In recent years, online coaching platforms have revolutionised the accessibility of high-performance coaching, breaking down traditional barriers such as geography, cost, and time. Digital platforms offer athletes, professionals, and sports enthusiasts the opportunity to connect with world-class coaches from any location. Whether it is for sport-specific performance, personal development or general health, online coaching has democratised access to expertise previously restricted to a select few, a shift that is empowering individuals across the globe to reach their highest potential.
But what are the best platforms out there? I’ve picked out some of my favourites.
Edge Rowing
Instagram @jackburns.edgerowing
Edge Rowing, led by former GB Rower Jack Burns, is designed for busy professionals seeking to maximise their limited training time.
Jack’s journey from being told he was too short and started too late to winning trials and competing with the GB team reflects his dedication to refining every detail for peak performance.
Edge Rowing offers a data-driven coaching approach whilst not over-complicating the mechanisms that drive performance gains. This coaching team offers regular short-form contact delivered through Instagram and TikTok and provides in-depth, personalised tutelage over various subscription levels for people of any level looking to improve their rowing and fitness.
A leading strength of Edge Rowing is the provision of psychological performance planning and strategising within their coaching, an aspect of training and performance often overlooked when coaching outside of the elite level. Their clients span worldwide and it is impressive the effort the coaching staff go through to travel internationally to meet their clients.
If you are looking for easily digestible coaching that is tailored specifically to your time-availability and needs, this is a great place to look.
Yam Squad
Instagram @buchancameron
The Yam Squad has grown from strength to strength since its origin, driven by newly-crowned coastal world champion, Cameron Buchan.
Through vlogging on YouTube and short-form snippets on Instagram, you can access an ocean of informative content and insider information on the simplicity that exists within high-performance rowing. The Yam Squad offers online coaching with programmes available for anyone, not just the elite athletes, covering both ergometer and water rowing, and even beach sprints programmes to come. Each programme is customisable to the client and updated regularly the same day, so life can happen around the training schedule.
The YamSquad tier system offers 24-hour access to Cam, leaving you feeling supported in your journey. Whether your goal is to get healthier and become more active or to prepare for team testing, these programmes offer something for everyone. Keep a close eye on his socials for free programme launches and digitised content.
Clark Performance Coaching
Instagram @clarkperformancerowing
Run by high-performance coach Kieran Clark, Clarke Performance Coaching offers a simplified coaching style that focuses on the process of training for continuous long-term improvement, with a specific effort to help clients identify and navigate existing barriers to their development.
The short-form content delivered through Instagram is an easily digestible media form that is enhancing the digital consumption of coaching information daily. The account covers technical, training sessions and programming styles, as well telemetry explanations and support.
A more recent feature is the addition of free online webinars and downloaded tip-sheets as e-books. More bespoke coaching services can be accessed for a fee through online support, whether that’s sculling or sweep coaching, group or squad programming, coach or team consulting to elevate culture and performances, or sculling telemetry assessment – a new edition to his services!
At The Thousand
Instagram @atthethousand
At The Thousand, led by Kevin Leslie, focuses on helping aspiring college rowers develop as better athletes, improve their confidence on the erg, and navigate the recruiting process to better position themselves for success at the college level.
They prioritise rowing-specific training, erg performance, athlete development, and college recruiting education for athletes to take ownership of their rowing journey and find the right programme for them. Their primary mission is to give athletes the skills and confidence that will help them find the right college program for them and be better positioned for long-term success.
Their growing Instagram account offers content on technical elements, testing and pacing strategies, alongside interviews and podcasts with coaches and Olympians who share their experiences and insights on recruiting and training. Whilst their more detailed programming and recruitment guidance is available for a fee, their Instagram is a great place to start to get a feel for the services and insights they have to offer.
The Winning Cox (WOX)
Instagram @thewinningcox
Here for the coxes! WOX offers coaching specifically to coxswains and their coaches, with their presence growing globally. A pivotal standpoint of their mentoring operates around providing affordable and accessible coaching to all, with an emphasis on maximising free resources for the coxing community.
More individualised coxswain specific programming is offered for a fee, covering recording analysis, designing development plans and race strategising, however this information can be accessed on a broader spectrum within their webinar matrix at no charge.
WOX also provides in-person mentoring for coxswains, and mentoring for coaches on how to develop their coaching strategies. The recent success of their WOX Coxing Conference with international attendees shows significant strength in their following and you can expect to this continue into the new year.
Disclaimer: I am a part of the WOX coxing/mentoring panel but do think we’re a valuable addition to this conversation.
Whether you’re looking for free coaching or more specific programming and adjustments for a fee, these platforms offer you insights into the high-performance rowing world directly from some of its high-performance elite.
These platforms offer increasing representation that you don’t have to be an Olympic rower to be high-performance. The wealth of information available online has increased significantly in recent years, and you’d be a fool not to capitalise on it, especially for personal performance improvements.
How successful virtual coaching is for group performances, specifically where the cumulative effect of daily technical improvements in squad movement mechanics are concerned, is yet to be determined. If you’re a club looking into virtual coaching for a whole squad, it may be work having at least one coach to provide consistent daily in-person coaching that helps to drive movement patterns in real-time, whilst the squad follows the prescribed training programme.Â
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