Trinity Defeats Princeton in Men's Squash

What makes a winner on one day but a loser the next? What makes a consistent winner over time? And what truly defines a champion? It's something that you can't help but think when you see sporting moments performed by great athletes. I'm very intrigued by the concept of excellence and what different approaches athletes take to achieve that...

The most recent athletes that come to mind for me are Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Roger Federer, Michael Jordan, Diana Taurasi, Zinedine Zidane, and either Tom Brady this year or Peyton Mannign last year. How can we translate their approaches to a sport as complex and team-oriented as rowing? Part of what makes rowing so much fun is that you have to mix personalities, ambitions, and work ethics into something cohesive and exciting...I'm not sure you could have just one type of athlete in a shell and have it go fast.

However, I definitely urge you to keep an open mind about HOW you approach your personal fitness, your teammates, and then how you interact with your teammates in a rowing setting. Are you reacting instantaneously out of habits you learned in high school or are your actions born of clarity of purpose and thoughtfulness...can you recognize those special moments when your aggression can flow? You might not know right now...but I think it's an incredibly fun path to travel as we get to mess around in boats with our friends.

19 days until the launch of the spring season

Actions Speak Louder than Words

Reminder to team members: please remember to bring your name worksheets to tomorrow's meeting so that we can prepare the envelopes for mailing.

Just finished a quick workout:
3 x 10 repetitions of ring dips, sumo squat jumps with weight, and double unders followed by x-x-x-x-x-x of ring push ups, pull-ups, and dumbbell swings. Finished up with a little bit of treadmill work and felt relatively beat but within 10-12 minutes felt sufficiently recovered to keep going.

What role do you foresee yourself having on the team right now? What are you doing to help the team achieve excellence? Are you taking action that reflects your passion?

Thruster Demo

Alright tough workout! I did a modified workout of x meters / x thrusters and x sumo dead lift high pulls in what amounted to a significant amount of time. I was surprised by the aerobic deficit all of the exercises created and it really had me seeing stars by the end. The simultaneous engagement of the hip, glute, and back complex with full extension at the top was taxing in terms of flexibility, strength stabilization, and mental toughness...glad I can put this one aside for at least another week.

When you are performing your thrusters use the technique found in this video. Depth and extension are the name of the game (notice feet angle, hip angle, back angle, and elbows as he descends and then extends).

Don't forget to vote in our two new polls to the right!

Images of Victory and Passion

I just bought a few books that I'm really looking forward to reading - If the thought of reading for pleasure is totally foreign because you're in school I totally understand! The three books I'll be getting into are Bowerman and the Men of Oregon (have recently rekindled my love for the movie Without Limits about Steve Prefontaine...), Golden Girl by Michael Silver (a biography of Natalie Coughlin the Olympic swimmer), and Women Who Win: Female Athletes on Being the Best (short bios and stories of 10 champion female athletes).

We had a similar discussion last year about inspirational sports movies and I wanted to open up discourse along the same vein - what are the most enduring images or memories that you have of victory and passion in any sport? Please take a moment and add a comment if you can think of any images that really strike to the heart of what it means to be a champion in your mind!

Squash and the Mental Game

Had a fantastic time watching the Trinity Yale squash match at Yale and thoroughly enjoyed watching the Yale lightweight men and Yale women practice indoors. What really struck me about watching the squash matches were the players' mental approaches to the game. The top players from both schools were obviously very high caliber, physically prepared, creative, and well-prepared...but it surprised me how often they emotionally reacted to a hard let call, a missed shot, or an aggressive winner.

How amazing could it be to play against an opponent and only think about playing the next shot as best as you possibly could regardless of the score or situation? Isn't that an approach that would reward you over time? I hope at some point all of you will get the chance to watch some squash and see these athletes compete.

Optimism & Excitement

Fantastic stuff to see everyone back and in school mode - a lot of people came in to talk today and regardless of whether they are dealing with surgical rehab, returning from abroad, or just excited about prospects for this spring I think the team is in a great place.

Tomorrow I will start with our fitness II class from 11:00 AM to 11:50 AM - unlike previous fitness classes this is not a take attendance and take off class but rather one where we're going to try and make big strides in athletic confidence. The more challenging it has been the more positive feedback I've heard.

More gear arrived today (splash jackets & coxswain splash jackets) and I anticipate that we'll be getting the hoodies, sweatpants, and tech shirts in shortly.

Note to the team: 1st Team Meeting changes to next Monday at 4:00 PM for about 45 minutes.

Also, Yale vs. Trinity squash at Yale tomorrow starting in the afternoon. Should be interesting!

Patriots & Giants

Admittedly I watched a lot of football this afternoon & evening - watching the Patriots & Chargers and the Giants & Packers it was remarkable to see how their strengths and weaknesses played out on the field. The Patriots' creativity and constant pressure eventually knocked the Chargers out. It looked like they outplayed, out-thought, and forced the Chargers into some bad plays. The health of San Diego's best players definitely played a role and I think that is pretty analogous to having a successful rowing season - you need to be healthy to contribute!

As we return to school there are many people that will be recommitting to academics, extracurriculars, their social lives, etc. That initial excitement and discipline can be wonderful if it's channeled properly. If you have been training consistently then you should be good to go...but if you have been off the ergometer or out of the weight room then you need to pay close attention to how quickly you jump into the workouts. It's awfully easy to get injured by the intensity of the workouts if you're not accustomed to the movements.

As for Packers & Giants, the lesson I learned was never stop going for it! The kicker Lawrence Tynes missed TWO potential winning kicks and still kicked the winner in overtime from the longest distance out...47 yards when no kick at Lambeau field had ever been completed from 40 yards out. I could almost imagine the holder saying "Shake it off, there's going to be another kick and you better be ready for it!" Sure enough there was...and he hit it!

Back to School Time Approaches

Just returned from the New England Coaches Annual meeting in Worcester, MA at the Donahue Rowing Center (site of the Worcester Novice Invitational, New England Championships, and many of our regular season races) - the lake was perfectly frozen over...It was good to see many of the other coaches from around the league and to hear their concerns and ideas for the coming season and seasons beyond. The structure of our sport is continually evolving as we try to maximize opportunity for you, the athletes, but also provide a fair and equitable experience for different schools. It's a fascinating challenge.

One note: The ECAC Championships will be held on May 10/11th in Worcester (we'll be very familiar with the course at that point. For more New England and ECAC information please visit the Quinsigamond Rowing Association website.

Also, as I write this post, there is a junior gymnastics tournament going on in the field house, a swim meet where I saw Amanda Kulik compete in the backstroke, a men's basketball game, and a hockey game at the new rink. Even though we rowers have been training on our own, many other athletes are in the midst of their championship seasons. Let's draw some inspiration from them to help drive us to new levels!

Tomorrow's post: ramping up intensity gradually to avoid initial training injuries

Note from the Wilderness

First guest post on the blog - thought it was appropriate! Off to eat now as well...

Hi team!!
No cell reception, no TV, (wireless internet...yes)- I think the lack of technology, getting some group workouts in, and the unadulterated outdoors has made this trip. I finished my workout flushed in the face and feeling completely satisfied and refreshed- I'm hungry now and need to eat.
Lo

One Foot In Front of the Other

I wanted to write about Ed Viesturs and his book No Shortcuts to the Top - this is a man who received his doctorate in veterinary medicine, was an incredibly successful guide and climber on Mount Rainier in Washington and later decided to embark on what he coined as Endeavor 8000. Endeavor 8000 meant climbing fourteen 8000m or taller mountains without the aid of bottled oxygen. Mountains like Everest, K2, Annapurna, Cho Oyu, etc...I think this book spoke to me so much because the level of commitment, preparation, and desire that Viesturs demonstrated during each of his climbs (not all of which were successful...some he had to turn around only a couple of hundred feet from the summit) is really similar to the type of approach that can lead to great success in rowing.

First off, Viesturs was always extremely well prepared in terms of physical conditioning, equipment, planning, and his choice of climbing partners. Secondly, he was always generous when confronted with incredibly challenging conditions...if another climber was afflicted with pulmonary or cerebral edema Viesturs would be the one to sacrifice his own climb to help that person survive. Lastly, and perhaps most important, each mountain that Viesturs attacked would be done in stages that were well thought out and he never thought about more than the direct task at hand...that is how he survived on over fifty expeditions to 8000m mountains.

When you're confronting your training and preparations for school in this next week, simply focus on the task at hand and let the rest take care of itself.

Gear Arriving

Pictured is the new stretch tank top from Boathouse Sports

Hoodies, sweat pants, and technical t-shirts should be arriving shortly as well.

Again, if you have suggestions or questions that you'd like to have answered I'll do my best to answer them on the blog.

Tomorrow's post: Ed Viesturs and his book No Shortcuts to the Top - the first American to climb all 14 8,000m mountains without bottled oxygen.

Back on the Machine

Just returned from traveling and now have access to a computer again. Got some really great workouts in while away and just finished one here at Trinity (in preparation for a little Nordic Skiing).

Highlight workout: C2 20' / 45 total repetitions of 2 x 45 lbs dumbbell thrusters / mixed grip pull-ups for time...followed by some shorter sprint intervals on the treadmill. Also did a fair amount of wall climbing, swimming, and interval lifting.

Today's workout: 1000m C2 / 20 ring push-ups / 20 box jumps / 20 95 lbs push presses / 20 walking lunges with 100 lbs / 20 x sumo squat jumps x 3 for time. The middle was pretty mind-scorching.

Somebody asked the question about who the "Get to Know Your Teammate" teammate actually is...the answer is that I'm taking one or two answers from everyone's answers and putting them on the website. Eventually I'll have everyone's name, picture, and questionnaire posted.

What would you like to see on the blog? What questions do you have? Fire me a question at wesley.ng@trincoll.edu and I'll answer them in future posts!

Know Your Teammates: Part II

Great workout today - very interesting exercises when combined...ring push-ups, ring pull-ups, dead lifts, and double unders with some free hand weighted stair climber. Phew. Traveling tomorrow and may have only sporadic email access - we also need more volunteers for the Henley Committees - please email me as soon as possible so we can implement our plans. Now for some more entertainment...

What teammate would you like to trade places with for one day and why? In terms of actual teammate, I would love to see how it feels to be as strong as Carmel. She is physically incredible and whenever I see her, even if she claims she's having a tough day, she's always going hard. I hope I evolve into a version of this.

What cartoon character do you most relate to?
Minnie Mouse - when I was little, I used to wear a pair of Minnie Mouse ears around all the time, and now my parents call me "Minnie". They even called me that at HOCR this year, and my coxswain Courteney heard them and she calls me Minnie now.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
Living on a houseboat in Paris.

List Rowing Accomplishments:
Completing the half marathon on the erg.

If you were stranded on a deserted island what 3 books would you want with you? George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe

List Academic Accomplishments:
Passing Calculus!

How did you decide to row for Trinity? For a while I've been told that I have the "build" of a typical rower, and the coach and some of the rowers were encouraging me to at least try it. After attending one practice and after seeing what a great group of girls the team was made of, I was hooked!

If you could play any other sport what would it be?
Football, because i love it and i miss doing a contact sport!!!

Please describe your most memorable racing experience at Trinity College.
So far... in the handful of fall races I rowed in the best was racing against one of my high school friends and teammates at the Head of the Housatonic and beating her :) I felt very proud of our team because we had beaten some Division I teams.

Are you still in contact with your former teammates? Question posed to a recent graduate…
I am still very much in contact with my former teammates. I speak with 2 on a weekly basis and have visited them since graduation. I am confident that I will be in touch with these women for the rest of my life. When I was looking at colleges, I always asked if the rowers had "a life beyond crew," if they had any non rower friends. By the end of my four years at Trinity, I had friends who were not rowers, but my best friends either were on the team or had once rowed. It takes a special personality-one that is extremely driven but at the same time encouraging to row on a team-my friends/teammates are some of the most intelligent and caring people I have met.

Vortex Progress

A mostly aerobic workout with some skill sets today - Snatch Warm-up with 45 lbs, 10' Precor, 10' Elliptical, Snatch Drills, 20' Stair Climber, Snatch Drills, and 10' C2 erg. Felt a reasonable amount of muscular fatigue from the last two day's efforts.

Good progress at the boathouse - locker room is almost complete, all the oars have new vortex tips (special thanks to Coach MacDermott for his dremel skills) and we had a good brainstorming session about providing value to potential corporate sponsors for our Henley trip - so far Alex Purdie has volunteered to help out using her experience working for a non-profit organization.

Also, we've heard from a number of regular decision and early decision applicants - please fill out our new recruit form and we will get back to you shortly.

***Saturday March 8th is the 5th Annual Spring Banquet***
More team quotes to be posted tomorrow!

Needed: Henley Committee Members

We need to form four different committees to help with Henley organization - please volunteer via email to me and I'll connect you with other teammates who are interested in making this happen.

1. On Campus Fund Raising (concert, raffle, t-shirts, etc.)
2. Corporate Solicitation (Hartford area business & others)
3. Parent & Charity Fund Raising (50% charity / 50% Henley fund)
4. Clothing & Uniforms

Please email me at wesley.ng@trincoll.edu so that we can get the ball rolling and hopefully defray some of the costs of the trip. Ideally we would like to have three people per committee.

For more information please click Henley Women's Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta.

Wheezing Wendy & New Poll Posted!

Just finished a workout and I feel like my good friend "Wheezing Wendy" - great picture don't you think?

Had a good chance to catch up with the varsity men's coach Larry Gluckman in the office today. We're moving ahead on some equipment purchases for the 3rd floor of the boathouse that should include new matting, spin bikes, some weight equipment, etc. We also spoke about a New York City alumni gathering that will be held on Thursday January 19th at 12:30 PM in the GB Financial office at 300 Park Ave on the 17th floor. Please RSVP to lawrence.gluckman@trincoll.edu as soon as possible if you plan on attending. It should be a great chance to learn about the state of the program.

Workout today -similar burning to a 20' erg test...
50 box jumps, 50 jumping pull-ups, 50 dumbbell swings with 45 lbs, 50 lunges, 50 hanging knees to elbows, 50 push presses, 50 back extensions, 50 thrusters, 50 burpees, and 50 jumping step-ups. 500 reps total in a time of 22:03 - very much looking forward to a day off tomorrow.

At the boathouse tomorrow morning to continue our locker room project, oar maintenance, and sculling rack moving.

Overhead Strength & Leadership

Happy New Year once again to everyone - worked out today at the Trinity gym and was joined by the Trinity Women's Basketball team doing some interesting lifting. It was great to see a cohesive team pushing each other through their workout. One player yelled out "C'mon! You can do more than 25 lbs! Get going!" and sure enough her teammate could do more than 25 lbs for that particular exercise.

While we're apart it's obviously a lot harder to push one another to greater heights - have you emailed, called, IMed, or text messaged any of your teammates about your or their workouts? How can YOU be the teammate that pushes the competitive level of our team higher and higher? Everyone has a unique ability to contribute to the leadership of the team.

My workout for today: 3 rounds for time of 10 shoulder press, 5 snatches, 8 overhead squats, 20 lunges with weight overhead, and 40 dumbbell swings. All weights were maximum. Took me just under 25 minutes.