Another plug for Xeno and the Iron Oarsman

[schweinlew]

Hello All,

Back on May 21st I posted a couple of short 1-minute videos of me rowing on the erg and asked for some feedback. The only response I got was from Xeno, which suggests that he is keeping his ear to the ground and is willing to help anyone trying to row better. (Even some goofy statistics professor.)

In his posted reply, Xeno offered some good advice about hinging from the hips and suggested that I visit him at the Iron Oarsman for some coaching. I remembered that he posted once before that someone should get on a plane and go to Costa Mesa for some coaching. It was almost a challenge to exceed one's self-perceived limits, at least I sensed that in his post.

So, after I finished a 2.5 year work-related project on Jun 1st, I did just that (And, my wife let me. She's a goddess). I jumped on a plane and treated myself to a "Xeno Weekend" in Costa Mesa. On Saturday (6/3) we did the video stroke analysis and on Sunday (6/4) we did a lactate-test step test.

All of it exceeded my expectations --- manyfold. Xeno taught me to use my height more effectively, to compress better, to hold my head correctly, to deliver more power to the oar(s)/erg handle more efficiently, and to work on my aerobic base at my lactate-based target heartrate. I could go on, but it would only pertain to me. You'll have to go get the one-on-one coaching as it applies to your own stroke.

The most important part, at least to me, is that I now THINK about rowing differently--better and with greater understanding for the theory, the physics and the physiology. I have a lot to work on during the next year trying to apply all of this to my rowing, but after a session with Xeno I am convinced that if I apply his principles my 2k will improve in a big way. I'll post my improved times in the fall after I've had some time to work all of the Xeno coaching into my stroke.

Having said all of that, Xeno exuded all of the same infectious enthuisiasm and positivity that he brings to the form--the entire time I was with him.

My synopsis:

SEE XENO; ROW FASTER.

Will

William E. Schweinle, Ph.D.
University of South Dakota

[ededit]

Thanks for the report regarding your "xeno-weekend," and for the appropriate due credit to your wife for letting you go : )

Two questions:

1. Have you begun to apply the lessons (technical and physiological) now that you're back home? How have things gone w/o xeno's watchful eye right there?

2. Would you be willing to post a new video of yourself post-the-xeno-weekend, i.e. a before and after so folks could see the impact of the session first-hand?

[schweinlew]

HI EDEDIT,

I HAVE RESPONDED TO YOUR QUESTIONS IN CAPS BELOW.

1. Have you begun to apply the lessons (technical and physiological) now that you're back home? How have things gone w/o xeno's watchful eye right there?

YES, I HAVE STARTED WORKING ON THE THINGS THAT XENO SUGGESTED, THOUGH NOT ALL OF THEM YET. (MY STROKE NEEDED A LOT OF WORK OR MAYBE I AM A SLOW LEARNER.) AT THE MOMENT, I AM STILL GETTING USED TO THE TECHNICAL CHANGES, WORKING ON ONE OR TWO THINGS AT A TIME AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT MY OUTPUT.

TWO MAJOR THINGS I AM WORKING ON:

(1) LEADING WITH MY FOREHEAD AND GETTING FULL COMPRESSION. IN THE PAST I WOULD KEEP MY HEAD TILTED BACK TOO FAR, WHICH RESULTED IN POWER LOSS, COMPRESSION LOSS, AN AWKWARD FINISH WITH A GOOFY ESTABLISHMENT OF A FORWARD BODY ANGLE, AND OPENING THE BACK TOO SOON IN THE DRIVE.

(2) I HAD DEVELOPED A STROKE THAT WAS ABOUT A FOOT SHORT OF FULL COMPRESSION. EITHER IT WAS LAZINESS OR NOT PRACTICING GOOD BREATH CONTROL OR SOMETHING. REGARDLESS, I AM BETTER UTILIZING MY HEIGHT TO APPLY POWER TO THE HANDLE.

AS FOR XENO NOT BEING THERE, I CAN PLAY THE DVD OF THE XENO-SESSION WHILE I ROW OR BEFORE I WORK OUT TO REMIND ME OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR. I ALSO HAVE MOVED MY MIRROR AROUND TO GET A BETTER VIEW. FINALLY, I HAVE AN LITTLE VIDEO CAMERA THAT I PLAN TO SET UP IN ORDER TO GIVE ME A PERPENDICULAR VIEW OF MY STROKE. THAT WAY I CAN SEE WITHOUT TURNING MY HEAD.

I WAS IMPRESSED WITH HOW WHAT SEEMED LIKE LITTLE DIFFERENCES IN HOW I FINISHED OR HELD MY HEAD OR USED MY FEET WOULD MAKE HUGE DIFFERENCES IN OTHER PARTS OF MY STROKE. XENO WAS ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY PICK THEM OUT AND WORK ME THROUGH THE CORRECTIONS.

2. Would you be willing to post a new video of yourself post-the-xeno-weekend, i.e. a before and after so folks could see the impact of the session first-hand?[/quote]

SURE. GIVE ME A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH MY REVISED STROKE AND TO DO MY XENO-HOMEWORK, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO POST PRE- AND POST-VIDEOS. I THINK IT WILL BE ESPECIALLY INFORMATIVE FOR ME. IF OTHERS BENEFIT, GREAT. AND, I MAY GET SOME MORE GOOD POINTERS.

WILL

[johnnybike]

Thanks for posting Will and good luck with the new stroke.

Sometimes, especially when I am doing a 20spm piece at 2:00 I get a few strokes which seem effortless and the rate is 1:57 or 1:58. Did you get that moment in your coaching session or do you believe that your stroke will improve because someone has told you how many poor components there are and the inference is that they must improve.

Actually I am booked in for a session in the UK on Friday (not Xeno, although I would love to visit IO) and I am really looking forward to it but I am trying to temper my enthusiasm with the thought that it is not a magic pill.

John

[schweinlew]

John,

Thank you for the encouragement and good luck with your coaching session in the UK. I understand about trying to temper one's enthusiasm. I had a lot of doubt about my god-given ability to row better and whether coaching could capitalize on any talent that I might have. In the end I decided to go into the Xeno session with an open mind and let my curiosity run.

As Xeno was walking me through my stroke and making changes, there were several instances when I got that sense of effortlessness or "swing" that you described. I could feel and see more power in the stroke with less effort. I also got some sense of what was making the difference between the swung and un-swung strokes, because I could hear Xeno tell me, I could see it on the video monitor, I could see it on the erg wattage display, and (most importantly) I could feel it in my body. Good, powerful strokes felt smooth and less effortful.

Having said all of that, I have to say that putting the changes into consistent practice--while extinguishing my less effective habits--will take some time. There is no magic pill or snake oil involved, just work and focus. However, I think that the work and focus will be better applied from now on.

Will

[johnnybike]

Excellent Will, hope it works for you (and me as well)

Keep us posted
John

[xeno]

Dear Will

It was a pleasure working with you. Every technical advise I gave you, immediately klicked with you.

Thank you for your superb testimonial. Such words help me tremendously to build trust with others who might only read of what I do on the internet.

How did your wife like the shirt?

Thank you for the SD rowing shirts. I was greeted warmly at the Balboa Island Parade by a SDakotan, who noticed the crew shirt.

I am glad you made it home safely.

All the best, and again, it was a pleasure to have you workout at the IRON OARSMAN.

Sincerely,

XENO

[schweinlew]

Dear Will

It was a pleasure working with you. Every technical advise I gave you, immediately klicked with you.

Thank you for your superb testimonial. Such words help me tremendously to build trust with others who might only read of what I do on the internet.

How did your wife like the shirt?

Thank you for the SD rowing shirts. I was greeted warmly at the Balboa Island Parade by a SDakotan, who noticed the crew shirt.

I am glad you made it home safely.

All the best, and again, it was a pleasure to have you workout at the IRON OARSMAN.

Sincerely,

XENO

Xeno,

The pleasure was all mine, though I do regret missing the parade and meeting the rest of your family. I'd love to talk more with your Father In Law about rowing and academics. He must be a treasure trove of insight in both areas and seems like a really nice guy.

Perhaps Amy and I can head to Costa Mesa in the winter for a stroke check-up and spend a little more time taking in the sights and meeting people. What I saw of California was beautiful and I bet it will have a lot nicer January weather than South Dakota.

Amy loves the shirt and says thank you. I'm glad the South Dakota Crew shirt was a hit. Those shirts are pretty rare even in South Dakota. They must really stand out in California. We never did get that picture you mentioned, but maybe we can do that next time.

As for the testimonial, you're absolutely welcome. I meant and mean every word. I went into our sessions with an open mind (no pride) and let you teach to my curiosity and desire to row better. I think that was part of what allowed me to pick up well on the technical advice you were giving. The other--and larger--parts were your insight and experience with rowing and your coaching style, which left me with the sense that you wanted me to get it, to row better. I try to maintain the same motivation and focus when I teach statistics. The learning is what matters; the rest is parsley or worse.

If you need any more testimonials or references, I'd be happy to provide them. If a potential "client" wants to email me, feel free to have them do so.

I'll be in touch.

Regards,

Will

[schweinlew]

Xeno!

I had to write to you about this and share it with the entire board!

Tonight, I did the Xeno Muller Upper Body Workout DVD and had a great workout. No surprises there. However, per your suggestions in my stroke analysis and lactate test two weeks ago, I concentrated on keeping my weight on the stretcher and opening my back near the end of the leg drive -- lead with the forehead on the recovery and heels down! I was focusing more on technique than on anything else--just like you told me to do.

Here's the great part! In all the time I've been rowing (4 yrs or so), I have always wondered about the "lifting off the seat" feeling that people always talk about. I never felt it (until now). I'm guessing that this was because I was rowing on my toes, heels off the stretcher, not compressing fully, tossing my head back at the catch and opening my back way too early. All of this kept my weight on the seat rather than on the stretcher. I remember you talking about that at length when you were telling me about the physics and physiology of the rowing stroke. Of course, I have watched the stroke analysis DVD you made for a zillion times.

Wwwweeeeeelllllll, tonight I felt it for the first time! My ass was leaving the seat during the power 20's, I felt light as a feather, and my split went down below 1:25 without feeling like I was pulling that hard! It just felt natural. I'm so pumped! (Geez, I sound like a woman who just experienced her first . . .).

Anyhow, thank you Xeno.

Will

William E. Schweinle, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Director, Academic Evaluation and Assessment
University of South Dakota
William.Schweinle(at)usd.edu
(605) 677-8869

[xeno]

This is absolutely great!!!

WELL DONE and you will keep getting stronger!

Reading your posts help me improve my verbalization how to explain the rowing technique further to future rowers.

By changing your power application like this, you are going to quickly break new personal records.

Again, good job!

Say hello to your wife from me.

XENO