Smart Training | Good Team Communication | Sound Sculling Technique. What could have been in 2008 is happening now at the London Olympics 2012

In 2008... I coached two men, Peter and Tom Graves, for 6 months. They almost qualified for the Olympics in the men's double scull, they were one second and scrap behind the winning double. Peter and Tom weighed roughly 25-30 pounds less than Elliot Hovey and Wes Piermarini.... The difference in erg scores for 2K 15 seconds or more. How is it possible that Peter and Tom almost won? Simple, smart conditioning, great communication between brothers, and the right sculling technique. Now Peter is in the men's heavyweight 4X at the London Olympics. I am very happy for Peter. The lesson in all of this is that, technique makes boats move fast and technique is the major handicap in US-Sculling. This needs to change. I can help change this, we proved it.
Xeno

10 Simple concepts to scull and row better and faster.

+ Handle speed on the recovery is not equal to the combined movement of extending the elbows, hinging the body forward, and rolling into the catch. It is the succession of those movements that create a steady recovery with lots of boat run.

+ The right blade movement at the catch cuts into the water, like spear, or a spoon carving out ice cream from the container.

+ The most power a rower has at the oar handle is when the oar is at 90 degrees to the boat. It is also the moment the handle travels the fastest. To stay connected the forward body angle is activated as the last quarter of the leg drive is completed.

+ The handle on the recovery first travels away from the chest, then through the forward body angle away from the hip joint (body over position) and that is it! Through the draw of the hamstrings it is then the stern that comes to the hands.

+ The blade enters and exists the water on the square.

+ Catching and feathering only occurs with the hands moving to the stern.

+ The finish is completed with the lungs full of air.

+ The wheels of the seat accelerate to the finish. On the recovery their speed is steady.

+ The wheels on the seat stop at the finish, they don't stop at the catch, just change direction.

+ You spend more time on the recovery in a race, it is never too late to learn how to glide.

Xeno

Holland Beker Rowing Regatta

Hello Dutch Rowers!

I would like to say hello and share with you some of my great experiences I had racing the Holland Beker. I was fortunate to win it twice and it was a lot of fun for me and my young family. In 1998, I set the course record, 6:38...
One day, after a workout, I was met at the dock by Henri Jan Wienese, Olympic gold medalist himself in 1968, it was great to exchange a few rowing stories.

Michiel Bartman, Olympic gold medalist, once said to me that while I was training on the Holland Beker race course, he and his crew mates were left perplexed. As they came to the race course, I had already started my workout. When they were finished, I was still rowing. A couple years later, Michiel asked me how long my workouts were. I would routinely row 24KM on a 2KM course and that took roughly 2 hours.

The Holland Beker is also the only regatta that offers some prize money for the winner. This is a very welcome financial boost to single scullers. Unfortunately second place winners get nothing, that is tough.

I also love the spectator truck that follows the races, that is so cool. I don't understand why the International Rowing Federation doesn't make such a truck mandatory on race courses with a road running parallel to it.

Finally, I must compliment the rowers and coaches of the Netherlands who always generate very respectable crews at the World Championship and Olympic Games. The Dutch are smart.

Cheers from California.
Xeno

Who is your "row model"? Frans Göbel was one of mine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRHKbFgJX9M&feature=my_liked_videos&list=LLwE9lwZSwC_pjuhjavRXlUQ
Frans Göbel won the world championship in the lightweight single scull twice and he did it with an incredible display of technical superiority. I was very fortunate that my coaches understood Frans' superiority. At the time, my national team coach, Harry Mahon, was known for coaching crews that effortlessly glided over the water. Martin Cross, author of Olympic Obsession, used described Harry's crews as "ghosting along". When I read those words it gave me chills. Few are the crews that display such superiority. Frans' and Harry's technique is the reason why I won Olympic medals and am one of the very few men to have rowed in the six thirties for 2000 meters.
Enjoy this clip of Frans and the others that you will discover about him.

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