Racing Brain Archives • Page 2 of 2 • David Schary

It Takes 15-20 Pieces: Why Mental Training Isn’t a Quick Fix for Rowers

David Schary November 4, 2025 No Comments

“We tried that reflection thing. It didn’t work.” This is what coaches and rowers tell me after they’ve asked the three questions twice, maybe three times, and their athletes are…

Why Hard Training Doesn’t Build Mental Toughness (And What Does)

David Schary October 28, 2025 No Comments

Your rowers are suffering. Brutal 6k tests. Painful seat racing. Threshold pieces that leave them gasping. They’re doing thousands of high-intensity strokes every season. And many of them are still…

The Three-Question Protocol: How Rowers Can Train Mental Toughness

David Schary October 21, 2025 No Comments

Sarah was the rower every coach has seen: dominant in training, fading in races. Her 6k erg was top-three in the boathouse. Technically sound. Strong aerobic base. But she was…

Rowers Have Two Brains…But Only One Shows Up in Races

David Schary October 14, 2025 No Comments

You know the race plan. You’ve reviewed it a dozen times. And you’ve executed it perfectly in practice. Then the race starts. By the 1000m mark, the plan is gone.…

The Three Lies About Mental Toughness That Keep Rowers Stuck

David Schary October 7, 2025 No Comments

Every season, I watch coaches identify their “mentally tough” athletes early. By October, they’ve sorted their roster. Some rowers have it. Some don’t. The ones who don’t? They get fewer…

Racing Brain Tools That Actually Work Under Pressure

David Schary September 30, 2025 No Comments

Part 3 of the Racing Brain Series Simple Protocols for Rowers Who Struggle on Race Day When the heart rate spikes and the brain shifts into survival mode, most mental…

The 3 Types of Racing Brain Rowers

David Schary September 23, 2025 No Comments

Part 2 of the Racing Brain Series Not every rower reacts to race‑day pressure the same way. Some thrive, some wobble, and some tighten up. Knowing which “Racing Brain type”…

The Practice Hero Problem

David Schary September 16, 2025 No Comments

Part 1 of the Racing Brain Series Why Your Best Athletes Fall Apart in Competition They look flawless in practice: smooth technique, relentless work ethic, the teammate everyone admires. You…

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