Pre-SIRA Gluckman

This is a quick vid upload.  Make whatever comments you would like for me to address if you all like, I've got a lot of running around for William tonight but I can come back to watch these again.




Takes a few strokes in each build to get the oars going in together.  Catching Jo a few mistakes on the entry, Rachel early once or twice.  Second 20 was better than first.




A few entry bobbles by HannahH.  Just a touch of digging in the bucket.  Kate timing good.  Catches good.




Few entry bobbles by Jo and HannahH.  HannahM make sure you're at full length.  Like the glide finish.  Good workout today.

How to: Row in a headwind

First, let's get this out of the way:  I hate Princeton.  Hate them.  Always have, since my first visit on their soulless campus in the middle of a New Jersey field.  If there was ever an Ivy League campus that had not one thing interesting about where it was located, it's Princeton.  The best part about Princeton is the train station that takes you away from there to New York.

But.......this Princeton 1V blasts into a headwind like it isn't even there:



Watch 6 seat especially.  Headwind?  What headwind.  He has no fucks to give about your headwind. Upper body under perfect control, rowing very long, legs first then the body and arms are just follow through.  Look at 5's catches.  Entering the water at full extension, with backsplash, Every Damn Stroke.

Fuck you, Princeton.  But nice rowing.

The geese are too lazy

Good timing here, want better catches.  We saw better catches later in the row.  All the screaming is Kaela's attempted goose murder and it distracted everyone.



Run up the seat race course on Tuesday 3/28/17.  Tail wind, medium current.  4:22.  Kate roll up timing.  A lot of low finishes in the early high work:  HannahH, Kate.  Kelly you can see the digging.  Overall, this looks rushed and not as long as we'd like.  My swearing is from a high school 8 that started turning right in front of the crew.

I didn't get good video of the Roz this evening, but I was really happy with the high 20s as we went downstream.  The extra length emphasis and the power that required at 38 really got the boat moving well.

In the Regulator, I think the "new" starboard lineup with Renee in 7, RachelB in 5, Melanie in 3 and Allison in bow is the way to go this weekend at FIRA.  I want to get that crew out for practice on Friday while the heats are going on.

Sunday after John Hunter

I didn't reach human until after noon today.  Hope everyone else got a similar amount of sleep.

Looking ahead to FIRA, we can expect heats on Friday necessary in the Varsity 4, Varsity 8 and pair. That's a lot of work to be done on that afternoon, especially given the weather is calling for 20mph winds from the south/southwest.  That's a screaming tailwind.

Fill out your availability for this week so we can plan out practice times.

I get a little close sometimes

Jessie joined me in the launch on Sunday evening.  She mentioned later on how nervous she got with my launch driving, but didn't say anything because I seemed to know what I was doing.  None of the athletes have ever complained......



V8 PCB Tuesday PM on way back from beach. THE BUCKET RETURNS.  Looking for where the bodies are during drive and up to catch.  Stay on centerline until just before catch as the arc of oar takes the inside shoulder over the gunnel.





PCB Tuesday AM. GLUCKMAN workout.  Look at these catches.  I'm pleased.  Nice work Sarah in a tough position.




Tuesday PM @ PCB  If they get only one thing from this vid, I'd like to see more length at the catch. Too vertical with the bodies, not reaching out with courage for long strokes.

Monday PCB mid-day

I'm pretty tired and pressed for time--didn't get a lot of chance to look these over.  Comments are short.

Monday afternoon seat racing lineups:

Gini(Sarah)                                        Phoon(Steph)                                       Mollie(Lopa)
Beth(str)                                             RachelS(str)                                         Tera(str0
Kate                                                    Kaela                                                    Kat
Lulu                                                    HannahM                                             Jo
RachelB                                              Renee                                                   Allison

ARG:  Mandy/Blaze                                        Midnight:  HannahH/Kelly



Boat sitting on port both tonight and Monday AM.  Make sure everyone is releasing at the same time with the stern pair.  Renee out a little early in these first strokes.  Happy with with catches here on Stbd.



5' @ 30.  Blaze get out cleaner @ finish.  Renee a bit late.  RachelB chin up at finish.  Stbd catches start rough get better at :16.  Good port catch at :36  Tera you can see you're a bit short at catch.



Kelly late occasionally here.  Look at the shoulders, Jo and Kate.  HannahH a good example of body control.

Spring break Sunday

Some vids from Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.  I think the team was really tired and not "home" on Saturday.  Rowing was distracted and missing some power.  Sunday morning was better.  Concentration on catches seemed to help both boats.



Less said about Saturday afternoon, the better.  But I'm putting this here for comparison to the next vid:



End of catch practice.  Immediate improvement over the evening before.  Tera, you can see why I'm asking for a bit more length at the catch to bring you in line with rest of port side.  Renee, catch you a bit late on square up occasionally.  Allison, I'm happier about your release.  Perhaps a tiny touch early, but mostly where it should be.  Overall, I'm really happy with the improvement in this boat in just one day.

Now the same treatment for the Roz.  Saturday time trial:



And then Sunday:



Time 2:53, 5" faster than night before.  Kate digging occasionally now.  There's improvement.  Watch roll up timing.  Esp nice stbd catch at :22.  Ports very nice at 1:07 and 1:13 Kelly still digging.  Fast catch doesn't mean driving the oar deep.  Jo--freeze at :1:24.  Need stronger upper body--sitting tall at the finish and swinging through.

For comparison, here's last year's V8.  Note the short finishes.





When you realize you've got the sculls in backwards, it is not usually a good idea to try to switch without docking.

Spring break plan

I've tried to plan out spring break every year.  Some years I keep closer to the plan than others but I'm expecting to follow this to the letter.  A change from many years is the Gluckman workout much earlier in the week and the peak work coming early as well, with a slight taper towards the end.  As I've said, I'd like to see higher energy levels at the John Hunter regatta this year.  Traditionally, we have not performed well at that race and I'd like to change that outcome.  Some of our old friends from Clemson, Florida, Georgia and Rollins will be at John Hunter this year.  On with the show:


Friday 3-17

2k Erg Test

Purpose:  Evaluate the fitness and mental toughness of each athlete

2:30pm start:  Mandy Renee

4pm start:  Allison RachelB Tera Blaze Lulu HannahM

4:30pm start:  Beth HannahH Kelly Kate* Kaela Stacks Kat Jo*

*currently sick/injured

Everyone please confirm if these start times work for you and if not, when.


Saturday  5pm  11k goal  

Long row 4' on 1' off turn at 6pm or end of the Grand Lagoon Marina past bridge, whichever comes first.  TIME TRIAL over 800m course w/ start and 20, settle 32-34

Purpose is to work the kinks out of the travel day and knock off the sand from beach Olympics.  Sightsee a bit--welcome to PCB

Sunday 9am  10k goal

Purpose: to concentrate on catches and length at the catch.
DRILLS:  Half boat row (Lulu knows this one), back down drill, 1st 3" drill, legs only rowing
2x19' pyramids 18-24 and 20-26  Lower rates to give boats time to concentrate on the catches and make positive changes

5pm  14k goal  

Purpose: Catch concentration and aerobic fitness work.  Introducing catches at higher boat speeds and ratings
4x10'  1 at 22-28 spm, 2 at 24-30 spm 1 at 26-32 spm.

Monday 9am 10k goal

Purpose: Concentration on core body control throughout stroke.  The position of the body at the catch must be the same as at body over.  Shoulders on top of a stacked backbone, chin up and inside shoulder low and over the gunnel.  The body should draw the athlete up the slide with the hips and core, instead of toes and feet.

DRILLS: Cut the cake, Accelerate 5s, Pause at body over, feet out rowing
6x5' 20, 22, 24, 24, 30, 32   Lots of time in early races to get on the centerline and set the boat.

5pm 5k goal  

SEAT RACING  Expect 5-6 runs over the 800m seat race course.
Purpose: identify difference between athletes with eye toward selection of top 8, 2nd 8 and/or LW4

Tuesday 9am  16k goal  NOTE: Practice time changeover day.

GLUCKMAN  34-36-38
Purpose:  Comfort at higher ratings, timing and body control carried over from earlier outings

2pm  16k goal

Beach Row  4' on 1' off 20, 22, 24, 22, 24, 26, 24, 26, 28, 24, 24, etc
Purpose: Improve boat set and physical fitness.  Concentrate on body control and finish timing

Wednesday  6:30am 12k goal

Purpose: Reinforce body control.
DRILLS: Cut the cake, pause, outside arm only, feet out rowing
2.19' pyramid, 18-24, 24-30spm

2:30pm 5k goal

Jay's patented start workout.
Purpose: Polish up our start skillz.
Expect 4-6 runs up the 800m course
TIME TRIAL

Thursday 6:30am  10k goal

2x2k 1st at race pace, second at 26-28 w/ starts  Lots of drills in between.  1st 3", half boat rowing, legs only

Purpose: Comfort with the 2k distance, comfort with settling.  Practice of race moves like triple 7s, power 10s,  Reinforce catch skills

2:30pm  16k goal

Beach Row  4' on 1' off 20, 22, 24, 22, 24, 26, 24, 26, 28, 24, 24, etc
Purpose: Improve boat set and physical fitness.  Concentrate on body control and finish timing

Friday  6:30am

Swing/pop 2k.  One final 800m TIME TRIAL

Purpose.  Buh-bye PCB.  Get ready for John Hunter.  Positive final row before de rig and load for home.

Sunday morning vids

No, I have no vid of Rachel flipping.

Start with the pair:



Hannah a lot of water flipped into the air at the release.  Swing through a bit more.  I catch you early on Beth at the end.  Both of you keep thinking about swing.  I know it's difficult to find in a pair, but the longer the knees stay down the longer the boat runs.

Now the Mollie:





Both starboards are digging here, with makes getting out of the water clean at the finish difficult. Don't drive the shaft into the water.  First couple of catches are good, then rowed in and then improving later.



Second catch was good.  But if you freeze at :03, you can see both HannahM and Lulu out of the water before the handles get close to the body.  Need to hold the finishes in more.  At :11, watch the body control in the Gini.  Jo and Kelly falling away, Kate mainly on the centerline. Renee, careful to hold the knees down a bit more to let the body get over at :32.



Issue here is catches being rowed in. Kate, this stroke is short--missing at catch and release. Four different catches at :19. This is only at 32--need more precision and control at higher rate. Gotta keep going up there to get comfortable.





Kelly, digging too deep.  Lots of water trapped on the shaft.  Jo, after this was when I talked about tapdown.  The first and third strokes, you can see how you hit water immediately after the release.  A good thing--at :31 you guys respond well to a power ten.  

A personal request, in memoriam

I don't usually care about rain.  I've got two different types of rain gear so I'm usually as comfortable as possible.  I have learned not to row in wild thunderstorms.  It came from an incident during my high school career that is best forgotten.  Suffice to say my mentor tossed caution to the literal wind and we ended up walking an 8 a mile back to the boathouse without shoes over a gravel road.

So I cancelled this morning's practice as I saw storms rolling in.  The howling wind and crashing thunder outside made the decision a little easier and also woke the dogs.  So not only was I awake at 4am, but everyone was.

Sunday morning will be at 6:30omg in the morning.  Don't forget the time change!  We will be rowing in the dark, as usual.  I'll figure out lineups out of the survivors that make it.

Now.....on to a personal request I have for you.

This is my sister-in-law and her fiance, Tony.  He's step-father to my nephew, the father of my two nieces out in Salt Lake City and Sammi's next child that is on the way.  His car hit a truck a high speed and Tony was killed yesterday morning, 3/9/17, at 6am on his way to work.

They didn't have a lot.  Tony was the sole provider for the family due to Sammie staying home with the kids, 3 year old, 18mo and 7mo.  We've set up a GoFundMe page to support Sammi through this as much as we can and try to get her on her feet.  Now, I'm not expecting a lot of donations from a bunch of college students that already scrape and save just to row.  I see how many of you have to be "reminded" to pay your drivers, semi-formal tickets and everything else.  

I am asking for you all to please post that page on all your social media.  The more views that campaign gets the higher it appears on the GoFundMe directory.  That would be the greatest help we could get Sammi and the kids at this point.  Jessie will probably fly out there at some point soon and so you'll get to see me as a starving bachelor again.  It has been well established that I can't cook anything beyond breakfast anymore.

Thanks for your help.  Enjoy your semi-formal and the aftermath.  See you all on Sunday morning.