Clark Performance Rowing

11/10/2026

Most coach education stops at the theory. That's a message I keep hearing.

Over the last few weeks I've spoken with more than 40 rowing coaches from the UK, the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

Nearly all of them described the same gap.

They've done the qualifications.

What they don't have is anyone helping them apply it: which telemetry numbers to act on, which drills fix the problem in front of them, and how to build a season plan they can stand behind.

So I've launched The Complete Rowing Coach: a 12-week mentorship for 15 ambitious rowing coaches, starting Monday 19 October.

It combines three things:
• Coursework: season planning, S&C, sessions and culture, selection, telemetry, technique, drills and rigging, each with one action to take into your own sessions
• Community: a cohort of 15 coaches working through the same topics together, with peer pods and weekly check-ins
• Direct mentoring: two live calls a week (one teaching, one hot seat on your own data and video), weekly written feedback and a monthly 1:1

Each coach finishes with an evidence-backed technical model, a prioritised diagnostics list and a season plan for their squad, and earns a Complete Rowing Coach certificate.

It draws on what I've learned coaching crews to 6 U23 World Championship golds across five boat classes and a European record at the 2026 senior European Championships, and from mentoring 23 coaches.

It also draws on my own coaching development, both what I got and what I felt was lacking.

My mission was to build what I wish I'd had 5 years ago.

My guarantee: attend the calls and do the weekly actions. If you don't finish with an evidence-backed technical model and a season plan you're confident using with your squad, Ill keep working with you 1:1 until you do.

10 of 15 places are left.

Clubs, schools and universities can fund places from coach development budgets, and I can invoice directly.

If you're a coach, or you manage coaches, book a call here:

https://calendly.com/clarkperformancerowing/thecompletecoach

10/10/2026

Correcting faults in rowing can feel like fighting fires. As soon as you respond to one, another pops up straight away.

This is why it is so important to have a good understand of, and confidence in, the system of the whole stroke you are working towards.

Once you are there, things start to make a lot more sense.

Comment 'new' or drop me a DM if you want to know more about developing this for yourself and your athletes.

08/10/2026

The last two weeks have been pretty eye opening 👀

So many coaches out there are facing the same issues - lack of support, no development opportunities outside of learning training theory and not seeing a clear career progression.

A high % of those people have also commented on being managed by people who aren't qualified or experienced in doing so.

Or, being a professional coach in a job being led by a volunteer who changes on a yearly basis.

It's no one's fault, that's just the way organisations operate.

But as coaching becomes a higher standard and offers more career opportunities for people, the level of support needs to rise with it.

What do you think?

08/10/2026

Always a pleasure to be featured on this list 😁

Great coaching changes lives 💛

Today is our annual celebration to recognise the contribution of coaches and support staff who have played a role in the success of the 2026 Great Britain Rowing Team.

Find out more about what Coaching Week has to offer, from webinars to development opportunities, on our website👇
https://www.britishrowing.org/knowledge/british-rowing-coaching-week/

07/10/2026

It's been quite the journey! I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with and be around some epic humans.

Fun fact - this is the song I used to listen to before my first three World Championship finals ahead of starting the briefing.

I've stopped doing that as I now prefer to take in the moment and feel more present 🧘

06/10/2026

The lessons I learned shaped everything about how I set out coaching.

Six U23 World Championship Golds and a senior European record later, I'm convinced of one thing:

Effort isn't what most coaches are missing. Direction is.

What were the moments that changed your coaching? Or are you still looking for them?

05/10/2026

Pick the 3 or 4 numbers that matter for your crew.

Ignore the rest.

Be honest, are you using your data. Or just collecting it?

04/10/2026

I've been banging on for ages about focusing on how you change direction at the catch before you think about how you put the blades into the water.

👆 This is why, and once I'd learned about this it was quite transformative in how I coached the front end (after the initial shock of wondering if everything I'd ever been told about the catch was a lie).

A question from a article asked "How deep do the best rowers plant the blade before the handle changes direction.

Valery Kleshnev's answer was as follows:

" In fact, when the blade changes direction at catch (its velocity relative to the boat becomes zero), it still moves forward relative to the water with the boat velocity at this moment. If the blade is "planted" into the water at this time, it would hit water with its back face producing a backsplash and braking force. The blade must be accelerated backwards up to certain velocity to hit the water with its front or achieve a neutral entry.

This Newsletter presents calculations and some reference values: the blade velocity relative water becomes positive after about 65ms after the catch and the handle travels only about 3cm or 2deg during this time. After it, the bottom of the blade can touch the water without backsplash.

Then, it takes another 60-70ms or 6cm= 4deg of the oar movement to bury the blade completely under the water (at target value 6deg of Catch Slip).

The directions to minimise the Catch Slip and avoid backsplash:

Faster angular oar velocity and acceleration.

Longer outboard.

Lower the boat velocity at catch - another point in favour of the "boat check".

Longer catch angle: e.g. 10deg longer catch angle is about 26% more effective."

Once you try it, you can absolutely see how it works. However, getting this right does require a high level of skill.

Definitely a case of learning the rules (getting the catch timing right with splash) before breaking them (changing the exact timing with a focus on catch factor).

What do you think about this? Will you be trying this idea out?

Visit Biorow.com / search 'Valery Kleshnev Catch Factor' for more information

04/10/2026

BTS - life this week.

In the lock

Chatted to so many passionate coaches this week

10/10 Cortado

Chris and Jamie working the front end before winning pairs head today

So close to 3 x 115kg but lost the balance

Weekly Ginger Wings

Hands wide

XBoat Rowing

Client wins after a good strength block

Celebrations

Act natural

Autumnal sunset 🤌

Imma The Bakery 10/10 almost Croissant

Tom Osborne Bicester Scramble

Soon 🙏

Exceedingly good fries Ralph’s Rebels