8/14//09------------- -----
Master's Nationals is in full swing. I'm very proud of my students!
Latest thought....
Feeling nothing while getting connected....
is something!

7/31/09
WOW!
It has been a whole year since I got on my site. Well, "word of mouth" marketing has gotten me off the web. I have been swamped this past year with coaching and family. It is a great position to be in!
I've done a lot of work reviewing the 2008 video and have affirmed some big conclusions. Nothing revolutionary, just more clarity on a great thing.

Hop, plop, bounce, pop, off, rebound....again !!!!!!!!!!

Tip of the day....
Your head has to go with your pull. Note the header to my site. Those guys are not looking at their sterns..............Riles

6/ 21/ 2008--
Summer is starting to ramp up! We just survived a heat wave and are ramping up for the Independence Day Regatta.
One thing is for sure.....
................If your sternum is not perpendicular to the water (after your torso / body prep) you will not be able to support your "pull" against your legs. You will have less power and no suspension through mid-drive. So, sit up!
Tip....
......Your chin up will help you keep the sternum up.

Take care,
Riles

3/17/08
Spring is in the air! I'm already back into "full swing" on the river. It will soon be a mad house out there! Philly rowers should be wearing kevlar instead of rowing it.......
Thought for the early season
............Are your hands in the correct place?
Here is an old posting of correct hand position through the mid-drive. Stroke's hands and elbows are correct. Bow's are not! In order to look like stroke through the mid-drive, how deep must your handles be in your palms?
Hint......When squared, can you see you fingernails on the underside of the handles?
Riles

3/19/08
Miami Beach pics are up!!!!!!!

3/12/08
Miami Beach went SUPER!!!!!!!
Pictures will be up soon.......

Everyone in Philly is starting to gear up for spring rowing. I have some helpful reminders for 08'.
*In the midst of squaring, your oars' shafts should be parallel with the water. Check out any top elite sculler and you will see a moment of parallel oars.
*Connecting to the water and "loading" your body is a separate event from the "drive". Too many rowers are trying to move the boat during the "connecting" phase of bowward motion. When the blade(s) touch the water you will be forced to move something, hopefully your legs, toward the bow. While you are starting to bow the blade is covering and your body is "overtaking" the oars. If you do this correctly, you will be stretched out and slightly "suspended" on the handle(s) via the leg's movement toward bow, but you will not have your legs "screaming / on fire".
*The real "drive" comes after the legs have "con-nected" you. All things perfect, 3/4 slide (ap-proaching a flat foot) will be the real beginning of pushing and by 1/2 slide ( hands about to overlap) your shoulder(s) & arms will be pitting your whole torso against the, already in motion, legs. Putting the torso "ON" with the shoulder(s) & arms must be done just before your oar comes through perpendicular to the hull. This timing will produce ultimate suspension of your weight out of the boat & max power of your whole body on the oar bowward.... right when it is easiest to move the boat forward. So, you get max power (from your body) when the boat is out of the water the most ( least drag) and the oar is in the best place to lever the boat forward (perpendicular).........instead of a catch to finish "squeeze" you feel a loose and patient connecting followed by a "hanging" on your legs, then a "popping" peak in mid-drive / opening.
......................Hope this helps......Riles

1/ 30/ 2008
Last chance for what will be an awesome week in Miami Beach!
Wow...where have I been?
I've been in the gym and on the water. My Philly groups have made great strides in the gym, on the ergs, and on the water. I'm getting Miami Beach together and looking forward to a week in the warm sun. Many of you are getting ready for erg competition, my groups are using the erg in a way that supports good rowing more than just erg scores. We make a catch and finish like rowing square blades. We have been doing three types of rowing specific "land" work in an effort to increase plyometric muscle firing, isometric power, and a strong core to support the upper body against the legs through mid-drive.
Want a plan that works in the boat?
Take care,
John

11/25/2007
Miami Beach 2008 Get out of the cold and get faster for 08'! Register NOW.....only 2 spots left in first week!
We just got in from an awesome trip to Rhode Island and Boston. Thanksgiving is a great holiday. Maybe the best.....
I stopped into Narragansett Boat Club at 6:30am on "Black Friday" to give some coaching to a couple of determined scullers. The Seekonk is a beautiful river! They were ready for change and I enjoyed helping them redefine what really moves a boat. This is the best time of year for starting stroke/ technique changes. There is no pressure to race etc....
Everything went very well, but one thing I run into wherever I go is....."If I change my stroke and then I do not row like the other people in my club, how do I row with them?"
I have a simple rule for this.....row the best way you know how.
Set your recovery rhythm to compress and change direction in the stern with everyone in the boat. You will be helping the crew, even though your bladework might not look the same. I've seen, coached, and medalled in boats where the crew's technique was not perfectly uniform........and just when you think "I have it" remember, everyone can row better! .............Riles

11/05/07
Miami Beach 2008 is ON !!!!!!!
Get registered NOW.....limited space this year!!!!!!

As winter approaches, for many, the oars get put away and erging or some other sport consume you.
I look at this time, irregardless of your weather conditions, as an opportunity to recover from a long racing season. It is also a time to reflect on your efforts and look ahead to your training for 08'.
The best advice I can give you is to, "Take a break from your routine and get some balance into your body."
Last Saturday I took my rowers off the water and we did a very minimal "land workout" filled with stretching, a little isometrics, and light cardio.
They are all telling me how great they felt after it and many are sore today from stretching and using muscles they never use. It is healthy to use your body in more than a rower's "driving" way! So, get out of the boat and enjoy " not being hunched over" after 60min of exercise.......Riles

10 / 30/ 2007
BOOOOO!!!!!!
Pics are up in the Gallery of Worlds, Canadian Henley, and my "local" rowers.

Miami Beach 2008 is ON !!!!!!!
Get registered NOW.....limited space this year.

I'm out with Maddie & Duncan tomorrow night and all I can think about is keeping them safe. We'll bring flashlights....which reminds me to offer this tip. Put on some reflective gear and mount a flashing bow and stern light on your boats. If you row early or late in the dark like we do in Philly. Remember the horrible incident in NYC.
Training tip for fall/winter...........
Get started on plyometrics, isometrics, flexibility, core work, and rowing/erging technique during steady state ASAP. You are not getting any stronger for next year's season by "just rowing".
Take care,
John

10/3/2007
Heeeere's Joohhnnnyyyy!
WHAT A SUMMER !!!!!!!
I'm still not up to speed yet, but at least I'm back on line........
I'll be posting World's & Canadian Henley footage and pics this week in the gallery.
I'll try to update everyone on my summer and this fall's events. So far the head racing results are great!
Keep it up..........Riles

7/30/07
WOW, what a time lapse...I guess you all must be wondering where I've been......where to start?
......Rich and Andy won the selection regatta for the ltwtM2x! ..Then we raced in World Cup II (Amsterdam) qualified for Worlds and learned a bunch. We then went to the PanAms in Rio. They got the silver, check out the pics, and learned a bunch more!! We are now getting ready for Worlds in late August in Munich.
......The PennAC intermediate sweep program I've been in charge of has gone through many phases, but we are concentrating the squad for an "all out push" at Canadian Henley next week. They are a good and hard working bunch of young men and
I've enjoyed working with them and all the coaches. Next week will be fun and challenging for all.
My masters have been kicking butt all summer. I've been getting great reports from scullers all over the country! Congrats to PBC's Cal Sutliff for winning both 1x & 2x events at Master's Henley (UK) you too Duncan Spencer (his partner). Here are some local summer regatta pics of RileyRowers all winners to me!
Good luck to all in Tenn for the Nationals....Riles

5/23/07
Upcoming events.....
NSRIII June 1-3
Seattle Sculling Clinic (2 spots open)June 8-9
Start of PennAC Summer Program 6/13

Congrats to Andy and Rich!!!!!!
One down and one to go for the Pan Am ltwtM2x spot. Every time you go down the course you learn a little bit more.....................Riles

5/21/07
Well I've been spending a lot of time in the launch!
Getting into a launch without all the winter clothes is wonderful. To me, summer is when at 6am you can coach in shorts......
The ltwtM2x is at Pan Am trials this week. They just cruised through their heat this morning. We are gunning for NSRIII and the World team, but how can you pass on PanAms? Rowers train so hard, but rarely get to race. The 2x is using this trial to get in more "racing". It will make them much better down the road. You can never get in enough race experience......................Riles


4/ 17/ 2007
In an effort to help all those college kids looking for something to do this summer, I will take on the running of the intermediate program at PennAC. I created and ran a program like this for years while at UnionBC. It is a ready GOOD THING TO DO, but for 8 weeks it will consume my time and energy this summer. If you are interested in helping me with all the tasks involved or want to be in the program.....please email me.
Post flood all that remains is...........mud!!!!! (last year's flood) Looks like boathouse row faired well this time. The flooding wasn't as bad as the last year. I think we will be in the water sometime tomorrow. I had just finished using my launch's prop as a dredging tool for the area where I park at PennAC. When the summer "low water" level comes my slip area becomes an island. More "dredging" to come!!!!!
Riles


3/29/07
A couple of clinics / weeks later and here I am back on the web! This is a crazy time of year. The colleges, high schools, and clubs are all getting out in the darkness of 6am. I try to coach via the street, bridge, and moon light, but it isn't easy. Soon we'll be out of the darkness, but the traffic on the river is here to stay!
Coaching tip.....use your upper body / biceps to suspend your weight off the seat with the support of your back & leg's "standing up".
If your weight is on the seat as you go through middrive, you are "driving" a boat with more drag....just a thought................Riles

3/13/07
"Spring is in the air...."
Home safe and sound....what a great trip!
Lots of pics and video to put up this week.
We are in full "spring swing" on the Schuylkill.
The time change has me coaching from a spotlight at 6am It feels like winter, but we are on the water!!!
It is tough to go from Miami Beach to this, but hot coffee feels good up here!
To everyone that went to Miami Beach.......
GREAT JOB!
I enjoyed the learning process and your company.................Riles

2/13/07
Miami Beach....here we come!!!!
We are hitting the road tomorrow. A quick stop at PBC and then nothing but warmth awaits!!! We have an awesome group of scullers assembled for the two camps. I am really psyched for the upcoming coaching. Twenty years of "skinning the cat" and yet another new twist is in my head...
The past couple of days have been consumed with prep work. I decided to avoid the 42' trailer haul for just 10 singles and a Stillwater Solo 18' launch. So, I loaded the Solo on a 20' boat trailer, then built framing over the launch to support shell racks. At first it looked a little "Beverley Hill Billies", but it works!!!!
Mike C suggested pulling into Mako for the $99 paint job....I'm sure I could get that done in Miami, great idea Chip!
As the snow falls and freezing rain is predicted, I wonder if we will "hit the road".......
4 or 5 years ago I was rounding up the boats in New England. I was about to leave Vespoli's shop with an 8+, when a blizzard ran up the coast!
Tron wasn't going to give me the boat, but he did. Susan remarked on how we couldn't see 20' in front of the truck. We were going 10mph and there wasn't another car or truck on the road. I said to her, " On a clear day you can see New York City from here". We were better off without the view, realizing that we were on the top of the Tappan Zee bridge with the crosswinds at about 50mph.
Two kids later, we'll wait for better weather and take 3 days to get there safely!
Take care,
Riles

1/29/07
Tony Schneider was awarded the Vesper Master's Award for performance in 2006.....way to go Tony!!!
.....Just got back from an awesome clinic at Treasure Coast Rowing in Palm City, FL. What an incredible venue. Thank you for being such good students and hosts!
......This morning I went out at 6am to 25 degrees and 2-3 inches of snow! After clearing off the launch and putting it back in I took a spin to keep the motor "ready" and watched a UBC 4x go out. It was blowing like "stink" ....an old fishing term!
.....After being in Florida for 3 days I'm quite sure that rowing in this weather is crazy, but we need to do it. Every good stroke made now will count on the line in the summer. Just a few more months for getting stronger and rowing better!
In racing season, it is impossible to keep your strength (bigger now...is better) and very hard to make any big technical changes...
Just a couple of weeks before we are off to Miami Beach!
Time flies....................Stay warm!
Riles
.........

1/24/07
Philly has gotten cold, but we are still out on the water!!!!! Great rowing this morning.
Here is a good technical concept for you.....
...........Connecting to the water and "loading" your body is a separate event from the "drive". Too many rowers are trying to move the boat during the "connecting" phase of bowward motion. When the blade(s) touch the water you will be forced to move something, hopefully your legs, toward the bow. While you are starting to bow the blade is covering and your body is "overtaking" the oars. If you do this correctly, you will be stretched out and slightly "suspended" on the handle(s) via the leg's movement toward bow, but you will not have your legs "screaming / on fire" . The real "drive" comes after the legs have "connected" you. All things perfect, 3/4 slide will be the real beginning of pushing and by 1/2 slide your shoulder(s) & arms will be pitting your whole torso against the, already in motion, legs. Putting the torso "ON" with the shoulder(s) & arms must be done just before your oar comes through perpendicular to the hull. This timing will produce ultimate suspension of your weight out of the boat & max power of your whole body on the oar bowward.... right when it is easiest to move the boat forward. So, you get max power (from your body) when the boat is out of the water the most ( least drag) and the oar is in the best place to lever the boat forward (perpendicular).........instead of a catch to finish "squeeze" you feel a loose and patient connecting followed by a "popping" peak in mid-drive / opening...............................
............I'm in Palm City/Stuart, FL giving a 3 day clinic over the weekend. I'm looking forward to getting off the water without someone asking me,"Where is your skimobile?"........ One day I'll hold my camps at this venue. Its a very laid back and serene waterway. Out of hurricane season!
.............Miami Beach has a couple of spots for the "on the fence / grab a bag and go" types.........Riles

1 / 09/ 2007
What a stretch of weather the east coast has had! Ergs are getting rusty in Philly. We had a sculler brake her ankle over the weekend. She slipped while carrying a 2x down to the water. Makes me think of two things...
1. Watch your step in this "not quite winter" weather!
2. Bone density! Stay with weight training till "your numbers up" and you will suffer less brakes.
I get more rowers who injure themselves off the water while getting a boat on or off the rack. Rowers tend to lose all sense of correct lifting technique around the boathouse. Another reason to hit the gym! Winter temps put more rowers into team boats and a team boat requires a "team lift".
Now that the Holidays are over, I will be focusing on Miami Beach with a couple of clinics before the trip.
There are 2 spots in week I and 1 spot in week II. Get in NOW!!!

1 / 03 / 2007
Most of the masters I coach race both seasons (sprint / heads). The two require very different strengths. Winning a head race requires a very "lean" and "AT" driven training schedule. Winning a 1K requires mega power and preparation for slick rowing at the "top end" of ratings and lactate levels. Both have the same demands on your rowing technique. I believe that you really need to be getting stronger NOW in order to win at both. 1K sprinting requires anaerobic tolerance and lots of power. You can afford to be less lean and more mean! If you train correctly, you can get your power NOW and by the time you need to shift gears from 1Ks to Heads you will be in a stronger place to get lean and AT prepared.
If you do not get stronger NOW, then you will be weaker for both racing seasons.
WEAKER THEN YOU WERE LAST YEAR!!!!
That's right.........if you row and do AT all year, without weights, you will be WEAKER!!!!!
Hit the weight room with full force and "bulk up" for the road ahead.....NOW!!!!!!
The growing season has only a few months left..................Riles

12/26/06
I'm stepping out till after New Year's Day!!!!!
All you northeastern rowers must be enjoying the rows!!!! It's a great winter for rowing on the east coast...
If you want to ski or board, Duncan Howat and the northwest, are getting slammed with snow and ice this winter. We'll get ours soon enough.....
I'm happy to say that Miami Beach is almost full just 4 spots left so Get in now!

Susan, Maddie, Duncan, and myself wish you and yours a Happy New Year!
I look forward to helping you keep your New Year's rowing resolutions!!!!!

12/20/06
On Saturday the 23rd at 9:30am, after the morning row (8am), we will be having a very informal get together at Vesper's bar. I will be giving out the coveted RileyRowing mileage award!
Unlike other mileage awards, this one will go to the Philly sculler who rowed the most strokes, in 2006, with a style I liked (very subjective).
I know you are probably thinking that it should go to the sculler who put up with me barking in their ear for the most miles!
It probably should.......Riles

12/07/06
Miami Beach is really shaping up!
Get in now!
We did the plyometric land training this morning and I have some thoughts to share...... If you are doing isometric strength training, and you should be, then the goal of the plyometric training is more focused on your ability to relax, stretch, and then fire the muscle group you are training. One of my students mentioned that he wasn't getting a "burn" from the way I wanted the exercise done. He also mentioned that it took longer to fatigue the muscle group when he relaxed, stretched, and fired. Verses not fully stretching out / relaxing before firing.
Well, one of the biggest thing plyometrics offers is efficiency . You also get a stronger contraction! More relaxation also means more range of motion. So, it will take longer to get a "burn".
What you really want to do is train your muscles to quickly relax, stretch, and fire! There is a lot of info on the web.....Google it!
Think of golf, tennis, baseball, and most other sports and you will get a better understanding of why rowing is plyometric and isometric.......................Riles

12/04/06
A formation of a hundred geese went over our heads this wintry morning. Through the still morning air came, HOOOONK HOOOONK!!!!!
It is getting close to the time when everyone's thoughts are on.......
..............................mileage awards????
The desperate will be found in their shells right up to midnight on New Year's eve!
I never understood the interest in tallying up the miles. It was always a chore to "log in", but some of my students are obsessed with winning their club's mileage awards.
I love to ski, but I've never seen skiers tallying up the miles on the slopes. I'm sure runners know how much they run, but are not looking for any award.
Rowers really are a funny competitive group, myself included, clinging to almost anything they can add up for a merit badge.
Concept II must love everyone's ability to obsess on mileage, but I'm sure they would only want you to "virtual row" all day on their erg. Heaven forbid anyone move on from an erging class to real rowing. Maybe PlayStation will collaborate with CII and come out with a rowing game....... Is CII promoting rowing?
How about getting into a boat for the love of rowing?
Let go of the numbers for a change.
I'm sure most of you will erg this winter.
Try it without the monitor..................Riles

12/01/06-
Wow, another big posting gap. Not enough time in a day for this coach!
Miami Beach week has one spot left!
Still have 4 spots in week 1
As the Holidays approach we are all pushed to some level of madness, but I love the winter months and our kids are a blast! If only I saw the same twinkle / gleam in a master's eyes when I mention land training! I'm sure you all have a lot to do so just remember this........
.............DO NOT SKIMP ON STRETCHING, WARMING UP, COOLING DOWN, AND BE PATIENT IN YOUR WEIGHT ROOM PROGRESSION. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY............
There I said it. Please read it again. I have two injuries in my Philly group already. One sculler went skiing for three days out west. Skiing is great and I applaud his effort to stay on schedule, but he did weights at altitude, in his third day of skiing on his first trip of the season, and pulled a muscle....BIG TIME!
You must grow over the winter, but getting an injury defeats the purpose. If you exercise with proper form and follow the warning above, then you will minimize your exposure to injuries.
Exercise responsibly.......................Riles

11/20/06
Soon my picture will look the part for around here! It has gotten bitter cold again... maybe it is just me.
The registration page for Miami Beach is back up!
Thank You Maria Picone!!!!!!!
When and how you put the back against the legs is a critical thing. I recommend using the shoulders as your guide. You must fully stretch you shoulders out of the bow. Sooooo stretched that they must be "flaccid" to get fully forward. If you have this position.....and don't give it away during the load up or first half of leg drive.....then, just before your oar(s) come through perpendicular you will be able to throw / whip your shoulders back (elbows going back and out) to put all of you against the legs at perpendicular!!!!
I coach the "back" opening as one event. The "pulling" of your arms is really an attempt to use the upper back via your shoulders. Attempting to whip your shoulders through will force you into using your lower back for support. If done at the correct time, just before perpendicular oar(s), you will "peak" your drive right at the best place to move the boat.....................Riles

11/18/06
My registration form isn't submitting correctly.
If you would like to register for Miami Beach, please contact me via email till this is resolved.
Thank You..........Riles

11/16/06
Miami Beach is "happen'n''!
Week I.....Feb 19 - 24
Week II....Feb 26 - March / 3
I'm putting the webpage up (this weekend), but for most of you veterans of my camp it is a solid "boilerplate" format that works.
Outline
- 2 rows each day!
- Small class, six, in quality racing singles. Your shell if accessible on my drive down from Philly.
- Daily video review with seminars on my latest revelations.
-New and improved rowing center !!!
- Great location for food and nightlife.
- Great weather in Miami Beach (late Feb is guaranteed) Look at Miami Beach's weather history
Even Tampa can be blasted with cold, but Miami Beach, like San Diego, seems to avoid the chill!
For more info email me or go to my "camps" section next week!
Now, here is an idea for the winter warrior with time to burn.
Youtube has taken off!
I think there are some good uses for it, but when picking clips to use as instructional vids you must look for the correct things! Here is a clip that shows good form for one of your winter strength workouts......
Best use of YouTube!!!!
note the head up, arched back, shoulders are back, and legs are bent! You have to be looking for what is correct...................................Riles

11/14/06
My trip to DC went very well, despite the challenging weather!
Howling wind, rain, landing jets banking over our ringing heads, a launch that tried to eject me and my bullhorn ( I survived, but RadioShack will be opening my wallet ), and scullers yelling, "What did you say?".
Is there anyone out there that gets a huge headache from yelling?
I cannot be alone on this!
We worked really hard on the concept of "posting" the torso, via the shoulders opening, against the legs as you are coming into and through per-pendicular. The goal in the "horizontal drive" is to get the boat accelerating with the legs. Then throw the upper back (shoulders) in an effort to put the torso's force against the leg's effort as you are coming into and through perpendicular.
Why?
As the legs are driving, if you keep the torso out of it, you are accelerating the boat and starting to suspend your weight, but the boat's ergonomics are not yet perfect for accelerating the hull. As you throw the shoulders (open the torso against the legs) you are creating a "max" effort right where the ergonomics for moving the boat are the best (oars perpendicular) AND you are creating max suspension of your weight at that moment........So, when it is easiest to move the boat you are "maxing" your drive effort and the boat has the least wetted surface area / drag.
Very cool idea to ponder......................Riles

11/10/06
Off to DC for the last Potomic clinic of 2006. It has been a very productive year with the clinic series at PBC! Super race results for Cal Sutlif and many others....
Getting the wood split and the leaves up is really a great "core" workout. Wet leaves!!!!!!!!
If you are planning to get stronger this winter..... Start today with the proper weight lifting techniques. Stretch correctly and often. Get professional help (trainers and strength coaches). The pretty boys with beach muscles will not get you there.
Avoid the machines.....example.....leg extension machine! If anyone can think of a real life situation requiring your shin to "kick out" that way...please let me know ASAP.
Here is my rower's short list for power.

>Static stretch muscle groups to be used before, during, and after exercises!
>Squats, Leg press, & dead lifts
>Abs
>Straight leg dead lifts & Seated lower back rows
>Upper back rows, bench pulls, or any exercise that works scapular girdle area of upper back via stretched shoulders pulling back with elbows out (just like in the boat)
>15-30 min “de-lactate” flushing erg / row/ jog at an easy pace and 10 min of stretching!

Need a specific question answered? Email me!
Riles

11/03/06
Even if you live in a great year-round climate, this posting is for you......
This time of year, end of racing for a while, often ends up putting many sculls on the rack for the winter. Rowing in cold water does require the "four oar" rule for safety, but shouldn't be the reason for hanging up the oars.
Winter is the best time to get your technique in order. Strength, flexibility, aerobic base, and technique should all make huge strides of improvement over the winter / "off season".
I'm not saying, "You must row all the time!"
Some time out of the boat skiing / snowboarding, running, biking, or what ever "floats your boat" is a wonderful thing! Just make sure you do some aerobic training in a boat each week. When the weather is just too much, then erg for form
Yes, you can make a catch on the erg! Raise your monitor, so you keep your head up......
Strength and flexibility improvement are a must for the next season and a healthy life. So, hit the gym concentrating on form, power, flexibility, and range of motion within the rowing muscle groups.
On Tuesday morning we started "land training". One of my athletes told me that starting the land training now was "premature"..... the sculler could not do 10 full squats (without weights).
We all avoid what we need most..............Riles

10/31/06
BOOOOOOOO.....again !!!!!!!!!!

Don't eat too much candy! Save it for all the kids coming to your door. We will be escorting a frog and mummy around our neighborhood !!!!!
Training transition note....
Take the step into "land training" slowly...... Use the whole month of November to get going in the gym. Power, aerobic base, flexibility, and tech-nique for both lifting and rowing are as Beck would say, "WHERE IT'S AT !!!!"

10/27/06
BOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
I'll be stepping up the website this winter....finally!

My favorite time of the year. Crisp air and less crews on the river! The Head of the Schuylkill is this weekend. After that event, the river calms down and you can enjoy rowing in the leaves!!!!
Day light savings is also this weekend....it will be nice to coach without a spot light at 6am!
I just spent three days splitting wood. We lost a 200 year old red oak.....if you wanted a winter weight training event.....splitting wood is it!
Lots of core and trunk work hauling the wood around and swinging a sledge or maul.
Getting the house ready, for winter, is much harder then prepping the launch. Soon I will be the only coach on the water and my crews will be among the few on Boathouse Row to go out. Rowing in winter is so Zen. Everything is so still.......especially when there is snow. You can really feel and hear your body at work. The river seems so solid and the geese seem to fit in for a change. Seeing your breath is a very conscious thing!
If you row in Newport Beach, CA....I'm sure this sounds nuts, but you can really enjoy rowing in the winter. It can be like cross country skiing, if you can get over the "flipping in heart stopping waters" part.............Riles

10/20/06
Head of the Charles is upon us!!!!!

Here are some HOC tips.....

Set up the line through BU Bridge before you are "in the shoot"....

Magazine Beach....hug the starboard buoys till you are just about at Riverside (there is always a "cut back" to starboard) in the latter part of the magazine beach turn....don't miss it or you'll go too wide...

Off of the MB turn gradually flow down the middle of the Powerhouse stretch. You want to pick up the port buoys after the second bridge (if you have the correct line, the buoys will come back to you). The regatta "bumps" the port buoy line out just before the Weaks Foot Bridge. Make sure you cut back to port hard to stay on the port line. If you are on the port buoy line you cannot be forced wide by another crew on your port.

WF Bridge must be hugged hard. You will want to feel like you are more on the port side of the river after the turn. I try to put my port blade on the upstream edge of the bride abutment. You are aiming for a tight turn under the middle arch of Weld. Too many rowers go wide at this turn and have to come back to make the Weld turn / bridge.

Making the Weld turn is an art! You must stop turning at a point that will set you on a straight line till the you merge with the port buoys to start the Elliot turn......no joke. Most rowers over turn then come back (like a snake) in a place where they could of had a straight line till well past the 2 mile mark. If you do this correct you will feel out in the middle at Newell and then the port buoys will start to creep up on you.

Elliot must be hugged on port!!! It will kick hard to port just before the bridge. Don't miss that. You will be more on the port side of the Elliot bridge's arch as you enter and will be heading on a slight diagonal toward the starboard shore / dock of Belmont Hill.

Coming off of Elliott Bridge you must run a line to put the last starboard buoy under your rigger! Then hug the bushes, while you sprint, till you get a straight shot at the middle of the finishline / river. Hugging the bushes too long will take you off the line.

I hope it is a great weekend for all. Safe travels and fast racing!!!!!

9/27/06
Miami Beach 2007???
The verdict is not in yet....but I am considering it.
I would like to do one or two weeks. Now that Maddie is in school, I am not up for leaving them for a month. Your feedback will be the deciding factor. Email me with your interest ASAP. All year people tell me that they want to go to Miami Beach, here is your chance to commit to it.........Riles

9/22/06

9/13/06
Getting back in gear for head racing isn't too hard after a long summer, but you have to take a break of a week or two.
When you are ready, get into A.T. once a week, lots of steady state with strong technical attention, and some race distance work on the weekends. I like to use regattas to get ready for the "BIG ONE" I'm shoot for each fall. Stroke rhythm and blade work should be the main focus in your training. Pacing for a solid 3rd mile is also important. Lastly, one of the biggest mistakes masters make is in the way they steer a race. Too much stopping at the finish to get a look ahead. This kills the boat's speed and the rower's momentum. Trusting the mirror too much is another "no-no". Going the long way can cost a good rower a win. So, make the most of your training by learning how to steer without pausing at the finish or relying too much on your mirror. Always look to the inside of your turns (you will go where you look) and use your legs independently at the front end of the stroke for steering. Steering with your upper body late in the stroke is an ergonomic waist....................Riles.


9/11/06
RileyRowing FISA Master's Worlds GOLD

Tom Bell 1x, mix C8+ 2nd
Tony Schneider ME comb lt & heavy 1x
Cal Sutliff 2x, mixed 2x, 1x 2nd, mixed 4x 2nd
Alexis Franklin 4-, 8+, 2x 2nd
Fritz Sutter 1x, 2x
Fran Sutter 2x
Alex Cook C4x, D1x 2nd, D4+ 2nd
Rick Wegryn C4x 2nd
Bill Cox 1x, 2x
Duncan Spencer D8+, G4x, F2-, G4+, E4+
Karen Tetlow 2x, 4x, 8+, mixed 8+ 2nd
Judy Kaplow 4+, 8+, mixed 8+
Marilyn Karl mixE2x&????
Laurette Rindlaub WE1x
Willem VanderLinde MH1x 2nd &????
................the list continued as I get results in

Results at Powerhouse

Find your face or your friends....row2K Gallery
The conditions were great! The venue was awesome! The racing was SUPER!!! It is rare when a regatta goes as well as FISA Worlds did! You all should be happy and proud to have taken part in a truly great event. Teti gave out medals too!
Kay, Mike's wife and former 92' Canadian Olympic medallist, was the backbone of the regatta's construction in Mercer. Great job Kay and FISA!
The road ahead........
Rest for this week and then get started on head racing prep. Get out of rowing for the week. Take a break from the boats and let your body come down! You can ramp up for head season over the next month. HOC and most of the "big ones" are in mid to late October, so take a real rest from rowing....................Riles

9/8/06
Congrats to Tom Bell and Tony Schneider for their first place finishes at FISA Master Worlds!
A big "shout out" goes to Lexy's 2x and Cal Sutliff for their second place performances in the face of stiff competition. The conditions have been great and I think you can compare the times of other heats( if the winners were "pushed"). FISA is all business....just like at Senior Worlds, if a crew's uniforms are not matching (right down to the socks) you will be disqualified! More results to follow, but you can follow the racing as the come down at Powerhouse............Keep it up!!!!!!!

9/6/06
Time away from anything offers a chance for reflection and growth......if you want it!
Our trip to Worlds was an "eye opener". Here is a link to World Rowing for pics and results. I also have some in my gallery.
China has the right idea for growth and medals. They are throwing money, bodies, and technique by copying the best of Europe at the problem. They medalled or were just on the edge of medalling in many events. Watching their ltw2x and 4x, both won, you can see the Italian's technique! Igor Grenko, former USSR & US coach m4x 1996 silver, is a consultant for the men's team and will hopefully have a positive affect on men's sweep & sculls. On a funny note, one of Igor's problems was an inability to speak English. Yet, he is using an English to Chinese interpreter??? Why not Russian to Chinese.......I hope he doesn't read this, but it does point out the crazy inefficiencies in systems. We have a great farm team for US eights, but what about the rest? I'm sure it would take something on the order of college rowing making a 4x equal to the 8+ finals! This would trickle down to high schools and up to the world's level.
....back to reflecting on the trip. I am back to the "leg only driving moment" but, only after the butt to heals "bouncing" load up. I am also going to push the "rebound" of the finish out of the upper back more then cutting off the "follow through" to get out square.
Olympic ltwm2x for 2008?
I think that boat should be part of a group/system shooting for Eton in 2012.



8/31/06
I hope everyone had a great Master's nationals. .............Cal Sutliff you are our God!!!!
We all hope you can repeat at FISA.......let's hope you are put in the same heat with the Z-man!
Most of my Philly scullers are gearing up for FISA. It will be a big event and lots of fun. I hope to see some of you race. I have students coming in from all over the US for this. At this point everyone should be finishing their training and getting into a rest mode. Keeping in touch with the racing, but not training.....good luck to everyone!
Oh, the trip to Worlds (pics and film to follow) was quite an educational experience. I came to the regatta with 3 new views on the stroke and left keeping just one! Interestingly, I also redefined some views on training, psychology of a fast crew, and what system would be needed to achieve a legitimate "shot" at an Olympic medal in the ltwt2x.
Some highlights of the trip: staying in Windsor, the growth of the very successful Chinese team (one crew had a high school age girl 15??), getting lost while driving the crew around on the wrong side of the road, pub food, and some really "HOT" racing (even B finals were fast and exciting).
All in all, it was a good trip and I am happy to be home with my family. Future trips will include them!
Good luck at FISA!
Riles



8/11/06
Travel will be a little crazier, but we'll get there!
We take our "hit the road row" tomorrow morning. We had a video review and a send off bash last night. It was awesome! The support for this effort has been great and we cannot thank everyone enough. We'll just have to go do something special in the UK.......
We are really going to try to not "hit" the front end too hard, just "bounce" the system loaded. We are going to try to "pop" everything (arms, shoulders, back, legs) at once from beginning till end of the handles/hands overlap. Back the blades in, bounce them loaded, then "tap/pop" the boat along!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting times ahead.
Once again, good luck at Master's Nationals (going on right now) and get ready for FISA Master's Worlds. Oh, start your A.T. training too. Heads are coming up soon.
Next post on 8/29........................... Riles

8/8/06
I hope everyone got into HOC 2006!

Best of luck to everyone out at Master's Nationals!

We are "in the chute" and will head to England this Saturday night !
I put the blue on the oars, red tomorrow...
The guys are excited, but we still have some speed to find.
At trials, we came down the course at 39 in a good tail wind. I thought the boat was rigged too light for the conditions. We did some 500s this morning with the oars 0.5cm heavier. I also tried isolating their leg drive just a little more and "popping" the back open against the legs just a hair later. We had been opening everything just as the legs got us loaded.
This did not work.......so we are going back to pre-trials oar lengths and style! You have to "mess around" with a crew to find the right mix, but once we hit the road I will probably leave things alone! It is important to follow some rules...( scroll down to 5/10/06) So, here we are giving the finishing touches to the crew.
They are now bonding in a way that no coach can give them.
Shane and Evan got their first team kit (uni, shirts, etc.) I know they think this is all so cool, but they'll keep it "on the down low" because what they want most of all is to go and produce a winning performance.................Riles

8/3/06
WOW....THEY WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They stepped up, dug deep, and rowed as a true ELITE CREW!!!!!!!!!
Here is a clip of them going through the last 500m!

Here is row2K's coverage their gallery has some cool shots of Wednesday's start and crab and today's finish (pics on this and next gallery page).....thanks Ed for your coverage!
20 years ago I was going to the UK and taking a real "stab" at winning Worlds. I only hope I can give this 4x the quality of coaching Ted Nash gave us.............Riles

8/2/06

7/31/06-
Well trials are this Wednesday and we seem to be ready for the event. The week "taper" before your big race is suppose to be one of affirmed confidence and rest. You should feel on top of your game and "ready to strike!!!" This week the ltwt4x has felt rested, had some strokes that affirm the speed of the boat, but getting the logistics down for the four guys has been a nightmare! The 3 seat has had 2 months to get down to weight for this Wednesday. He is now telling us how he will "sweat" off three pounds the night before! This could kill the boat's second 1000m. I have always let ltwt crews manage their weight loss, but after this summer I now realize that this is something a coach must keep an eye on.....
A word on three seats........
The three seat is the second stroke of any type of four. The second 1000m hinges on the 3 seat backing up the efforts of the stroke. The 3 seat is the link to the swing of the crew. Bow can be a little off, but the 3 man has to be on the job , if not leading the job, throughout the race! A good three seat is the "conscience" of the stroke. The person whispering in the strokes ear, "Let's go!!!! I've got your back!!!!!"
Coaches pick your #7, #3, and Bows well.......Riles

7/24/06
We are enjoying a perfect weather spell in Philly, but tomorrow it is going back to hazy, hot, and humid. The ltwtm4x just finished their "hell" week with a solid 2k. On comes their taper, but off comes more weight!
They have been better managed compared to their NSRIII efforts, so I expect a better mindset at trials.
In a building cycle of training rest is critical at the right moments. This 4x will not get stronger or much better technically, but needs rest in order to have a shot at winning. Too many nervous crews and coaches tend to "over cook" the dinner!
Your mind and body really step up with good rest after proper training.
After the final push of training I like to give a couple of days off. Then the crew will do decreasing "high intensity" work every 48 hours heading toward the race. You can back this schedule out from your race date about 7-10 days.
On the non-piece days your steady state rows should be cut back. Lightweights will have to do more steady state etc. to keep the weight off, but only what they must do.
At this point we must have the confidence to do the task at hand. Last minute scrambling is always going to undermine a crew. This week was planned months ago........so, get a plan for FISA Master's Worlds or this fall's heads right now!
Riles

7/18/06
Philly and the US are HOT !!!!!!
Sizzzl'n, so keep the electrolytes flowing!!!!!!
Cover up in light white clothing. The former East Germans use to wear those caps with the "skirt" on them to cover your shoulders and neck.
Good stuff.....does anyone know where to get them now?
We are in our last phase of training before the trial. This is the "get it right" part. Good coaching takes a crew from one focus and as the crew redirects their attention to another facet of the stroke they will pass through a "window" where they have both old and new concepts correct. This is where their rowing will apex!
Sometimes this can also throw a crew off. I took the 4x toward a better hand position and a lot of attention was put on getting their arms/upper back earlier into the drive, but this addition took focus off of the crew's lower back swing. Several bad rows and a few sets of coaching eyes later we had the problem diagnosed. Swing pic and half slide to the rescue........ problem solved!
Getting a crew to ad something to their stroke will often take something else away. Switch your focus often and in the transition you will find speed!

7/11/06
WOW!!!
What a break from the site.....We took a little R&R in Rhode Island, then I went to DC for a clinic. While at PBC I studied the Sydney women's heavy 2x final. The German crew kicked butt! I was looking at the hand position and arm use through the stroke. They are the only crew with their hands that far over the handles and the earliest crew to break their arms. It looks as if they are taking up the "slack" to load with their arms. The stroke seat has the best "suspension" and finish I have ever seen!
So, I put it to use in Philly yesterday and today. What a plus! Get the DVD or VHS and check it out. Most rowers do not study the best of the best enough. Start your education with a video library! You can get FISA Olympic/Worlds footage from RegattaSport....................................... Riles

6/29/06
Click here and here...Enquirer says it all.....pic#2 is BHR and pic#3 is my sister-in-law!
Independence Day Regatta is cancelled.
Masters... go to Quaker City!!!!!!
Coaches & athletes, keeping a positive momentum going, in a situation like this, requires lots of energy, but do whatever it takes! Yesterday, we spent the morning clearing out the boathouse (as it was starting to flood), loading up a never tried Win Tech 4x, going to the Cooper, 3 hours rigging a completely messed up rig, and rowing till dark in NJ. This morning it was all worth it. A great workout of 500m pieces! Here is a clip ( big file, so please be patient) of the boathouse and the 4x this morning.
Stay fast and dry.....Riles

6/22/06
Today is your last day for Independence Day Regatta entries!!!
Starts are tricky.....so I'm going over them again. Unless you are in an eight, the use of a half slide stroke is a waste of time. Three 3/4 slide strokes will get your system out of "the hole". Fourth and fifth should have a full slide and "bounce".
I haven't seen a elite crew take a first stroke without breaking their arms right away. Looking at Athens 4xs you will see that not one crew has locked out or "hanging" arms. Here is a video of some O.K. starts. You will see the 3x3/4 and then the 4th and 5th bouncing. You will also see the arms joining the "load up".
Missing ingredients..........Incredibly relaxed bodies and hands when not suspended. Early blade "catch and exit" prep timing that keeps your momentum going. At forty you should start squaring as soon as you finish feathering.
Why feather? Habit and relaxation. Your feather is the product of your bodies' final relaxation at the end of suspension..........................Riles

6/20/06
Diamond States has been cancelled, due to weeds! The carp, easily 5-10lbs are eating the weeds here in Philly, but not at a fast enough rate! Philly's weeds are only in the shallow areas, so the racing is not affected.
The Independence Day Regatta (IDR) is around the corner. I'm using it as a benchmark for the ltwt4x.  We will trial at the end of July, so this is a good time to see where we are.  The Undine ltwt 2x made the standard last weekend and is off to Lucerne. 
Great job and good luck Undine! 
Tip of the day
Get out of the blocks with your momentum!
I can pick the masters crews that have a shot at winning right from how they take the first 5 strokes.  How you get the boat up to speed and the rhythm that follows will either make or break you.  I like to look at “getting going” as a circular building of momentum.  If your blades are hitting in front of your leg’s change of direction, then you have a boat with less check and a drive with more momentum.  If your exit starts before you reach your body, then you have a rebound out of bow with more momentum.  A back and forth, linear, horizontal, and flat feeling stroke will cause a “stop and go” rhythm. Stop and go means no momentum conserved!
Drill for high rate timing
During the recovery of high ratings, most rower’s catch timing is about 4-6 beats too late.    To fix this try sitting at the finish, rush up the slide (as if you were in the recovery of a 36-40spm stroke), see which came first - your stopping or your blades hitting as you stopped.  Note, if your blades hit at the right time there will be no instability and no check!  Awarness and the feeling of proper timing are a start to having good timing.                  Riles  

6/15/06
Seattle was awesome! Good times coaching, old and new friends, and great coffee!!
Three things for success this summer-
...................Get your head up! 
If you come into the stern looking down, you will give away leg compression while overreaching with your back.  Then you will open your back to load up!  With your chin up, kiss your butt to your heals for a better stroke.
.................. Bounce your butt!!!
If you bounce your butt fff your heals with loose legs, then your legs will rebound.  This rebound, if you time your blades to hit as you come into your bounce, will load your oars without you trying to!  As you are loaded up you will notice that you are at ¾ slide and your feet have just started to flatten.
...................Stand up!!!!!
Off of the load up “Stand up!” with everything at once.  Use your back, legs, and arms in one unified “standing” motion.  The load up is a leg only event, but as soon as you are coming to loaded…. drive with everything.  This will generate a suspension of your weight through the drive! 
More tomorrow.......................Riles

6/06/06
I'm off to Seattle for a 3 day clinic at Pocock. What a great location, if the weather is sunny!
I was working with a 2x going to Henley next week. They really have a good rhythm when they start a piece low or on the paddle. If they do a racing start, then tension fills the boat and the blades do not fall in thus........no rhythm!
It is all in the first strokes and in their transition to the rate they row the "body". Most of my clients have this problem at some point in their rowing experience. Getting a good rhythm requires a loose body. I like to use the image of a rag doll and, for movement, greyhounds racing. Getting out of the blocks fast and smooth requires an effort to not cut the first strokes off and rush up the slide. Rating will come! You have to fluidly let the speed of boat and rating come up together. Blasting off can often lead to a "bulldog" experience! So, as you get into the racing, try to win the start by getting into a winning rhythm!
Check out a Greyhound!..................Riles


6/05/06
Well I'm back!
Big weekend with lots of friends in town! The Adaptive Team was picked this weekend here in Philly.  The US will have some good adaptive crews this summer at Worlds.  Now that adaptive rowing is in the Para-Olympics, we should get some depth as money and “5 ring fever” flood adaptive rowing. 
The river flooded, but we were able to get out and dodge the trees to get in some long interval work. 
The lightweight men’s 4x is getting under way too!  I really think that they will make the changes needed to do the job in early August and at Worlds.  Most of the Italian 2xs have come from their 4x.  I’m sure we will have our plates full if we get to Eton in the 4x!!!!
Here is some footage of the 4x (2min+/- download at 100Mbps) doing my favorite drill. Hopping the blades in while bouncing the legs to load up, then some footage at low rate. Lots to do...............
Q: How do you rig a crew member with a shorter range of motion?
A: Change the spread to adjust for a longer or shorter stroke.
Just a ½ cm change (+ to get more reach,- to get lees) will do it. Getting in and out on the same "arc" is most important.......................Riles  

5/25/06
........Coach on the road! .I'm giving a clinic again at Potomic BC this Memorial Day weekend.
As the dust settles from NSRIII we are about to set foot on a new path toward Worlds. 4x??
........I want to talk about "old time rowing". Today we look at rowing as a "post 70's East Germany" science. I must admit that the technology of rowing sure has improved the equipment and training systems. I'm sure this is partly responsible for the ever increasing speeds we are getting out of the boats.
What I'm also sure of is the fact that, style wise, how you moved a winning boat in the 50's is still the way to do it today! Check this training footage out (big file so be patient) of the former USSR's 56, 60, & 64 Olympic sculling champion Vyacheslav Ivanov. Go frame by frame with his stroke and you will find a stroke that Muller, Waddell, Tufte and other modern Olympians row. Same catch timing, suspension, and ergonomics!
Ivanov.avi

.......Well, I'm back from a long weekend of racing. Congrats go to Undine's ltwt2x for the NSRIII win! Here is a clip of the doubles(we are near crew) going through the last 500m mark(WARNING: high cheering / screaming volume). Duncan gives a wrap up!!
Undine made a strong move with 250 to go and we couldn't answer it. The challenge ahead, for Undine, is making the time standard. Best of luck guys! We will focus on improving the "things" that went wrong for us. NSRIII Gallery !!!

Getting better requires losing! We will learn from this past weekend. The goal of the summer is to end up better racers. One way or another, we will get better. This is a hard lesson for many masters. I really respect the athletes that are out there "going for it" win lose or draw! Some of my best races we ones where I / we gained more from losing then winning.
........................Losing is an art too!
You must not get too down on yourself or anyone in your crew. You must take time, a few days after the race, to reflect on how the race "went down". I do not prescribe reviewing a race on the day of the race. People are too emotional that close to the race's end.
.................................Get real!
Sometimes getting the opinion of an outsider is helpful. I have some great support in the form of other coaches who watched the 2x's race. They all have opinions which can help you shape your conclusions and next steps.
A loss is truly a loss when you do not learn from it!
Riles

5/17/06
Coaching on the Potomic has it's challenges! I have a 2-3 minute window to coach, then one of those things floats over my head and we all just wait for it to get by. All the planes bank right over our heads on final approach to Ronald Regan. Choppers are constantly going from Langley to the Pentagon or White House. The Key bridge is constantly "hopped" by choppers.  The gallery has been updated with pics from the visit.  I am always impressed with the canoe and kayak club next to PBC.  The real masters are the single canoers!  You can see them connect to the water and then suspend their weight onto the paddle.  Canoers really make it look easy!  The pic of the single kayak is cool, but one day I’ll get some footage of the single canoe. 
Tip of the day – try to see the grace and method of other sports in a way that is universal.  Rowing is no different then any “hand-eye” connection sport.  Ball/bat/air, puck/stick/ice, golf ball/driver/tee, I could go on all day!  Pole vaulting is my favorite one.  Can you see how vaulting is the same as rowing?  How about boxing?


5/15/06
Here is a short clip of a start. Starting is all about setting the tone of your race, getting out of the blocks with the pack, and being relaxed enough to get into a winning grove.
The only boat I use a half slide stroke for is an eight. For all the rest, 3 at 3/4, 1 at 4/5, and then bouncing full legs by the fifth stroke.
When you are sitting at 3/4 waiting for the start you should be ultra relaxed. No stiff anything! Blades should be squared and must be buried when you hear, “Attention!".
When you hear, "Go!" you should fire everything at once. If you are loose, you will be quick and solid. "On/Off" is the trick! Tension will slow you down and not let your oars do what they want and need to do. 
Try starts on the square to get a feeling of when to turn “Off” and how to get out of bow with clean bladework.
Squaring up and catching must be loose, quick, and advanced in timing to fit the quick recovery. Note the slight back splash in the 2x's catching. No missing water!  
BREATH! During your high strokes it is very important to breath and just spin the boat along without making the first 20 strokes heavy.  Buzz the boat along at the start.  Your heaviest stokes will be the first three.  By the fifth your boat should be ultra light and you should have full compression "bouncing" of the legs to load your system.  
Think greyhound!!!!

5/11/06
Here is a bit on "Dad" Vail . He was quite a coach! Everyone has his or her own style. I was just talking to a coach about how your personality can help or hurt your coaching / rowing. A little introspection can go a long way in this sport and the game of life!
Sunday is Mother's Day, isn't every day?????
Like Earth Day and others, we are so loaded up in life that we need "special days" to get the major points across. Rowing has it's days. We set our schedules by the rowing seasons, but like the "every day" view, rowing and coaching well requires daily upkeep. I have clients that row all the time and some that just gear up for the regattas. My thought for the day is to do something that is related to your health and racing every day. Could be anything that makes you better.
Ex: yoga!
The ltwt 2x does yoga on Tuesday nights, sleeps better that night, focuses better on the water, and has a healthier outlook on rowing!
It doesn't take much to feel complete and not too over-extended in a sport. Elite rowers, corporate types, everyone often gets trapped in the "my life is all about rowing". The fun goes away. The tasks seem huge (they are) and the energy needed to get to the "gold" seems to bleed out of you at an unreplenishable rate. Balance is an art!
Start with a little bit of Mother's Day today .......Riles

5/10/06
As Dad Vail and then Stotesbury weeks hit Philly, I see many high school and college crews out on the race course trying to "put the finishing touches" on there racing. Here are my thoughts on the most important things, for coaches and rowers, to remember when you go to "big race week".
1. You are good! If you keep your cool and race with confidence you will do well.
2. On race day, adjust the rig only for very strong wind changes. Do this with a click on the oars. Example: In a single a click +/- is about 2 beats in rating. Changing a crews gearing in a "big" way on race day can ruin them.
3. Unless your boat is falling apart , way too small for the conditions (will sink), or see 5. do not change the boat! I watched a crew take a boat out that had dust on it in an effort to go faster. It is now getting more dust and a row was waisted.
4. Remember, you are good!
5. If you got a new boat just before the race and can not get comfortable in it, row the old boat (shoe). Ask Bonner how they beat the Prep in the Catholics.....
6. Rest is important, nervousness can make a coach or crew scramble to do the "little bit extra". From one week out, you should be done your training and getting into a taper. Every other day do something that keeps you in touch with the race, but decrease the volume as you get closer to race day.
Example
Sat final training 2K
Sun off
Mon 1K
Tues paddle
Wed 500
Thur paddle
Fri HEATS!
7. If you get this far you are really good!!!!
8. Winning is a mindset; you must spend the "big race week" getting your mind ready to win. Believe in winning! Your mind has gotten you in to this situation for a reason. Do not sabotage your desires by letting anything get you distracted from your mind's goal. Win with affirmations all during "big race week". We are good! We worked harder than anyone! We row the best! We deserve this! We will WIN!!
9. MS Bonner won because they got ahead and started to believe they could win. Race plans must meet the "needs" of the crew. The less experienced need the "get ahead stay ahead" plan. If you have your game down and are iron stomached, then hang in the pack and bust it open later! Race plans must fit the emotional needs of a crew.
10. Sprinting is more than the "will to win". Rowing harder is part of it, but you have to stay loose and have "gears". 500 to go can make a crew seize up or stride like a greyhound. Take your pick....

There are many more feathers to have in your "big race week" hat, but these are a good start......Riles

5/9/06
Continuing on the theme of yesterday, I should mention the most common reason for your back's "loading" of the system. A late reaching upper body / back caused by the improper timing of
...............................BODY PREP
Yes, how you get in and out of bow will determine how well you have prepared your back. From 2 / 3 slide on into the catch (full slide) there should be no reaching of the upper body or torso. If you sweep, then you will twist the torso to follow the arc of the oar, but not lunge over and outward.
Rowing half slide on the square will help give you a feeling of the "two and fro" of the back swing and prep. Combine that with yesterday's drill and you will get a better stroke........Riles

5/8/06
Letting the legs load the system is critical! When watching a crew at race pace, even on the paddle, it is difficult to see whether the oar and body are being "loaded" by the back or the legs opening. Here is a clip of the 2x. Watch it "bit by bit" at a screen size of only 100% and you will see that the bow seat is loading with the back and the stroke is using the legs. This will not put their back openings together, so the suspension in the middle of the drive will not be the same. The feeling of effort in the bow seat will be much greater. When rates go up the bow will have a harder time. Correct this problem by doing a drill where you row from 3/4 slide in to 3/4 slide out. Loading the blade only with the legs. Make sure the head and upper body are not active at all. Dropping the head or looking down will always cause a dip of the upper body into the catch. So, eyes and chin up...................Riles

5/5/06
Enjoying Cinco de Miyo I hope!!!
Racing in Mexico City is one of those traps that you didn't see until you were caught. The altitude will get you in the last 500m. You get off the line and go down the course like everything is the way it should be, then it feels like someone has a hand over your mouth. As you are being passed, you can not hear your thoughts because your lungs and heart sound like they are going to explode. Your hearing goes away and your eye sight "tunnels". At the end you can hear Ted Nash calling you. It sounds like a whisper, " John, try to move. Paddle in, we need you in the four........." Moments later you are in the four and trying to warn the crew of their fate, but they, like you, think that everything is fine. I still remember Tom's back heaving in and out 5 minutes after the race! Club Espania was great and so were the beers and tacos that day!

I rowed in the Dad Vail in 1985. Two seat in our URI 4+, Dominic Carusi, just emailed me with the "I really missed rowing and now I'm rowing again, but we can not get the boat set."
There are all kinds of reasons for not setting the boat. I do not try to set the boat...... Never!!!!!
If you want to set the boat, then you should also try to stop the wind, force the water to a flat state, and put a hault on the forces of the cosmos while you are at it!!!!!
Sorry Dom....but the only way to set the boat is to get the drives together and, with square blades, enter and exit the blades at the same time. Carrying the blades at the same level will also help.
Most unset boats are due to exit timing. Rowers love to pull to far with their arms and are then forced to feather out of the water instead of exiting squared...then feathering. Rowing half slide on the square is a help. Add the feather to not interupt the square exit. Half slide also gets everyone swinging out of bow together. A plus for set.
Another culprit is squaring at the correct time together. Most rowers wait too long and square up at the end of the recovery. Then they row the blade in and this makes for an unstable and heavy boat on the drive. While most rowers are busy trying to set the boat in the second half of the recovery, I am focused on squaring and letting go of the oar so the blade falls to hit the water AS I get to full compression.
Dom, we would of won at Dad Vail if we knew this then and had learned how to sprint via shifting gears ....not just pulling hard.
Here are some picks for a laugh and a happy memory! Still wearing the beacon?????

5/2/06
I want to spend some time talking about all the gadgets we are using to get through a row these days. Today I'll limit the rant to "Mirrors". Everyone who uses one feels better and believes that they see more, but get them on a different body of water and they are lost and dangerous. Skip all that, if you use a mirror you probably will not throw your head to initiate the back opening. You will hold it level, in order to see ahead, and lose the power of your back's openning. A great back opening requires your head's leaning back. So, if you have to use a mirror, don't use your mirror in the drive! Also, set the mirror so that your head is up in order to see ahead. Many rowers have their heads down and the mirror angled to support this. Get your head up and enjoy a strong back opening!
Riles

5/1/06
What an NSRII!!!!!
We had a great weekend of racing and learning. Well, we won our semi, going into a big headwind, in the heavy 2x Saturday morning. Tucker and Ruckman (T&R) were right next to us, but couldn't come back, so they shut down with 100m to go. Here's a clip!
The PennAC ltwtW2x of Julie and Renee kicked butt in their selection race for Worlds! Great racing and improvement ladies!!!!!
Here's a clip!
The ltwt 2x was a final only on Sunday morning. We were in the blocks when T&R's Van Duesen had foot stretcher problems. So, everyone paddled back to the dock. The ltwt 2x final was moved to the last race, but what about the heavy 2x final that was in about 10 minutes. T&R didn't want to do it so we skipped it too. It was weird seeing the heavy 2x come down, sans ltwts, with only 4 boats. So, the big slug out was at the end of the regatta. T&R showed their experience with a big move going into the second 500m. We didn't answer and T&R held the lead through the middle 1000m. We tried to come back, but too little- too late. It was a great lesson to learn and we thank T&R for the schooling! Best of three will be held in 3 weeks at NSRIII.
Here's a clip!
Click here for all results (note finishline photos). Powerhouse does a great job!
Check out my Gallery pics too!!!

Tip of the Day
Your race plan should be...do what it takes to win! Sticking to a race plan might not get the job done. A great sculler once told me, "At some point you have to do what you need to do to win. If you do it later you might not win. It is better to go for it and not get a place(1,2,3) than hold back and come in second or third!" It is now clear to my inexperienc-ed 2x that they should of moved with T&R. Let the spirit of the race move you to the line!!!!!
Riles

4/29/06
Misadventure?????
A rule designed to make sure the fastest crew moved forward through a selection regatta. Example, you are winning the trials and you crab in the last 500m and lose. The race is re-rowed in an effort to make sure the fastest crew moves forward.
Today's NSRII ,non-trial, non-selection, second heavy 2x semi was coming down the course and with 750m to go the umpire stopped the race!!! She did this for a crew, which was nowhere near the lead, having a course problem. Well, we all had to come back 2 hours later and run the semi again. Tucker jokingly said it best, "We did the same thing as the first time (semi), but this time we got to go to the end." The first semi was upset when they watched the second paddling in, but the guys in the second semi paid a price for the umpire's incompetence. At 10am the wind had picked up and the second semi was into a big headwind. Click here for results. Pictures and video will follow tomorrow. I'm not one for jinxing the ltwt2x, but they rocked today and I hope for the same tomorrow...........................Riles

4/28/06
Tucker, Tucker, Tucker!!!!!
He sure makes everyone buzzzzzz! Gotta hand it to the guy. He is fast for his age......
Here comes NSRII and the ltwt 2x I'm helping is looking for a race. We had to enter the heavy 2x to get at Ruckman and Tucker. If they had looked at their 2004 results, they might of noticed that they were "B" final lightweights.
What has become of our national team sculling (8 out of 15 Olympic events)? Something like that.....I did a horrible job as our 1x three times and 4x once, but I see why now. Sculling requires a dedication to correct technique. If you can get past that and have the right brain & body type you'll do great.
Then again, you probably would have been convinced to row the 8+ or 4-. Ruckman & Tucker are swimming in a pool of low performance here in the US. In any other country, these guys would be killing themselves to make it as lightweights. Not almost winning the heavy 1x at NSRI...............I hope to help the US sculling base improve.
Promote sculling and sculling coaching through the college level and we will have a shot at the other half of the Olympic medals out there!

4/26/06
I just got off the water with some high school women. They are sculling together in a 4x for women's Henley this June.
Hand position is everything!
Getting over the oars and taking them out before squaring is an art and only achieved if your hands are "over the oars". I mean like, "You can not see the backs of your hands through the whole stroke when on the square!" No joke! Feathering is done as a result of the final relaxing of your shoulders and arms after the blade has been extracted. Most rowers just feather the oar and have no "take it out". It rips out and gets you stuck in bow with no momemtum redirected. Today I watched these women rowing better on the square at 32spm than on the feather. Such a tough habit to break!!!!!
*Just keep this in mind, you must feather and square, at any rating, to row the ends like you were "on the square".
* General coaching tip, feather late and square early!
Here is a clip of a master, Lexy, who is one of my technically best!!!!



4/25/06
Today I was watching the ltwt 2x paddling. It bothered me thaqt they were kind of average with their blade work. NSRII is this weekend and, like most coaches & crews, we are a little nervous. The 2x did a couple of starts and the first one was tight, kind of in slow motion, late on the catches, and generally average.
I sensed the tention and we did some half slide at high rate with loose shoulders. Then we do some "front half" at high rate with loose shoulders.
The second start went awesome!!!
With the removal of shoulder tension the boat and crew were able to flow and be truly "on/off" at the high rates. The blades fell right in too! I'm not sure whether my anxiety tensed the crew or what, but relaxation is the key to successfull racing. Rested and ready to race, with all the pressure of winning, can make for the worst starts. In the race, your response to any situation (weather, wake, crews moving) will determine your outcome. From a relaxed body comes the best performance. Because the rowing stroke has an "on-off"-ness about it, any semi-on state will eat away at you. As a coach, I must do everything to promote a "centered" state in a crew. Passionate racing comes from a relaxed body responding to the demands of racing in a flowing way. "Fighting your way down the course" must be done with a subtle rage................Riles


4/24/06
Well Duncan Howat finally made the big time........
Time Square!!!!
Here is a pic that a former student from Boston's Union BC, Dan Dill, took of Duncan in the HOC last fall. The picture made Kodak's "Pic of the Day".
He really has the suspension as you can see his back, legs, and arms are going against the oars through perpindicular!
I can not resist.........
Duncan, please get your head up !!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, this pic leads me to today's topic....
Hands and heads
If your hands are not over the handles enough and your head is down through the drive, then you will not suspend your weight very well. Even if you do get suspension, it will come at a greater effort. Accessing your upper back's power in a way that puts your weight onto the oars is only achieved with a handle that is more into your palms than fingers. Getting your lower back to open easily is done with your head, avg 20lbs, up and leaning back. Looking at your pace coach can ruin your openning!!!!!! Eyes/head down as you approach the stern will also promote "falling" over to make your catch instead of leg "butt to heal" bounce, so, head up & hands over.................Riles


4/21/06
Erging really took off in the 70's and 80's and America has not looked back!
I believe it has caused the decline of technically correct rowing and ruined many a young rower's back along the way. The erg doesn't credit a rower for suspension or conserving momentum on the ends. Ergs only measure how hard and long you can whack it!
I watch young crews on the Schuylkill torturing their bodies while slogging their boats up and down the river. Now that I'm on to a "non-erg" better boat moving way of coaching the stroke, a lot of the older rowers and coaches tell me, "That is how I was taught!".
It has to be the ergs! Coaches and rowers have gotten caught up in "a good erg score technique must move the boat". When the model A Concept II ergs came out and were used at CRASH-Bs, I remember Andy Suddith(sp) winning by leaning back and pulling the handle over his head. He clearly knew that how to move a boat and how to move an erg were different. Today I think most do not. How come the CommonWealth and European countries are winning all the events requiring more skill (1x,2x,2-,4-,4x)????? .....Riles


4/20/06
Making the boat go is an art. The loading of the blade comes from the rebounding of your flacid leg's overcompression. Unfortunately, most rowers load up buy the pushing of their legs or the openning of their back. Here's a clip of a bouncing catch drill to load the system. In this clip the scullers square and release the blades while on the "in" of their leg's bounce / over- compression. The blades are timed to hit the water on the apex of leg bounce. The covering blades are loaded by the body's momentum recoiling through the leg's rebound / bounce. This sets the drive up for a plyometric and loads the system with out any isometric effort! The drill ends as soon as you are loaded......................... Riles

4/19/06
I spend a lot of time helping coaches improve their rowers. Half the battle is getting a coach to be open-minded. Like rowers, coaches want to have their crews do better, but are often stuck in the perspective that has their crews going slow. Why is it that when you offer some coaches and rowers a different view or way to look at the stroke the first word you get from them is "but"? We all know the answer to that question.......
Keeping a "novice" mindset is a big plus when it comes to improving yourself or your crews. My rule is, "Whatever it takes!" If you put your ego aside for a little while, then the stroke and your world might seem rounder................Riles

4/18/06
Spring is in full gear! The river has provided quite a display of cherry blossoms. As a coach it is hard to keep my eyes from wandering off into the scenery on the banks.
Getting off the ergs and getting the boat to speed are two very different things. Remember that the erg doesn't care if you "suspend" your weight, conserve your body's momentum in the change of directions, or respect the speed of the boat in the "load up". The boat cares about all those things! If you use a pace coach, you will find that the fastest boats, at race ratings, are rowed in a way that is slow on the erg.
For example......Here is a clip of a junior 4x that has the bow pair driving the legs, but waiting too long to join in the back and upper body. The stern pair is correctly adding the back and arms against the legs. The stern pair is correctly "suspending" their weight on the oars. Pause the film and go through a stroke compairing the stern pair's opening to the bow pair's.....................Riles

4/17/06
Ladders or 20 strokes "on" 10 "off" x 6 where you go up 2 beats / 20 are a great way to get use to getting a boat up to speed and managing it. We do this kind of work once a week at this time of year. The other great part of this workout is the "boat right next to you". The best way to get ready to race is to get use to having someone right next to you. Crews that train in a "vacuum" never get to their potential. So, line it up!!!!!!
Tech tip for the day: your upper body's openning ends with the legs and not after the legs are already down. If you try to do more with your upper body, after your legs are down, you will be unsuspended and stuck ripping out . Here is a clip of a proper drive to exit............Riles

4/16/06
We are in egg hunting mode! My coaching hat is off......Happy Easter and Passover!

4-14-06
Look out on the freeway!
I'm going to take some pics and video of the crazy "zoo" the Schuylkill has become. Each year, when the collegiate and high school season is in swing, I am a witness to some bizarre boatmanship. I even put a car side mirror on my launch to keep an eye on what's coming my way!

I was setting the pitches on the new Phillippi 2x. What a beautiful boat! The carbon riggers, with the "socket" mounting system for the pins, are slick, but difficult to pitch alone. To get the pitch right it helps to have the leveling tool that mounts into the "holes" on the top and bottom of the pins. With the boat leveled in stretchers (both bow to stern and side to side) you set the leveling tool on the side to side level and level the bubble. Then clamp the tool to the pin. Now is the part where you need three hands. Take a leveled (bow to stern)pitch meter and set it to the pitch matching your oarlock inserts. Put the meter against the face of the oarlock. With the oarlock facing sternward and your leveling tool facing starboard or port (90 degrees) move the carbon pin mount till you get both bubbles to level. This is where you need another hand. Someone has to tighten the bolt that holds the pin mount to the rigger. Oh, who is keeping your boat level from left to right? If you do not have a "helper" clamp the boat in place with sticks/2x4"s and squeeze clamps. If the boat moves or isn't level from left to right your outward pitches will be off. I try not to have outward pitch.
Better rowing vs. better rigging...................Riles



4/13/06
Ellen is one of my "Grand Dame" masters. She has always "tugged" her arms in last and ripped the blades out. There are many causes of this, but her biggest change has been to use her arms/upper back with her lower back and legs. Here is a pic and clip of Ellen with a little long awaited arm breaking "suspension"!
Ellen's next step: keep the shoulders/traps lower when "grabbing".

Arms should join the openning of your body as soon as you get "connected" to your legs. Try to feel the "un-weighting" of your seat in the drive. You will notice that your weight stays off the seat longer if you use your arms in harmony with the rest of your openning. Hanging on it is not always suspending..................Riles

4/12/06
We did A.T. today. The training goal is to work at a "I can not say a whole sentence without gasping" effort level. ..85% of heart rate max is fine for a young athlete, but older masters must realize that as you get older, your heart rate max drops. Fortunately, your A.T. does not drop at the same rate (especially if you have remained A.T. fit all your life). Some masters have A.T. heart rates just below their max! ..I recommend a stroke rating of 26. while going in and out of square blades. Older masters should take more rest, at least 8-10 min, between pieces. ..3 x 15min and 2 x 20min are fine, but 3 x 20min is too much for the older crowd. ..Just remember that the goal is similar to a sub- head race pace while keeping the rate below 26.

Check out Jen in the gallery Philly II and 2004 Adaptive Worlds here is a clip of her in the 1x! Powering off of one leg and look at the catch blade work!..............................Riles

4/11/06
Website's future

Registration page is up and I'm in the process of getting PayPal, Links, Sponsors, and setting up a technique and training site that is part of an internet coaching support sysytem. There are hundreds out there. I will keep mine to just group and personalized training schedules, a web based instructional tool with streaming video, and client's video analysis.

Skegs and anything do not mix!
Today the ltwt2x hit "something little". That new dagger carbon fiber skeg snapped like a tooth- pick. It has such a vertical edge it will hang up on anything. We now will be training with one skeg, traditional triangle, that can take a beating! We will be racing with the dagger. Rivers like the Schuylkill always seem to have something, a tire / milk carton / swollen log, just under the surface and not very visible. MS Bonner lost one today too.
Helpfull hint:
A "saws-all" blade is just the right width to get in the skeg box channel and dig out the broken bits of carbon fiber that are wedged into the fin box.
Good luck...........................Riles

4/10/06

NSRII results & Gallery pics
PBC and PennAC ltwt men and women
Andy, Bjorn, Evan, Julie, Renee and Shane.....GREAT RACING!!!!
Curt and Ted...GREAT COACHING!!!!

I will post some video of the race in a few days. It was an awesome final and up for grabs right to the wire! Well worth getting up at 4:30 to go see...
5 weeks from ltwt 2x selection and all this gearing up has put me in "coaching race mode". I must
remember that there is a long summer season ahead.
Masters, we must slowly and smoothly get into
summer racing mode over the next 2 months. I'm sticking with the training schedule!
Transitioning to summer sprinting requires catch and exit timing that doesn't break your momentum. Feathering should not mess up your blades' square entrance and exit.
Can you row your higher ratings on the square?
I hope so, but if you can not, try changing your hands' to the left sculler's position.
Can you guess which sculler is properly suspending their weight? ........Riles

4/7/06
Big question of the week....How do we row half pressure and still suspend our weight in the drive???
Answer.....You can not.

A "steady state" or A.T. heart rate value is managed through rating. There is only one effort to bow for all ratings. Half pressure no longer exists

Great effort Bjorn, Andy, Shane, Evan, Julia, and Renee. Good luck this weekend!
Here is the NSR results link........Riles

4/6/06
NSR bound!

Singles invade Mercer today as we start another year of national team selection. I will be doing my part. This is the first of three regattas to select the small boats. If you are trying to make a U.S. slot in a 1x, 2x, or 2- you must be at "August" speeds in the next month! This is a very difficult task and forces the small boat athletes to break from winter training too soon. I will be enforcing a "back to land training" as soon as NSRIII is over. Till then, rev it up!!!!!!
We worked very hard on getting the blade to "hop" in while heading toward the "bounce". Starting from half slide and doing one stroke at a time works well. Yesterday's 2x video has some good catches! Here are some "hops"......Riles

4/5/06
Spring is here!

We had a crazy time on the Schuylkill this morning with a mix of sun, rain, wind, storm clouds, poggies and snow! It was a wild ride for Lexy and Cheryl in the 2x. Check out the video and pics of this morning. The first A.T. of the season after a long winter of land training and steady state aerobics. Today the 2x worked on getting maximum suspension at 26 spm..... In order to get maximum "suspension", the catch must be timed to hit the water on the "bounce" of your legs.
Each day I will be adding parts to this site. I will let you know as I add something...........Riles

4/4/06

Welcome to Rileyrowing!

Presently, we are getting this website up and running. So, please be patient. Coaching has been going great! My latest revelations on "suspension" have taken a flat world and made it round. Here is a tip, take a look at some Athens elite single footage and you will see unlocked arms breaking throughout the whole drive. How could that be if we are suppose to "hang on it"? Take a good look at Chalupa's hand position! Here's a guy that has been in elite finals since the 80's! He must be doing something right leading the youngsters to the 1000m mark.......Riles