KRC’s winter training program has wrapped with the impending start of the new season on Tuesday, April 2nd. Purposefully named “Winter Training” rather than “Off-Season Training”, the implication (and intention) was to shift the focus to more specific aspects of rowing training rather than taking a rowing hiatus. Okanagan weather does not permit year-round rowing on the lake, which comes with its benefits and pitfalls.
Some of the benefits being:
- Rowers enjoyed a break from exposure to the elements,
- The ability to focus on the technical basics of the rowing stroke
- Sessions were mostly low intensity which provided the opportunity to develop aerobic capacity
- Live and post-session feedback from a coach at hand via Zoom
- Rowers were still able to enjoy the benefits of camaraderie and “group motivation” through the dark and cold months
Some of the drawbacks being:
- The erg can get a little long in the tooth and is rather limited for creativity
That said, the training was designed to avoid boredom and all participants had positive feedback for the program and are now poised to implement the good habits and base fitness they developed in the boat!
KRC also leveraged it's relationship with Telemark Nordic to arrange a couple of ski days and a snowshoe outing for members to connect in the Winter months.
All right, enough about Winter, bring on Spring and Summer!