“The last great unknown, in terms of physiological training, is the optimum length of a piece. Is three minutes enough? Is ten minutes too much? No one knows. Perhaps someday the question will be answered-we'll find out that thirteen minutes is the perfect length for a training piece when preparing for a 2000 meter race. Until then, coaches will continue exploring the whole scale, up and down, from thirty seconds to sixty minutes and more, in hopes of capturing the optimum time.” KnowsEnoughWholeLastsThreeTermPerfectRaceToo MuchPiecesMinutesTenTrainingCoachesScalesThirtySomedayLengthSecondsSixtyExploringPreparingUp And DownThirteenMeterRowingPhysiologicalOptimumGreat UnknownSixty Minutes Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“White Hot Concentration is the unappreciated fruit of hard ligting, especially squats. When your in the squat rack, with a serious amount of weight overhead, your life literally depends on maintaining concentration. You learn to block out the swirling images in the mirror, the obnoxious chatter of the people next to you, the fat drop of sweat running down your nose. Once you've mastered this concentration in the weight room, duplicating it on the race course is relatively easy. Champions have only a few things in common. One weapon they all possess is White Hot Concentration.” PeopleHardRunningCoursesNextEasyWhiteRoomsCommonRaceSeriousDependsAmountWeaponsWeightHotMirrorsFruitFatsBlockNosesChampionConcentrationSweatMaintainingRowingObnoxiousOverheadRacksChatterSquatWeight Room Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“The window of X Factor opportunity opens up in the closing seconds of a race-you might be sprinting at the time or just hanging one, trying to get across the finish line. With a supreme act of will, you can prolong your effort, essentially fighting off the inevitable lactic acid shutdown. You'll have little time for contemplating the options: either wholeheartedly go for it, or back off. You must train your X Factor to unequivocally respond the way you want-go for it. Once the window is closed, it's closed forever.” WayWantTryingLittlesMightFightingOpportunityLinesEffortRaceForeverWindowTrainSupremeFactorsInevitableSecondsContemplatingClosingAcidLittle TimeRowingFinish LineWholeheartedlyLactic Acid Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“The time to be upset is during the race, when you can actually do something about it. Nothing could be done now. A thousand times I'd told them: the key to racing is to come off the water regretting nothing.” DoneWaterRaceRegretKeysThousandUpsetRacingRowing Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“Rowing is an absurdly simple sport. I can easily guide a beginner throught the right technical motions. The difficulty arises when the beginner attempts to repeat those motions on a bumpy race course, at 40 strokes a minute, with his heart rate zooming, and an opponent charging up his stern.” HeartI CanCoursesSportsSimpleRaceMinutesDifficultyRateGuidesAriseOpponentsRepeatsStrokesBeginnersRowingChargingHeart Rate Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“Nobody Beats Us! served as our main trigger... We practiced using trigger words, private verbal keys, which unlocked certain thoughts for us. We had a half-dozen phrases-some dealt with maintaining our technique, two dealt with maintaining our technique, two dealt with our stroke rating. The most powerful phrase was 'Nobody Beats Us!' According to our plan, when I said these words to Paul toward the end of the race, we would immediately shift into our final sprint, rowing as high and hard as possible, straight through, until we crossed the finish line.” SaidTwoEndsHardCertainLinesPowerfulRaceHalfPlansKeysBeatsFinalsTechniquePhrasesMost PowerfulDozenStrokesMaintainingTriggersRatingRowingFinish LineSprint Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“The ability to row in any conditions, raging crosswind, two-foot tall jet ski wakes, torrential downpour, is absolutely essential in order to be a champion sculler. It all comes under the heading of boatmanship. Some races are won on nothing more than superior boatmanship.” TwoMotivationalOrderAbilityRaceFeetConditionsEssentialsRageSuperiorsChampionTallJetHeadingsRowingSkis Author:Brad Alan Lewis