Welcome to another performance enhancing article from Olympic Coxswain Michael Toon. In his fourth article in this series of Advanced Racing Tips for Aspiring Coxswains Michael teaches us how a coxswain should handle their crew over the all-important middle 1000m. Fire away Michael...
The Middle 1000
Guiding a crew under pressure and at maximal effort over the 1000m that comprises the middle of a race requires concentration, discipline and variety from the coxswain. For the Cox, it is a rewarding experience. Unlike the start or finish, where largely rehearsed patterns are executed, much of the middle of the race requires instruction, observation, initiative and motivation.
The objective of this section of the race, rather than attaining the absolute top-speed that can be achieved as in the start and last 500m, is to reach the maximum speed that can be maintained for around or under three minutes at a sustainable rate and rhythm, which is to say, leaving energy to again reach top speed at the finish. Fulfilling this objective requires from the crew collectively a level of effort, technical ability and tactical execution that is best directed and reinforced from the Cox’s seat.
The first aspect mentioned above, is concentration. For the coxswain, this is necessary during the middle thousand as many facets of the race need to be monitored, almost simultaneously, requiring a level of multi-tasking. Initially, this can be quite intimidating and in an effort to do everything, little is achieved. As with most things, it is better to do one thing well, than many things poorly, so when starting out I would recommend sticking to the essentials, such as steering, calling the race plan and giving the crew basic feedback. With practice, like all complex tasks, juggling these responsibilities becomes second nature and things that took some effort initially occur automatically. Eventually, what seemed like an overwhelming checklist is distilled into a more natural, comfortable routine and your concentration can be directed in a more focused way to the crew and the race.
I find once the 500m marker is passed and the crews have really settled into a mid-race pattern that I need to tell myself that it is ‘game-on’ for the Cox and to re-focus and have a good look at everything that is transpiring. This focus needs to be directed towards your steering, the level of technique and effort that the crew is delivering and your speed compared to the other boats. It is useful to mentally scroll through these things every few strokes in your head.
Little else matters if your steering is inaccurate, so this should be assessed first and foremost. Then see where the other boats are and consider if the crew is rowing to their potential. This feedback and subsequent adjustments made, forms the essentials of tactical control of the race. If you are positioned well and travelling well then your focus moves to discipline and patience and working on maintaining the same speed with increased efficiency and ongoing concentration. This does not necessarily mean that you are in front, but you may identify that you are moving faster than the other boats and what is required is patience from yourself and the crew and the confidence to let time take care of your eventual position. The crew needs to know this and draw confidence from your feedback and accurate assessment.
Your position may, of course, be less than ideal and you will need to take the initiative in making positive adjustments to the speed of the boat. Once again, it needs to be communicated to the crew that they must improve their speed and what they should focus on, as a unit, to achieve this. Decisive action at this point is best communicated succinctly and should focus on what the crew can adjust to add speed to the boat, whether it be additional power or a technical focus. Again, feedback to the crew is imperative and should make reference to the adjustment made, the speed of the boat and the position of the crew in the race.
This is performed more easily in a well-drilled crew. Having the luxury of some hours training where you have been able to reveal aspects of the stroke that add speed to your boat when focused on, and are able to communicate it to the crew succinctly using cues that you have used previously, makes this task more straightforward. In a crew that is less well prepared, keeping instructions simple and calls universal increases the chances that each rower will be able to understand, embrace and deliver your concepts to enhance the speed and efficiency of the boat.
The other aspect to consider in what you say through this long section of the race is variety in your communication. What can amount to longer than 3 minutes is a significant period of time with the rowers progressively becoming more fatigued as the race unfolds. As discussed, while the crew is moving fast through the first 500m, shorter, sharper words and phrases can implicitly assist the movements of the crew. When it is time to stretch out in the middle part of the race, more control and calm in your voice serves to settle the crew and ensures your voice retains relevance in both the current and ensuing situation. Just as a good musical composition or film captures and sustains attention and induces a particular reaction in the audience as it unfolds, effective communication from the coxswain will use effective variation in pace, tone and content.
Periods of quiet, in the second 500m in particular, are very useful. This ensures that when you use your voice later in the race the crew is more likely to register the importance of the message and has not consigned your efforts to background noise. Anyone who has trained for significant periods of time with a coach’s launch (speedboat) following closely also understands that periods of silence are valuable to be able to better sense the movement, balance and rhythm of the boat. The most important time for the crew to focus on these things is usually in establishing the fast, efficient and sustainable run in the second 500m, so allowing the crew to focus and feel without distraction is invaluable.
As you move in to the third 500m and the crew is exhausting their energy, the Cox is able to use more color and contrast that has been held in reserve in their intonation and allow the communication to become more primitive. This helps to break through the growing condensation of fatigue that the rowers are experiencing and communicates the gathering urgency of the impending sprint.
Finally, exercising control in the early stages of the middle 1000m requires discipline. This is a feature that is necessary not only in a measured approach to your use of voice, but also in delivering the race-plan. Thorough knowledge and accurate execution of the predetermined approach to the race can rarely, if ever, be faulted and the Cox is charged with the responsibility of ensuring the plan is delivered with precision and conviction. Depending on the experience of the crew and the coxswain, and the situation at hand, nuances in the implementation and departures from the plan can be taken as the situation demands. Commonly, the temptation to gain extra advantage or catch-up lost ground earlier in the race can lead to failure to adhere to the assignment and frustration at not settling into the race appropriately at the start of the middle thousand. This is where the Cox needs to be disciplined, take control and dictate the terms of the task to the crew. Demanding commitment and execution from the oarsmen commands little gravity if comparable faith and diligence has not been invested by the coxswain. Discipline and a meticulous performance will be rewarded with a corresponding response from your athletes, an outcome of the mutual respect and earned authority that distinguishes an accomplished Cox.
Michael's next article will be his fifth and final in this series so make sure you don't miss it. He will cover the big finish to a race and how to win from any position.
