It has been a big week on the Guadalquivir river for our students. Collectively they have covered hundreds of kilometres in boats already, with many of these at mid to high intensity. So as the sun rose once again over this amazing city, the students entered Technical Thursday. The middle of camp brings tired legs, ripped blisters and aching bodies. Technical Thursday is therefore a day to reduce the kilometers covered and focus on the art of rowing. The principles of a technical day can be related to two old Spanish sayings. ‘Si adelante no vas, altrasarás’ and ‘El mal escribano le echa la culpa a la pluma’
Roughly translated the above proverbs read ‘He who does not advance, goes backwards’ and ‘the bad scribe, blames his pen’. It is true that in rowing, to not strive from progress and improvement is to go backwards, and that one often looks to lay blame for lack of boat speed (and results) on the type or standard of equipment
Technical Thursday aims to allow our students boys to rest physically, whilst continuing to progress their rowing ability, confidence and skill. All of which can generate further boat speed. It also makes the student-athlete aware that there are many more factors that begin with themselves that they can change to alter performance, before even considering looking at equipment for advantagesSo today we challenged all our rowers to progress and seek personal betterment in the art of rowing. For some, that involved removing their blades completely, standing up in the boats and performing drills that seem to defy the logics of physics, whilst for others it was a case of realising that less haste can produce more speed.
For many, today will be one of the sessions they remember, and so it should be. The confidence that today brings and the understanding of how an individual can affect change is not only empowering in sport, but a good life lesson as well.
Technical Thursday aims to allow our students boys to rest physically, whilst continuing to progress their rowing ability, confidence and skill. All of which can generate further boat speed. It also makes the student-athlete aware that there are many more factors that begin with themselves that they can change to alter performance, before even considering looking at equipment for advantagesSo today we challenged all our rowers to progress and seek personal betterment in the art of rowing. For some, that involved removing their blades completely, standing up in the boats and performing drills that seem to defy the logics of physics, whilst for others it was a case of realising that less haste can produce more speed.
For many, today will be one of the sessions they remember, and so it should be. The confidence that today brings and the understanding of how an individual can affect change is not only empowering in sport, but a good life lesson as well.
Nice blog..
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