How to Cope with Press-Stress at the Olympics.

I am watching the US women gymnast being interviewed on NBC. The journalist are asking plenty of questions about how hard it must be to get to this point and how much pressure there must be, personal rivalry within the team and so on and so forth.
I am sure the coach would rather that the gymnasts were left alone without being asked questions before their competition that they themselves are trying to keep out of their heads to keep focused.
There is plenty of time AFTER the competition to talk to TV.
Getting ready for Olympic competition is best done when the brain is in full trance mode. Keeping the outsiders out is key.
Months before and during the competition at the Atlanta Olympics, my coach became my press-officer. No one from the press had direct access to me, except shortly after the heat and the semi-final. This was particularly important in my case because I never minced my words when I explained what I felt. This helped me keep my focus.
At the Olympics, there are SO MANY distractions for athletes and coaches, especially for the newbies Olympians. It is easy to lose focus.
[caption id="attachment_1068" align="alignleft" width="2803"] Stay Stress-Free with a great smooth row on the Signature Waterrower
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Nice hang in sculling, good for sweep rowing too, but the keystone to accelerating the single scull is missing.

A lovely demonstration of hanging of the skeleton during the leg drive. It is possible that the pelvis could be rotated slightly further to the stern, but nice hang from the spine and shoulder blades.



The problem is that when the hands are closest to the stern, the blades are not near entering the water. The blades hang in the air and will lead to the stroke being rowed in. It is a true pity, because the sculler has huge potential. It is all about how early the sculls connect with the water. The hands must rise when they move to the stern. The blades need to have fallen into the water by the time the knees get to the full compression. (These two pictures were not taken in the same single scull.)



Above, blades enter the water at full extension.

A similar post to this one can be found here: http://biz123.inmotionhosting.com/~xenoco5/how-to-row-safe-and-fast/difference-in-technique-what-brings-olympic-gold-and-what-does-not/

Top two pictures from www.row2k.com

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