A sculling stroke that can easily be improved, creating more boat speed with a lot less effort..... Rowing

[caption id="attachment_921" align="alignleft" width="532"] Pulling while pushing.... it could go easier and faster.[/caption]

The competitive rower above is in the middle of his start strokes. His arms are bent during the most powerful part of the leg drive. In other words, what this rower can pull is currently equal to what his legs can push... Does that seem right to you?

The legs are the most powerful part in the rowing stroke. In between the legs and arms is the back... Is the back more powerful than the arms? Yes. The sculler would be a lot faster in a more sequential application of power. Combining all three body parts at the same time, pushes the rower against the foot board rather then moving the boat past the oars. It is key that the leg drive with a suspended body drives the oars as far to 90 degrees to the boat as possible before a pulling motion is fully engaged. The pulling motion is most effective when the oars pass 90 degrees to the hull.

This type of technical deficiency can be corrected through five different exercises. A stroke analysis with a clear explanation of what these exercises are supposed to feel like solves the problem.

Xeno Müller
Rowing Coach
Olympic gold and silver medalist
Olympic record holder

Where to go after Club Nationals, U23 World Championship, 2012 Olympics, what is the rowing plan?

Hello US-Scullers and Sweep Rowers who want to pursue sculling competition at the highest level.

In a little bit over a month, the Olympics, the Senior World Championship, the U23 World Championship will be over. For most of the US rowers it will be a time to reflect and consider future rowing plans.

I always thought that I would return to competitive rowing as a technical rowing adviser. For the last four years I have been coaching scullers and rowers worldwide by controlling their technique and writing training programs. The success is easy to measure, several rowers with whom I have worked are competing at these Olympic Games.

Now, I want to tighten my focus on developing sculling in the United States.

Single sculling on a summer day with aspirations to international success.

[caption id="attachment_863" align="alignleft" width="967"] Sculling on a summer day.[/caption]

Today, I virtually traveled from Ontario, Canada to Pennsylvania, and back to Canada, British Columbia. Making scullers faster one coaching session at a time.
I picked this screenshot, to prove that getting your stroke analysis is a dynamic experience!
Xeno

Coaching Rowing Indoors and Outdoors

I enjoy posting shots of rowers from around the world.
[caption id="attachment_859" align="alignleft" width="761"] Improving on rower at a time :-) [/caption]
I am the most cost effective way for rowers to improve their rowing skill.

Maintaining muscle mass when rowing and getting ready for competition.

[caption id="attachment_46" align="alignleft" width="252"] Xeno Rowing Coach[/caption]
To tell you the truth, I never had a problem maintaining muscle mass... I was always on the other side of the fence, which was a pain also. Even in full training, I had to watch what I was eating, it was always very easy for me to put on some wrong pounds... However I like what was happening on the other side of the fence, those rowers were able to eat whatever they wanted and it drove me nuts. On the other hand, they looked at me and were envious that I was not struggle to keep my lean muscle weight on.

After reading a few books on physiology, I found a pattern of training to maintain muscle mass. Oddly enough, over the years of competition, this type of strength training was never utilized in the competitive rowing circles that I knew. The process is simple. Lift weights at ultra slow speeds. The training effect is felt immediately and the key is not to overdo this type of training. The result is a continuous stimulation of the muscle that keeps rebuilding itself stronger. There is certainly a smart training rhythm to adopt while training full time for rowing competitions. Key is not to undermine the dynamic execution of the stroke at high rates per minute.