Decent Rowing
  • Rowing Library
  • Pricing
  • Contact Us

Four steps to a Zen row

​In this video, Lachlan Davey describes four steps that will help you achieve a zen-like state for your next row.
Video Transcript
​So for me there's nothing better than
going for a row you feel like you're in

the zone I'm talking about like really
flat water really relaxed you know it almost

feels like a zen-like state that you
enter when you're rowing and you know it

takes a long time to develop enough
skill to be out a row without thinking

too much and doing it in a nice smooth
flowing movement but there's a few

things that I reckon could accelerate
the process if you want to have one of

those rows it just feels amazing so the
first one I'd say is pick somewhere

there's likely to have good water so you
know what the weather is doing you know

where you can row if there's a choice go
to the place with good water the second

thing I'd say to do is try and go for a
row by yourself this may not seem like

the best idea safety wise and it
probably isn't but if you're experienced

and you know that you can you know
handle yourself if you fall out of your

single or something like that go out
without the speedboat you know leave all

that noise behind it's so much different
going for a row by yourself when all

you can hear is that the movement of your blades through the water the tap out

you can hear your gates and like the
swoosh of the water you can hear the

bubbles running along the boat as
your bow cuts through the water and it

really gives you this great feeling one
thing I try to do when you're rowing

along like this it's not one of those
you know racing preparation sessions

it's really just about relaxing enjoying
the work and so you want to be making

sure when you place the blade you're
applying the power smoothly you know

you're not doing any jerky movements
you're just trying to slam the leg drive

down and if you know that you know
you're you're taking it easy then that's

okay
and you can next time you go your race

piece whatever you can you know really
get the legs on quickly and this and

that you really just want to be nice and
smooth place the blade smooth movements

nothing jerky no pausing no you know no
mucking around like that just trying to

get into that nice rhythmical flowing
state and just enjoying enjoying what

you do
the other thing I'd recommend is keeping

the rating and relatively low so
typically for these sort of rows that

are that I like doing I'm around 16
strokes a minute sometimes 15 strokes a

minute it's really slow you're really
focusing on picking the boat up sending

it off and just really enjoying the
recovery on the way forward you probably

don't want to be any more than say 18 19
strokes a minute but as you're rowing

along your body will sort of click
into a rhythm that suits what you're

doing and so you can really get into
this nice state really enjoying your

rowing just relaxing nothing competitive
you know the other thing I'd say is

don't go out with other people because
inevitably you'll end up racing them and

it'll really just you know either stress
you out consciously or subconsciously

and what you're really trying to do is
relax so just go out just nice and

relaxed by yourself rowing along you
know not too many outside distractions

to tear you away from that nice
rhythm that you're creating in the boat

so a few tips there to have a really
nice Zen beautiful row

Quick Links

Rowing Library​
Rowing tips email list
Memberships
Contact Us
  • Rowing Library
  • Pricing
  • Contact Us