Interview with James Goodwin, Head of physical performance and science for the Swiss Rowing Federation. James is responsible for ensuring the Swiss Team are strong and fit, to train and race. In this episode, James shares his expertise towards Masters Rowing. James and I discuss strength and condition strategies for Masters, and answer questions from the Masters Rowing Facebook Group.
James holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Sports and Exercise Science, from Sheffield Hallam University and worked as the Strength and Conditioning Coach (GB Rowing) through the Rio Olympic cycle.
This episode is supported by Precision Hydration. You can take Precision Hydration’s free online sweat test at www.precisionhydration.com and save 10% on purchases when you use the code FASTER10 at check-out.
To listen to the podcast, click on the link to the Faster Podcast below or find the Faster Podcast in your favourite podcast player.
Excited to share this episode of the Faster Podcast, this time with Dr Charlie Simpson.
Charlie is a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science at Oxford Brookes University and well known for his publications. The Complete Guide to Indoor Rowing and Advanced Rowing.
In this episode, Charlie and I cover the following topics and a lot more…
Defining training intensity
The holy trinity in training intensity; heart rate, RPE and power
Key training zones to pay attention to
Lactate testing
How to set up your season and week for training
Nutrition and hydration strategies
The Big 5 supplements that can make a real impact on performance
It’s a long episode (99-mins) and perfect for a long indoor endurance session.
The Complete Guide to Indoor Rowing, is the first comprehensive book to focus on this unique form of strength-endurance training. It is aimed at serious athletes, outdoor rowers and normal gym users.
Advanced Rowing , brings together a selection of leading experts in the sport of rowing, including international head coaches from New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and Denmark, who have all coached crews to World and Olympic medals. Distinguished club and university coaches contribute from across the United States, Great Britain, and Australia. Between them, these coaches work with the top national level athletes in their countries and specialize in preparing them to an international competitive standard.
Books recommended by Charlie
Wanted rowing coach by Brad Lewis
Assault on Lake Casitas by Brad Lewis
Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond
Thank you to our Faster podcast supporters: Precision Hydration, Bont Rowing, Filippi Boats and Citius Remex seat pads. These companies want to support Masters Rowers to go Faster and offer exclusive benefits to my newsletter subscribers. To gain access to exclusive bonus offers, ensure you subscribe to my newsletter.
In this episode I cover the metrics that I track during a rowing season, to monitor and manage. This episode ought to be useful for anyone seeking to understand what training metrics and devices are best to improve their performance in rowing.
James Goodwin, is the Head of physical performance and science for the Swiss Rowing Federation. James is responsible for ensuring the Swiss Team are strong and fit, to train and race.
This episode is an extract from the Live Strength & Conditioning Masterclass held earlier this year (2021), where James is presenting strategies and approaches to strength training for Masters Rowers.
Subscribe to the Faster newsletter, to get free access to the weekly workout from James, and much more.
Super excited to announce today, the live sessions with our world-class instructors. More information will be released later this week, so be sure to join the newsletter to be the first to find out.
Training & Nutrion For Masters Rowers
Instructor: Dr Charles Simpson, Author and Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science. Sport. Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University.
Biomechanics For Fast & Efficient Rowing
Instructor: Dr Valery Kleshnev, Rowing Biomechanist, Author, Inventor, Olmpic Silver medalist and USSR Single Sculls Champion.
Strength & Conditioning For Masters Rowers
Instructor: James Goodwin, Head of Strength & Conditioning and High Performance, Swiss Rowing Federation.
Rowing Technique To Move The Boat Fast.
Instructor: Noel Donaldson, former head of Australian Rowing, New Zealand Rowing. Coach of the Oarsome Foursome & the Kiwi Pair.
Anne-Marie Howald is well know in the rowing world, having represented Switzerland at the 1987 & 88 World Championships as a lightweight, and now as the Head Coach of the U23 and Junior Squad.
In 2018, Anne-Marie was awarded the “Swiss Olympic Coach Award” for the impressive achievements of the junior national team at the European Championships in Krefeld and the World Championships in Trakai.
Anne-Marie leads the talent identification of young rowers in Switzerland, with the ‘Future Rowers’ programme that takes promising young athletes through to the Elite level. In this episode, Anne-Marie covered how she first started in rowing and how that love for rowing, and high performance, has taken her on her own journey to coaching and inspiring others. Plenty of inspiration for the listener, some ideas and tips on how to move the boat faster, along with some nice insights into her time training with the legendary coach, Harry Mahon.
This podcast is supported by, Precision Hydration, Bont Rowing, Filippi Boats and Citius Remex seat pads. For more information about our supporters, please ensure you subscribe to my newsletter to gain access to exclusive bonus offers.
I am excited to reconnect with Edouard today, and to hear what he has been up to since we last spoke in April this year. I’ve been looking forward to this for some time. It’s not often, one has an opportunity to gain insights, into a world class team, and in this episode, Edouard share with us, how the Swiss Rowing Team has adapted to the changes in the World Rowing and Olympic schedule.
In this episode, I catch up with Edouard on three things:
What has he been focussing on with the Swiss Team, since we last spoke?
His plans for Tokyo
His thoughts on technique and coaching technique
My guest today is Edouard Blanc, Head Coach of the Swiss Rowing Federation.
So the racing season is over. One race done, and all done for the year. Very grateful, that with everything going on around the world, and in Switzerland, we were able to come together to race together. Great organisation skills from the Swiss Rowing Federation, the organising committee of Luzern, and discipline from all the clubs, to enable a safe regatta.
In the last week, the entire training squad from Vevey, has been tapering down, and getting ready for the first and only major race of the year. The Swiss Rowing Championships, held as always, at the Rotsee Lake, Luzern, Switzerland. The central point of rowing for Switzerland, and some may say, the best natural rowing venue in the world.
In the last week, the masters squad travelled to a small lake north of Vevey, to sharpen up for the coming ‘all or nothing’ regatta at the end of the week. We completed around 4-hours of training, about 60% less than a normal week’s training volume, and each session included high intensity. As a result, we all felt fresh, and sharpened up the coordination required for the 1,000m blast.
The races were all stacked together on the Friday, meaning that most of the squad were racing 3 times. We fielded a crew in the men’s quad, 2 doubles and four singles. Took home silver in the quad, silver in the double and a gold in the single scull.
Training volumes for the 8.5-months were 5% higher than last year. 84% of training volume (time) was spent <75% heart rate peak, and 5% of training volume (time) was spent >90% heart rate peak. Average training volume c.a. 10.5 hours a week.
The race in the single scull was always going to be a fast one. No one knew the others form, leading into the race, so I made some assumptions on what would be required to win it. I figured 3:35 or there about would be the winning time, and confirmed this on seeing the still conditions at the Rotsee. My opposition always start fast, and I started well. By the 200m mark, I settled into race pace with about half a lengths lead. My opposition cranked it up, and started to creep ahead, yet I was comfortable with the planned race pace of 1:45, and knew that at this pace, I could stay aerobic and leave something for the last 350m. Eventually, that is what happened. With 350m I was able to increase the pace and go through to win.
Racing Equipment
Filippi F22 single scull with Aliante carbon wing rigger
Concept2 Skinny plain edge smoothies
Bont BOA rowing shoes
Citius Remex seat pad
DiBi racing suit
Oakley Sutro glasses
Garmin 945 Forerunner
Precision Hydration electrolytes
Big Thanks
Lot’s of people are always involved in successful campaigns, yet it simply wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my wife Angela. Angela not only supported my journey this year, she kept me healthy and incredibly strong with her knowledge of integrated nutrition and medicine. Thanks also to Giovanni Calabrese, and the team at Gavirate Rowing Club for being so welcoming all the time. To Luca and the team at the Australian Institute of Sport, that helped take our training and preparation to the next level. And finally, thanks to Urs Graf, for spotting all the areas for improvement. Urs helped us to understand what a fast moving boat feels like, and how to look after that speed.
Now the road to the Silver Skiff starts in a week….
