Hello Team USA Fans!
Because our Question/Answer feature with the National Team coxswains worked so well, we’re going to open it up to the entire National Team this time around. We’ve got current and former Women’s, Men’s, and Lightweight Men’s National teamers who have all agreed to take on your questions. (Athletes answering questions include Anna Goodale, Caroline Lind, Lindsay Shoop, Ellen Tomek, Warren Anderson, Guiseppe Lanzone, Jake Cornelius, Mike Altman, Will Daly, Pete Cipollone, and many more)
So, is there anything you’ve ever wanted to know about rowing or the National Team?
Women, do you want to know what it takes to compete at the highest level? Men, do you want tips on how to improve your technique on the water or how to best approach seat-racing? Lightweights, do you want tips on how to make weight or handle weigh-ins? (Coxswains, you’re welcome to continue submitting your questions too!)
The floor is wide open, whether you’re in high school, college, at a club or a masters rower, whether you’re a coach, coxswain or rower, what would you like to know?
The process will be similar to last time, but with some small adjustments.
You can submit your questions two ways.
1) Post them in the Comments section below, or
2) Email them to me at shivspix@yahoo.com
If you want to submit your question anonymously, best to email me directly, and request to be kept anonymous.
The big change this time is that there is no deadline, questions will be accepted on a rolling basis. (Suggestion: Don’t wait too long to submit your questions. As racing and selection season picks up, life gets pretty hectic for our national teamers)
Send me any suggestions or comments you may have, and of course pass this message on to anyone who may be interested. Other than that, start posting your questions!
shivs
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This site has been inspired by and is dedicated to the rowing community, and particularly to the many amazing people I have had the opportunity to work with over the years.
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Shivani
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I’m interested in how much and what type of strength training national team athletes do. There seems to be so much conflicting information about how necessary it is for rowers, how to change your strength training (if at all) as the training year progresses (e.g., by switching from heavier to lighter weights as important competitions approach), and what type of strength training best translates to a 2000m race (e.g., plyometrics vs. on-the-water strength training vs. free weight-training in the weight room). Is strength training prescribed for each member of the team or do people just tend to do as much as they feel like they need?
My name is Erik B. I have a question for the lightweights. Im 5’10 natural 167 lbs. My dream is to make the U-23 Lightweight team. I have been reading everything I can about loosing weight and still staying strong. Do you have any tips for making weight? Also any foods you would recommend? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hey guys how’s it goin’?
My question is, how do you deal with all the pain that elite rowing comes with, both individually and as a crew? I’m currently a junior rower of four years and as much as i’ve learned to deal with pain, there are times i still succumb to it. any tips or advice to help get over this mental block? Thanks
For the lightweight men rowers,
How many seconds a year once you reach the national team level do you expect to drop, and when in the year do you expect to pr on your 2ks? April? May? July? August?
I am a rower of 4 years 6’1” 180 6:20 erg I plan to train until I have a 6:00 erg how do I get there and what future will that hold for me?
I’m 53 yo masters rower.Doing 3:18 erg 1k looking to get to 3:08.Have done alot of meters over the winter. Doing 1:32 splits for 500m should I just gradually bump that up to 1k? 600m @1:32 next wek 700m @1:32 and so on???????????Thanks Jim
I have increased my training starting in December, (I started with erging) and when I made the transition to increasing my time on the water I pulled my right intercostal. Sat out for about two months and then I pulled left. Have any of you dealt with this injury? If so, how have you gone about recovering? I’m doing my best taking my time to get back on the water but I really do not want to run the risk of re-injuring myself yet again. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
I am a high school rower (4th year rowing) wondering about how you get to the National team level. I went to an ID camp for the jr. national team this past march and need to cut ten more seconds minimum off of my 2k to go to the selection camp. What’s a good race plan for a 2k test on the erg or on the water for those of us stuck at the same personal best? Also, what’s a good stroke rate (roughly) for a 2k on the erg? Any advice for getting to the Olympic level eventually?
Thanks! Wish I could be there but I have a race the next day
How would a coxswain go about getting recognized for national team development? It seems like there is a clearly defined path for rowers: hit erg score metric, go to ID Camp, go to selection camp, etc. I haven’t been able to find this same sort of path for coxswains and am wondering where to start?
Thanks, AJ
AJ,
To get a shot at coxing for the national team, there are a couple of different paths and criteria. For better or worse, one of the main filters used is the competitiveness and depth of your program. This makes it harder for coxswains from small programs, but from a practical perspective, it is a shorthand that works. Coxswains that have already made the varsity in a top program and have been winning at the highest levels are better prepared for the rigors of national team training. These coxswains generally get noticed via a recommendation from their coach to a national team coach, and then get an invitation to a camp.
So, what do you do if you are not from a top program? First of all, make sure you are the top cox in your program, then try to win your season-ending event or at least get a “best ever” finish for your program. Then join a club like Penn AC or New York AC to get more experience and exposure. If you can be the top dog in one of these programs and win some national championships, your coach may be willing to recommend you for a shot at the top game.
In short, it’s all about getting into competitive programs, becoming the top cox, and then winning races. If you can learn how to cox fast boats and win, then you can put your hand up and make a run at the national team.
Best of luck!
Pete Cipollone
Hi, I’m a 6 ft. 2 inch., 160 lb. 15 year old freshman rower whose 2k time is right now at a 7:00.5 but my last one was a 7:02.7. Is this something I should worry about? Also is that considered to be a good if not exceptional 2k time for now? I was the 7 seat of my freshman 8 and did pretty well. I was wondering what I would have to do in years to come to be put on the national. Also, I was wondering if you had any good suggestions to get my 2k down into the lower levels.
hello, my name is courtney and i row for North Alleghany, and this is my 3rd year of rowing. I want to be on the U.S.A rowing team but i have a problem, my 2K time is 8:30. I told my coach that i want to be on the U.S.A rowing team but she kind of laughed and said that I need to drop my 2K time a lot, and i tried and tried but I still cant drop my time, where I want it. I’m asking if there is a way i can drop my time to be at 7:00. Is there a way?
Iam Kenyan who won the U.S.A green card in the year 2008 and after spending all I have I did not got the for interview I need to know why ? since the processing is still there year after year .