New Breathing Pattern

A few weeks ago I read this blog entry by Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist.  In it, he discusses a breathing pattern which he claims is necessary to achieve proper, effortless rowing.  This breathing pattern is different from what I’ve been doing for the past years, but I decided to give it a shot – you couldn’t get much more credibility from a source of information.  About two weeks into it, I’m regularly achieving this breathing pattern and making it easier and easier (more natural) at low ratings and power.  I haven’t yet tried it at elevated ratings and power because I’m still letting my knees heal from tendinitis (stupidly leg pressing waaaaayyyyy too much weight, and without being properly warmed up or stretched), but starting in January I’ll start building the intensity.

My weight training is going very well.  It’s a program I adapted from one called ‘Beat the Computer’ from the Bigger Faster Stronger program.  I read a book a few weeks ago (while I stopped all exercise for two weeks to let my tendinits heal) by Mark Rippetoe called “Starting Strength” which essentially promotes this training program, and I’ve used this program in the past with good success.  So, about 5 weeks ago after the worst of the tendinitis was over, I dumped the program that got me injured and went back to the one that worked really well.  Sometimes I have to learn things the hard way, and sometimes more than once…