Continued – Ease into the Catch Part 2

By Coach Kaehler

Do you use momentum to get the last few inches of reach as you approach the catch?  Or do you get there with freedom and ease?  Your body, like all physical objects, follows the path of least resistance.  Your catch length — the distance your hips and shoulders travel into the stern — can vary based on your flexibility and strength.    Good flexibility and strength allows freedom and ease when approaching the catch, while deficits can create the need to use momentum to force your final, and less-than-ideal catch position.

The catch is a fundamental component of the rowing stroke.  How we achieve this position varies based on our individual body type, flexibility, strength, and technique.  With good flexibility and strength, the hip-shoulder position (fig. 1) can be set early in the recovery to create a strong body posture by the body-over position.  Once this position is set, the remainder of the recovery simply involves sliding the hips into the catch position (fig. 2).   Poor flexibility and / or strength can alter proper sequencing which can force the rower to use momentum to achieve adequate reach length.   Changing the hip-shoulder relationship on the second half of the recovery can lead to a less powerful position at the catch, which in turn can increase the risk of training-related injuries.

Strength and flexibility imbalances limit your body’s ability to execute an effective and powerful rowing stroke.  In other words, your brain will tell your body to take a rowing stroke, but your body can only produce the movement with the tools you have given it.  Poor (inflexible and /or weak) tools give your body less effective options to perform a rowing stroke, which can result in a less powerful stroke as well as increased risk of injury.  Better (strong and flexible) tools give your body more options to take a long and powerful stroke, and reduce your risk of injury.

Athletes with poor tools can still generate long and powerful strokes.  The price of this trade-off, however, is an increased risk of training injuries that include lumbar disc herniation, low back pain, stress fractures, joint pain, etc.  Since the body follows the path of least resistance, limitations in flexibility and strength can force the body into poor recovery postures, which may require the help of momentum to create the desired stroke length.  Often times, the increased stroke length comes from excessive movement of the shoulders and back during the second part of the recovery, (fig.3).   Stroke length is a concern for both coaches and athletes.  When athletes have poor tools, they often need to use momentum to create the demanded increase in stroke length.  Momentum can create a longer stroke but it is often less powerful.  This occurs when the shoulders continue to travel into the stern while the hips have stopped moving into the bow (fig 4 -blue).  Increasing the demands of the upper body and back (versus the hips and knees) at the catch can lead to increased injury risk.

One simple way to measure your ability to get freely into the catch is to test yourself on an erg.   Start out at the finish of the stroke, then proceed to the body-over position and pause for several seconds. Then pull yourself into the catch position.  Hold the catch position for 5-10 seconds and have someone mark where your handle position is relative to the erg and mark the measured distance (fig 5 – red).  Make sure that your hip-shoulder distance does not change as you approach the catch.  Next, begin rowing for about 10-15 strokes and again measure the distance of your handle from the cage of the erg (fig 5 – yellow).  If the handle positions are identical, then you have good flexibility and strength relative to your body posture at the catch.  If the distance of your stroke increases (ie. the handle is closer to the cage) it may indicate you are using momentum to get those extra inches (fig. 4 – blue).  It is also possible that you could also have a sequencing problem as you approach the catch (ie. your shoulders continue towards the catch through the whole recovery).  In my experience, many rowers who dive with the body at the catch have moderate flexibility and strength imbalances that force poor sequencing as they approach the catch.  This quick test can also be used as a general exercise to start working on improving the catch position without the use of momentum.   Start at the finish of the stroke and pause at body-over position.  Then slowly pull yourself into the catch as deeply as you can without changing the hip and shoulder relationship, which was set at the body-over position.  Hold for 5 -10 seconds and repeat as necessary (10-15 reps is a good start).

Using momentum to achieve adequate stroke length leads to more tension on the recovery, reduced power on the drive, and an increased risk of injury.  The best alternative is having strong and flexible tools.  Staying strong and flexible will help you achieve a long and balanced stroke and excellent relaxation during the recovery – a requisite for a powerful drive and ideal rowing stroke.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red = Catch Distance no Momentum

Yellow = Catch Distance while Rowing

Blue = Over-reaching/use of Momentum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red = Catch Distance no Momentum

Yellow = Catch Distance while Rowing

Blue = Over-reaching/use of Momentum

Continued – Summary – Strength and Conditioning Practices in Rowing

Article Summary by Coach Kaehler

Rowing is one of the most demanding of all endurance sports.  While most of the energy contribution comes from aerobic metabolism, anaerobic qualities such as muscular strength and power are also key predictive qualities leading to overall rowing success.  A survey was recently conducted in Great Britain among rowing coaches and strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches who worked with rowers. The results of this survey were published in the The Journal of Strength and Conditioning.

The British survey examined issues surrounding the use of strength training in rowing programs.  Of the 54 questionnaires sent out, 32 responses were submitted for analysis.   Twenty-two of the participants were rowing coaches, and the other 10 were S&C coaches.  The average age of the coaches was 32 years and mean coaching experience was 10.5 years.  35% of the respondents coached Olympic level athletes; another 35% had coached at the National level; and the remainder coached at the Club, Regional, and University levels.   81% of the respondents held a Bachelors degree, and 34% a Masters degree.

30 of the 32 respondents reported that they conducted physical testing on their rowers.  Testing included several key areas mentioned below including cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, muscle power, flexibility, and speed.

Cardio included: 5km, 30 min., 16km, step test, 18km, and 1hr test

Muscle Strength included: “1RM squat, deadlift, benchpull,” “Concept II dynamometer (world class start testing protocol)”, and “1RM squat, push-pull, and deadlift”

Muscle Power included: “vertical jump and max Olympic lift,” “max power at 100 degrees/sec,” and “250-m ergometer,” “ergometer power strokes”

Flexibility included: “physio assessment protocol,” “sit and reach plus range of motion, joint tests,” “stretch bench tests,” “hamstring measuring,” and a “movement pattern tests.”

Speed Tests: “rating tests on water,” “ergometer sprints,” “racing on water and ergometers,” and “2,000m ergometer.”

30 of the 32 coaches said they used strength training in their programs, and all 32 coaches stated they believed strength training was a benefit to rowing performance.  In-season season strength and power training was used by 26 of the coaches where frequency and intensity varied.  25% of the coaches surveyed lifted 2x/wk, 25% lifted 2-3x/wk, 25% lifted 3x/wk, 12.5% lifted 1-2x/wk, and 12.5% lifted 3-4x/wk.  The number of repetitions performed during the in-season training also varied.  42% lifted using less than eight reps (3-6) per set, 26% lifted above eight reps per set, and the remaining 38% used a mix of lifts above and below eight reps per set.   Strength training sessions varied from 30-75 minutes in length.

Off-season lifting was used by (responses) 25 coaches where days per week and repetitions varied as follows:  36% lifted 3x/wk, 28% lifted 2x/wk, 20% lifted 4x/wk, 4% lifted 1x/wk, and 12% lifted 2-4x/wk.  The number of repetitions varied as follows; 16% lifted using less than eight reps (3-6) per set, 32% lifted above eight reps per set, and the remaining 52% used a mix of lifts above and below eight reps per set.

The survey also examined recovery time between lifting and rowing training.  Specifically, coaches were asked to indicate the amount of recovery time they used between a high quality row following either an Olympic lift session or general strength session, and between the last Olympic and general lift session and a competition.

Olympic Lift Session & High Quality Row:

(Same Day)  – 12%, (24 hrs) – 42%, (24-36 hrs) – 8 %, (36 hrs) – 26%, (48 hrs) – 12%

General Lift Session & High Quality Row:

(Same Day- 24h)  – 17%, (24 hrs) – 48%, (24-36 hrs) – 11%, (36 hrs) – 13%, (48 hrs) – 11%

Olympic Lift Session & Competition:

(Same Day- 24h)  – 0%, (24 hrs) – 0%, (24-36 hrs) – 0%, (36 to 48hrs) – 9%, (48 hrs) – 25%, (>48hrs) – 66%

General Lift Session & Competition:

(Same Day- 24h)  – 0%, (24 hrs) – 0%, (24-36 hrs) – 0%, (36 to 48hrs) – 17%, (48 hrs) – 25%, (>48hrs) – 58%

The coaches were also asked to rank the most important weight-lifting exercises used within their training programs.  The most commonly used exercises by ranking were the clean, the squat, and the deadlift.  16 of the 32 coaches used plyometrics as part of their training programs, while 31 out of 32 indicated that they used some form of flexibility training.  All used static stretching.

The survey showed several key trends among rowing coaches in Britain.  Physical testing is widely used to measure cardiovascular endurance, as well as muscular strength and power.   Most coaches used Olympic lifts, and periodized their training plans.  And generally, a 24 hour recovery was used between strength training and high quality rowing training, whereas 48 hours or greater was used between strength training and racing.

 

Reference:

Gee, TI, Olsen,PD, Berger, NJ, Golby,J, Thompson, KG,. Strength and Conditioning Practices in Rowing.

J Strength Cond Res 25(3): 668-682, 2011

Continued – How are you finding more length in your rowing stroke?

How are you finding more length in your rowing stroke?

 

By Coach Kaehler

Are you getting enough reach at the catch?  Tired of your coach yelling at you to ‘get longer’, or fed-up with rigging yourself to row like you’re 6’8”?  The fact is that the length of a rower’s stroke is a common concern for many rowing coaches.  Coaches often single out rowers with shorter strokes and pressure them to produce more length.  Over-reaching is one approach to increasing stroke length, but comes with an increased risk of injury.  Other strategies include lowering feet, reducing footboard angles, changing spans and oars, etc.  To increase their stroke length, many rowers try to get their shoulders, hips, or both further into the catch.  While all of these options or a combination of them may seem ideal, alone, they aren’t effective solutions in the long term.  More important, these ‘quick-fix’ solutions may actually place athletes in greater risks of injury.  A more effective and long-term solution to increasing stroke length is to determine the athlete’s strength and flexibility deficits, and develop and implement an individual corrective program.  Temporary rigging solutions can then supplement this program during the corrective transition.

A rower’s stroke length is primarily controlled by two factors: strength and flexibility.   When both are in good balance, the athlete can get into a strong, powerful, and long position with little effort.  While other considerations also influence stroke length — arm length, leg length, and torso length — these anatomical factors can not be altered.  Instead, coaches and athletes use rigging changes to help modify stroke length, and improve uniformity in a crew with varying body types.  However, using rigging strategies alone to correct possible deficits in a rower’s strength and flexibility is not the best long term solution, and can lead to increased risks of injury.

To effectively improve stroke length, I encourage coaches and athletes to first identify and correct individual strength and flexibility issues,and then explore possible rigging changes.  Strength issues usually improve quicker than flexibility issues, so it may be several weeks or months before rowers should attempt to rig into a more advantageous position, as it relates to rowing power.

When stroke length is short at the catch, rowers often increase reach by increasing shoulder reach, hip reach, or both, with the later being the ideal if both are increased by the same amount.  (Alternate sentence:  When stroke length is short, rowers will try to lengthen by reaching further into the catch with their shoulders (most common approach), hips (preferred approach), or possibly even both.)  While many rowers increase their length by reaching further into the stern with their shoulders while keeping their hips stable as they reach the catch, other more flexible athletes get too deep into the catch to find more length.  However, because these athletes tend to be weak, this solution places them in a greater risk of injury because they get beyond their strength at the catch.  These athletes often hit their Achilles’ tendon of calf with their seats, with knees well past vertical of the ankle joint at the catch.  The relationship between the shoulder and hip joints should be set during the first third of the recovery.  Once this relationship is set, it should remain unchanged for the remainder of the stroke, to and through the catch, and into the first half of the drive.   Athletes who use the shoulder strategy to increase stroke length (compensating for strength and flexibility deficits), will have a less powerful rowing stroke and be more prone to injuries.

To understand the most powerful rowing stroke sequence, consider a heavy dead lift.  With this lift, the hips must move first to get the weight moving.  Then, as bar momentum builds, the back can then begin to isotonically work (shorten) in conjunction with the hips and knees.  Using the shoulder strategy to increase stroke length alters the stroke sequence — the shoulders (instead of the hips) initiate the stroke movement, and therefore lead to a less powerful stroke.

Getting the hips deeper into the catch once the shoulder-hip relationship is set, is an excellent way to increase stroke length and power, especially when the changes in hip depth come from improvements in the athlete’s strength and flexibility.  While changing the rigging (i.e. lowering feet or reducing foot angle) can increase stroke length, it reduces horizontal power in the stroke.  A body-balanced approach to addressing and improving individual strength and flexibility deficits is the ideal solution to finding more stroke length, increasing boat speed, and reducing an athlete’s risk of injury.

Continued – Barefoot shoes versus conventional running shoes:

 Which is right for your outdoor cross-training program?

 By Coach Kaehler

 

After months of indoor winter training, it’s time to get back outdoors!  One way to interact with nature and keep your training program fun and effective is running.  As a cross-training tool, running is one of the most efficient ways to work your cardiovascular system.  From a convenience point of view, you can’t beat it — just step outside your front door.  Best of all, you don’t need any special or costly equipment — just a pair of regular running shoes.  Or do you?

 

Recently, a new fad has emerged in this age-old form of conditioning called, ‘barefoot running.’  In his book, “Born to Run”, author Christopher McDougall argues that running bare feet (or with a light covering) is more natural than using running shoes.  As tempting as it may seem to run with our ‘god-given’ body design, athletes should first consider several key factors before jumping in.  What surfaces are you running on?  What is your current level of strength, flexibility, and of course running fitness?  Like any new method of training, it’s better to introduce barefoot running into your program gradually, to ensure your body adapts at a natural rate.   The alternative could lead to injuries, especially if you’re exclusively a road-runner.

 

A recent study examined the differences between running with conventional running shoes versus running in barefoot shoes.  The focus of the study was to observe how both types of shoes impacted running economy (the amount of energy expended running at a set speed).  The study determined that conventional running shoes offered better economy (3 to 4%) than running in barefoot shoes.  This is an interesting finding, but leads us to ask yet another question:  how do new shoes compare to shoes with higher mileage?

 

In the same study, researchers also determined that new running shoes provide two key benefits over their well-seasoned counterparts: better shock absorption and running economy.  Shock absorption is an essential protective element as it reduces the risk of injury, especially for runners logging 20 or more miles a week, where significant increases in injuries occur.

 

If you are considering bare-foot running, a few simple guidelines will help you ease into it carefully, and reduce your risk of injuries.  First, plan to alternate your barefoot training days with regular running shoes.  Second, and especially at the beginning, limit your mileage running with barefoot shoes.  I suggest running about 25 to 30% of your regular mileage in barefoot shoes, then adding about 10% every week until you reach your goal.

 

Athletes who want to transition to barefoot running should also consider where they run. If you run exclusively on road surfaces, your body will need more time to adjust to the increased stress on your feet, knees and legs.  Running on dirt and grassy trails can help reduce the overall stress to these parts of the body.

 

Also, keep in mind that whether you’re running in conventional running shoes or barefoot shoes, your muscular system provides most of the shock absorption to the stresses of running.  Running, by itself, doesn’t promote very much muscle strengthening.  In fact, for runners who go long and slow, running can actually reduce overall strength.  In this respect, it’s critical to add some resistive strengthening into your program.  The additional strengthening will also improve your shock absorption ability, especially if you’re running in barefoot shoes.

 

Running is a great cross-training tool for rowing.  It’s efficient, convenient and allows you to enjoy the great outdoors.  As with all training activities, however, athletes must be careful to avoid injuries that could hinder their rowing.  Balanced running makes the most sense, and includes running on different surfaces (grass, dirt trails and the road), as well as inclines (flat and elevated surfaces).  Shoe wear is a newer variable in running with the introduction of barefoot shoes.  Mixing up these variables leads to better balance and a reduction in training-related injuries.  Enjoy the outdoors, train smart, and be balanced!

Continued – Pushing Your Comfort Zone

By Coach Kaehler

A little planning goes a long way in injury prevention

Rowing has its share of overuse injuries.  Factors that increase your risk of injury include: changing training volume or intensity too quickly, and allowing too little recovery time during and between during training sessions.  Other contributing factors include improper technique, poor flexibility and strength, and inadequate nutrition.  Careful planning and learning to listen to your body’s signals are essential to minimizing the impact of overuse injuries.

Training outside of your comfort zone

Experiencing pain is a necessary evil of endurance training, especially when you’re training outside of your comfort zone — your usual training approach that doesn’t exceed or challenge your physiological limitations.  Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is critical for developing your physical and mental capacity, as well as improving your lactate buffering capacity or VO2 max.  Often, when pain does show up, the brain goes into survival mode and tells you to keep going — that the pain will go away.   While some athletes will immediately stop their activities and get themselves checked out, others will train through the initial signs of pain and enter an uncomfortable zone.  However, when pain is long-lasting, we have to use it as a “coach” that is telling you something is wrong.  When we ignore the initial symptoms and train into an uncomfortable zone, we place ourselves at risk of sustaining injuries of greater magnitude.

Training volume and injury risk

Numerous studies conducted on running athletes have examined the relationship between mileage and injury rate.  Once running mileage exceeds about 20-25 miles per week, studies indicate that the rate of injury increases significantly.  While I’m not aware of any studies focused specifically on the relationship between rowing volume and training-related injuries, I have made similar observations based on my own coaching and conditioning experience.   Masters and junior-level rowers who exceed about four to five hours of rowing per week seem to sustain a noticeable jump in their rate of injuries.  Collegiate and high-level club rowers seem to be able to handle about twice that amount (eight-to-10 hours per week) of training before sustaining a similar increase in training-related injuries.  Large changes in training volume in short periods of time also trigger increases in injury.  This often explains why coaches notice increases in injury rates when high school rowers begin their collegiate careers, or when college rowers start training with the National Team.

Training transitions: Understand expectations and be prepared

When you’re transitioning to the next level of your endurance sport, understand what will be expected of you and plan ahead.  What will be your new normal weekly training volume and intensity?  This information will help you determine how to increase your conditioning in a controlled and safe manner.  Preparing your body to accept new training loads and training volume is a critical component to reducing your risk of training-related injuries.   The general consensus for increasing exercise volume and intensity (I also use this guideline in my coaching and conditioning) is to increase training volume by no more than 10% per week.  In my practice I do not increase training intensity by more than 10% per week, and often times it is less than 10%.   In rowing, training volume is easy to measure, and intensity can be measured by using watts on the ergometer, or by measuring speed in the boat.  The same guidelines apply to increases in rating — no more than a 10% increase per week.  Similarly, for running and cycling, we can use speed as the best measurement to control intensity, and mileage for volume.  For cycling, we can use wattage and speed.

Technique can also break down from fatigue when program volume and intensity change too quickly, or when deficits in strength and flexibility do not allow the athlete to get into proper sport specific positions for their sport.  Both of these issues can lead to overuse training injuries.    Building yourself up carefully and gradually, with consistent and small increases in training volume and intensity is the safest and most effective way to accept new loads and stresses on the body, and minimize your risk of injury.

Muscle and flexibility imbalances

Musculoskeletal pain is a common byproduct of endurance training, especially as intensity increases or if strength training is used.  Flexibility and strength requirements vary amongst endurance sports and when not properly addressed, can be a recipe for disaster when training volume and intensity increase, and can lead to training-related pain.  Imbalances in flexibility and strength can actually get worse as an athlete shifts from a low volume and low intensity training program (less than five hours/per week), to a higher volume and higher intensity training program.  Paying attention to these imbalances is important for all levels, but is often neglected when there are no signs.  When musculoskeletal training pain does arise and doesn’t go away quickly (two or three days) or gets worse, stop your program and get checked out by a sports medicine professional.   This is a clear example of when not to train out of your comfort zone, as it often leads to a more significant injury with a longer recovery time.

Many endurance athletes do not realize how close they are to sustaining training-related injuries and continue to train in their comfort zone.   When you have no training-related pain, it is easy to skip the detail work — proper stretching and strengthening – and just keep doing what you’re doing.  Manipulating training volume and intensity must be done slowly and carefully at all levels of experience with a carefully laid-out plan.  In addition, both coaches and athletes need to be aware of individual flexibility and strength-related issues that can impact their specific endurance sports.  Working together with a carefully laid-out plan will not only help the athlete improve their performance, but also reduce the odds of getting training-related injuries.

Continued – Training Hard? Breathe Easy.

CONTINUED

Yoga-based techniques to help improve your athletic performance
By Yasemin Watkins for Coach Kaehler

What’s one way you can improve your athletic performance using Pranayama –yoga-based breathing techniques?
According to Ed Harold, co-owner of Comfort Zone Yoga Center for Whole Self Healing, focus on your diaphragm – the dome-like muscle which separates your thoracic cavity from your abdomen and assists in your breathing.
“Learn to ‘thicken’ your diaphragm muscle,” says Harold. “The stronger the muscle, the greater your ability to lift and expand your chest cage.”
Harold, otherwise known as the “athletic yogi,” has been a lifetime competitor in everything from football to water sports, but confesses that his “greatest love of all is rowing.”
After sustaining a series of low-back and knee-related injuries, Harold turned to yoga for relief, recovery and eventually an entirely new approach to athletic training.
Through his studies to become a certified yoga instructor, Harold learned various yoga-based breathing techniques, Pranayama, and started integrating them into his athletic programs.

Here are some of Harold’s suggestions for integrating yogic-based breathing techniques into your own training programs:
Breathe through your nose at least 50% of your workout
Nasal breathing supports good posture in low back.
“Warming up using nasal breathing also activates the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system which sets your body into a fat burning zone rather using vital sugar reserves,” says Harold.
Mouth breathing, on the other hand, “doesn’t move the diaphragm as well and only activates the sympathetic branch hormones which athletes should reserve for racing and intense pieces.”

Harold recommends breathing through your nose, moving your diaphragm up and down at least 50% of your workout.
“Your first awareness of breathing using this approach is an ‘ocean’ sound in
your trachea, not your nasal channels,” offers Harold. “To do this, slightly constrict the upper trachea (epiglottis muscles in your throat). This will help control the length, depth, pace of inspiration and expiration.”

Use a ‘four-part breath’
Working with a four part breath: inhale, hold breath in, exhale, and hold your breath out.
“This technique warms-up your body quickly without wearing out joint tissues and destroying muscle mass,” says Harold. “Use mental or stroke counting to hold the left cortex present and in moment. Hold your breath in to increase the energizing effects of oxygen deeper into the nervous system. Then hold your breath out to remove stale air out of alveoli sac’s in your lungs.”

Observe the length of your inhales and exhales

Learn to manage your heart rates by noticing the length of your exhales and inhales.

“When your exhale shortens to less than your inhale, you are stressing your body and beginning to leave your ‘comfort zone,” says Harold.

Relax facial muscles

Relax low jaw, cheek bones, relax muscles around the eyes and don’t move
crown of head

For more information on these and other yogic-based techniques and programs Harold teaches, visit www.comfortzoneyoga.com.

(We don’t believe that there is any one magic bullet to success – and that hard work, excellent training plans and great coaching lead to success and we try and add value and serving you in your quest for success. Our programs are intended to help you get to the next level and the information above can help you better understand the many facets that should be addressed. As stipulated by law, we cannot and do not make any guarantees about your ability to get results using  our ideas, information, tools or strategies , or from third-party information we share with you. We don’t know you and, besides, your results in life are up to you. Agreed? We just want to help by giving great content, direction and strategies that move you forward, faster. Nothing on this page or any of our websites is a promise or guarantee of future training success. “These above techniques / approaches may not necessarily reflect the opinion of Coach Kaehler.” )

CONTINUED – From Back Pain to Back on the Erg

High School Athlete PR’s using Coach Kaehler’s Body Balance Program

By Yasemin Watkins

The following is a testimonial from a parent, Mike, and his daughter, Megan, who wanted to share their Body Balance experience with other athletes looking for effective solutions to sports-related injuries.  At this time, they wish to keep the personal details (names, etc.) confidential between them and Coach Kaehler.

In rowing terms, Megan’s story is a familiar one.  Megan is a varsity rower on a nationally top-five ranked high school team based in Pennsylvania.  Megan suffered from severe back pains that greatly limited her ability to participate in key components of her team’s winter training program.  Confused yet determined to help his daughter, Megan’s father, Mike, consulted several medical specialists including a pediatric sports doctor and an orthopedic surgeon.  Unfortunately, both doctors were unable to relieve Megan’s back pain.

Frustrated, Mike took Megan to one last orthopedic surgeon who then referred them to Coach Kaehler.

“Bob’s reference from an orthopedic surgeon carried a lot of weight,” said Mike. “As a parent, I just wanted to see my daughter be able to continue and progress in a sport she loves.

During our first conversation with Bob, he said that he would need one assessment, and that he was convinced that she would be able to return to rowing in a certain period of time.  I was so impressed: he delivered on all his promises.

He did identify the problem; he did it in one meeting; and she did recover in 6 weeks.  Best of all, (shortly after) Megan PR’d when she took her 2K erg test.

I felt like he was really looking out for my daughter.”

Regarding the evaluation, Mike commented,

“As Bob walked us through the assessment, he explained the dynamics of the muscles used in rowing and erging – everything made sense.”

Of their overall experience working with Coach Kaehler, Mike had this to say:

“Bob’s own track record, both as a medical professional and as a world-caliber athlete, made him more credible.  Bob instilled in Megan a level of confidence to carry out the exercises and return to competitive rowing.

Bottom line: as a parent, I’m tremendously relieved that my daughter can now return to rowing – both competitive and as an activity that she can enjoy for the rest of her life.  Without hesitation, I would highly recommend Coach Kaehler to any rower having (training-related) issues.”

**Coach Kaehler’s Body Balance Process is not medical treatment, and he does not treat pain.   Body Balance issues are identified and corrected to allow restoration of powerful and pain-free training.   All of his client’s have gone through traditional medicine channels first and have been screened by a medial physician (M.D. or D.O.).

Warner Bonner’s story continued

 Getting Back in Rowing Shape! – Warner Bonner Henley 2011  – continued

By the fourth month, he had me racing for Penn AC Masters in the Ladies Plate Challenge at the famed Henley Royal Regatta in England.  I was racing with some the best US master’s rowers out there (Grant Nichols, Garrett Klugh, Ivan Smilijac, Jack Nunn and Sebastian Bea).  We traded blows with the 2010 defending Henley Champions and 2011 IRA silver medalist, Harvard’s Varsity Heavy 8 who took us in the quarterfinal by just 6 seats, not bad for bunch of old guys with only three (3) full practices together.

 

As a bit of background and to really appreciate what Bob did for me in a short 4-month program, you sort of need to look at where I was physically when I started training with Coach Kaehler.  I had not truly trained for a rowing race in more than15 years when I prematurely ended my rowing career in pursuit of another athletic goal, sprint kayaking.

 In 1997 I switched sports to train with Bob’s former Olympic teammate, Chris Swan on the US Sprint Kayak team for the 2000 Games.  During this time I completely changed my ‘rowing body’ into and competitive sprint kayaker’s body.  I lost the power in my legs and gained a much larger upper physique.  After 2000, I started rowing a bit again, went to the US Trials in 2001 with Brian Klepacki but really was never too competitive again. 

 

 Between 2001 and 2010 I did the random master races every year but never really took them too serious. I fell into doing long distance triathlons (half Ironmans and full Ironmans) and REALLY started to loose muscle mass.  In 2010, I looked like a rower due to my height but the raw rowing power simply was not in me.  Due to all this alternative training, Bob felt it was critically important to get my body “balanced” right away.

In the fall of 2010 my former teammate from the 1995 USA Pre-Elite and Olympic Fest Team, Curt Browder, asked my bud, Sebastian Bea (2000 2- USA Olympic Silver Medalist) and I to row in the Penn AC Men’s Master 8 at the Charles.  The last time I trained out Penn AC was in 1995.  During that fall race, I sort of fell back in love with the sport, in a major way.  Sort of a nostalgic mid life crisis thing that I bet many a Master Rower goes through at some point. 

After a solid performance in a few fall races, we started chatting about the idea of Henley after seeing rowing legends Porter Collins, Ben Holbrook and Jamie Koven threw down some solid performances in their Brown Alum line-ups.  When I learned of the Brown Alum’s using Bob’s program, I quickly gave him a call and got on board. 

 

I have done all kinds of training; from Crossfit to personal trainers but what was magic about Bob’s program was it was designed for me, on a daily basis and did not take up too much time.  From the detailed erg workouts that built up my base to the lactic work, it was the most efficient program I have ever come across.  The first thing I noticed was my strength and after a short month of training we took gold in the Master’s event as Penn AC at the San Diego Crew Classic, I

was really starting to feel much more strong, as if  the “hands of father time” were starting to turn back.

 After the Crew Classic, we started to get serious, as I was only a few months out from Henley.  As the intensity of Bob’s workouts increased, the single most important thing for me, from a motivational perspective, was that I knew who Bob is.  I was well aware of what a stud he was in sport of rowing.  Knowing how long Bob rowed at an international elite level, well into his thirties… motivated me as to what was physically possible at nearly a Master’s C level of 40 years old.

 

Coming into the final few weeks, I ventured up to Penn AC for a few weeks to train with their Elites.  This was a major wake-up call for me as my first day on the water consisted of us doing race pieces.  While it took some time for me to get my timing and technique down… my engine was there.  My fitness was never an issue and by the end of my time in Philly, we were trading pieces with Penn AC’s top boats.

The Henley was truly an incredible experience and I recommend it to any Master out there.  The Ladies Plate event is very competitive with the likes of Leander, Germany, Ireland, Russia and Imperial in the event. 

We posted a time that would have won our event 9 times in the last 20 years.  So… once again, THANK YOU BOB!  My Henley experience would not have happened without you!

 

2K Erg Program – More Information

How to lower your erg score without spending all day training.

Just wanted to let you know about some new articles I just posted and how to improve your 2K erg using my 84-Day Training program.

Check out some new FREE  erg training suggestions I just posted on coachkaehler.com

Also, check out my 2k erg training recommendations on page 43 or the latest issue of Rowing News.

Are you struggling to get your 2k erg score lower?  Unexcited about having to go through the another long season of training not knowing if using the same training system  will give you the improvement you need?  Finding it hard to get the time to get the right amount of training in each week? When you have your entire training plan already laid-out it makes training efficient and fun.

• Master’s Rowers – will enjoy this effective yet time efficient program which will help you train at your best.   This program design has been used by many of my private clients with much success while at the same time it has been refined correcting any previous errors in design.  I am now offering my training techniques to everyone.
• High School Rowers – The 2K erg score is the gold standard to measure rowing physiology.  In fact college rowing coaches use the 2k as the door opener, it has become the SAT of rowing.
• Pre-Elite Rower – helps get you to the next level of training and racing by building a strong foundation

See how my 84-Day Erg Training Program will:

“PUT YOUR TRAINING ON AUTO-PILOT SO YOU CAN FOCUS ON YOUR ACADEMICS, FAMILY, and FRIENDS!”

Hurry and purchase NOW!   The CRASH-B’s are only 101 Days from today!

Would like to improve your 2k erg score, while still being able to manage the rest of your life?  If you would like to have complete control and confidence in your 2k erg training program this winter, please keep reading.

Getting maximum improvement out of your training is easy if you have a comprehensive plan that covers the main areas that will lead to success on the ergometer.  Maybe it’s been a while since you felt strong on the erg.  Or, you may be in that happy minority that has done well on your 2k erg score, but still you are not where you want to be.   Most erg programs are designed for group training and do not address your individual deficits.

You see, success of reaching your true potential on the erg has a lot more to do with understanding what your real deficits are as an individual athlete, and then to start correcting them, and much more than just pounding out a bunch of meters each day.  After having done over 800 of my Body Balance Evaluations on athletes at all level (Olympic Champions to Junior Rowers) I have uncovered key areas that must be addressed not only to maximize your potential on the ergometer, but also to improve rowing strength and power and also to prevent or eliminate chronic training related injuries.  Your training must include these key corrective exercises that will not only improve your strength and power but also increase your erg prowess.  Let’s face it the erg is a strength/power machine or as I call it “the truth teller”.

Hurry and purchase NOW the CRASH-B’s are 101 Days from today!

Training on the erg is its own beast.  Over the years I have learned from my own mistakes on the pitfalls of improper training on the ergometer.  I also have helped numerous rowers return to pain-free rowing on the ergometer after running them through my Body Balance Evaluation Process.  The fact is the ergometer is the ‘truth teller” and the Concept 2 is unforgiving.  Injury rates are much higher on the erg than on-the-water because of the increased stress caused by no change of direction momentum on the standard Concept 2.  This program is challenging and is recommended only for those who are not completely dedicated to pushing themselves beyond their current limits.

 

This Powerful Training Program Includes;

• My Body Balanced Strength Training Program (you choose the appropriate level)
• My Dynamic Balance Training Warm-up program
• The erg program has weekly built-in training assessment workouts to track your current fitness level to make sure each workout is done at the correct intensity.
• Key Assessments and Drills which help improve your Body Balance
• Powerful Rest Periodization

 

Hurry and purchase this powerful 84-Day Training Program NOW!   The CRASH-B’s are only 101 Days from today!

YOU only have 17 DAYS to purchase this program and get its full benefit.

My proven 84-Day Program will get you the results you seek.  This program is ONLY recommended for those who are willing to train hard but efficiently.  You will PEAK on race day!

2k Erg Training Program – Winter 2011-12

2011-12 Winter Erg Camp – Transcend Sports Training Facility, Wrightstown, PA

Winter Erg and Strength Training

WHERE: Transcend Sports Training Facility, Wrightstown, PA (Please feel free to tour the facility).

WHEN: November 27th, 2011 – February 19th, 2012

SUNDAY SESSIONS (except holidays):

SESSION 1   –  ( 7:30 – 9:15am)

SESSION 2  – (9:15 – 11:00 am)

(7 spots remain)

This is the third year Coach Kaehler will be holding this comprehensive winter training camp.  This program is ideal for those wishing to improve their rowing strength and power, as well as improve on their current 2k erg.  The group size is limited to four(4) athletes per session, there will be two Sunday morning sessions.  The small group size will maximize coaching for each participant. To confirm please pay the $200 deposit that is refundable if someone replaces your spot or the camp does not reach three (3) participants.   Hurry and sign-up before this camp sells out.

COMBINATION OF ONSITE AND REMOTE TRAINING PROGRAMS (ERG PROGRAM INCLUDED):

Each participant receives the 12-Week Erg Program as part of this camp and will include all the training to be done during the week.  For those athletes participating in their club or school programs Coach Kaehler will modify the additional training each athlete will do.   Athletes will get both hands on coaching as well as a comprehensive ergometer training program along with the full strength training program both on-site as well as at home.

SUCCESS STORY:

“Now when I present myself to coaches, I feel like an athlete.

Not a junior rower” – Olivia McShea, 17, Peddie School    (full testimonial)

 

Coaching Sessions include;

• Review of proper strength and flexibility training

• Body Balance Corrective Exercise Training

• Proper Ergometer Technique Training

• Proper Race Warm-ups

• 2k Race Strategies

• Post- Training and General  Nutrition for Athletes.

 

2011-12 Winter Erg Camp  Price = $1585

DEPOSIT: $200 to hold a spot for the camp. 

HURRY AND SIGN-UP NOW!!  SPOTS ARE LIMITED!!

 

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Register

Copyright © 2009,2010 Coach Kaehler · Coach Kaehler · Log in