https://meataxerowing.com/resourcesRowing lessons from Olympic champion Shaun Kirkham.en-nzhttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/pause-at-the-finish-drillhttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/pause-at-the-finish-drillMon, 26 Oct 2026 18:30:00 +1300Ian Wright had us spend exaggerated time around the finish, to the point where we fully paused there and then flowed away to the front, especially at the lower rates. It works because it brings the whole crew to one point, which makes rowing in time black and white. But everyone in the crew has to buy in.https://meataxerowing.com/resources/30-minute-rowing-workout-playlisthttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/30-minute-rowing-workout-playlistMon, 26 Oct 2026 06:30:00 +1300Be deliberate with your music, so it gives you what you want from the session. For a 60-minute UT2 erg at talking pace, about 140 heart rate, pick music with a steady rhythm. For a harder 30-minute, pick a playlist that builds. Mine starts off mellow and eggs you on to go harder, and my 6-minute splits went from 1:50.5 down to 1:44.5.https://meataxerowing.com/resources/nerves-and-optimal-arousalhttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/nerves-and-optimal-arousalMon, 26 Oct 2026 06:30:00 +1300Don't try to kill the nerves. Aim for optimal arousal: excited and ready to go, but a little bit calm. Too dialled up or not switched on enough, and you perform badly. If your heart rate's too high for the work in your warm-up, box breathe: in for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four.https://meataxerowing.com/resources/6x2k-rowing-sessionhttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/6x2k-rowing-sessionSun, 25 Oct 2026 18:30:00 +1300The 6 x 2k is six 2km pieces at capped rates, and you max every one. Piece one is rate 24. Each piece after that goes up two at halfway: 24 then 26, 26 then 28, 28 then 30, 30 then 32. The last runs 32, 34, 36, then open. We hammered it in the Kiwi eight before big events.https://meataxerowing.com/resources/why-new-zealand-rowing-winshttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/why-new-zealand-rowing-winsSun, 25 Oct 2026 06:30:00 +1300New Zealand punches above its weight in rowing because a few outliers showed us what winning looks like, starting with Rob Waddell, the Evers-Swindell twins and Mahé Drysdale. That led to a centralised, well-funded programme with everyone in one place, and prognostics that show every crew exactly how far off gold it is.https://meataxerowing.com/resources/hang-off-your-latshttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/hang-off-your-latsSat, 24 Oct 2026 18:30:00 +1300Hang off the handle and feel that hang right in the lower part of your lats. Eric Murray gave me that tip when we raced together at national champs, and it stuck. It stops you loading up your shoulders, lets your arms just hold on, and hooks the handle up through your lats and core to your legs.https://meataxerowing.com/resources/2k-erg-warm-uphttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/2k-erg-warm-upSat, 24 Oct 2026 11:05:00 +1300Give it 20 to 30 minutes. Row 15 minutes steady, building through U3 into U2. Paddle, then get off for some stretching and box breathing. Ladder up through threshold and do one 3-minute piece at threshold pace. Paddle five minutes, then 4 x 30 seconds on, 30 off at rate 32, 34, 36 and race pace. Then go.https://meataxerowing.com/resources/rowing-seats-explainedhttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/rowing-seats-explainedSat, 24 Oct 2026 11:05:00 +1300Every seat in a rowing eight asks something different. I rowed three seat for six or seven years, then moved to seven and we won the Olympics. Seven was easier: the momentum behind you makes it easy to lock on. Three seat is short on feeling, so you have to be sharp and vocal to make an impact.https://meataxerowing.com/resources/rowing-sets-you-up-for-lifehttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/rowing-sets-you-up-for-lifeSat, 24 Oct 2026 11:05:00 +1300Rowing is good for you because it's so raw and so hard. It demands commitment, discipline and resilience every day, often just to be kind of mid. Even if you walk away without the result you wanted, you're setting yourself up for life. When you stop, you're so well equipped to take on the world.https://meataxerowing.com/resources/rowing-technique-what-makes-the-boat-fasthttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/rowing-technique-what-makes-the-boat-fastSat, 24 Oct 2026 11:05:00 +1300The best rowing technique is whatever gets your boat from point A to point B as fast as possible. Good technique looks pretty good, the boat goes fast and it feels easy to work hard. Hamish Bond keeps it simple: lock in at the catch, send the boat backwards, not sideways, and relax through the finish.https://meataxerowing.com/resources/what-is-a-meataxe-rowerhttps://meataxerowing.com/resources/what-is-a-meataxe-rowerSat, 24 Oct 2026 11:05:00 +1300A Meataxe rower is a strong, fully committed rower with a good portion of meatiness who doesn't have that natural boat feel. It isn't a meathead, because a meathead implies you're stupid and Meataxes are sharp. I made the word up when I started @meataxe_rowing. Every rower sits somewhere on the Meataxe spectrum.