What are the ingredients for an undreamt exciting and successful project?
1.) Someone with ideas, energy and initiative:
Alexandra Cornelius, mental trainer with a licence in rowing training (C), Karlsruhe
2.) A second one – adventurous – who gets infected by the idea:
Stefanie Buller, movement coach (Alexander Technique), Bremen
3.) An ambitioned athlete being keen on development, with curiosity and courage
Ben, 25 years, competing oarsman, Bremen
4.) A row of happy accidents
5.) Time, effort and energy of the whole team
In winter 2013 we started to plan the “Alexander technique & rowing project 2014”. 14 sessions 60 – 90 minutes each, four of them on the lake, over seven months.
Opening question:
To what extent can a competing oarsman benefit from a movement coaching (Alexander technique) in terms of
- Efficiency in the use of power?
- Development of rowing technique?
- Regeneration?
- performance / overcoming of performance limits?
Up to now I have mainly worked with professional musicians, athletes in fine motor skills.
Now I was challengend to connect to this new – almost alien – field of competitive sport, defined by time measurement, winning or loosing and exertion far beyond the threshold of pain. And to simultaniously offer the athlete ways to discover new opportunities and unknown potential.
“This turns the way I think rowing upside down!”
(Ben after the third session)
The racing season hasn´t finished yet. And as Ben competes in different boats, it is unfortunately difficult to prove the success in comparative figures. But as all participants appreciate the project as successful, I will start to share some of our results and insights here with you. So: „Stay tuned“ 🙂
Yours, Stefanie
