Master Coaching

Should Rowers Mix It Up?

By Mayrene T. Earle, M.Ed.

At Masters Nationals in Worcester, Mass., last month, a rower asked me an interesting question: “Is it better to train by rowing in different boats or to focus only on training for the specific event you’ll be racing in?” In other words, should scullers train in bigger sculling and sweep boats? Should sweep rowers go out in different size boats or in singles?

I feel strongly that all rowers benefit from rowing in different size and configuration boats. The basic reason is this: Rowing in different boats gives you information about your stroke that you wouldn’t get otherwise.

For instance, if you are a single sculler, a great way to learn about your stroke is to experience it in conjunction with someone else’s. Rowing in a double gives you instant feedback on how your rowing style compares to that of other rowers. How does your rowing partner’s power phase differ from yours? Do they have a stronger catch or finish? What is their hand speed around the finish? Experiencing firsthand how others approach each aspect of the stroke gives you information about your own stroke. This will help you determine if you want to try changing parts of your stroke in your single.

Tom Kiefer of MIT also suggests that single scullers take out a quad, because the quickness of a quad helps you make sure you’re sequencing your legs, back and arms properly. Besides, he says, going fast is FUN!

Certainly the speed of a larger boat changes the rowing experience, which gives you different information about your stroke. I once had a student rower who was an excellent stroke in a four and could really make a four fly. But in an eight she was much less effective, because her turnaround from the recovery to the drive phase was too slow for the speed of the eight.

The reverse is also true, that is, it’s helpful for rowers training together in a four to break into pairs, or for an eight to break into fours, if only for variation. Using a pair as a training boat teaches adaptability more than anything. Try rowing in pairs with different training partners and you’ll learn a ton about how to adjust your stroke to another rower. This will help you identify what you need to work on to blend better with other rowers in a bigger, more stable boat.

If you have learned to row in eights, learning to row a singles is a MUST in my book. Rowing a single, whether a recreational or competitive hull, will teach you everything you need to know about moving a boat -- as long as you listen to what the boat is telling you. A single will give you a feel for balance, catch placement and timing, as well as visual cues about boat check and run, etc. As Deb Klingamen, a masters rower in Iowa, puts it, “Until you’ve single-handedly moved a boat under your own power, you really don’t get how a boat responds to each force of power you apply.” Deb has made it a habit to row in different size and configuration boats and she told me her rowing has benefited greatly from this variety.

Beth Emery, women’s varsity coach at Wesleyan University, agrees that scullers and sweepers should train in different boats. In particular, she said, learning to scull teaches a sweep rower about power application in a way that ultimately makes them more effective in a bigger boat.

Perhaps the best answer to the question of whether to row in different boats is an old quote about the importance of trying new things: “If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten.”

One last point. Whether your goal is to win races, make the finals at Masters, become a better rower or get fit, if mixing it up in various boats makes rowing more fun or interesting for you then, by all means, do it.

Mayrene T. Earle, M.Ed., is founder of MastersCoaching. She conducts camps and clinics for masters rowers around the world; provides coaching for coaches, and offers Erg Inspiration classes by phone. Contact her at mayrene@masterscoaching.com.

Copyright © Mayrene T. Earle. All rights reserved.


			“Mayrene's coaching stands out for me because she has the ability to get you to do more and row better than you think you are able. Through gentle encouragement and vivid imagery she has helped me find and keep in touch with that rowing stroke buried within.” Noreen Warren,Madison Wisc.

	Should Rowers Mix It Up? By Mayrene T. Earle, M.Ed. At Masters Nationals in Worcester, Mass., last month, a rower asked me an interesting question: “Is it better to train by rowing in different boats or to focus only on training for the specific event you’ll be racing in?” In other words, should scullers train in bigger sculling and sweep boats? Should sweep rowers go out in different size boats or in singles? I feel strongly that all rowers benefit from rowing in different size and configuration boats. The basic reason is this: Rowing in different boats gives you information about your stroke that you wouldn’t get otherwise. For instance, if you are a single sculler, a great way to learn about your stroke is to experience it in conjunction with someone else’s. Rowing in a double gives you instant feedback on how your rowing style compares to that of other rowers. How does your rowing partner’s power phase differ from yours? Do they have a stronger catch or finish? What is their hand speed around the finish? Experiencing firsthand how others approach each aspect of the stroke gives you information about your own stroke. This will help you determine if you want to try changing parts of your stroke in your single. Tom Kiefer of MIT also suggests that single scullers take out a quad, because the quickness of a quad helps you make sure you’re sequencing your legs, back and arms properly. Besides, he says, going fast is FUN! Certainly the speed of a larger boat changes the rowing experience, which gives you different information about your stroke. I once had a student rower who was an excellent stroke in a four and could really make a four fly. But in an eight she was much less effective, because her turnaround from the recovery to the drive phase was too slow for the speed of the eight. The reverse is also true, that is, it’s helpful for rowers training together in a four to break into pairs, or for an eight to break into fours, if only for variation. Using a pair as a training boat teaches adaptability more than anything. Try rowing in pairs with different training partners and you’ll learn a ton about how to adjust your stroke to another rower. This will help you identify what you need to work on to blend better with other rowers in a bigger, more stable boat. If you have learned to row in eights, learning to row a singles is a MUST in my book. Rowing a single, whether a recreational or competitive hull, will teach you everything you need to know about moving a boat -- as long as you listen to what the boat is telling you. A single will give you a feel for balance, catch placement and timing, as well as visual cues about boat check and run, etc. As Deb Klingamen, a masters rower in Iowa, puts it, “Until you’ve single-handedly moved a boat under your own power, you really don’t get how a boat responds to each force of power you apply.” Deb has made it a habit to row in different size and configuration boats and she told me her rowing has benefited greatly from this variety. Beth Emery, women’s varsity coach at Wesleyan University, agrees that scullers and sweepers should train in different boats. In particular, she said, learning to scull teaches a sweep rower about power application in a way that ultimately makes them more effective in a bigger boat. Perhaps the best answer to the question of whether to row in different boats is an old quote about the importance of trying new things: “If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten.” One last point. Whether your goal is to win races, make the finals at Masters, become a better rower or get fit, if mixing it up in various boats makes rowing more fun or interesting for you then, by all means, do it. Mayrene T. Earle, M.Ed., is founder of MastersCoaching. She conducts camps and clinics for masters rowers around the world; provides coaching for coaches, and offers Erg Inspiration classes by phone. Contact her at mayrene@masterscoaching.com. Copyright © Mayrene T. Earle. All rights reserved.