This morning I had volunteered to "sit-in" for one of the novice 8's... this meant an early start (not too much of a problem) and as it turned out rowing in stroke. We ended up with 7 crew, one short, of an 8 obviously and also not a even number... thus three blades on one side of the boat and four on the other. I enjoyed it none the less, it was tough in stroke, I found that I could feel absolutely everything... my biggest mistake was trying to correct for everything that I felt - it worked better when I got on with my own stroke... until the next dragged oar or rushed slide snuck into my head.
The four that I am getting involved with has a former national / international athlete in the stroke seat which aside from grooved metronomic timing means that he is far stronger - this combined with a long wing span (oar range) makes him our ideal stroke man. I hope that with fitness I can make my own stroke much more grooved... it comes and goes, sweet for a time then shot to bits... I have noticed that very often the take off strokes are sweet, because I can feel the grab of the water far better than when the boat is fully moving.
For the second session on the water, our four got itself together for the first time in the fine shell four. We greeted our bowman, who promptly lead us to the ergo room for a five minute warm up (I have a feeling he may have been assuring himself that we were fit and thus less likely to tip the boat over, heheheheh). I returned to the two seat, which I am enjoying more and more. My right shoulder still struggles a little (post bike crash - its the one I am getting physio for), but I am able to time off and follow directly the stroke mans metronome stroke... that is when I focus and can get my body to follow without brain engaging for every element of the stroke. I can't wait to see what is possible with a little fitness work :o)
The four that I am getting involved with has a former national / international athlete in the stroke seat which aside from grooved metronomic timing means that he is far stronger - this combined with a long wing span (oar range) makes him our ideal stroke man. I hope that with fitness I can make my own stroke much more grooved... it comes and goes, sweet for a time then shot to bits... I have noticed that very often the take off strokes are sweet, because I can feel the grab of the water far better than when the boat is fully moving.
For the second session on the water, our four got itself together for the first time in the fine shell four. We greeted our bowman, who promptly lead us to the ergo room for a five minute warm up (I have a feeling he may have been assuring himself that we were fit and thus less likely to tip the boat over, heheheheh). I returned to the two seat, which I am enjoying more and more. My right shoulder still struggles a little (post bike crash - its the one I am getting physio for), but I am able to time off and follow directly the stroke mans metronome stroke... that is when I focus and can get my body to follow without brain engaging for every element of the stroke. I can't wait to see what is possible with a little fitness work :o)
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