eight old ladies carrying a 60-foot boat that weighs 300 pounds," she jokes. The new boat, by the way, is 100 pounds lighter.
"Fishing and water never really clicked for me," says Lisa Gesinger, 46, of Webster. "I thought I'd do this just to be with other women who've had cancer." But, she says, she quickly fell in love with the workout, the water and the camaraderie.
"This is so much different from anything I've ever done."
"It's a whole team effort," says Terrie Mahoney, 47, of Farmington, Ontario County. "Everybody works like a machine, and if everyone is doing the same thing at the same time, it's a very smooth ride. If not, well... "
Rowing at twilight on the calm waters of the canal or river is itself a very peaceful experience.
Being on the water is part of the joy of rowing, Shulman says. Seeing the canal walls or the riverbank whiz by as the oars slice through the water is very appealing.
"You do have to take your cues from the person in front of you," says Roxanne Zambito, 61, of Hamlin. "The idea is to get your oars in the water at the same time with the same pressure."
"I will give up almost anything to go and row," says Nancy Harter, 51, of Greece. "I just love the feel of it." She loves the team effort, learning to work through some pain, and learning how to support the other women.
"We all have out little quirks or weaknesses because of cancer," she says. "But we help each other, and you can just feel the strength coming back."
LINK: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080413/NEWS0201/804130353/1002/NEWS
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 8, 2008
Rowing helps me win Boardercross at USASA National Championships @ Copper Mt, CO
Boardercross USASA Nationals @ Northstar-at-Tahoe 2007
This is where I crash
Boardercross USASA Nationals 2008 @ Copper Mountain, CO
This is where i stay ahead
and this is where i end up
Last year i had a good run for it, but mistake in a semi-final took me out of the race. This year i was more focused and experienced to make it all the way.
Rowing has been a big part of my training, as I am at Iron Oarsman 10-15 hours a week. Boardercross is quite unpredictable because anything can happen in a race. You don't know what will happen untill its all over. The key for me was having a quick start out of the gates, staying low and ahead of everyone else.
This is where I crash
Boardercross USASA Nationals 2008 @ Copper Mountain, CO
This is where i stay ahead
and this is where i end upLast year i had a good run for it, but mistake in a semi-final took me out of the race. This year i was more focused and experienced to make it all the way.
Rowing has been a big part of my training, as I am at Iron Oarsman 10-15 hours a week. Boardercross is quite unpredictable because anything can happen in a race. You don't know what will happen untill its all over. The key for me was having a quick start out of the gates, staying low and ahead of everyone else.
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 7, 2008
What to do if you have an achilies tendon that does not want to cooperate when you run...
Here is a question I got no too long ago.
"Hi!
I am fairly new to rowing on the C-2. My question is: do you think it is ok for a runner with left achilles tendinitis (mild) to continue rowing while rehabbing? I do about 20 to 30 minutes rowing 5 days a week.
Thanks!"
Caution: Do not over compress at the catch, which would stretch the tendon too far... Use a bungee cord and strap it around the track. This way you will not roll too far into the catch thus avoiding any over stretching of the tendon.
XENO
"Hi!
I am fairly new to rowing on the C-2. My question is: do you think it is ok for a runner with left achilles tendinitis (mild) to continue rowing while rehabbing? I do about 20 to 30 minutes rowing 5 days a week.
Thanks!"
Caution: Do not over compress at the catch, which would stretch the tendon too far... Use a bungee cord and strap it around the track. This way you will not roll too far into the catch thus avoiding any over stretching of the tendon.
XENO
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 1, 2008
This is a workout and story from my good friend Charles Pollak
Hello fellow rowers and friends. My name is Charles Pollak, and I am a close friend of Xeno’s and another rower as well. I graduated from Brown University in 2003, where I was captain of the crew team, and went to United States Olympic trails in the straight pair in 2004. Over the past few years I have cut back considerably on my training from being an elite oarsman in training, to that of a food connoisseur and over-worker in the office without any real sense of physical or mental balance in my life. Well that is about to change.
Over the next few months I look forward to having fun with rowing training again, by focusing on rowing, diet and cross training as well. I want to become an athlete again. Thereby, I will be posting thoughts on this monthly training letter about my goal of getting back into great rowing shape for competition and for everyday life. This will be done by sharing different workouts and training tips that I am putting together with Xeno: to help all of us all reach our training goals together, no matter how big or small they are.
Some of you are probably training to become internationally competitive athletes, while others are training just to have fun, or even to lose a lot of weight. No matter what you want to accomplish by working with Xeno’s iron oarsman training plan, we can all work together as a team to exceed our goals, and all have fun together in the process. Here is an erg workout that I did yesterday at the iron oarsman erg gym. It takes just over an hour to finish. I hope that you enjoy and please let us know any thoughts or questions that you have.
Warm-up: 15 minutes
Light rowing on erg 10 minutes
Stretching upper and lower body 5 minutes
*Drink water as necessary, always remember to stay hydrated.
Drilling and Breathing: 20 minutes
This helps to burn the proper rowing technique into the muscle memory. Also helps to continue with the warm-up so that we are thoroughly prepared for the workout ahead of us.
-start with arms only 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
-add the back swing 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
-move into quarter slide 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
-half slide 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
-3/4 slide 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
-full strokes 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
(If on sliders) move into one legged rowing building the stroke from legs only, to legs and back, into full strokes. Then switch legs. Do some harder strokes during each stage as well for 10-20 strokes at a time. Feel the blood begin to flow and continue breathing. 2 minutes for each stage of stroke per leg
Steady state 10 minutes
*Drink water as necessary, always remember to stay hydrated.
Workout: 25 minutes
This workout is a power workout for torque
Have fun with it and watch your splits drop throughout the three sets.
You can row at a controlled rating and use the power strokes like weights to build strength and gain muscle coordination
(40 seconds on / 20 seconds off) * 5
3 minutes rest light paddle, keep moving
(30 seconds on / 30 seconds off) * 5
3 minutes rest light paddle, keep moving
(20 seconds on / 40 seconds off) * 5
3 minutes rest light paddle, keep moving
*Drink water as necessary between pieces
Warm-down: 15 minutes
Do triceps and bicep curls with the erg handle for the ever important beach muscles. Summer time for Europeans in pink speedos is coming up! Do these while sitting with straight legs and tall lower back. 2 minutes
Do abdominal work for injury prevention. Do this on erg seat while sitting on front of the seat with a flat back and only going down as low as you feel comfortable. Do not over extend sit ups going down and risk tweaking a muscle or your back. Try different arm positions during sit-ups as you feel comfortable. 1 minute
Light row to warm down 5 minutes
Stretch to finish warm down and help muscles maximize gain from workout 5-10 minutes
*Drink water as necessary
*Always eat healthy some solid food within 30 minutes of completing workout to replace carbs and protein, etc. burned off from workout. Feel free to do this even if you are training to loose body weight, as this is really good for you. Enjoy!
*If training to be an elite athlete, feel free to finish workout with post sets on the weights and some more solid steady state on the ergometer. Have fun!
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
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Apr 30, 2008
May Newsletter is ready for viewing!!! Weight Loss, Training, Technique, Summer Camps
Hello Rowers
Follow this link to the newsletter which is downloadable in PDF format.
NEWSLETTER HERE
Follow this link to the newsletter which is downloadable in PDF format.
NEWSLETTER HERE
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 19, 2008
A couple of days ago, I was asked about my Olympic experience, here are some of my memories.
Atlanta 1996:
"In your preparation for the Olympics, what were elements of your race plan
that you focused on? How detailed was your 2000-meter race plan?"
If you want to watch the actual race footage, you can find it on google video.
Pain is my least favorite part of competitive rowing and that is why I really enjoyed putting in long hours of training, in order to be fitter and stronger then others when the push for the finish line would near. Throughout my single scull career, all my wake up call. Because I had “beaten” everyone throughout the week, directly or indirectly by time, my motivation to do it again was fizzling. By telling Marty I knew he was going to let me have it. He put it very simply. “XENO, you have nothing to lose. This is the second time at the Olympics, but your first time in an Olympic final. Don’t focus on the gold medal outcome, work yourself up. If you are in sixth, work to go for fifth, then down to fourth, then secure bronze, go for silver, and if all goes well, you have power left to charge for gold.” He relit my will to get the job done and primed me for the final gold medal run. My gold medal race plan was, conserve energy, work the first half with Cop. Add torque to the stroke rate at 700 meters to go (like Thomas Lange did in 1992 and 1988), finally attack the last thirty strokes the same way I had been training every third workout throughout my month of training before the Olympics.
"The day of the final, before arriving at the course, how did you prepare for
your race, what was important for you to do or not do? How did you feel
during this time? What type of routine did you have to help you prepare
mentally?"
I listened to ZZ Top: “Legs”
In order to fall asleep at night I would think of a stop sign which forced me to quit thinking about the race.
In 1996 I had absolutely no worries, everything revolved about my preparation for the Olympics, very little responsibility toward others.
I had key massage therapist, and physiotherapists. My coach Marty was a great road bike partner when he would come coach me in California. Between 1995 and 2002 I had no training partners, except when Marty would ride the bike with me.
I thought about the sacrifices I made to get to the boat speed that I have attained. My heart would ache when I thought about my father who died to young to watch me race in 1996.
I wanted the other scullers to hurt more than I, I wanted them to regret to have chosen to race me at the Olympics. I wanted to give them hell on water, the same way I was given hell on water in 1992. It was time. I was in search of my identity and by winning gold I accomplished that task.
"Once you arrived at the race course, what kind of routine did you have for
getting ready to go on the water? How did you feel during this time?"
In order to stay focused I would not look up. I kept a tunnel vision and would avoid other rowers I knew. I knew where to leave my sports bag and where the boat was, those were my only stops at the race course. I would relax as soon as I rowed away from the dock, once I sat in the cockpit.
"Can you describe your warm-up and gold medal race: Did everything go
according to plan? What were the most important factors that lead to a
successful race?"
The morning of the gold medal race, I kept hearing the national anthems from freshly baked Olympic gold medalists. I worked hard that it did not distract me from my own race which happened to be the LAST one of the day. Redgrave had won his fourth gold medal an hour before I would launch for my own race. I followed my regular race warm up which consisted of a forty minute row. I took a few 15 stroke pieces and did three starts of 15 strokes each.
"If you would like to describe your experience at Sydney compared it to
Atlanta, it would be interesting to know if you approached the race plan of
your final in a different way."
Sydney was a totally different ball game. I had experienced two birth of my children. My finance from Atlanta became my wife. I was far more weathered as an adult, parent, and spouse. I knew I had been rowing better then ever. I had beaten Rob Waddell in Vienna a couple of month earlier. I knew my competition and what I was capable of. I was truely cold blooded about racing in Australia. I loved that feeling of know how, without too many emotions clouding your abilities. The most amazing about Sydney is that it was my best race ever. In the middle of the race week I started getting nightly sore throats and started having a dry cough. I kept taking all this homeopathic stuff, but nothing worked. My kids had gotten the same bug, and I was kept away from them halfway across our Australian living room. During the final I had NO problem putting the pedal to the metal until the fifth minute, then whatever I was carrying with me, blew up badly. I started freezing up and Rob kept his speed. That was an incredible feeling of catastrophe. I had to pull it together. The five second lead we had on the rest of the field started dwindling down to nothing. Rob kept a little margin in front of me, Porter, and Hacker. I kept hearing voices of my former coaches and Marty saying to me to stay clear of 3 and 4 because they might gabble me down and I would end up without a medal. It was an unbelievable feeling to get away with a silver medal, having two children, married, and having enough time to spend with the family.
"What is the most important factor to prepare for a peak race that you would
like to pass on to those readers who are preparing for sprint competitions
this summer?"
Never underestimate training thousands of miles below 2mmol of lactic it is currently the best way to build stamina for 2000 meter sprint racing.
XENO
"In your preparation for the Olympics, what were elements of your race plan
that you focused on? How detailed was your 2000-meter race plan?"
If you want to watch the actual race footage, you can find it on google video.
Pain is my least favorite part of competitive rowing and that is why I really enjoyed putting in long hours of training, in order to be fitter and stronger then others when the push for the finish line would near. Throughout my single scull career, all my wake up call. Because I had “beaten” everyone throughout the week, directly or indirectly by time, my motivation to do it again was fizzling. By telling Marty I knew he was going to let me have it. He put it very simply. “XENO, you have nothing to lose. This is the second time at the Olympics, but your first time in an Olympic final. Don’t focus on the gold medal outcome, work yourself up. If you are in sixth, work to go for fifth, then down to fourth, then secure bronze, go for silver, and if all goes well, you have power left to charge for gold.” He relit my will to get the job done and primed me for the final gold medal run. My gold medal race plan was, conserve energy, work the first half with Cop. Add torque to the stroke rate at 700 meters to go (like Thomas Lange did in 1992 and 1988), finally attack the last thirty strokes the same way I had been training every third workout throughout my month of training before the Olympics.
"The day of the final, before arriving at the course, how did you prepare for
your race, what was important for you to do or not do? How did you feel
during this time? What type of routine did you have to help you prepare
mentally?"
I listened to ZZ Top: “Legs”
In order to fall asleep at night I would think of a stop sign which forced me to quit thinking about the race.
In 1996 I had absolutely no worries, everything revolved about my preparation for the Olympics, very little responsibility toward others.
I had key massage therapist, and physiotherapists. My coach Marty was a great road bike partner when he would come coach me in California. Between 1995 and 2002 I had no training partners, except when Marty would ride the bike with me.
I thought about the sacrifices I made to get to the boat speed that I have attained. My heart would ache when I thought about my father who died to young to watch me race in 1996.
I wanted the other scullers to hurt more than I, I wanted them to regret to have chosen to race me at the Olympics. I wanted to give them hell on water, the same way I was given hell on water in 1992. It was time. I was in search of my identity and by winning gold I accomplished that task.
"Once you arrived at the race course, what kind of routine did you have for
getting ready to go on the water? How did you feel during this time?"
In order to stay focused I would not look up. I kept a tunnel vision and would avoid other rowers I knew. I knew where to leave my sports bag and where the boat was, those were my only stops at the race course. I would relax as soon as I rowed away from the dock, once I sat in the cockpit.
"Can you describe your warm-up and gold medal race: Did everything go
according to plan? What were the most important factors that lead to a
successful race?"
The morning of the gold medal race, I kept hearing the national anthems from freshly baked Olympic gold medalists. I worked hard that it did not distract me from my own race which happened to be the LAST one of the day. Redgrave had won his fourth gold medal an hour before I would launch for my own race. I followed my regular race warm up which consisted of a forty minute row. I took a few 15 stroke pieces and did three starts of 15 strokes each.
"If you would like to describe your experience at Sydney compared it to
Atlanta, it would be interesting to know if you approached the race plan of
your final in a different way."
Sydney was a totally different ball game. I had experienced two birth of my children. My finance from Atlanta became my wife. I was far more weathered as an adult, parent, and spouse. I knew I had been rowing better then ever. I had beaten Rob Waddell in Vienna a couple of month earlier. I knew my competition and what I was capable of. I was truely cold blooded about racing in Australia. I loved that feeling of know how, without too many emotions clouding your abilities. The most amazing about Sydney is that it was my best race ever. In the middle of the race week I started getting nightly sore throats and started having a dry cough. I kept taking all this homeopathic stuff, but nothing worked. My kids had gotten the same bug, and I was kept away from them halfway across our Australian living room. During the final I had NO problem putting the pedal to the metal until the fifth minute, then whatever I was carrying with me, blew up badly. I started freezing up and Rob kept his speed. That was an incredible feeling of catastrophe. I had to pull it together. The five second lead we had on the rest of the field started dwindling down to nothing. Rob kept a little margin in front of me, Porter, and Hacker. I kept hearing voices of my former coaches and Marty saying to me to stay clear of 3 and 4 because they might gabble me down and I would end up without a medal. It was an unbelievable feeling to get away with a silver medal, having two children, married, and having enough time to spend with the family.
"What is the most important factor to prepare for a peak race that you would
like to pass on to those readers who are preparing for sprint competitions
this summer?"
Never underestimate training thousands of miles below 2mmol of lactic it is currently the best way to build stamina for 2000 meter sprint racing.
XENO
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 15, 2008
The male instructors at the Iron Oarsman
Watch them on our site.
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 13, 2008
Come join us raise money for the American Cancer Society in May!!!
Help us raise money and row at the American Cancer Society Relay For Life!!!!
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
ROWPRO ROW with the rest of the world!
I did my first 10K on Rowpro
Follow this link!
XENO
Follow this link!
XENO
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
From a Rochester NY Newspaper: Women Cancer Survivors Put Their Oars In The Water,
It's almost universally true: People who survive cancer discover there's much more they can do with their lives, if they just push themselves a bit.
"I had never done anything like this," says Deb Gollus of Rochester, who participates in the women's oncology rowing program at Camp Good Days and Special Times.
Gollus, 57, who works for Thompson Health in Canandaigua, says: "I had no idea what these boats even looked like."
"It just infuses energy, and shows us that we can go beyond anything we have done physically before," says Pat Bernhard, 64, of Honeoye Falls.
Bernhard and Gollus are both cancer survivors who say the program has tested them in new ways and built a sense of community with other survivors.
The rowing program is called Naiades, named for mythical fresh water nymphs or goddesses whose existence depended on the water but who were thought by the Greeks to bring to the waters inspirational, medicinal or even prophetic powers.
It seemed like a perfect name for the groups, says Jen Shulman, a former Camp Good Days waterfront director and now a volunteer rowing coach. The women "love being on the water," Shulman says. "Rowing is a respite for these ladies, a vehicle to recovery, and it makes them feel alive."
The Naiades program was inspired by a similar one in Boston, where a group of breast cancer survivors raced in the well-known Head of the Charles Regatta in 2001. It took a few years to move from idea to reality, but Naiades launched three years ago and now includes about 30 women, some of whom are beginners, some of whom are purely recreational rowers, and some of whom now compete.
The latter group rowed last year in the Pittsford Regatta and the October Head of the Genesee Regatta. They hope to compete this October in the Head of the Charles.
The groups practices during the winter at the Pittsford Indoor Rowing Center, and then in the summer on both the canal and river, working from the Genesee Waterways Center near Genesee Valley Park. They purchased a new 60-foot boat this winter in conjunction with the University of Rochester.
"It's a wonderful full-body workout," Bernhard says. "The hardest part is eight old ladies carrying a 60-foot boat that weighs 300 pounds," she jokes. The new boat, by the way, is 100 pounds lighter.
"Fishing and water never really clicked for me," says Lisa Gesinger, 46, of Webster. "I thought I'd do this just to be with other women who've had cancer." But, she says, she quickly fell in love with the workout, the water and the camaraderie.
"This is so much different from anything I've ever done."
"It's a whole team effort," says Terrie Mahoney, 47, of Farmington, Ontario County. "Everybody works like a machine, and if everyone is doing the same thing at the same time, it's a very smooth ride. If not, well... "
Rowing at twilight on the calm waters of the canal or river is itself a very peaceful experience.
Being on the water is part of the joy of rowing, Shulman says. Seeing the canal walls or the riverbank whiz by as the oars slice through the water is very appealing.
"You do have to take your cues from the person in front of you," says Roxanne Zambito, 61, of Hamlin. "The idea is to get your oars in the water at the same time with the same pressure."
"I will give up almost anything to go and row," says Nancy Harter, 51, of Greece. "I just love the feel of it." She loves the team effort, learning to work through some pain, and learning how to support the other women.
"We all have out little quirks or weaknesses because of cancer," she says. "But we help each other, and you can just feel the strength coming back."
LINK: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080413/NEWS0201/804130353/1002/NEWS
"I had never done anything like this," says Deb Gollus of Rochester, who participates in the women's oncology rowing program at Camp Good Days and Special Times.
Gollus, 57, who works for Thompson Health in Canandaigua, says: "I had no idea what these boats even looked like."
"It just infuses energy, and shows us that we can go beyond anything we have done physically before," says Pat Bernhard, 64, of Honeoye Falls.
Bernhard and Gollus are both cancer survivors who say the program has tested them in new ways and built a sense of community with other survivors.
The rowing program is called Naiades, named for mythical fresh water nymphs or goddesses whose existence depended on the water but who were thought by the Greeks to bring to the waters inspirational, medicinal or even prophetic powers.
It seemed like a perfect name for the groups, says Jen Shulman, a former Camp Good Days waterfront director and now a volunteer rowing coach. The women "love being on the water," Shulman says. "Rowing is a respite for these ladies, a vehicle to recovery, and it makes them feel alive."
The Naiades program was inspired by a similar one in Boston, where a group of breast cancer survivors raced in the well-known Head of the Charles Regatta in 2001. It took a few years to move from idea to reality, but Naiades launched three years ago and now includes about 30 women, some of whom are beginners, some of whom are purely recreational rowers, and some of whom now compete.
The latter group rowed last year in the Pittsford Regatta and the October Head of the Genesee Regatta. They hope to compete this October in the Head of the Charles.
The groups practices during the winter at the Pittsford Indoor Rowing Center, and then in the summer on both the canal and river, working from the Genesee Waterways Center near Genesee Valley Park. They purchased a new 60-foot boat this winter in conjunction with the University of Rochester.
"It's a wonderful full-body workout," Bernhard says. "The hardest part is eight old ladies carrying a 60-foot boat that weighs 300 pounds," she jokes. The new boat, by the way, is 100 pounds lighter.
"Fishing and water never really clicked for me," says Lisa Gesinger, 46, of Webster. "I thought I'd do this just to be with other women who've had cancer." But, she says, she quickly fell in love with the workout, the water and the camaraderie.
"This is so much different from anything I've ever done."
"It's a whole team effort," says Terrie Mahoney, 47, of Farmington, Ontario County. "Everybody works like a machine, and if everyone is doing the same thing at the same time, it's a very smooth ride. If not, well... "
Rowing at twilight on the calm waters of the canal or river is itself a very peaceful experience.
Being on the water is part of the joy of rowing, Shulman says. Seeing the canal walls or the riverbank whiz by as the oars slice through the water is very appealing.
"You do have to take your cues from the person in front of you," says Roxanne Zambito, 61, of Hamlin. "The idea is to get your oars in the water at the same time with the same pressure."
"I will give up almost anything to go and row," says Nancy Harter, 51, of Greece. "I just love the feel of it." She loves the team effort, learning to work through some pain, and learning how to support the other women.
"We all have out little quirks or weaknesses because of cancer," she says. "But we help each other, and you can just feel the strength coming back."
LINK: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080413/NEWS0201/804130353/1002/NEWS
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 8, 2008
Rowing helps me win Boardercross at USASA National Championships @ Copper Mt, CO
Boardercross USASA Nationals @ Northstar-at-Tahoe 2007 This is where I crash
Boardercross USASA Nationals 2008 @ Copper Mountain, CO
This is where i stay ahead
and this is where i end up
Last year i had a good run for it, but mistake in a semi-final took me out of the race. This year i was more focused and experienced to make it all the way.
Rowing has been a big part of my training, as I am at Iron Oarsman 10-15 hours a week. Boardercross is quite unpredictable because anything can happen in a race. You don't know what will happen untill its all over. The key for me was having a quick start out of the gates, staying low and ahead of everyone else.
This is where I crash Boardercross USASA Nationals 2008 @ Copper Mountain, CO This is where i stay ahead and this is where i end upLast year i had a good run for it, but mistake in a semi-final took me out of the race. This year i was more focused and experienced to make it all the way.
Rowing has been a big part of my training, as I am at Iron Oarsman 10-15 hours a week. Boardercross is quite unpredictable because anything can happen in a race. You don't know what will happen untill its all over. The key for me was having a quick start out of the gates, staying low and ahead of everyone else.
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 7, 2008
What to do if you have an achilies tendon that does not want to cooperate when you run...
Here is a question I got no too long ago.
"Hi!
I am fairly new to rowing on the C-2. My question is: do you think it is ok for a runner with left achilles tendinitis (mild) to continue rowing while rehabbing? I do about 20 to 30 minutes rowing 5 days a week.
Thanks!"
Caution: Do not over compress at the catch, which would stretch the tendon too far... Use a bungee cord and strap it around the track. This way you will not roll too far into the catch thus avoiding any over stretching of the tendon.
XENO
"Hi!
I am fairly new to rowing on the C-2. My question is: do you think it is ok for a runner with left achilles tendinitis (mild) to continue rowing while rehabbing? I do about 20 to 30 minutes rowing 5 days a week.
Thanks!"
Caution: Do not over compress at the catch, which would stretch the tendon too far... Use a bungee cord and strap it around the track. This way you will not roll too far into the catch thus avoiding any over stretching of the tendon.
XENO
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
Apr 1, 2008
This is a workout and story from my good friend Charles Pollak
Hello fellow rowers and friends. My name is Charles Pollak, and I am a close friend of Xeno’s and another rower as well. I graduated from Brown University in 2003, where I was captain of the crew team, and went to United States Olympic trails in the straight pair in 2004. Over the past few years I have cut back considerably on my training from being an elite oarsman in training, to that of a food connoisseur and over-worker in the office without any real sense of physical or mental balance in my life. Well that is about to change.
Over the next few months I look forward to having fun with rowing training again, by focusing on rowing, diet and cross training as well. I want to become an athlete again. Thereby, I will be posting thoughts on this monthly training letter about my goal of getting back into great rowing shape for competition and for everyday life. This will be done by sharing different workouts and training tips that I am putting together with Xeno: to help all of us all reach our training goals together, no matter how big or small they are.
Some of you are probably training to become internationally competitive athletes, while others are training just to have fun, or even to lose a lot of weight. No matter what you want to accomplish by working with Xeno’s iron oarsman training plan, we can all work together as a team to exceed our goals, and all have fun together in the process. Here is an erg workout that I did yesterday at the iron oarsman erg gym. It takes just over an hour to finish. I hope that you enjoy and please let us know any thoughts or questions that you have.
Warm-up: 15 minutes
Light rowing on erg 10 minutes
Stretching upper and lower body 5 minutes
*Drink water as necessary, always remember to stay hydrated.
Drilling and Breathing: 20 minutes
This helps to burn the proper rowing technique into the muscle memory. Also helps to continue with the warm-up so that we are thoroughly prepared for the workout ahead of us.
-start with arms only 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
-add the back swing 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
-move into quarter slide 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
-half slide 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
-3/4 slide 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
-full strokes 20 strokes low 10 strokes a little harder
(If on sliders) move into one legged rowing building the stroke from legs only, to legs and back, into full strokes. Then switch legs. Do some harder strokes during each stage as well for 10-20 strokes at a time. Feel the blood begin to flow and continue breathing. 2 minutes for each stage of stroke per leg
Steady state 10 minutes
*Drink water as necessary, always remember to stay hydrated.
Workout: 25 minutes
This workout is a power workout for torque
Have fun with it and watch your splits drop throughout the three sets.
You can row at a controlled rating and use the power strokes like weights to build strength and gain muscle coordination
(40 seconds on / 20 seconds off) * 5
3 minutes rest light paddle, keep moving
(30 seconds on / 30 seconds off) * 5
3 minutes rest light paddle, keep moving
(20 seconds on / 40 seconds off) * 5
3 minutes rest light paddle, keep moving
*Drink water as necessary between pieces
Warm-down: 15 minutes
Do triceps and bicep curls with the erg handle for the ever important beach muscles. Summer time for Europeans in pink speedos is coming up! Do these while sitting with straight legs and tall lower back. 2 minutes
Do abdominal work for injury prevention. Do this on erg seat while sitting on front of the seat with a flat back and only going down as low as you feel comfortable. Do not over extend sit ups going down and risk tweaking a muscle or your back. Try different arm positions during sit-ups as you feel comfortable. 1 minute
Light row to warm down 5 minutes
Stretch to finish warm down and help muscles maximize gain from workout 5-10 minutes
*Drink water as necessary
*Always eat healthy some solid food within 30 minutes of completing workout to replace carbs and protein, etc. burned off from workout. Feel free to do this even if you are training to loose body weight, as this is really good for you. Enjoy!
*If training to be an elite athlete, feel free to finish workout with post sets on the weights and some more solid steady state on the ergometer. Have fun!
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
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