Coaching Conference Recap and 2023 Content Review

Last weekend, the rest of the year before it, and what’s coming up in 2024

Brick City Rowing Winter Training

Thanks to everyone who donated! They raised the full amount needed for winter facility access and then some, and the team has been crushing the first months of winter training at the Newark YMCA. The facility access doesn’t just increase what equipment they can use and how many rowers can use it, it also means that they can train right after school instead of waiting for evening or rotating small groups of athletes through different time slots. This means better training, more rowers with access to better training, and everyone gets more time for homework, family, friends, and sleep.

Craig and the BCR coaches came to the conference last weekend, and we got together in a local weightroom on Friday to work through the program elements with an emphasis on practical instruction and implementation. I’m excited to see what they do in the spring racing season and beyond. Follow them on Instagram for team updates and more.

The Conference for Rowing Coaches

It was fun to get back to a big in-person conference event for the first time since 2019. I presented twice, with my first on “The Basics of Strength Training for Rowing” and the second on “Advanced Rowing Strength Training.” “Basics” is intended for what any rower of any age, type, or level can do in strength training to build a stronger, healthier, better rower, plus learn a physical activity for life. “Advanced” is the next level of detail and the behind-the-scenes of my coaching with the GRP. Links to my slides below. Feel free to ask questions via Substack comments or email.

PDF: Basics of Strength Training for Rowing

PDF: Advanced Rowing Strength Training

New Articles and Videos from 2023

I did most of my writing here on Substack this year as I’ve coached, written, and made new videos. Check out the archives here to see if you missed anything, revisit a prior topic, or share a post with a fellow rower or coach. I plan to keep posts coming every other week with notes from my coaching, learning, and updates on new content.

I wrote two new website articles this year. I have a few more at various draft stages and will see what I can get done in 2024.

• February: Rowing Strength Training Program Priorities

• November: Gaining Muscle, Losing Bodyfat, and Rowing Training

I made many new videos, thanks to the more professional backdrop and equipment of the Craftsbury Outdoor Center gym. I’ll continue working to overhaul my “garage gym era” videos for quality, clarity, and adding points of emphasis from my current coaching in technique and errors, plus new movements I’m using in my coaching.

• The Best Core Exercise for Rowers: Seated Rockback (with Blake Gourley)

• Glute-Ham Raise (GHR)

• Mastering the Front Squat

• Full-Body Warm-Up (with train-along demo)

• A Better Bench Pull for Rowing (And Even Better Alternatives!)

• Single-Leg Squat Progressions and Variations

• Half-Kneeling Overhead Press

• The Rowing-in-Place Drill

• Goblet Squat

• Romanian Deadlift

• Kneeling Rear Shoulder Raise

• TRX and Gym Ring Core Exercises

Thanks, as always, for being a reader! Please let me know if you have any questions or requests for written or video topics in 2024. I’m taking the next few weeks off from online work, back to you in January.