Body Concepts Inc

Archive for the ‘Rowing’ Category

I’m going to start my “healthy shoulder” lifting routine next week. I happen to have really good range of motion and strength in my shoulders, but I need to gradually increase the reps and weight of my shoulder routine to effectively handle the leg drive during rowing. I am planning on racing next year in the scull and pair and as one gets older, one must prepare earlier and more gradually to avoid injury. Wish me luck.

Maggie and I rowed with our blades off the water for the first time last week in the pair.  We have rowed the pair a half a dozen times, sporadically.  We were steady-state  rowing, each of us concentrating on our own rowing, when I noticed how quiet it was as we slid up the slide on the recovery.  That’s when I realized we were rowing with our blades off.  I thought to myself, “Don’t say anything.  You’ll jinks it!”  I could sense that Maggie noticed at the same time I did.  We just kept rowing until the joy of the moment got the best of Maggie and she said, “Do you realize we are rowing with our blades off?”  Jubilantly I shrieked, “Yes!”  and five strokes later we lost our groove.  We stopped and rejoiced in how sweet it was.  If we did it once we can do it again.  We rowed easy the short distance back to the AC and the row was capped off by a perfect dock by Maggie.  Can’t wait for our next row.

Rob and I took a little break from blogging, but we are back!  Look for cycing race team updates, Linda’s gardening progress, rowing adventures, and general BC news.

Well, I managed to finally convince Rob to come rowing with me.  Now, I am not naive; I know Rob did not decide to start rowing with me because he wants to spend time with me doing something I love.  After witnessing the power that Olympic hopeful rower, Matthew, can generate on the bike, he became very interested in rowing.  Rob and I went out in the sculls yesterday after he finished teaching a Pilates Barrel Teacher Training course around 4:30pm.  It was a little muggy, but there was no wind, nobody on the lake and the water was glass.  This was Rob’s third time in the scull and he was doing great.  He has phenomenal balance and great strength and endurance in his legs from cycling, so he is a natural at rowing.  We rowed past the 2K and spun the boats after the orange buoys.  When we got back to the 2k I suggested we try some starts.  Normally I would not have a beginner practice this because they are likely to flip the boat, but Rob is a stud.  We did a fraction five start of 3/4, 1/2, 1/2, 3/4, full.  That means you start at a 3/4 slide with your blades squared and buried, take that stroke then your next stroke is only half a slide, then another half and so on.  These are short strong strokes to get the boat up and moving.  We had already done two starts and Rob was doing well.  I told him to try and go a little faster with no layback, just legs and arms.  Did he ever!  3/4, 1/2, 1/2 3/4, BAM!  There was a loud noise and Rob’s boat dipped drastically to starboard.  His starboard gunnel was under water and he is struggling to keep the boat upright.  I involuntarily scream No, no, no, hold on!  His strong legs and balance came in handy.  I think anyone else would have gone into the drink.  He rights the boat and is fine.  What happened?  On the last full slide, full power stroke, Rob sheared off part of the track that the foot stretchers are in and his entire foot stretcher came out of the tracks.  It wasn’t because they were loose either.  I rowed over and I locked our riggers together and as Rob put his foot stretchers back in he said, “The Legend Begins”.  Rob is the least braggadocios person I know, so that comment was unexpected.  I laughed so hard I almost flipped us both.  Foot stretchers fixed we headed back to the dock.  It was a great row back and as we moved our boats quietly down the lake side by side, I was very happy that rowing is great cross-training for cycling.  The Legend Begins.

Last week I met Caryn and Maggie at the boathouse to row the racing sculls again.  On the walk down the dock I mentioned that I felt fine, just really off.  Just one of those days when my mind and my body were going two completely different directions.  I jammed my wrist on the dock just getting in the boat.  First time that ever happened!  Bob, our coach, mentioned that my balance was off in the boat.  I said, “Yep sure is, please help everyone else; I will do some balance drills.  Fifteen minutes later I flipped the scull.  Luckily for me I had just asked Bob how one gets back in the scull if you happen to flip.   And the water temp was the perfect temperature!  On the second try I got back in the boat.  Not an easy task on a very narrow, tippy racing scull.  All my swimming (comfort in the water) and upper body strength definitely came in handy.  I had fun actually!  Matthew says one is not a true sculler until you flip the boat three times.  One down, two to go.  I’ll keep you posted.

As I crested the hill at 6am this morning, the sun winked at me briefly before I dipped  into the cool remnants of night on the west side of the foothills.    I was heading to the boathouse to work on a client’s rowing technique to acheive pain free movement in the boat.  I am looking forward to helping someone continue to do what they enjoy.  I run through in my head the session plan.  Still in the long shadow of morning, before me the sun laid a golden path to the valley and the horizon beyond.   I sped down the hill to my appointment and the endless opportunities that await to live my life exactly how I want.  So far I am on target.  I love mornings.

Caryn and I rowed in the racing sculls this morning.  Maggie opted to stay in the Hudson.  The slender boats are definitely more unstable than the wider bottom sculls.  We loved it!  All the  gym ball balance drills and core work  I do have paid off.  Pilates rocks!  I was able to achieve full compression and slide without tipping.  My blades are still a tad on the water on the recovery, but not much.  Next year I am absolutely going to race the scull!

Well, I have an accurate appreciation for how difficult it is to row the pair.  I was lucky enough to have Matthew sitting behind me to guide me.  It was a wonderful learning experience, where every move you make is felt.  There is no hiding in the pair and the scull.  I love it.  Maybe one day I can be good enough to row with Caryn and Maggie (if she switches to Port )  Maggie and Caryn you guys rock!

I went out yesterday morning  for a row in the single and aside from all the flotsam in the water, it was a perfect row.  I was a little tired from the previous day’s row, so I practiced relaxing and my stroke was really smooth.  I did steady state for about 45 minutes and managed row straight and to have one perfect stroke.  Perfect mind you.  It felt effortless, powerful, relaxed and balanced.  It was great!  I am hoping to possible do two perfect strokes next time, but those are high expectations.   I am rowing tonight with the Masters.  We will see if I still remember how to sweep row and follow someone else.  I hope you are all taking advantage of these beautiful mornings.  It would be criminal to let even one morning pass without standing in the beckoning light of daybreak and enjoying it.  Hummingbird is outside my window.  Think I’ll go out and say hello.  Enjoy your day!

Absolutely beautiful row this morning at Lake Natoma.  Caryn, Maggie and I went out in the singles.  The water was glass and we had the lake to ourselves.  What a way to start the day!  We had a nice cardio row where we did steady state rowing and worked on having a nice, clean, easy swing.  How fortunate we are to have such a great venue one exit away.