I began my rowing career at the Ibis Rowing Club – now, unfortunately, defunct – near Chiswick Bridge on the Tideway in London. I started coaching soon after moving to the Oxford area in 1991, taking my initial coaching qualifications in the years up to 1994. Since then, I have maintained regular attendance at annual conferences and workshops including a Level 3 transfer course in 2009. During this period, I have coached at all levels from novice to national crews, working with Oxford University colleges and public clubs. However, I have specialised on adult beginners and it is this area of rowing that feeds my passion.
The Beginner courses offered at Falcon BC (FBC) developed from the courses I ran when I was previously based at City of Oxford RC (CORC) for over fifteen years. The Learn to Row courses are structured to ensure the best return on the time you commit to your new sport and are quite possibly the best in the country. The course has continued to be developed year on year and I expect that new ideas will lead to further improvements as more starters provide feedback on their experiences.
All courses are designed to provide you with an excellent and effective introduction to rowing which should be fun to be involved with. By the end of the course, you will understand everything you need to know about the basic principles of rowing technique. You will have heard and, to a lesser extent, learnt much of the jargon for the sport and should have a firm grasp of what you should be doing, even if you feel you are some way from being able to do it at will 😉
During the course, there are virtually no demands made on your physical prowess or fitness. Lifting the boat off the racking shelf is probably the most challenging aspect of the course. You should learn to row well before you are asked to row hard. Advice about improving your fitness and land training will be readily available.