Sport Insights

5 Gifts for a Rower (Written by a Rower)

It's that time of year again.I've put together 5 things that would make me very happy on the big day. If you know any rowers - after reading this I promise you'll realise we're easier to buy for than you think!1.ErgStick Rowers are data hungry. We love getting as much as we can. Ergo’s give great information on timing but are limited. The ErgStick plugs into the back of the Concept2 rowing machine and connects to your phone using Bluetooth. Using the ErgStick you can access data such as Drive Length, Drive Ratio, Stroke Power, Peak Force, Drive Time, Drive Speed, Drag Factor – the list goes on. But what I really love about the ErgStick is that it records and saves all the information natively on the app. Gone are the days of having to snap PB’s on your phone or scribbling down numbers on paper. Be warned though – there’s no hiding your splits from your coach now! Better still, it’s currently on sale directly from ergstick.com/shop/ 2. All in Ones You can never have enough kit. Whether that’s true or something we tell ourselves to justify buying more – who knows. Either way these novel all in ones from Godfreys are sure to make an impression on the water. They’re available in a wide selection of designs from a Gladiator to a Tuxedo and even seasonal themed.Grab one here at:http://godfrey.co.uk/rowing/training-kit/aios 3. GoPro If you can’t show people the early morning sunrise from in the boat it doesn’t count! A GoPro is great gift for any rower. This camera is at the forefront of filming for sport. Fully waterproof and shock proof, it’s the perfect companion to the boat. There are lots of attachments allowing endless filming angles. The wide-angle lens featured on the GoPro has a 170 degree wide angle lens which means the camera captures all the action inside the boat. The gorgeous image above was taken using a GoPro by our friend Simon Williamson from RUBC. They’re popular gifts this time of year and regularly sell out so make sure you grab one sooner rather than later. 4.Boat Race Poster I love this poster. It’s a reproduction of the 1939 University Boat Race. It not only looks great but will also make a nice addition to any room or club wall. If you’re looking for any other rowing related gifts things like this, Etsy has some great other items. https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/listing/255395733/1939-university-boat-race-poster-a3-a2 5.Grid STK Foam Roller A foam roller is absolutely key to a rowers training programme. They allow us to train more by keeping muscles properly stretched out before and after sessions. The GRID STK from Trigger Point Performance is the worlds first hand-held foam roller and allows for accurate muscle targeting not possible with a conventional roller. Not only that but it is really portable, which is great for taking with you to races. Also P.S - our compression socks make a great gift too! (But you already knew that)

Grab yourself some new kit with the KYMIRA sale.

3 Running apps that will keep your training on track

Smartphones are a great bit of tech to help you keep up with your training.Whether it is the alarm that gets you up for your morning session, or the source of a much needed workout playlist, smartphones can house just about everything you need to maximise your training.Now, there is specific gear you can buy to monitor your progress during your runs, e.g. The Nike+ Sport Watch. But in most cases, your smartphone can be sufficient for your requirements, as a huge range of applications are readily available to download on your device's store. There's hundreds of potentially useful apps, but we’ve narrowed it down to 3 of our favourites from experience. 1. Runkeeper Devices: iOS & Android Cost: Free Abilities: This app is a favourite due to the vast amount it offers. It allows the user to: Record pace, distance, total exercise time, calories burned Take and tag pictures on the go Freeform a route, or download other user’s routes. Measure progress and workout history Sync with other applications Receive detailed reports of your tracked activity 2.Map My Run Devices: iOS & Android Cost: Free Abilities: This app takes advantage of your device’s GPS to track not only your route, but also the way in which you tackle this route. It gives you real-time statistics including: Mapping your course Time Speed Total distance travelled A premium subscription provides voice coaching and location sharing with other users, and of course removes those pesky adverts. 3.Runtastic Devices: iOS & Android Cost: Free Abilities: The application uses GPS, similarly to the other apps mentioned, but uses a more “Google Maps” style tracking system. The app allows the user to monitor and manage the following: Time Speed Distance Your route in real-time An exercise diary including your running metrics A google earth style map planner Detailed graphs of your exercise information Sharing of your progress over social networks Pre-made training plans for other users We recommend downloading all three, giving them each a go! We’re sure one of these three apps will be of great use to you during your run. Are you using any other applications that you would recommend?