This week's Top Tip comes from Leon Lerrity, a French rowing coach, who serendipitously sent us a racing tip in the same week as we launched our Race Training page (see above). Leon's tip is about how to improve your start in a race.Vital seconds can be lost as you come out of the start and into your race pace. Race pace is not a comfort zone but the highest sustainable pace you can handle. You can improve your start by trying the following tip: on a given stroke, drive into your race rhythm and then, during the next three to four strokes, hold your split whilst reducing the effort. This is achieved by focusing on relaxation and in so doing you become more efficient. As you relax, large amounts of energy that are being consumed in tension, especially in the shoulders and neck region, become available to be channeled into the working muscles during the drive phase.If you've got any tips or workouts you think should be shared with the world, just send them to us at webmaster@vermonthouse.co.uk