Teaching Rowing To Children

Teaching Rowing – Teaching Rowing To Children
By Ariane Kissel and Werner Raabe
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1. Aims of children's rowing
The main goal of teaching rowing to children should be to make the sport attractive to the widest possible range of children - as a positive emotional experience, both alone and together with other children. The training should enable children to approach rowing playfully as a sport as well as an experience and, most importantly, to find pleasure in an athletic activity.

This approach does not preclude a good, broad development of rowing technique or the general development of athletic skills. Only a comprehensive athletic training – in contrast to early, exclusive specialization - together with an education directed towards independence can prepare the children to later decide whether they want to continue rowing on the competitive of high performance level, as a leisure activity or in the form of pleasure rowing.

2. Requirements
The following will summarize the most important material requirements for children's rowing.

2.1. Area
A lake sheltered from wind, with shallow water - to make reboarding the boat easier - and without current offers ideal conditions for learning. Of course, it is equally possible to learn rowing on waters with high traffic and strong current, but a different approach is necessary under such circumstances. Thus, the approach depends on the area as well as on the situation.

2.2. Boats
Generally, children can row in all boats, which can be adjusted to children's measurements.1 According to the aims stated above - acquainting children with the varieties of movements that rowing offers - it is best to provide a wide variety of boat categories. It would be ideal if the club or organization could offer enough children's boats in the different categories. The skiff as a "cybernetic teaching machine" (Schröder) still remains the most important boat.

2.3. Opportunities for sports and games on land
In addition to rowing, it is helpful to offer other opportunities for games and athletic activities on land. Ball games like soccer, basketball, volleyball or handball are possible almost everywhere. In bad weather or in the cold season, an indoor gym is useful for games or children's gymnastics, aerobics, or circuit training. The rowing or bicycle ergometer or rowing in tanks is other options. But in the interest of a comprehensive training of flexibility, games should get preference over the often-monotonous ergometer training or rowing in tanks. Equipment and rooms for weight workouts are not required.

2.4. Motorboat
The use of motorboats makes sense not only in top-level sports, but offers many advantages in the children's area as well. The motorboat helps keep to direct contact with the team and to work with the rowers from a fixed point. In addition, the use of a motorboat allows the supervision of a larger number of children. Since it can be very helpful when assisting capsized rowers a motorboat is also a safety factor, especially in cold water and unfavorable weather conditions. However, it is not absolutely obligatory for the supervision of children. Depending on the circumstances, assistance can also come
- from another rowing boat (the supervisor rows next to the children, steering them, or rows with them),
- from the landing stage,
- from a bicycle.

Generally, supervision is more difficult, less effective, and requires more organization without a motorboat.

2.5. Megaphone
For clear instructions, especially from the motorboat, a megaphone is indispensable.

2.6. Stopwatch and stroke timer
Stopwatch and stroke timer are absolutely necessary aids for training children as well as adults. The purchase of relatively expensive mechanical watches is not necessary. Much cheaper digital watches, which often combine both functions, are completely sufficient for children.

2.9. Life jackets / neoprene suits
The use of life jackets is advisable in the following situations:
- in dangerous areas (rivers with strong current, heavy traffic, in locks, etc.)
- in cold water and/or cold temperatures
- for longer trips, especially on waters and lakes which are liable to experience wind and/or high waves
- for anxious or handicapped children

In this context, we have achieved good results with neoprene suits. In contrast to life jackets, they provide true protection against cold water. Thinner suits allow freedom of movement, they have good buoyancy, and are sometimes even less expensive than life jackets made especially for rowing.

2.10. Written agreement by the parents / health certificate
For the legal protection of both club and instructor, parents should sign a written statement that they agree with their child's participation in the sport. If possible, a health certificate should show that the child is able to participate. It is absolutely necessary for children who want to participate in competition.

2.11. Swim certificate
Children who want to row must be able to swim. This should be proven by a certificate or similar proof. If no such proof exists, the instructor should test the child's ability himor herself. An exception can be made for handicapped children, but they must be equipped with life jackets or similar aids.

2.12. Sportswear
Appropriate sportswear is necessary. It should be selected according to the weather and should allow sufficient mobility. Adequate sun protection is necessary in sunny weather.

3. Children learn to row
After this summary of the prerequisites for the instruction of children, the special features of a beginner training with children will be described in the following, beginning with the question of the right age.

3.1. When to begin?
Rowing can be learned at any age and under almost any conditions. According to different development psychologists, the best learning age is between 9 and 12 years. Children at this stage show a strong desire for physical exercise; new physical tasks are usually learned quickly and skillfully ("instant learning"). Our own experience confirms this. In recent years we have reduced the beginning age from 12 to 9 and 10 years of age. In this context, it is especially important to offer exercise forms (f.e. games) and equipment (f.e. boat and rowing equipment) adequate to the children's developmental stage and size.

3.2. How to begin?
The literature offers several methods of beginner instruction. All of them have advantages and disadvantages, and none of these methods is exclusively the best. Which method is chosen depends very much on the situation - water conditions, boat material, age and talent of the children, number of children, additional rowing equipment etc. On a shallow lake with little current, very talented children are could start in the skiff right away. On a river with strong current and with anxious children, this would of course be completely wrong.

Despite this dependence on the situation, the following will present some typical learning steps. They are suggestions based on personal experience, and not necessarily the only possible way.
3.2.1. Teaching a sense for the right movements
In our opinion, it is important to begin with giving the children a practical understanding of the correct rowing motions. A clear understanding of the motions coupled with knowledge of their function tremendously helps the rowing beginner. This understanding can be transmitted with the help of film or video, but children learn better when the instructor demonstrates the movement him- or herself. If the demonstration takes place on a rowing ergometer, in the rowing tank, or in a gig at the landing stage, the children have a chance to participate right away.

After a short demonstration, the children should get a chance to try out what they have just seen. In our experience, they usually master this very quickly. One practice unit on land is completely sufficient to get a sense of the necessary motions. Often, 20 or 30 minutes of introduction before the first practice unit on water and perhaps another before the second are enough.

Practicing the rowing movement on stationary equipment has several advantages:
- questions as to the motions can be answered immediately,
- mistakes can be corrected right away, before incorrect movements are learned,
- learning is interactive (the instructor can show what he or she means and does not have to use long verbal explanations),
- rowing ergometer and rowing tank provide an opportunity to "reduce," to go "from the easy to the difficult" - and the children can concentrate fully on the movement without having to balance a boat at the same time.

3.2.2. First practice unit on the water
Following the didactic principle "from the easy to the difficult" on the water as well, one should begin sweeping in the gig boat. In our experience, the majority of beginners has problems with the hand position in the scull boat (the thumbs touch each other) and find it difficult to feel the right position of the sculls and their correct depth in the water.

In the sweep boat, the children only have to concentrate on one side. They can learn the complete stroke including feathering and dropping the wrist. Rowing also often provides a faster sense of achievement because the children can cover short distances faster and with better technique. However, to avoid unbalanced stress, the children must switch from portside to starboard-side and back. Once the movements in the sweep boat have become fairly automatic, the children can concentrate on the correct hand position in the scull boat.

Of course, all important maneuvers - stopping, rowing backwards, wide turn, narrow turn, oars, sculls long - can be learned both in the sweep boat and in the scull gig.

3.2.3. First experiences in the children's skiff
When the gig is mastered to a certain degree - don't wait too long! - the children's single (skiff) is the next step. As always, a step-by-step approach can be advisable depending on the situation. Here, it is especially important to help the children overcome their fear of the unusual instability of the single. The following steps are possible:

Step 1: The instructor holds the boat while the child enters it. The child assumes the safety position - both sculls flat on the water, legs extended, sculls held over the knee. The instructor continues to hold the boat.

Step 2: Out of the safety position, several balance exercises can be performed. So-called "rocking exercises" are typical. For example, with blades flat on the water, the child is asked to lift the blades, first on one, then on the other side. If the portside blade is lifted, the boat tilts starboard, and vice versa. It is also possible for the child to push both inboard parts of the sculls into the boat and rock itself from one side to the other. In this exercise, the instructor can continue to hold the boat if the child still feels insecure.
Once the child has achieved a feeling of security, the exercise can be performed without the instructor's help.

Step 3: The next step is rowing ahead. Under constant extension of the sliding distance, both sculls are pulled toward the body, lifted, and recovered with the blade dragging on the surface of the water. In strong current, or to reassure insecure children, a safety line attached to the boat can secure the boats return to the landing stage. Usually, however, the children are able to master the following step immediately.

Step 4: Usually, this next step is rowing backwards. Similar to forward rowing, it is introduced under constant extension of the sliding distance. Once forward and backward rowing has been practiced a few times, other maneuvers are introduced, like wide turn, narrow turn, stopping, portside and starboard-side scull long, embarking, landing, etc.

Depending on talent of the children, these maneuvers can also be broken down into several steps.

Step 5: This should be a very important safety exercise for the skiff - reboarding the boat after capsizing in deep water. After an inadvertent bath, the children should be able to get back into position in the skiff without damaging the boat. This could be practiced extensively on a "bathing tour" in a plastic children's skiff, perhaps as a competition in which the time needed to get back in the boat is taken, and the winner crowned as "king of baths."

With the handling of the skiff, beginner instruction is generally finished. Usually, rowing in other boats does not present any difficulties after that.

3.3. Keep in mind!
There are some basic rules for beginner instruction:
- Becoming acquainted with the rowing equipment should be a regular part of the training. Use and function of different parts - sliding seat, footrest, outrigger, swivel etc. - should be explained.
- The children should be shown how to carry sculls, oars, and boats, and learn how to launch, take out, and later clean the boat.
- The children should help each other when carrying the boats.
- When explaining movements and tasks, the necessary technical terms and commandos should be used from the beginning.
- The instructor must continue to see that oars and sculls are positioned correctly and the footrest placed in the right position.
- The children should be introduced to the special features of the area - hydrology, dangerous spots, environmental protection, and traffic rules.

Within the German Rowing Federation, the introduction of a rowing skills certificate has been successful. When a certain level of achievement has been reached, boys and girls can pass an exam with their instructor or a representative of the club, which includes practical and theoretical questions. Depending on the level, there are rowing skills certificates in bronze, silver, and gold. If the diploma is not used to put them under pressure, it is usually a nice reward if the children have something to show for what they have learned.

4. Training with children
In connection with children's rowing, the word "training" assumes a different meaning than in competitive sports. In accordance with the aims described above, repeated, continual exercise should improve the children's motor/technical and psychological abilities (like motivation, well-being, willpower) as well as their fitness.

Children's training, in contrast to the training of youths and adults, does not aim at selection and/or early specialization. Aims are rather:
- long-term attachment to rowing as a sport,
- development of a wide variety of different forms of exercise (games, exercises on land, other sports),
- development of a broad basis for individual motivation and skills.

4.1. Training schedule
In our experience, the following frequency and length of practice units is sufficient:
Age 9-10 11-12 13-14
Number units/week 2 2-3 2-4
Rowing km/unit 5-7 7-10 10-12
Rowing km/year 400-600 600-800 700-1200
Hours/week 3 3-5 4-6

These numbers are of course only guidelines. Special circumstances, like excursions, rowing camps, before competitions, etc. can change the schedule for short periods of time.

A warning: however, against too much permanent stress at a young age. Especially with a view towards a possible career in competitive sports, exaggerated training frequency and length tends to be counterproductive. The best rowing age is between 22 and 27. A child that begins rowing at the age of 10 still has to train for at least 12 years before he or she reaches the right age for top-level achievement. Daily practice with a high number of kilometers at a young age may lead to quick successes in the beginning, but it prevents a steady improvement from year to year. Often, such rowing "careers" end before the junior level because the rowers are "burned out," because they have academic problems in school, or because they have lost contact with other young people outside of rowing.

4.2. Training content
We have already mentioned that children should receive the widest possible form of athletic stimulation in the form of games. In general, the younger the children, the higher the percentage of playing exercises on the water and the higher the number of different games and competitions. This does not mean that the children should paddle around aimlessly on the water - although that is, of course, also allowed every once in a while - or that they be artificially kept at beginner level. The children should rather be confronted with a variety of different challenges, which they should be able to tackle with increasingly better solutions. It is obvious that working with different boats and forms of rowing leads to a wider selection of exercises and games. Only a few ideas can be presented here as examples. They should motivate the instructor to develop his or her own, new ideas and to try them out with different groups of children.

Examples for practice exercises:
- Balance presents a permanent challenge. One exercise for advanced rowers in the skiff is "flying." Here, the children push the inboard parts of the oars into the boat and hold them there without letting blade touch the water. Exercises in the sweep boat could be rowing with only one hand (inside hand, outside hand), hands crossed, rowing without shoes or without fixing the feet.

- To understand the interplay of motion and perception, exercises with reduced perception are helpful. It has been shown to be effective to let children row with their eyes closed. In addition to a better feel for the boat, this exercise teaches getting the stroke and team coordination.

- Varying the force of the stroke also promotes a good feel for the boat. Example: alternating strokes with force and without force, or alternating strokes through the water with strokes in the air or catching water. Alternating emphasis of middle phase of stroke, finish of stroke, leg kick, upper body, etc.

- A feel for the boat as well as for ones own body is also promoted by performing motions at different speeds or sequences. Examples are rowing in slow motion; rowing with pauses, e.g. after hand deployment, or before catching water; isolating partial movements, e.g. by rowing with fixed seat, or rowing with quarter, half, three-quarter slide; varying stroke rate or variations in stroke rate and force, e.g. the so-called "mounting-five": one fast stroke with pressure, one slow without pressure, then 2 fast strokes, 2 slow, continuing to 5 and 5, and then counting down again.

- Tasks under conditions which make mistakes impossible, e.g. if the rowers revolve the blade in the water, one could let them row with blade feathered.

- To correct movements, it can be useful to exaggerate, e.g. rowing with an extreme starting position if the length of strokes is too short, or rowing with extremely upright upper body if the rowers use their legs and hips before the catch.

- Of course, all exercises can be combined with each other, e.g. rowing with eyes closed and blades feathered at different stroke rates.
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Examples for games:
- King of turns: who can do the fastest three 360¯ turns?
- Powerman/woman: who needs the least number of strokes over a fixed distance?
- Powerslider: who is the first to reach a fixed goal rowing backwards?
- Master of balance: who has the best balance; who can stand up in the children's skiff without holding on to the sculls?
- Boat-ball: a good-sized ball is played towards a goal with bow, stern, or oars.
- Rower handball/basketball: the children try to score goals or baskets by throwing the ball.
- Relays: depending on age, skill, and local situation, the distance in a relay should be between 200 and 500 meters.

As already mentioned, the rowing exercises should be complemented with or (especially in unfavorable weather conditions) replaced by athletic activities and games on land. Practically all forms of sports and games that promote motor abilities and skill and which help to increase fitness are possible. Moving in many different ways and forms helps children learn something about themselves and their own bodies as well as about the boat and the reactions of their partners in the boat. Developing fitness components such as strength and endurance is certainly a hoped-for by-product. However, the emphasis for children lies in the development of skill and technique.

4.2. Competition for children
Within the German Rowing Federation, certain forms of competition which on the one hand connect to the playful forms of rowing discussed above, and on the other hand prepare the ground for moving on to the junior level have been successful.

- Slalom: A course marked with buoys must be passed with the skiff as fast as possible. Although time plays a certain role in this competition, the playing element is still fore grounded.

- Combined competition: Here, children have to show versatility and teamwork.
Playing is still emphasized, e.g.
1. 3500m long-distance rowing in the four with coxswain
2. Basketball competition
3. 1000m. obstacle-race
4. Test of skill (e.g. attaching a disassembled swivel to the outrigger)

- Stroke rate rowing: Here, a certain distance (500m, 1000m, etc.) must be covered with the least possible number of strokes. A minimum stroke rate (e.g. 18 strokes/minute) must be reached. The absolute number of strokes multiplied by the time determines the result. In this form of competition, team spirit and a good technique are necessary. Time and performance of the rowing movement in its fastest form is not yet necessary.

- Combined middle (1000m) and long distance (3000m): For older children (13-14 years) with advanced rowing technique and a sound basic fitness, a combination of middle and long distance is offered. This form of competition prevents the tendency to power through which can often be observed in the short distance (500m), and which leads to uneconomic motions. The combination of middle and long distance also promotes the longer workouts with medium intensity which are favored by doctors.

Identifying, Understanding and Training Young Athletes

Developing Athletes – Identifying, Understanding and Training Young Athletes
By Peter Twiss and Janice Hutton
From http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/october07/feat4.cfm
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Who will be the next Tiger Woods, Mia Hamm, Michael Jordan or Venus Williams? Many parents believe that, given the right amount of training, coaching and perseverance, it could be their child. There is a certain mystique about talented athletes, whether they are amateur Olympians or professionals, because of their sports mastery and the skills they display. It is not an easy path to success, and few achieve this dream at the highest level.

A lot of parents hope their child will receive an athletic scholarship, not just to help finance expensive postsecondary education, but also as a prestigious feather-in-the-cap for both the proud parents and the youth. While only a tiny percentage of athletes advance to the university varsity level or higher, the other 99% will enjoy and stay in sports for life if they can improve their skills and have a positive experience.

THE LONG VIEW-ABILITY AND POTENTIAL
Predicting success in sports is a challenge at any age, because so many factors impact long-term performance. When children are young, it is very difficult to determine whether they have the right physical, psychological and sociological make-up to be top-level athletes. Combine this with the unknown outcomes of growth and development through puberty, and trying to accurately predict athletes' future performance levels can be like playing the lottery.

With this in mind, we can attempt to create a better experience for all involved-kids, parents, coaches, scouts and recruiters-by doing what we can to analyze and predict long-term sports success. By quantifying the athletic talent required for success, we can help parents harness their enthusiasm, focus their expenditures and spend more time en joying the childhood and youth sports experience. More than 50% of North American children have their first experiences in organized sport by age 8 or 9, and participation rates continue to rise through the childhood years (Malina, Bouchard & Bar-Or 2004). Parents who understand the athletic attributes needed for sports and who know where to source specialized coaching can allow children to enjoy their athletic development as they follow tangible steps to improve their sports abilities in measurable ways.

From a coaching perspective, understanding athletic ability and potential gives greater vision in athlete selection and overall team development. Coaches of young athletes may prioritize training that improves athleticism as opposed to focusing on the immediate desire to win. The goals should be to encourage healthy activity for inactive kids, teach life skills, develop a long-term enjoyment of sports and give naturally gifted athletes the tools that will help them perform at an elite level.

Predicting athletic success is challenging. If a child excels at a young age, there is no guarantee that this will carry into later childhood or the teen years. Young athletes exist in a continuum of ability from below-average to exceptional. While some of them will excel, as many as 70% of children will not pursue sports past their teenage years (Brown 2001).

Gone are the days of free play with neighborhood friends -they have been replaced with organized sports and scheduled activities to support athletic success. Many athletes are specializing in one sport at very early ages in hopes of a professional career, encouraged by parents who may have specific dreams or plans for their child. Kids who are streamlined into a single sport early in life are robbed of more varied experiences critical to developing overall athleticism. A lower athletic base ultimately limits their sport-specific improvement potential and can lead to burnout. The focus should be on helping young athletes develop skills they will draw on at an older age when they are actually ready to capitalize on sport specialization.

DEVELOPING ATHLETIC TALENT

The development of athletic talent is a long-term process. Through the athlete development cycle, an athlete progresses to the highest level of his or her ability based on a well-designed plan that allows for long-term improvements. Scientific research has concluded that it takes a minimum of 10 years and 10,000 hours of training for a talented athlete to reach elite levels (Ericsson & Charness 1994; Salmela et al. 1998). This translates into more than 3 hours of training daily for 10 years (a commitment that few can or will make). In sports circles, this is referred to as the "10-year rule," and in the preparation of Olympic athletes it is supported by both the U.S. Olympic Committee (2202) and Canadian Sport Centres (2006).

Over the past decade, the sports conditioning field has seen considerable growth in science and practical training alike. In the past, programs had focused on the development of sport-specific skills, strategies and tactics, with most training coming from coaches during regularly scheduled team practices. Sports coaches simply mimicked the sport-specific movements in the conditioning setting without paying much attention to injury prevention, overuse syndrome or overall development. Then, head coaches in some sports began enhancing the training by improving physical traits rather than just replicating specific movement patterns; for example, to improve sprinting ability, track coaches focused on leg strength, power and speed through multijoint lifts and plyometrics. Along with this trend came the use of strength and conditioning coaches who devoted their role to improving each athlete's unique physicality.

Later, as the personal fitness trainer (PFT) field grew, specialty education helped trainers working with athletes to differentiate their skill sets. Today, there are certification programs that designate PFTs as sports conditioning specialists so they can address specific sport-related demands and injury epidemiology.

Athletes and coaches are constantly seeking an advantage over the competition and searching for new tools (including the intangible factors that can make the difference between winning and losing) to help them achieve this edge. There is a constant drive to go faster, jump higher and be stronger. The focus of sports conditioning goes beyond training, marking the difference between having a ripped, more fit body and eliciting peak athletic performance from a smarter, more skilled body. This is reflected in the sports conditioning workout curriculum and long-term plan.

To develop a great athlete, a sports conditioning specialist must design an exercise program that considers many unpredictable situations in which the athlete is forced to read and react to events quickly. Reaction speed and efficiency often determine an athlete's success in beating a defender, preventing a move from an offensive player or even avoiding objects (as in skiing and snowboarding). Ultimately, the ability to read a situation, react and skillfully maneuver the body could decide the outcome of a game or sporting event. Success in sports is based on the ability to move in multiple directions in a smooth and coordinated manner. Winning each "small" challenge along the way is what adds up to a final win.

Program Design for the Youth Athlete
Sports conditioning programming has become less about mimicking sport-specific movement patterns and more about enhancing the physical tools for athleticism. This is even more crucial at younger ages. As a general rule, the younger the player is, the more the program should have a general focus. As a sports conditioning coach, you want your program to

-improve fitness;
-increase athleticism;
-build the physical tools that sports participation draws on;
-provide immediate upgrades to the experience of playing sports;
-give athletes the physicality to excel at any new sports they may pick up;
-produce results so that improved sports competence keeps athletes in the game; and
-provide an experience that will secure a positive link between working out and feeling good about sport

THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SPORTS SUCCESS
Physical size seems to play a big part in children's sports, as greater size translates to more strength, longer levers, enhanced speed and other sport-specific skill advantages. When describing the physical attributes that contribute to success, we focus on physical size, strength, power, strength/power endurance, speed, quickness, agility, movement skills, deceleration, balance, reactivity, aerobic power, anaerobic capacity, flexibility, coordination and body awareness.

Each sport requires a different combination of these physical characteristics for success. When designing sports conditioning programs for young athletes, it is important to match the appropriate skills with each sport's requirements, while also evaluating the strengths and weaknesses each athlete has in the above areas.

Coaches (and parents) can complete an anecdotal evaluation of young athletes to develop a general physical-skills checklist. Knowledge of growth and development trends can assist in this process by determining what can be trained and improved at different stages of maturity. Research published in 2005 by Balyi and others discusses optimal windows of trainability based on age and gender. All physical systems are trainable, but during the phases of growth and development there are specific time frames for females and males that should be areas of focus for sports conditioning coaches. Generally, for children ages 5-10, the training focus should be on flexibility, sports skills and speed. During the peak height velocity years of youth (puberty), there is an opportunity to make great improvements in aerobic capacity and speed. Once puberty has progressed, the development of strength should be the focus (ages 13-14 for females and 17-18 for males). The Canadian Sport System integrates all athlete/sport development programs based on the Long-Term Athlete Development model (www.ltad.ca) developed by Istvan Balyi. This model provides an excellent summary of valuable growth, maturation and sport-related research-as well as practical considerations-that all sports and conditioning coaches should understand. Trainers can also refer to IDEA Fitness Journal to access growth- and maturation-moderated youth training guidelines (Anderson & Twist 2005a, 2005b).

Development of the physical characteristics needed for sports success can be accomplished through a variety of methods. For example, an athlete can develop great balance and lateral quickness from soccer and then apply those skills to basketball. For focused, timely development, an athlete can work in a sports conditioning training center under the supervision of a specialist who can correct and perfect movement mechanics, which can also reduce the incidence of injury on the playing field. Research shows that athletic training and competition do not appear to accelerate or decelerate the growth and maturity of young athletes regarding height, body proportions or sexual maturation.

However, athletic training does have a significant impact on body composition (decreased body fat), motor skills, aerobic power, bone mineral content and skeletal muscle development, giving athletes performance advantages and long-term health benefits (Malina, Bouchard & Bar-Or 2004). Also, the earlier the athletes establish neural and motor improvements, the sooner these upgrades can be used to accelerate their progress.

Without proper sports conditioning, physical skills will disintegrate under duress and fatigue-even in athletes with the mental and emotional attributes and stamina to be the best in critical competitions. In other words, athletes don't rise to an occasion-they sink to the level of their training; so the training bar needs to be set high.

What Separates the Good From the Great?
In addition to good genetics, there are other physical and mental attributes that "great" athletes have in common. These include the following:
-leadership skills
-coachability
-a vast understanding of their sport (both innate and learned)an intense work ethic
-a killer instinct
-exceptional read-and-react skills for anticipating their opponent(s)
-standing strength that seems to exceed their weight room strength
-phenomenal speed
-coordinated agility
-a fluid body capable of advanced skill execution
-passion
-emotional stability
-mental toughness
-a positive attitude
-realistic goals
-focus
-effort
-persistence
-a competitive nature

THREE PILLARS FOR YOUTH TRAINING
The training style for youth that we advocate at Twist Conditioning has been packaged into three primary pillars of training:
-sport movement: agility, quickness, multidirectional speed, external reaction skills, coordination, acceleration and deceleration
-sport strength: muscular, whole-body, multi-joint strength; muscular endurance; explosive power; power capacity; acidosis tolerance; and recovery efficiency
-sport balance: stability, kinesthetic awareness, proprioception, neuromuscular pathways, transitional balance and internal reactivity

The primary fitness characteristics of aerobic endurance, flexibility and body composition compose the general fitness base from which all athletes build their sports conditioning. The anaerobic energy systems, which drive all three pillars, are more intimately tied to sports conditioning.

The Twist Sports Conditioning Paradigm (see Figure 1, above) shows the discrete and interconnected variables of the three pillars of conditioning. Trainers manipulate stimulus to stress specific systems in order to challenge and grow each distinct ingredient within each pillar. The entire training plan is athletecentered and should be based on the following considerations: age, gender, growth stage, psychological development, physiological strengths and weaknesses, specific sport requirements and experience. The magnitude of this list shows the complexity of developing a safe and effective training plan for children and youth.

Later-maturing youth are at a higher risk of being cut from their sports as they navigate the advancement hierarchies, which quickly narrow from community mass participation to a smaller pool of elite players. As this narrowing occurs at younger and younger ages, those kids who could-with time to mature and train-become elite athletes, are more likely to be cut entirely (Hutton & Narayanan 2006). These late bloomers need to receive training resources to get the most out of their physiques so they can stay competitive.

Sports conditioning is also important for early maturers so they can take advantage of their physical maturation. Children who succeed mainly because they have matured quickly are at risk if they ride that edge and train less than their smaller peers, as these are the same peers who will later catch up with and perhaps even pass them in physical size. Early maturers must be challenged in terms of athleticism, especially when they are not challenged sports wise by smaller competitors.

There are profound differences between training an athlete and providing a good fitness workout. Traditional fitness training considers the development of the primary components of fitness-endurance, strength, flexibility and attempts to build better-looking bodies from the outside. Though aerobic fitness, muscular strength and joint mobility are important to sports success, there are a few additional tools that athletes need. Sports conditioning for athletes includes the secondary components of fitness-multijoint strength, power, speed, quickness, agility, movement skills, deceleration, balance, reactivity and anaerobic capacity. This training approach helps all athletes enhance their innate abilities. A program that is grounded in scientific research and the development of athleticism is the key to success.

PERIODIZATION

The schedule and design of a year-round youth sports conditioning plan is called periodization, or conditioning in cycles, where different physical components are developed at different densities, intensities, frequencies, durations and loads. Based on scientific principles and methodologies, periodization presents the best time and the best method for conditioning each physical component.

Every sports coach uses the concept of periodization, but the direct application varies by sport and performance level. There is a distinct difference between periodization for a house-league baseball player and periodization for an Olympic track athlete. Coaches begin with a macrocycle (usually 1 year) and then break the season into four phases-off-season, preseason, in-season and postseason or championship. Within these phases there are mesocycles, in which both the development and conditioning of the athlete are structured to build up different attributes-all with a focus on optimum performance at peak times of the year. Each mesocycle is broken into microcycles, which have specific training emphases and variables that contribute to the goals of that particular mesocycle. The more elite the athlete or sports program is, the more complex the plan needs to be. When designing an athletic plan, the sports coach dictates the periodization plan, and the conditioning coach develops workouts to complement that plan.

Periodized conditioning optimizes results, prevents overtraining and structures the routine so that the athlete peaks at key times. The conditioning should be complementary to the demands of practices and the game itself, with an eye to eliciting peak performance in games while simultaneously planning for the long term. Periodization requires understanding what variables affect overtraining and injuries; how to enhance recovery and regeneration; and how to recharge for the next game while handling the volume of training that comes with sports participation. Developing the right periodization formula for each individual athlete (even in a team environment) is one of the greatest coaching challenges.

Because of such challenges, trainer competence is essential for anyone wanting to work on conditioning with young clients who are progressing through critical growth years-any injury can be a serious setback in terms of timely growth and maturation, as well as lost games, practices and training time. Remember, youth athletes are not "little" adults. They have very unique needs, and sports conditioning coaches will make better decisions when they have a well-rounded understanding of these needs.



The Basics of a Sports Conditioning Plan for Children and Youth
-Developing a sports conditioning program for young athletes involves much more than exposing kids to fast-paced drills and innovative equipment. To train this population safely, you must carefully consider several issues. Start with the following steps:
-Understand the growth and development children and youth and the variations between female and male athletes.
-Learn more about the specific requirements, skills, strategies and tactics of the sport in question.
-Investigate appropriate assessment tools for evaluating athletes' individual abilities and deficiencies in movement skills, wholebody strength, balance and coordination; then use the results to determine the proper initial training focus and subsequent training progression.
-Study appropriate training methodologies for developing efficient sport movement skills (agility, quickness, speed, reactivity, coordination, acceleration, deceleration); then search for drills appropriate for the athletes (age, gender, growth), making sure you know how to modify each drill as necessary.
-Study appropriate training methodologies for developing whole-body sport strength and power, including elements of sport specificity and manipulation of emphasis on prime movers, stabilizers and force reducers; then search for suitable exercises.
-Study appropriate training methodologies for developing sport balance (stability, proprioception, neuromuscular pathways); then search for suitable exercises, understanding how to quantify, prescribe and coach balance difficulty.
-Work with a sports coach to develop a periodized plan (macrocycle + mesocycles + microcycles) that supports sport development.
-Create a weekly plan for each athlete (microcycle), addressing how you will train sport movement + sport strength + sport balance using a cyclical approach.
-Develop each sports conditioning workout based on the big picture: macrocycle, mesocycle, microcycle and sports coach requirements.
-Implement your plan, adjusting it within and between workouts.

THE VALUE OF SPORTS CONDITIONING

We now know that long-term participation in a sport at the highest level of an athlete's potential requires coordinated movement, full-body strength, balance and overall enhanced mechanics to reduce the chance of injury and to improve performance. Sports conditioning grooms young athletes to be better able to apply their sport-specific skills.

Sports conditioning is considered one of the 10 top trends in fitness as amateur and pro athletes, sports coaches, parents, weekend warriors and adult recreationalists all demand this new training style (American Council on Exercise 2006). Traditional fitness training is great for helping people look good and achieve basic fitness goals (weight loss, basic improvements in strength and cardiovascular endurance, more mobility), but athletes of all levels and abilities need a more sports-oriented training focus. Kids handling multiple sports or facing early selection criteria must get on the right track sooner rather than later.

For health clubs and related businesses aiming to add sports conditioning to their revenue streams, hiring qualified coaches that stand apart in their specialization is paramount. Just participating in a gym environment is not sport-specific training.

Young athletes need unique exercises that feed into the skill requirements of their sports. Further, coaching these athletes takes more than memorizing and reproducing cool drills. Sports conditioning specialists have a full understanding of the science, training philosophy, exercise methodology, active coaching process, error detection and athletic mechanics required to build more talented athletes. Personal trainers are encouraged to read relevant publications and attend conferences that can help them work successfully within this culture. With this specialized knowledge, conditioning coaches are in a powerful position to impact young athletes in a positive and rewarding fashion.

Resources
If you'd like more information about the 10-year rule, here are a few places you can look:www.multisport.qc.ca/app/DocRepository/1/Evenements/2_CAN_Istvan_Balyi.pdf
http://coaching.usolympicteam.com/coaching/kpub.nsf/v/0304
www.Itad.ca/Content/10%20Key%2OFactors/10Year%20Rule.asp

Peter Twist, MSc, founder of Twist Conditioning Inc., is an 11-year veteran conditioning coach for the National Hockey League and currently consults for several pro players and agents from a wide variety of sports. An IDEA contributing editor, Twist has published more than 400 papers, authored 10 books and created 18 DVDs on athletic development. Visit him at www.sportconditioning.com.

Janice Hutton, MA, is the director of specialty markets in the education division of Twist Conditioning Inc. She has co-authored eight new internationally recognized home study programs and is working with the Twist team to deliver live sports conditioning workshops in the USA, Australia and the United Kingdom.

ReferencesAmerican Council on Exercise. 2005. ACE makes fitness trends predictions for 2006. www.acefitness.org.
Anderson, G., & Twist, P. 2005a. Trainability of children, Part 1. IDEA Fitness journal, 2 (3), 56-65.
Anderson, G., & Twist, P. 2005b. Trainability of children, Part 2. IDEA Fitness journal, 2 (9), 52-60.
Balyi, L, et al. 2005. Canadian Sport far Life. Vancouver: Canadian Sport Centre. Brown, J. 2001. Sports Talent: How to Identify and Develop Outstanding Athletes. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Canadian Sport Centres. 2006. Long-term athlete development: The 10-year rule. www.ltad.ca; retrieved October 23, 2006.
Ericsson, K.A., & Charnes, N. 1994. Expert performance: Its structure and acquisition. American Psychologist, 49 (8), 725-47.
Hutton, D., & Narayanan, A. 2006. Size matters at hockey camps. Toronto Star (October 24).
Malina, R., Bouchard, C., & Bar-Or, O. 2004. Growth Maturation and Physical Activity (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Salmela, J.H.,Young, B.W., & Kallio, J. 1998. Within-career transition of the athletecoach triad. In P. Wylleman & D. Lavallee (Eds.), Career Transition in Sport: International Perspectives. Morgantown, VA: Fit Publications.Twist, P. 2005. Keys to Training Youth, Audio Series 1. www.ptonthenet.com.
Twist, P. 2006. Keys to Training Youth, Audio Series 2. www.ptonthenet.com.
Twist, P. 2007. Complete Conditioning far Hockey (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.U.S. Olympic Committee. 2002. The path to excellence. www.usoc.org; retrieved on June 1, 2006.U.S. Olympic Committee. 2003. Reflections on success. www.usoc.org; retrieved on June 1, 2006.

Learning To Row

Competency in Seven Lessons
Original Idea from Rowing by W Fritsch pp 49-72. Expanded by J. Croly
-
What a coach should do when teaching beginners:

Provide a variety of boats - The beginners should gain experience in the variety of boats available not just the single.

Demonstrate the movements – A correct idea of the movements, combined with the knowledge of their purpose is important to the beginning rower. Direct feedback is important but should be supplemented by videos and pictures.

Teach complete movement sequences – Rowing should always be taught as a cyclical movement sequence and not in separate, part movements. The explanation of the movement should always contain a few words about their function or intention.

Provide movement tasks – exercises or goals should be set to complement every learning step or element of movement sequences

Organization –
· Take into consideration the water conditions when deciding how many individuals each coach can manage.
· Have a lesson planned before each outing
· Make sure equipment is rowable and safe (bowballs, heelstraps, hatch covers)
· Try to make equipment as appropriate as possible for beginners – size of boat, shorter inboards etc.

The Basics
There are seven steps in learning to row, which build in each other and the mastery of which is necessary for all areas of rowing.

IN ALL OF THESE LESSONS THE BEST WAY TO TEACH IS IN FOUR STEPS

1. EXPLAIN
a. Use correct terminology
b. Keep the explanation short and simple
2. DEMONSTRATE
a. Try not to explain and talk at the same time
3. ALLOW THE ATHLETE TO TRY
4. PROVIDE FEEDBACK
a. On correctness of movement
b. On things to do to improve
c. Do not be too critical. Focus on what will make the biggest improvement

1. Familiarization with and Handling of Equipment

Begin with a tour of the boathouse pointing out:
-Types of boats,
-Types of oars,
-How boats are stored i.e. bows towards water,
-Where safety equipment is – first aid, emergency contact numbers etc

Put a boat on trestles in order to illustrate the function and use of individual parts. Keep this simple at first – too much will overload the beginner
Terminology
ALL BOATS
Slide
Stretcher
Rigger
Gate
Oars
Handle
Button
Spoon
CREW BOATS
Rudder
Rudder post
Rudder lines
Rudder handles

o Explain and demonstrate where and how to put the oars by the jetties
§ Out of the way of where boats are carried
§ Tips curved up to prevent damage to tip

o How to carry a boat – where to stand
§ Consider heights of crew members to carry boat
§ Consider if boat has backstays
§ Difference between sweep (opposite rigger) and sculling (at ends of boat)
Terminology
Bow
Stern
Hull
Saxboard
Rack

How to put a boat into the water
Always into water on side wind is blowing to.

How to take a boat out of the water
Always land on side wind is coming from.
Terminology
Fin

How to put the oars in the gates – different sides
Explain and demonstrate how to open gate and put oar into oarlock.
Terminology
Bowside (green)
Strokeside (red)

How to get into the boat
Where to step
Where the slide should be when stepping
How to hold the boat whilst stepping in

How to correctly grip the oars
Handle held in fingers not palms
Thumbs on the end of the handles in sculling

How to adjust the stretcher for correct body position
Sitting with legs over sides of the boat with the handles held together between chest and thighs
How to undo wing nuts and move stretcher

Terminology
Inboard
Stretcher/Footboard
Wingnut
T-Bolt
Rowing Commands – Used to Maneuver the Boat
§ On To Water
§ Hands on. Are you ready? Lift & slide out
§ 1 & 3 under. Lifting off the rack. GO!
§ Walk stern/bow towards/away from the water

§ One hand across, Lifting above heads, GO!
§ Sides from the front, Shoulders GO!

§ One hand across, Lifting above heads, GO!
§ Rolling to waists, GO!
§ One hand in one hand under, one foot on the edge
§ Lowering together, GO!

§ 1 & 3 hold, 2 & 4 fetch the blades
§ Tie in the Strokeside/ Bowside blades
§ 1 & 3 hold, 2 & 4 step
§ Tie in Bowside/ Strokeside blades
§ Other side in
§ Pushing off together, GO!

§ Tie in and number off from bow when ready

§ Off Of Water
§ 1 & 3 hold, 2 & 4 untie blades away from jetty and step out
§ 2 & 4 hold, 1 & 3 untie blades away from jetty and step out
§ Undo jetty side blades

§ 2 & 4 hold, 1 & 3 take blades off the jetty

§ One hand in one hand under
§ Lifting together, GO!
§ Left/right hand across
§ Rolling above heads, GO!
§ Take sides from the front
§ Lowering to shoulders, GO!

§ Waists GO!
§ Shoulders GO!
§ Ankles GO!

§ Lifting and Sliding (onto rack)

2. Ensuring Proper Balance

Safety Position
Sitting with the spoons flat on the water, with the legs stretched out and the oar handles held over the knees
Check the spoons are flat on the water
Handles held at same height

Terminology
Handles
Inboard
Squared blades
Feathered blade

Changing the balance of the boat
Moving one oar and then the next up and down
Pressing both oars into down to let the spoons rise off the water
Check are the gates closed?
Is the boat away from other craft?

Using the oars to ensure the balance of the boats
Holding the handles together and moving the body from side to side
Holding the handles together and have somebody else try to influence the balance of the boat.
Exercises and Games

Lay the blades on the water, hold the oar handles tightly above your thighs and try to make the boat rock by swinging your body to and fro
Do this again and try to let go of the oars for a moment
Slowly move one hand up and down to see how it affects the balance of the boat
Turn the oars into a horizontal position, press both the inboards into the boat and rock your upper body from side to side

3. Rowing in a Forward Direction

The free-floating oar can now be positioned vertically (squared) and drawn to one side gently towards the rowers body.
Correct grip
When squaring the oar only the fingers should wrap around the handle.
The inner surfaces (palm) of the hand do not touch the handle and the wrist remains straight.
The surfaces of the hand and lower arms form a straight line.

Feel the correct position of the blade in the water.
The hand doing the rowing is always above the hand resting on the thigh.
The seat is not used.
Terminology
Square
Feather
Finish
Catch


Alternate with left and right hands

Teach the rising and lowering of the handles to extract and immerse the spoon.

Lengthen the slide

Terminology
Frontstops
Backstops
Stroke

Check left hand is in front of and above the right hand.
Knuckles of the right hand in the palm of the left hand
Show how the direction of the boat can be influenced by different pressures on the oars

Exercises and Games

Close your eyes and square and feather the blade several times
Are the grip and position of the blade still correct
Rowing with squared blade
By yourself
In pairs
All together
In pairs with one oar squared and the other feathered
Row five strokes harder on bow, change sides
When is the best time to look around and check you are on course?
Who has to look around the least when making your way to a fixed point?
Keeping on course
Traffic Rules
Who can row right/left in a circle?
Take five strokes with bowside/stroke side alternately
Rowing Commands – Used to Maneuver the Boat

Backstops, Are your ready? Row!
A little harder on stroke/bowside
On the next stroke, Easy!
Blades on the water
Safety Position
Hold it all lightly
Hold it all hard
Hold it on stroke/bow

4. Maneuvering the Boat

Teach backing down
Start with hands only then lengthen the slide
Terminology
Frontstops
Backstops
Stroke
Hold water

Teach how to turn the skiff by alternately backing and touching
Both at the same time = sculling turn

Use games and competitions to practice these skills
Exercises and Games

Back it down towards and objective
Three strokes forwards on bow, three strokes back on stroke
One back, one forwards on alternative sides
Complete turns to stroke and bow
Who can turn 180 or 360 fastest? (both sides)
Who turned 360 three times the fastest? (both sides)
Combination exercises: crew or sculler back it down to an objective, performs a 360 turn and rows on forwards to another objective
Traffic Rules
Land on a jetty from various directions
Wind direction assists
Reducing speed using the oars (holding water)
Who can stop closest to a line or the landing stage
How do elites land the boat?

Rowing Commands – Used to Maneuver the Boat

Back on stroke/bow
Touch on stroke/bow
Whole crew backing/touching together
Hold on stroke/bow, touch on stroke/bow

5. Overcoming difficult situations

Rowers must anticipate and practice difficult situations
Sculling test
Handles together
Seat at bow end of slide
Flying – blades feathered in the air coming forward
Are the blades being taken out of the water correctly?
Is the speed sufficient for balance?
Rowing in waves
Feathering high
Blades up and away
Standing up in the boat
How to deal with large waves/motorboat wash from different directions
Has the crew assumed the safety position
Distance between the boat and other craft on the water
Distance between the boat and bank
Is the boat parellel to the waves
Changing places in a crew boat
Safety position of those in the boat
Do not step on the bottom of the boat

§ Exercises and Games

Who can row three strokes forward and then let the boatrun with blades feathered off the water?
Who can "fly" the longest distance?
Who can stand up in the boat?
Who can let go of the inboards whilst standing?
Who can lie down in the boat?
Who can turn around whilst standing in the boat?
Slalom course: row forwards, through buoys, do 180 turns, row backwards to an objective, reduce speed, pick an object out of the water, throw a ball into a bucket etc
Perform orienteering exercises on short excursions

6. Steering

All members should take turn leading a crew by being the cox
Using the right commands to organize the crew
Does everybody understand them?
Are the commands appropriate for the situation?
Steer a boat to a given destination

Principles of steering
Steering is a loss of speed
The rudder should be applied gently and at a gentle angle
Is the rudder at to sharp an angle?
Can the cox steer to an objective?
The boat must be kept parallel to waves and rowers must assume the safety position until the waves have past
Awareness of motorboat wash
Boat should come to the jetty with the wind in order to be blown onto the jetty and push off with wind in order to be blown off the jetty
Exercises and Games

Carry out steering maneuvers using rowing commands without using the rudder
Steering towards a specific objective without a rudder
Leading a crew from the boathouse onto the water, carry out a training session and then return the crew to the boathouse

7. Introduction to Various Areas of Rowing

Regattas
How to read a regatta program
Start procedures
2 minute rule
ID cards
Venue traffic rules

Ergometers
Setting Performance Displays
Drag levers

Training
What days are water practices on?
What days are land training on?
What can be done in the rower’s own time to improve?