Archive for May, 2009
by Jessica Jacobs
Scott McKee, former rowing coach at Rutgers and Columbia, now director of Phase IV
Yet another successful LARC event was organized by LARC’s Head of the Department of the Social Chair, Simon Hunter. Last night sixteen members from Los Angeles Rowing Club plus one member from Marina Aquatic Center gathered at the Phase IV Scientific Health and Performance Center for an overview lecture on Scientific Training Principles for Rowers, presented by Scott McKee.
Scott McKee is not only the director of Phase IV, but he is also a former rowing coach, giving him a solid foundation of knowledge and expertise on rowing.
Phase IV science is a holistic approach to strengthening, building and maintaining fitness. Based on the ‘Four Pillars’; Structural Integrity, Metabolic Fitness, Nutrition and Technique, Phase IV has the facility and equipment to analyze and advise individuals in each of these areas to maximize health and fitness.
Including testing for VO2 Max, and Lactate threshold testing, Phase IV has the technology to analyze foot-pressure analysis on a bike, running-gait, as well as up-to-date training techniques to detect and correct minute discrepancies in one’s approach to a variety of sports.
A visual representation of the phases of a properly scheduled workout... Periodization!
Scott also presented an overview of a Periodization Training Program, approaching fitness development in a ’scientifically rational sequence’. This concept is based on facts compiled over many years of testing and illustrates a productive method of building fitness in sequence: Starting one’s training cycle with anatomical adaptation (low intensity), and gradually over the course of 6-12 months building into a fitness peak (high intensity, for competitions), then repeating the cycle again.
According to Scott, this method of Periodization Training is not only a scientifically-proven method, but it is the “better butter burner”, by focusing a majority of training on developing a solid aerobic base. Much of the fuel source for aerobic activity comes from fat (as well as other components) whereas in the higher intensity exercises such as anaerobic threshold and anaerobic levels of training, the primary fuel source is derived from carbohydrates. With this approach we are more productively building lean muscle mass, which is ideal for energy output. And we can eat more butter! (Well, maybe I just added that last part…)
Scott emphasized the importance of recovery, variety, and technique as essential components to building and maintaining fitness.
At the conclusion of the lecture, Scott addressed some questions from the audience. Here are some tips that we gathered:
Sixteen LA Rowing Club members attended the seminar
-Always stretch before and after your workout. Scott recognizes there are a lot of different theories about stretching, and he makes a point: “The only time you have a cold muscle is when youíre dead”. However, it is important to know how to stretch and what muscles to stretch to prevent pulling or straining a muscle. Do some research or ask a professional to learn what stretches are most effective for rowers.
-Replenish adequate fluid and nutrition directly after a workout. There is a 15-30 minute window post-workout where cellular recovery is substantially more efficient than waiting until later. By replenishing fluids and nutrition within this window, it can take about 4 hours for recovery; whereas by waiting longer to replenish yourself, cellular recover can then take up to 24 hours for the same recovery!
-Rest and recovery between workouts is key to building fitness
Thank you to LARC’s Social Chair, and Scott McKee for taking the time to arrange such an inspiring and informative lecture on fitness for LARC!
For more information about Phase IV, visit www.phase-iv.net
by Jessica Jacobs:
A brand new indoor rowing studio has hit the scene of Los Angeles: iRow Studio.
iRow Studio owner, Iva Boteva, is an experienced rowing coach and champion rower. She brings to her studio a unique balance of workout and technique that sets iRow Studio apart from other indoor rowing studios.
Open to all level of rowers, Iva is skilled in giving individual attention to all of her students. However, she does not limit her valuable instruction to rowers only. She also offers a weekly class specifically geared towards non-rowers to introduce them to using the rowing machine with proper technique.
It is critical for rowers and non-rowers alike to use proper technique on the rowing machine; not only does this prevent injury, but it allows a person to engage the proper muscle groups to condition themselves in a productive and efficient way. Using poor technique on a rowing machine not only risks injury, but it is also far less effective.
Arranged by the Head of the Department of the Social Chair at Los Angeles Rowing Club, Simon Hunter, LARC members were given a sneak peak as iRow’s first clients. Ten LARC members signed up to break-in Iva’s new studio, myself being one.
With freshly painted walls, mirrors hardly hung the day before, ten Ergs were lined up facing a long wall of mirrors. iRow Studio is an intimate space with natural light; a perfect place for individual focus and attention.
Iva started us off with a familiar warm up for rowers; the ‘pick drill’. Here she coached us to use technique at each position and to feel connection from the very start of the class. Working our way up from arms only all the way into full strokes, we gently warmed up our bodies at an even, steady state pace.
Once warmed up, Iva led us directly into a technique drill, pausing at different positions throughout the stroke. Watching ourselves in the mirror during the pause drills, we were able to follow other class members and Iva, and notice where we might have technical discrepancies.
Next we started the workout: (3) Five minute pieces at a stroke rate of 24 spm, full pressure with rest in between. Here we were challenged to maintain solid form and breathing technique while pushing our physical limits. Between each piece, Iva coached us on stroke continuum, and maintaining power output range during these pieces. She also remarked on individual questions and comments.
Into the last piece, sweat and groans were flying from every direction in the room (at least, from my erg!), but it wasn’t over then. Simon, being somewhat of a comedian, bought us a 30 second punishment by suggesting those pieces ‘were 4 ½ minutes too long’! In good fun, Iva had us finish the class off with a 30 second all-out-sprint. Thank you, Simon.
Afterwards, feeling energized and fit, LARC members continued the event at a local Culver City restaurant for drinks and dinner, rower-style.
iRow Studio is a great addition to the fitness world. Whether you are new or experienced to rowing, iRow Studio is a perfect place to surround yourself with real people, achieve personal fitness goals and be a part of a productive and fun-loving community.
In addition to erg classes, Iva will also offer a weight-circuit training class at her studio.
iRow Studio is located in a central location, just on the edge of Culver City at:
3560 S. La Cienega Blvd ste K, Los Angeles, CA 90016
Current Schedule:
Mondays – 6pm (beginner/intermediate), 7:15pm (intermediate/advanced)
Tuesdays – 10am (all levels welcome)
Wednesdays – same as Mondays
Thursdays – no classes
Fridays – noon class (all levels welcome)
Saturdays – 10am class (all levels welcome) and 11:30am (FREE Intro to Rowing Class – 1/2 hour only, tell your friends who are curious about it, or if you need a refresher of the basics, come again).
Sundays: 10am circuit strength training (lots of fun, and mostly exercises that use your own body weight or very light weights appropriate for all levels of fitness), 11:15am erg class (all levels welcome)
Classes are 1 hour long. Cost is $20 per class for the erg classes, and $10 per class for the circuit class.
For more information, visit Iva’s website at: www.larowingcoach.com
For more articles by Jessica, visit her site at hubpages.com:http://hubpages.com/profile/celei
Last Tuesday I had the chance to try out the new iPhone app from Performance Phones LLC using NK’s speed coach technology. The app is called Speed Coach Mobile, and uses the accelerometer and GPS system built in to the iPhone to record data about your rowing workout.
You can get the app by clicking the link below:
I mounted the phone next to the Cox Box, in two duct taped ziplock bags, with some silica gel to absorb any condensation inside the bags. The iPhone is very fragile when it comes to water exposure, even more than a regular phone or device: it has a water sensor that causes the phone to irreparably shut down at the slightest exposure to water (I tried out this feature a few months ago, ack).
Output from Speed Coach Mobile, Facebook, and Google. Click to enlarge.
Having the app next to the trusty Cox Box, I was able to compare the accuracy of the strokes-per-minute feature. I am happy to say that the two devices were within half a beat of each other for the entire workout. It was very impressive.
The main screen of the app shows 500m split, strokes per minute, distance in meters, time of current interval, average split, stroke count, interval number, and time of day. All these fields are customizable so you can set it up to show more or less.
In the preferences you can set it for the various types of boat you row, for example, row, kayak, even dragon-boat. As far as rowing goes, it’s designed to work with any size boat, from single scull to 8’s.
Our plan was to do 3x 12 minute pieces at 90% pressure, followed by 6 minutes of paddle / rest. It was very simple to program this workout into the app and things were looking good, but we ran out of space in the marina to do the workout. It would be very good for that kind of thing though because of the timing and interval features.
Today I have uploaded the workout details to Facebook, where you can tag the team members, and even your coach. A stack of data is available, graphs and maps too.
An aspect of the app that is not so good is that the upload to Facebook costs money (I don’t know how much per upload). They give you 15 free uploads, but still, I don’t like that, considering the app’s steep cost of $65. I understand that the app was difficult to develop, and that the rowing community is relatively small (their reasons for the high price), but that seems irrelevant to me, the end user. How about pricing the app at $70 and providing free uploads? Most Garmin sports watches have free upload software that comes with them.
That said, the cost is still roughly half the price of a real Speed Coach (not including the cost of your iPhone), and it is a fantastic product. I absolutely recommend it.
For more information head to iTunes:
Here is a message from Los Angeles Rowing Club’s Coaching Coordinator, Chris Reins:
My favorite workout on the erg is a 24 minute workout that builds over the course of the piece. Here’s how it breaks down:
3 min “on”; 1 min “off” x 6
- 1st interval: 3 min @ 70% pressure; 1 min paddle
- 2nd interval: 3 min @ 75% pressure; 1 min paddle
- 3rd interval: 3 min @ 80% pressure; 1 min paddle
- 4th interval: 3 min @ 85% pressure; 1 min paddle
- 5th interval: 3 min @ 90% pressure; 1 min paddle
- 6th interval: 3 min @ 100% pressure, 1 min paddle
To translate the pressure into splits, you can do the following:
Start from your 100% pressure split — what can you sustain for 500 m? Let’s say it’s 2:00 / 500m. You could start your first interval sustaining a split of 2:15 – 2:20 and work the numbers down from this starting point.
My favorite workout on the water is 60 stroke pieces at various ratings.
By Maeve McCaffrey for Los Angeles Rowing Blog
Athletes of all kinds are adding yoga to their lives to help improve their performance with gains in strength, flexibility, focus and breathing. It can sometimes be hard to find the time to fit a regular practice into a heavy training schedule, but a regular practice doesn’t necessarily need to be a formal class. You can cultivate your personal practice and focus on some key areas that can be beneficial, specifically for rowers and injuries commonly associated with rowing. 
Last night we had Thirsty Thursday / Happy Hour at the Organic Panificio. What a great time! Thanks for coming, everyone, and see you next time.
