Coaching Masters Athletes: Will Ruth
Race Day Warm-Up: Blake Gourley
Build Strong Hamstrings, Reduce Low Back Pain: Joe DeLeo
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Comparing masters athletes with varying degrees of coaching for psychological need satisfaction and frustration. Hoffman, M., Young, B., Rathwell, S., & Callary, B. (2019). International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 15(1).
Researchers analyzed survey responses from 561 masters athletes from swimming, running, rowing, and other individual sports to understand how different amounts of coaching affected the athletes’ feelings of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Coached masters athletes reported greater feelings of relatedness than non-coached athletes, but also greater frustration in autonomy. This study offers takeaways for masters rowers and coaches to better engage masters athletes and improve sport outcomes.
Free Bonus Content! Interview with coach Marlene Royle
Influence of prior exercise on VO2 kinetics subsequent exhaustive rowing performance. Sousa, A., Ribeiro, Joao., Sousa, M., Vilas-Boas, J., & Fernandes, R. (2014). Plos One, 9(1).
Researchers examined the impact of three different warm-up scenarios on rowers’ oxygen consumption and ability to sustain high intensity rowing exercise. The three warm-up scenarios included: no warm-up, a moderate intensity warm-up, and a high intensity warm-up. Researchers found that the moderate intensity warm-up outperformed the other two warm-ups by improving the rowers’ ability to consume oxygen effectively and by increasing the amount of time that they were able to sustain high intensity exercise. Rowers and coaches can use this study to improve warm-up protocols and enhance rowing performance by maintaining a higher intensity for a longer duration.
The effects of Nordic hamstring exercise on pain and performance in elite rowers with back pain. Kasmi, S., Hammami, A., Noureddine, G., Riadh, K. (2017). Turkish Journal of Kinesiology, 3(2).
Ten elite rowers with low back pain performed a six-week intervention using the Nordic hamstring curl. The researchers found a significant reduction in back pain levels, a moderate improvement in 2000-meter rowing ergometer performance, and no effect on flexibility. Coaches and rowers can use the Nordic hamstring curl as a minimalistic exercise to strengthen the hamstrings while simultaneously reducing low back pain and improving performance.
About Science of Rowing
“Science of Rowing” is a monthly publication created by three dual rowing-strength coaches, Will Ruth, Blake, Gourley, and Joe DeLeo. Our goal is to move research into practice for coaches and rowers of all ages, types, and levels. We are entirely member-funded and do not promote products or sell advertisements. Members receive one issue each month containing three reviews of recent and applicable research in rowing training, strength training for rowing, and other relevant performance areas like psychology, injury analysis, technology, and more. Each issue includes video and graphic content to help move the knowledge into practice, as well as a podcast episode of the three of us discussing the takeaways and our experiences. Membership includes access to all prior issues, so join us for one month and get access to every issue. We also offer discounted annual and team memberships, as well as gift memberships for a special rower or coach in your life.