Robin Williams is best known for coaching the British womens pair to Olympic Gold medals in London 2012 and Rio 2016; and 11 years coaching Cambridge University for the Boat Race. A master technical coach, he talks about his new coaching business, technique videos and what it was like coaching Mahe Drysdale.

He was previously on RowingChat in 2013

https://rowing.chat/robin-williams/

Timestamps

03:20 Introduction and background in rowing - as a lightweight for University of London.

11:00 Athletes want consistency, fairness and transparency in the selection process.

14:00 Coaching with Harry Mahon at CUBC. Our technical model. He was enigmatic and didn't coach the obvious stuff.

21:00 Robin's coaching style. Length and strong leg push, synchronisation, relaxation, creating rhythm and efficiency in the stroke.

24:00 The margins are made in a race by technique, mentality and efficiency. I have an affinity with people who are good but not yet brilliant.

27:00 Changes to the Olympic programmes - centralised venues. The quality of rest is crucial and recovery time is a limiting factor. Athlete care is now better understood.

31:00 Individualisation of the programme for erg and land training.

33:00 What did GB W2- change between London and Rio?

39:00 Coaching Mahe Drysdale - there's a risk that you cannot change as you age. What is his motivation?

44:30 I try to look at the boat first, not the athlete. Then the oars and lastly the athlete. Consider the observable mechanics and angles. Then find how the athlete thinks about moving the boat.

49:00 Be looking for what you don't know.

53:00 Williams Rowing Coaching - technique videos for coaches and athletes.

https://www.facebook.com/williamsrowingcoaching

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Phil White is the co-author of Waterman 2.0 a book by Kelly Starrett about his journey through watersports, injury and understanding how human performance in repetitive movement sports like rowing can be optimised.

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Timestamps to the show

03:00 Phil White - professional author of books on human performance

04:30 How i met Kelly Starrett - The Waterman and a famous Crossfitter. I got injured deadlifting and watched his videos on YouTube

07:00 Kelly's waterman story - he couldn't feel his arm. His coach said "that's what happens" go and get surgery. So he founded Mobility WOD [workout of the day]

10:00 What percentage of injuries are preventable? Acute injuries are not preventable but many e.g. RSI you can mitigate severity and delay onset. Positions we should be able to achieve and maintain in our body. Train the antagonist movement to mitigate rowing injuries

13:00 How to prevent rowing injury. What hurts? what you've worked out; work down from the neck for 2-3 minutes per side per day on soft tissue mobility.

18:00 Lifestyle changes for overall wellbeing - sleep, cut caffeine 6 hours before bed time and fewer than 2 alcoholic beverages a day; sleep in a cold, dark room and as much as you can; get consistent sleep and wake times

21:00 Mobility with a full range of motion and sustaining under load. Combine with "know thyself"

25:00 Waterman 2.0 book link https://amzn.to/36eRMvC

26:00 number one daily practice - take a walk

29:00 Injury prevention exercises. Start with kettlebell deadlift, 2 handed kettlebell swing; One handed; Turkish get-up; leg strength and grip strength

34:45 What do do when you're injured. Active rest gives bloodflow for healing. But anti-inflammatories and ice blunt your body's "danger" signal and slow the acute recovery phase. It delays your return to sport.

Rebecca Caroe and Marlene Royle talk single sculling and the difference between balance and stability.

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William Mahoney shirt maker for athletes and discount coupon

https://rowing.chat/sponsor/william-mahoney/

Timestamps to the show

03:00 9 Weeks into Lockdown and we are getting back in single sculls

05:30 Back on the water and feeling muscle fatigue. What to do in your first few rows

10:45 Get into a single - even if it is for the first time

14:00 My first single - a Colley for Rebecca; a van Dusen for Marlene

23:00 getting in to a single for the first time. Confidence drills, handle heights, shift your weight to be centred.

26:00 Balance versus stability in the sculling boat. Early drills - row in circles with arms only. Row alternating oars port and starboard - snake down the river. Check your grip and relax your fingers.

31:00 Making 90 degree turns. Learning to back down - blade depth and boat handling and safety skills

34:00 should you turn your blades upside down when backing?

41:00 Why turn boats with simultaneous strokes and why turn with alternate strokes.

48:00 Sculling with oarlocks open drill.

52:00 What two things are you working on? Send us your key focus when you buy a video analysis service.

https://fastermastersrowing.com/courses/video-review/

This week Leah Sass guest hosts as we talk all things Para Rowing. Leah was the coxswain of the Israeli National team para 4+ and dives deep into the differences in "able-bodied" and para-rowing, personality management, conflict control, messing up, and the amazing lessons learned as she took the 4+ to the medal stand on the world stage. There are SO many takeaways for coxes AND rowers alike in this eye-opening episode!

Marlene Royle and Rebecca Caroe continue to provide ideas and inspiration for rowers during lockdown.

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Timestamps to the show

03:30 The Week's happenings - how different countries and states are opening up

06:00 Advice about going back to sport after having Covid19 from a question from Gill Shaw. Consider your age, the duration of the Covid sickness and the severity. As a general rule if you've been off for 8 weeks it will take you 8 - 12 weeks to get back into fitness after any illness or injury. Plan a gradual return. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle and is a real risk post-Covid19. Check with your doctor that you have normal cardiac function.

https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2020/04/24/the-resurgence-of-sport-in-the-wake-of-covid-19-cardiac-considerations-in-competitive-athletes/

15:30 How to make a crew when older masters have fixed up squads already? A question from Kath McGuckin

22:30 How to determine ideal set up for foot stretcher/what is the ideal alignment of the pin w to knees at the catch & how to determine collar placement/ideal inboard and outboard for single and quad. A question from Karin Fecteau

36:00 Marlene's photos from her rowing past.

Global erg contest

https://www.rowerschoice.com/post/rowers-choice-to-launch-the-first-ever-global-virtual-rowing-challenge-following-the-success-of-erg

This week on the CCC, it's another DUTCH EDITION with coxswain and now-lightweight rower sisters Julia and Emma Groenveld. I butcher the Dutch and they provide some cool insight on what their Netherlands-based club does to help coxswains get better when most coxes are left to their own devices to learn the craft AND be expected to perform.

we talk resources, strategies, how to use your athletes and even your "competition" to learn and get better. This episode is jam-packed with fun and strategies, so I hope you enjoy this one!

Follow on Instagram for updates or submit your questions and get involved with the show: @TheCandidCoxCast or email at [email protected]

Julia Groeneld: @JuliaGroenveld

Emma Groenveld: @Emmasophiexx

Skoll (Amsterdam): @Skollamsterdam

Guin Batten is a legend in womens rowing - she has worked so hard to get to the top of the flat water sport and is now actively working to expand into Coastal Rowing making it an Olympic sport.

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Timestamps to the show.

02:40 Background in rowing and outrigger canoeing. FISA elected representative and chair for Coastal Rowing Committee and Womens Eights Head of the River Race in London

08:35 Rowing on the sea goes back a long way. In 20 years FISA started by the French who set the boat dimensions for racing. Test World Championships in Channel Isles was run

12:00 Ocean Racing Adventuress - Tallisker Whisky Challenge is now an annual event with 30+ boats. And the Great Pacific Race from Monterrey Bay to Honolulu and the Drake Passage Crossing from NZ to Chile.

15:50 Beach Sprint Race Format is about getting the audience more involved. Be part of the Beach Games movement - simple, fast, exciting, sharp. The event needs 5 boats in 3 categories 1x, 2x and 4x. It runs a format whereby the quarter, semis and finals are all back-to-back giving 3 races in 25 minutes.

21:00 Becoming a waterman or water woman is key. There’s more skill and agility than on flat water.

25:00 Boat types - the solo (1x), double scull and coxed quad all have a maximum weight designed to keep costs of boats down. 5 manufacturers now make coastal boats.

30:45 What comes next to broaden the sport? Sprints are possible, more events especially multi-sports. FISA added coastal to the Youth Olympics in Senegal 2022.

33:00 Losing 72 Lightweight rowers from the Olympic programme after Tokyo; Guin is working with IOC and FISA to add coastal rowing for those places. It adds value not costs.

36:00 Get inspiration from surfing race formats.

38:00 IOC will get a coastal format which may be endurance or sprint racing.

42:00 How to get involved

Faster Masters tips for continuing to find enjoyment in rowing during lockdown

Marlene Royle and Rebecca Caroe focus on the difference between oarsmen and rowers

Sponsors

First a big thank you to our sponsors – if you can click on ONE of these it will help us stay online. https://www.rowing.chat/sponsors/

Shirts from William Mahoney for athletic men https://www.williammahoney.us/pages/rowing-chat-1

RowingChat Listener survey https://rowing.chat/listener-survey/

Timestamps to the show

02:45 Poll on Facebook group - Masters Rowing International - when do you think you'll be back on the water?

06:50 The difference between oarsmen and rowers. It's a philosophy - culture, etiquette, a way of life.

17:01 Read biographies of rowers and coaches. Read Steve Fairbairn on kindle or Paul Wilson's "Modern Rowing" published in 1969

25:00 A rowing Tale from Henry Trotter, 2018, entitled "Easily"

32:00 Balance Exercises for masters rowers. Marlene explains 2 for you to try

41:00 Power naps as a way of overcoming lethargy and negative thoughts caused by lockdown. Count slowly up to 20 and back down.

Till next time please tell your friends, subscribe and leave us a review.

"The Strength Coach Roundtable" is rowing strength coaches Will Ruth, Blake Gourley, and Joe DeLeo. In this episode, the trio discuss Blake's new book on ankle mobility for rowers, the importance of the ankle for rowing performance, and how rowers and coaches can address this area for better rowing performance and decreased risk of injury.

Buy Blake's new book here: https://www.rowingstrength.com/store/p12/book.html

Part of the RowingChat network and the 8,400-member Masters Rowing International group on Facebook. You can subscribe on our website www.rowing.chat to receive notification of upcoming shows or send in news tips, and listen to other shows in the network wherever you get your podcasts.

It’s time to geek out! Join us as we talk to Kevin at Concept II to talk about the new Comp Blade. Get some history and technical insight into rowing oar design and innovation.