What a year it’s been, and thank goodness we are seeing the return of rowing we’ve all been craving. We have some of the biggest races on the calendar going ahead, National Schools’ Regatta for juniors, BUCS Regatta for students, and Henley Women’s and Henley Royal for all. This summer period will indeed look similar to years gone by, albeit with different dates and the prospect of limited crowds.
This time of year, while exciting, does come with its challenges, however. For junior sitting their A levels, GCSEs, and other exams, and students with their summer bout of exams, this is an academically demanding period as well. With the added stress of crew selections for upcoming races, it is, without doubt, a difficult juggling act to maintain high levels in both aspects of life.
While by no means an expert, in this article, I’ll discuss a few tips and strategies that stressed rowers might find helpful during this upcoming period.
Mindset
With so much going on, it is so easy to let your mind wander and begin to worry about things all the time. For example, you’re sitting in the library with a book or past paper in front of you, yet all you can think about is the water session later that day or how your boat is going. On the other hand, you’re sitting in the boat for a session, and rather than thinking about making a technical change, you’re thinking about that equation you need to memorise.
Separating your work from your rowing can be so beneficial for your mental wellbeing and, in fact, make you more successful in both. Ways to help with this can be to regard specific locations as places of work or training. When you’re in the library, you are there to work, not to row. Likewise, in the gym, you are there to train. Although it seems simple, being conscious about your mindset in different locations can help to stop those unhelpful thoughts and improve your focus on the task at hand.
Time off
We’ve all been there, you’re sitting at a screen reading the words, but they don’t make any sense. You’ve been going over something so many times, and your brain just isn’t working.
This may be a sign that you need a break. Regular breaks every hour are essential to maintain your focus throughout the day. It’s all too easy to power through when you have the energy, only to find you are knackered later in the day. Pace yourself, obviously you want to make sure you make the most of your time, but there is a balance that must be struck.
A break could be getting up and making a cup of tea; it could be a ten-minute walk around the block; it could be a training session or a whole day off at the weekend. If you’re finding you’re spending a long time at your desk indoors, going for a walk can make a massive difference in refreshing yourself both mentally and physically. Doing this a couple of times during your working day will improve your focus when you’re working and how you feel when you go to train.
Speak to your coach
Time off also goes for training. In my experience, a good coach will understand the demands of this time of year and be willing to make some concessions in the training programme if they agree that it is needed. So speak to them, let them know if you are finding things difficult, explain to them what your workload is like, and your academic aspirations are.
It is also good to be realistic about your performance goals for this period. Are you expecting to push on or looking to maintain your fitness? Which sessions should be prioritised and which are less important? These conversations between coaches and athletes are vital to helping put minds at rest and reduce unnecessary stress.
Keep in touch
With so much going on, it can be easy to lose contact with your friends and teammates and go ‘off the grid’. But put some effort into keeping in touch; those daily interactions can make a big difference to your mental wellbeing, especially with fewer opportunities to socialise. When you’re at training, speak to your teammates: how were their days? How was their last exam?
You may find it comforting to hear that other people are experiencing the same as you and even gain some advice on how to manage things. If you live at home with your family, this goes for them too; speak to them and let them help if things are tough.
Exam days
Not everyone feels the same way about exam days; some feel that they can still train, and others would rather not. Your coach may have some advice on what to do on an exam day too, in fact, they might ask to see your schedule to plan out training for you in advance.
Take into account the timing of your exam, as you’ll need to plan differently if it is in the morning versus the afternoon. If you are training, you might prefer to train before or after the exam, the key factor here being your mental state.
My main point here is not to overdo it. Exams themselves are very draining; you may be surprised how physically fatigued you feel afterwards.
This is my key message with exam time: the mental stress added to physical stress from training can easily be overwhelming and cause detriment to both. For most, your school or university work is the priority, so if you need to, it is perfectly OK to take your foot off the gas when it comes to training. Speak to your coach and your teammates, focus on the task at hand, and most importantly, look after your mental wellbeing.
Good luck!
That’s all for now. If you’re hungry for more, check out any of our other pieces from The Catch, listen to the latest podcast episode, or flick through our race previews.
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