Category Archives: Our Mission

Rest Day 10/10/13: Go For a Walk! Along the Charles if Possible!

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Rest Day 10/10/13:

BC Men Spinning at the Canoe Kayak Dock - close to the finish line of the HOCR

BC Men Spinning at the Canoe Kayak Dock – close to the finish line of the HOCR

Go For a Walk! Along the Charles if Possible!

Life get’s crazy, especially this time of year as we gear up for fall parties and the holidays.  Speaking of Holidays, the Head of the Charles is known to rowers as Rowing Christmas.  Every year on the third weekend of October, rowers past and present gather to remember the good old days and push themselves to the limit against the best in the world.  If you can get outside today, go for a walk along the Charles River.  You will more than likely see other random people both tall and small looking at the bridges and turns scouting their line for race day.  Keep an eye out for coaching launches filled with coxswains doing the same thing from the water.  The biggest regatta in the world is just over a week away.  Time to get excited!

Never seen the Head of the Charles Regatta before?  Try the following today!  Take 15 minutes today to stop.  Breathe.  And go for a walk.  If you’ve got a river or body of water nearby go for a stroll and watch some rowing.  How does the boat move in relation to the body?  What part of the stroke does the boat move the fastest?  How’s the form look compared to your erging?

If you’re lucky enough to do this please share your thoughts, where you were, and what you saw!

Rest Day 10/6/13: Good Luck Rowers at Textile River Regatta!

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Rest Day 10/6/13:

All the oars at last years Textile River Regatta!

All the oars at last years Textile River Regatta!

Good Luck to all rowers competing at the Textile River Regatta today!

I’ve been coaching the Wayland-Weston Men for the past two weeks and it’s going to be fun to see all of the hard work being put to the test.  It’s our first race of the season and it’ll be awesome to see where we stack up against the competition.  Head of the Charles is two weeks away!

If you’re in the Boston area, head up to the Merrimack River in Lowell to check it out.  If not, go find a race near you and see what the sport of rowing is all about!

Share your experience and pictures!

Rest Day 10/3/13: How do you incorporate rhythm/skill in everyday practice?

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Rest Day 10/3/13:BC Men WU

How do you incorporate rhythm/skill in everyday practice?

Rhythm and Balance are two skills needed in the boat and in the gym.  One way to improve a skill is by deliberate practice on a regular basis and making every act an act of conditioning.  Showing your body and brain how to move properly over and over again in many different situations will force it to adapt and make a movement second nature.  The simple task of taking the blade out of the water and putting it in the water in time with the rest of your crew is one example.  Below is a video of the BC Men’s Crew Team practicing building 30’s and the chop spin.  How do you spin the boat?  Have you ever tried the chop spin?  Do you use spinning the boat as an opportunity to improve rhythm, balance, timing, and feel?

Rowing WOD 9/29/13: How do you get Motivated? – Share

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Rest Day 9/29/13:RR UVM Men Alumni HOCR

The Head of the Charles is taking place in three weeks.  A lot of rowers have used the Head to get motivated by setting goals to place in the top 20, top 10, or top 3.  I hope you can come check it out and witness one of the most awesome rowing events in the world.  If you can’t, what is motivating you this October?  Below is an excerpt from a great blog on motivation by Alex Black of Wicked Good Nutrition.

How do you get motivated?

The Land of Motivation

Motivation can be tough. It can be hard to find your way to Motivation-land, and once you get there, it can be even harder to stay. It takes at least a month to turn a behavior into a habit, and that month will typically be rife with challenges. Because, you know, the minute you decide to give up sugar or beer the next three social outings your friends plan are a baking pot luck and outing to your favorite craft beer bar…

On top of that, some research suggests it can take up to 3 years to reset your body’s homeostasis (sense of balance) at a new weight. What this means is, if you lose 20 pounds, it can take 3 years before your body recognizes this as its new and healthy weight.

But all that aside, there are a few tricks you can use to help you get motivated and stay motivated. These include:

…Read More Here…

Rest Day 9/26/13: Mobilize!

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Rest Day 9/26/13:

RRC getting after some Hamstring Mobility

RRC getting after some Hamstring Mobility

15min of Mobility

Over the last few days my schedule has kicked in to full gear and I’ve had the opportunity to coach a wide range of athletes.  In the mornings I coach athletes from CrossFit Boston and Boston College Men’s Crew in the gym.  In the afternoon I coach high school athletes from Wayland-Weston Crew.  The biggest thing all three teams need to improve their performance is mobility.  Today is a good day to focus on improving your mobility.  Let’s get after it!

In rowing the longer your stroke the further you can move the boat and ultimately the faster you can go. Same thing applies indoors, rowing on the erg. The only problem with that equation is your positioning. Are you in a strong position at the catch and finish? Today is a day to work on mobility and improve that positioning. Take at least 15 minutes, ideally longer, to work on your tight spots. What limits you? Ankle flexion at the catch? Shoulder mobility at the finish?  Tight hips/hamstrings at Bodies Over?

Share where you tend to be tight during a row as well as your problem areas for WODs. What are you doing daily to work them out?