Does this ever happen to you: you get in the shell, shove off the dock, and then you hear yourself ask:

“Why am I doing this?”

Ahhh . . . a sign that you may be getting bored with rowing.

Yes, it does happen. Quite often. What can you do? My suggestion to get the zing back in your rowing is to try a variation of a theme. Instead of break dancing, try the foxtrot. Instead of email, hand write a letter. Instead of your normal rowing try . . .

1. Go to the dark side
If you are a port—go to starboard. You a starboard—go to port. Why? To live on the wild side. Spice things up. Get a different view.

We have a small team so I have our rowers be bisweepual, they switch sides each year. It helps with body development. It helps with brain engagement. It helps keep folks smiling. A lot of new experiences go on when you switch sides.

2. Add an Oar. Subtract an Oar
Face it, whatever version of our sport you do—sculling or sweep—it is better than the other. If you sweep, scullers need twice the oar and twice the humans to do what you do. If you scull, sweepers are losers and cannot handle the pressure of another oar.

If that is the case, try it. Go on. Add an oar. Lose an oar. See what happens, how it feels. Give it 5 rows, then I bet you will love getting back to your old rig.

3. Take A Break
Go ahead—stop for a bit. Stop until you cannot stop anymore. Stop until you find yourself drooling to get back. Stop until your heart breaks whenever you see flat water.

And if none of those things happen. Then just stop.

4. Go Neoteny
Neoteny is the art of thinking as a child, when you are much older. In this case holding on to the characteristics of a novice.

Remember those days when you just starting rowing? What was cool? What made you go “WOW?” Was it Spandex or the sunset? Erg pieces or rowing at a 20?

Try this, make a list of a few of those WOWs, those reasons you rowed. Then try to find them again. Watch a sunset. Have a laugh. Find the enjoyment that dragged you into this sport in the first place.

5. Go Global
Sometimes getting a view of rowing, a big picture view, helps me with my perspective. This is a sport that has been around one long time. When I’m hitting a bumpy stretch it often helps me find the fun when I think back to all those strokes taken before.

For a new source of strokes taken try either Friends of Rowing History, or Google Image Life Photo archrive and search “Rowing.”

Got any suggestions on how you get your zing back? Let us know, leave a comment.

And if you would like to get more out of rowing, and of life—try my ebook, Rowing Slow. It is free.

Photograph: Charles E. Steinheimer

Post from: Max Rigging

Both are pretty neat sports. But let’s take a peak for a moment at the two—give you a comparison—and then you decide which is better.

Have you decided yet?

Well, if you like rowing better, than just sign up here to become a member of MaxRigging and get all sorts of great rowing content.

If you like mountain biking better, than sign up here to get great biking content from MBTrailReview.com.

Post from: Max Rigging

Physics: the science of matter and motion.

(Told you it was going to be scary.)

If you were pressed hard you could divide rowing into two distinct spheres. The first would be the art of rowing. This “art sphere” deals with human factors such as motivation, team work, leadership, etc.—those human issues where there may not be a distinct right or wrong answer, but an answer nonetheless.

The second sphere would be the science part, specifically physics. Yes Physics. The same word that has freaked out an unlimited number of students and drove more of them to be English majors faster than the thought of Jane Austin could drive them away.

Over the past two weeks I’ve received several inquires about the physics of rowing, so I thought instead of addressing each separately I would post this. I spent years studying the physics of the ocean. When I started I remember thinking, “Wow, this will be cool!” And for the most part it was. Really cool. But there were so many dry, boring, difficult parts that physics about drove me nuts.

The main reason was that the way it was taught and explained. It was removed so much from reality and kept in the theoretical world that it was hard to really like it and see how it applied to more than just a few experiments and line drawings.

But since then a day has not gone by that I haven’t used some of my physics background in rowing. And if you row, or coach, or just work on the equipment, it is the same for you, whether you know it or not.

Physics plays a huge roll in rowing.

Disbelieve me? Read on.

Why should you care about the physics of rowing?

Physics is incredibly important in rowing. You may not know it, or you may not want to know it, but at the heart of what we do, and certainly at the heart of us trying to row faster, lies the science of physics. You have to look no further than simple daily rowing terms like:

• friction
• drag
• resistance
• buoyancy
• waves
• leverage
• erg (let’s not forget our favorite unit of measure of work)

to get an idea of what I mean. In so many aspects of rowing physics is critical. It makes us fast. It makes us slow. It keeps us afloat. It causes us pain. In all aspects of the physical sphere of rowing physics is the boss. Actually, more like the king.

So the question at hand would be if physics is so important in rowing then . . .

How do I get better at the physics of rowing?

Let me write two quick things here. First, you may already be really comfortable and knowledgeable in the realm of physics. Fantastic. However, most people are about as comfortable with physics as they are going to the dentist on root canal day.

Second, I am not trying to say that to be a good rower you need to have a strong grasp of physics. (In fact there are many an accomplished rower that have never had any training in physics). What I am saying though is that whether you know it or not, physics is king. And like driving your car, even if you don’t know much about automobile mechanics your car might last longer—and you might be a better driver—if you knew at least a little.

So how can you get better at physics, especially as it pertains to rowing? As you might expect, as few suggestions are to follow. Thirteen in fact.

Websites

One of the first places I suggest you turn to is the web. There are several websites that address the topic of physics and rowing directly, and do it well. I’ve written about them before, but they are worth another shout out. Here are four of my favorites:

1. Basic physics of rowing
2. Balance of a racing rowing boat
3. How rowing really works
4. The physics of crew

Forums

While on the web you might want to check out some of the forums that are currently active. Forums are a place to learn (from rowers of all sort) and a place to become part of the conversation, if you wish to. Here are three of my current favorites:

1. Talk Rowing
2. Rec.sport.rowing
3. Rowing Illustrated

The forum areas that have topics and post on equipment might be a good place to start. Just keep in mind that you might have to sign-in or register to participate in the forums.

Conferences

Conferences are an excellent interactive way to learn about many things rowing, especially physics. There is nothing like a successful coach who is a good speaker to bring home the importance of the little and big things. A few that are coming up soon (at least on the East Coast of the US) are:

1. USRowing Annual Convention
2. Joy of Sculling
3. Navy MaxPerformance Clinic

(FYI: As a matter of disclosure . . . I will be presenting at both the USRowing Convention in December and the MaxPerformance Clinic in January)

Books

Where would we be without books—especially in rowing? There are numerous worthwhile reads that pertain to rowing, and I won’t suggest that I have read them all. But three that I think might be helpful in terms of this subject are:

1. Rowing Faster (by Volker Nolte)
2. The Nuts & Bolts Guide to Rigging, Tenth Anniversary Edition (by, umm . . . me)
3. Modern Rowing (by Paul Wilson)

Make Physics Fun

A sure way to be more comfortable, and more effective, with the physics of rowing is to get in touch with the fun side of it. Yes, physics can be fun. Here are three resources that show the warmer and funnier side of physics:

1. Richard Feynman. A Noble Prize Laurete, the late Richard Feynman single-handedly was responsible for bringing so much of the boring side of physics to lay folks, in an insightful and humorous way. A great starting place is the book, Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character)
2. Bill Nye, the Science Guy. Hands down, my favorite TV show. Smart, thoughtful, and downright goofy. Although out of production the shows are often run in syndication. Videos of the shows are also sold at Amazon. This is a great book: Bill Nye The Science Guy’s Big Blast Of Science
3. Beakman’s World. A grown up show in kids clothing. Like Bill Nye’s show, Beakman’s World is all about physics in daily life. Good for kids, with lots of good adult humor. Here is a favorite: The Best of Beakman’s World

Sixteen ways to get more comfortable with physics, and how it plays into our world of rowing. Let me know what you think of them, and if any are helpful, or not.

And do you have any tips or insights you care to share about physics in rowing?

Post from: Max Rigging

In sculling span is a very critical measurement. It tells the distance between the port and starboard pins. This is an important dimension of determining the leverage of the boat (how heavy or light it will feel).

Many scullers just stop once they get their span measurement, but there is a need to go one step further. The distance of the pin from the centerline of the boat needs to be equal on both sides.

In other words:

Span is really not very helpful without also knowing the spread.

This short video will explain how to do both. It was requested by a reader (whose name I cannot find . . . sorry). Thanks greatly!

Have a different method, or got a question or comment? You can leave it below.

Row Slow . . . and get more out of life!

Post from: Max Rigging

I’ve written a two-part post about the mindset you might want to have as our economy struggles (Part 1 & Part 2). A few followup emails asked about specifics things that could be done—steps taken to keep a rower fast as the economy slows. Following are a few suggestions, and links to posts, you can do (and read) that just might help you keep things fast in a tough money time.

Suggestion #1: Know what you have

Knowing what you have is so much more important than knowing what you want. Have and want . . . two critical words when money is tight. Why? Because knowing what you have can make a big difference on getting what you want.

Last month I needed two coxbox microphones to replace two that had just broken at practice. We didn’t have any so I bought them from NK. I needed them in a hurry so I paid for the zip shipping.  Just last week I found exactly what I needed—two microphones—in a drawer in the boathouse. I spent money for shipping and my time to get something I needed, when I already had them.

This happens all the time. Have you done an inventory of what you have? Do you know what is kicking around in your boathouse? If you do, you just might save some money, some time, and be just a little bit faster.

• Three Ways Coaches Waste Money

Suggestion #2: Store things gently

Straightforward, I see so many programs with some great stuff that just don’t store it properly. They pay the price. Broken oars, lost seats, damaged riggers. Happens all of the time.

Now that the seasons are changing here in the northern hemisphere (half of our readers are in the southern hemisphere!) storage should be in the forefront of your thoughts about your equipment.

Storage is where most damage occurs. Bad storage means lost money and time. That means being slower.

• Ten Tips for Better Winter Storage

Suggestion #3: Plan your needs, maybe creatively
When money is tight, planning where every dollar, dime and cent goes is critical. Planning is not easy but sure is necessary if you want to keep things going. Here are a two posts that might help you with your planning:

• Planning Out A Rowing Trip

• Why Coaches Buy What They Buy (survey results)

Sit down with pencil or paper, or with a whiteboard, and begin the planning process. One book that might be helpful to be creative in your planning (and one I reread all the time) is The Back of the Napkin, by Dan Roam. A great read.

Suggestion #4: Keep what you have going strong

My family prides ourselves in keeping our cars going as long as possible. A car with 200,000 miles is just getting broken in. I feel the same about rowing equipment.

There are things you can do to extend a piece of equipment’s life. From training the athletes to be responsible, to keeping things clean and repaired, a long life should be expected.

• Six Steps To A Million Stroke Boat

• Last Almost Forever: 13 Steps to Help Your Rowing Equipment Last An Eternity!

You may also want to think about refurbishing a boat, instead of buying a new one. We have done this numerous times with great success. An eight-year old boat that has been refurbished can look, feel, and row like new. If you are interested in this, I suggest contacting Klinger Engineering. They have done wonderful work for us.

Suggestion #5: Prepare for the worse, hope for the best

I don’t know much about economics, but I have an inkling that this economy will be giving us fits for a while. So my mantra these days is hope for the best, but plan for the worse.

For our Spring training trip our original plans have been greatly altered and we have numerous options in place so if things continue in a bad direction we can shift our plans. We hope for Option A, but certainly have Option B, C, D and E on paper, and ready to go.

• Does Rowing Equipment Go Wrong At The Big Races?

• (Rowing) Pain At the Pump

Hopefully things will get better, but you can take steps now to keep staying fast. If you have suggestions on what you are doing, or considering, please let us know.

photo by ed Alfred Alfr

Post from: Max Rigging

The following video shows my way to measure the work-through of a rigger.

Hope you find it helpful.

Post from: Max Rigging

Fellow blogger Robb Sutton, over at Mountain Biking by 198, has just put up a post about a fellow who has been a great service to their community, and who has fallen on difficult times.

If you have a moment, and appreciate mountain biking, pop on over and give the post a read.

Best of luck Scott.

Post from: Max Rigging

Casey Baker, who has been featured here before, recently wrote to me about damage to the bottom of shells. He has been noticing it due to the hard Nalgene water bottles that many rowers are using. Casey is currently the Southern rep for Resolute Racing Shells and sees a lot of boats at all the races he attends.

According to Casey what causes the problem is that during practices rowers store the bottles in the bottom of the boat. The bottles tend to roll around and if there is any sand or grit the bottle can cause wear that actually goes through the inner skin of the boat.

This can especially be a problem in wade-in launching situations, and also may be an issue in saltwater programs since salt can act as an abrasive, like sand.

A simple solution that Casey recommends is to put a sock around your water bottle. Another is to get a padded water bottle holder and clip it to the heels of your feet.  Pad it and/or prevent it from moving as much as possible.

Casey (and I)  hope this keeps some of you from needing unnecessary repairs!

Thanks Casey!

Post from: Max Rigging

I recently wrote on how to do a super simple quick rigger-height check while on the water. The following video is about measuring the height while the boat is in slings (although it can be measured while the boat is seats down if you are adventurous).

The steps to measuring are simple, and so are the needed tools. You can go more advanced with tools, such as with the Active Tools rigging stick (which I like) but a basic tape measure and straight edge is really all you need.

Hope this video helps, and if you have questions or comments please leave them below.

Post from: Max Rigging

Hi Mike: I am 2 seat in a lightweight women’s eight…but we have to row in a men’s boats. This is a really basic question; How do we determine where our foot stretchers should be positioned?

Thanks for the question Casandra. Let’s try a detailed view first, then a quick possible solution.

For Really Novice Rowers (Really novice)
For those rowers just starting out, placement of the footstretcher can be a great teaching tool. Often coaches will put the stretchers at a point where the rowers can use the track’s sternmost stops as a teaching device, so that they don’t over- or under-compress. The feet are placed so that the rowers will almost hit the stops just at the catch. If they go too far, wham, and they stop. For good or for bad, it does help teach.

For Rowers Looking For Comfort
In the past many rower’s calves really suffered greatly from the effect of either the seat track or boat deck digging into them at the end of each stroke. One method of relief was for the rower to move the footstretcher greatly stern-ward, to give the legs more room at the end of the stroke. More room, less digging into the calves. Newer shells with adjustable tracks usually don’t present this problem.

Rowers Looking For Speed
More experienced rowers, which it sounds like that might be you, are looking for something different. They are looking for speed. They want to place the stretchers in the correct position to maximize the energy that is put into the oar.

And it is important where they are placed. The reason being is that placement is about the distance the hip of the rower is located, at the catch, in reference to the pin. And the faster the boat, then the further through the pin (greater the distance that the hips are stern-ward).

Rowers looking for speed will tend to place their footstretchers according to either

1. shin angle to water’s surface
2. work through
3. catch length
4. catch angle

Each of those methods become more involved in terms of the mechanics of determining the correct placement of the stretchers.

Down and Dirty
So, with all that written, what should you do?

If you are sharing the boat with a men’s team, or any other group, then I would suggest that you place the footstretchers in a position where your shins are just shy of perpendicular to the water, at the catch. That might be about the best you can expect when sharing a boat, unless it is rigged specifically for you.

If you are not sharing the boat, it is just your team in it, then I suggest that the boat be rigged off of leverage numbers picked for your group. (You can find suggestions here.) From there use work through. Probably for lightweight women you may be looking at a range of 6 to 10 cms, as measured by the method on my numbers page.

Once you have set the feet, do some testing. Have a SpeedCoach? Great, test away. If not, then use a stop watch.

Adjust, test, readjust until satisfied.

(If you are interested in catch length and catch angle I cover those in my book, and the details are probably too lengthy for a blog post.)

Post from: Max Rigging