Introducing myself!

Hello, my name is Charles and I have recently moved back to Newport Beach after living here back in 2004. I workout with Xeno and friends at the Iron Oarsman in Costa Mesa, and also row on the water in the back bay of newport beach. Rowing in California is so much fun for me to do everyday before and/or after working, and I look forward to posting about my experiences here on Xeno's blog. I look forward to reading all of your rowing thoughts as well, and am excited to be a part of this blog. thanks, charles

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

6K for XENO MULLER...

The last time I rowed a 6K was in 2001 and I pulled 18:56 I remember it averaging below 1:36/500m... Six years later with far less training, I MUST ADD. I pushed a 6K in 20:35 which is a 1:43/500m. You might ask: Why such a long wait? Simple, it is called grievance and burn out from competitive rowing. I am over it now and I told everyone at our rowing studio to batten down the hatches, because we will start doing 500m pieces, 2Ks and 6Ks and the results for those timed pieces will be posted on a rosters on the blog on www.ironoarsman.com. Of course I am not a fascist, this is only for people who volunteer to do those pieces.
Ok that is it for now.
XENO
PS: Check out www.babyanin.com and Iron Oarsman Rowing gear

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

Let's get a sculling eight!

This is it.

I am ready to row again on the water and the more people we can fit in a boat the better.

We need a sculling eight and it will be great.

Sweep rowing is in my opinion not the right exercise for people because it is not a symmetric movement.

I did some research and found the KASCHPER sells Erg Clog footstretcher, which accommodates the rowers with their own shoes. Imagine not having to put your fresh socked foot in a smelly rowing shoe ever again!

In this post I am adding a picture of the Erg Clog.

I am going to ask Kaschper if it is possible to have a sectional eight so it is easier to transport to other rowing venues to sight see and have a good time with other club members.

I heard that Sand Diego Rowing Club have such a sculling eight.

Over and out for now.

Keep rowing on the water and on the rowing machine. If you don't have my indoor rowing DVDs the get them on my website: www.ironoarsman.com.

The website for Kaschper rowing shells is www.KASCHPER.com

All the best,

XENO

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

Rowing could be one way ex-runner could stay fit, not hurt knees

Q. Post-50 after a lifetime of beating on my body in all sorts of ways — a dozen 10Ks, 10-milers, half-marathons and nine of the 26-plus-milers later — my knees, or the cartilage in them anyway, seemed to disappear. I had a torn ACL repaired and both knees scoped. I bike more now and know that's part of the answer to the following couple of questions. Two and a half years since the operations, I have given up running, but the knees are aching again. Is there anything else I should be looking into? I've never been fond of being indoors when it comes to workouts, but maybe it's time to spend time on some sort of machine — or do I just admit I really am old now and camp out in front of ESPN?

A. Don't get too cozy with your remote control just yet. Hunkering down and packing on pounds will only make your injured knees more peeved, says orthopedic surgeon Craig R. Faulks, of Washington Circle Orthopedic Associates, whose practice handles mainly middle-aged athletes. Resting on your duff will also weaken the muscles around your knees, making it even tougher to get around. Time to get up and change the picture.

If you've hung up your running shoes but are still hearing protests from your knees, consider walking them over to a doc. Pain is the body's way of yelling, "Hey, you." It might be time to listen.

Once you get an all-clear, you can start to map out your post-running, low-impact exercise life together. Biking is a smart move, but don't forget about swimming — your timing's perfect for splashing down at an outdoor pool. Rowing sometimes gets a bad rep for being rough on the joints, but if your stroke is right (to avoid over-compression, don't move your knees past your feet ), it could become your new athletic obsession. Worried your stroke's not up to snuff? Make a video of yourself, upload it to YouTube and send it to Concept2 (www.concept2.com). Someone will critique you for free.

Angela H., rowing instructor at Gold's Gyms in Virginia, says she gets inundated with runners — including ultramarathoners — looking to cross-train. "You get the same flow of endorphins," she says. But you can do it without the same ouch factor.

It might be just what you knee-d. (Sorry, I know you're already in pain, but I couldn't help myself.)

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

Rowing with one sculling oar!

Hello rowers and coaches!

Here is an exercise on how to coach rowers to have smoother and more direct catches:

The exercise is done in a double or quad. Take one sculling blade away from the rower and have him row with one oar only. In the quad you can have two scullers do the exercise at the same time on opposite sides. The hand that is not being used can rest on the thigh muscle. The purpose of the exercise is to show the rower that brute force will tear the water and the boat does not move efficiently with the power applied. By making the CATCH PART OF THE RECOVERY, connecting to the water first is easier and applying the leg drive will be smoother. This exercise enhances the "HANG" of the oar and leg drive.

The same exercise can be done on the rowing machine. Remember that I always favor rowing machines on slides and ROWPERFECT.
GO PRACTICE!
All the best,
XENO

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.