Master Instructors

Jason Allen, British & Commonwealth Masters Judo Champion

Location: Birmingham
Mobile: 07929199016
Email: judoj07@hotmail.co.uk

Jason has used the Concept2 Indoor Rower in preparation for his own sport of Judo. With gruelling lactate sessions and lung busting cardio routines being an important part of his training. He became British Masters champion on October the 3rd 2009 and in January of this year became the Commonwealth Masters Judo Champion.

Currently Jason coaches a number of individuals who have varying aspirations, but all have found the Concept2 Indoor Rower hugely beneficial to their training development. They have seen at first hand how it has been integral to their sporting performance.

It was commented on by another rower at the last Indoor Championship that the athletes he had coached were consistent in their movement on the Rower. With a 100% success rate in each athlete hitting their own individual targets.

He is hoping that with this experience he may be able to spread the good word of Indoor Rowing training and how if used correctly it is invaluable to the development of athletes regardless of sport.

Chris Brett, MSc, BEng

Location: Northampton
Tel: 01604876685
Mobile: 07963535728
Email: chrisbrett@drivephase.net

Chris is a fully qualified Concept2 Master Instructor, Crew Class Instructor and Concept2 Indoor Rowing Instructor. He is an experienced Instructor Trainer and has been training gym instructors, coaches, teachers and personal trainers since becoming qualified as a Concept2 Master Instructor in 2005. Since this time he has also been Concept2's main provider of training for the Concept2 Crew Class Course. Chris has also worked with the Concept2 team that has implemented Indoor Rowing for Schools programmes in Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow and London. He has written and co written several technical documents covering the best practice for using the Concept2 Indoor Rower.

Chris is an experienced Crew Class Instructor and was instrumental in setting up and developing the extensive range of successful Crew Class lessons at the Roko and David Lloyds gyms in Nottingham from 2004 onwards. These Crew Class programmes have gone on to be some of the most successful in the country and the gyms currently have a mass Crew Class following with several regular fully booked lessons every week.

Chris has had a great deal of success in indoor coaching, particularly in the relay events. He coached the Northampton Rowing Club J18 team that smashed the 100,000 metre relay World Record in July 2008 and the English Mixed Relay Champions in 2005.

As an indoor rower Chris has set 3 World Records and several British Records in relay events, most of which are still standing. The Open Men's 100,000 metre relay World Record used to be held by a GB rowing team that included Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell. He currently rows for MAD Team IRC one of the most successful indoor rowing clubs in the world.

Despite starting rowing late in life Chris has had numerous successes on the water. These include reaching a Henley final in 2002, and wins at the North of England HORR in 2003 and at Marlow in 2000. He currently rows for Northampton Rowing Club.

Chris came to the sport of rowing from an athletics background competing with Middlesbrough & Cleveland Harriers and Loughborough Students. At Loughborough Chris was coached by George Gandy and Ernest Obeng and trained with some of the best athletes in the country at the time.

Chris also has a highly technical background coming from significant experience working in the fields of Engineering and IT. He is an expert in the use of ICT with the Concept2 Indoor Rower and has written several technical IT related documents for C2. He also developed and wrote the Performance Monitor Interface. The PMI is an easy to use programming tool for developing software for use with the C2 Indoor Rower. The PMI and its 147 page manual are freely available for download from the Concept2 web site.

Areas of Specialist Expertise: Crew Class Training, Relay Race Coaching, Technical Indoor Rowing Advice, ICT in Indoor Rowing

Eddie Fletcher, Sports & Exercise Physiologist

Location: Worcestershire
Tel: 0138640050
Mobile: 07711092733
Email: eddie@fletchersportscience.co.uk
Web: www.fletchersportscience.co.uk

Member of the British Association of Sport & Exercise Scientists (BASES)

Eddie has been involved with indoor rowing for the last 10 years and has developed a unique approach to the coaching and development of specialist indoor rowers which he has now extended to triathletes and individual runners, cyclists and swimmers. In the last five years his athletes have won over 65 medals at the British Indoor Rowing Championships, set British and World records and won European and World titles. He was team manager/coach for the 2004-2008 World Championship British Indoor Rowing Squads.

All his athletes use Suunto and HRV to monitor both training and recovery

He is coach to 4 times British and World Open Champion Graham Benton and to a number of multiple year age group champions notably, 6 times World and 7 times British 50 + Age Group Champion Anna Bailey (World Record holder). Graham is still improving having set a new personal best of 5:42.5. Anna's amazing age group record stands at 7:06.6. In 2008 he coached Nik Fleming to World Championship Indoor Rowing Gold with a personal best 5:53.4 over the race distance of 2000 m, at aged 39. He beat a much younger Argentinean Olympic rower Santiago Fernandez by a full 2.5 seconds.

Eddie is a world expert and pioneer in the practical use and interpretation of heart rate variability (HRV) technology and software to measure the psychological and physiological effect of training and recovery on the human body. Using HRV he has created athlete specific tests and duration-intensity-recovery zones to individualize the training of his athletes.

All athletes are recommended to read his Recovery Guide - Heart Rate Variability, Recovery Index and Heart Rate Variability Index Accurate Tools for assessing Psychological Stress, Physiological Workload and Recovery in Athletes

For more information see his website which contains wealth of reports, information and scientific articles.

David Hislop, Personal Trainer & Sports Therapist

Location: South West Scotland
Tel: 01581400621
Mobile: 07790167960
Email: DavidSHis@aol.com

David has run his own personal training business since September 2003 and has a wide range of experience in this field as well as dealing with sports injuries and corporate work offshore and on the mainland. He is a qualified personal trainer and sports therapist, Concept2 Master Instructor and UK Athletics Performance Coach (level 4).

As well as being a Master Instructor, David's indoor rowing experience includes being British Indoor Rowing Champion 2001,2002 and 2006 and Scottish, English, Irish, and Welsh Champion 2007/2008. He has been indoor rowing seriously since 1999, prior to that did road running, athletics coaching and prior to that did 400metres hurdles.

David runs his own gym and injury clinic near Stranraer and can offer 1 to 1 courses either at the gym or will travel to Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England. Please contact David directly to arrange course dates to suit.

Gus MacKinnon-Little, MBA, B.Ed. (Hons), Dip.VI, DMS, BPS: Level A&B

Location: Nationwide
Email: info@framework-hr.co.uk

Gus is a qualified Concept2 Master Instructor and is committed to promoting Indoor Rowing to the next generation of enthusiasts. He is keen on increasing Rowing for all in communities, schools, businesses, leisure centres, sports clubs and rehab. units. He has rowed quite a few miles since the early 1980's when he started Indoor Rowing using one of the early Model "A" Indoor Rowers.

Gus provides training for all your staff: be they in the fitness industry, health professionals, teachers or volunteers. If you are aged 16 or over, keen to learn then we're good to get started! He is available for Indoor Rowing Instructor training at your venue, has CRB clearance and travels throughout the UK. Please email to finalise your programme and arrange dates. These are his areas of interest:

Special Educational Needs
Cross training
Testing and measuring
Instructor development
Partnership working and collaborative projects

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Gus has SEN experience training and coaching athletes including those with sensory impairments (hearing and visual), EBD and Asperger's Syndrome. Indoor Rowing is fully inclusive and therefore virtually everyone has the chance to participate. He is available to run assessments within your organisation and provide training advice.
He is also a qualified Silver Level Rowing coach. Gus introduced rowing to several squad members of the GB adaptive coxed IVs that won Gold at recent World Rowing Championships. Much of their training was based on the C2 Indoor Rower.

Cross training

He is interested in the cross training effects from Indoor Rowing using the heart rate monitor and tracking exercise data from the PM4 using the card reader. Gus has helped people with canoeing and alpine skiing programmes and used rowing as part of his preparation for his long distance cycle treks.
He has cycled across Cuba, from John o'Groats to Land's End, London to Innsbruck and from Boston around New England - taking in a visit to the Concept2 HQ in Vermont.

Testing and measuring

Schools already report that those teenagers who regularly row and engage with training pick up their academic grades. Measuring these improvements generates evidence of the value that Indoor Rowing brings to raising performance, activity and also school health. (Similar programmes would work for you in your workplace.)
Again, Indoor Rowing helps teenagers who are close to being permanently excluded from school become excited by participating in a challenging sport. This helps to reverse poor attendance figures, turn around negative behaviour and address underachievement. Feedback from the Performance Monitor and motivational awards are central to this work.
Records provide valuable confirmation to Ofsted, (Estyn in Wales) during school inspections that Indoor Rowing is a comprehensive developmental tool. Instructors (teachers, parents or older students) can show staff the advantages of Indoor Rowing for cross-curricular work and integrate IT functions for their analyses.
Staff at The Engine House Community Project, in South Wales are using their Indoor Rowers for sports and circuit training and one-to-one weight loss sessions. From their records they are tracking and measuring progress. Also, they are linking with local GP's to help with exercise referrals. Overall, they have developed an integrated approach to maximise benefits.

Instructor development

Following your training he can provide support and advice for newly qualified instructors to achieve effective integration of Indoor Rowing in your organisation.
Gus uses psychometric assessments to maintain personal growth as the next step after initial training. This increases the opportunities for Indoor Rowing Instructors so you can expand the benefits you provide and add value to your programmes. Once your Instructor training has finished that's the start of your reflective learning, an important part of coach education.
For instance, understanding your thinking and interpersonal styles helps you motivate your athletes and become more effective in your coaching. Let's face it; your athletes are expecting you to deliver more for their Rowing. The assessment, feedback and structuring your improvement plan is a proven way to achieve this.

Partnership working and collaborative projects

One of his projects is supporting Hinksey Sculling School (Oxford) and their outreach programme. This work is based on introducing Indoor Rowing into schools and communities. He is keen on collaboration by identifying and engaging with stakeholders. As Indoor Rowing fits and integrates with initiatives in sport, education, health there is opportunity to add to work in these areas and facilitate change that crosses boundaries. Currently, disadvantaged groups are being targeted in some of the underprivileged (Super Output) areas of Oxford.
Gus also writes case studies and news reports for the Concept2 website. He wrote the ?How To Framework? for Sponsored Events using Indoor Rowers. This is a comprehensive guide to fundraising and is used by groups, individuals and schools. Each year it continues to generate thousands of pounds for good causes ? including buying your own Indoor Rowers!

Tim Male, Rowing Coach & Personal Trainer

Location: London & SE
Mobile: 07958616278
Email: TimMalePT@hotmail.co.uk

Tim Male is an international rowing coach and personal trainer with a specialist knowledge of the power phase generated in a rowing stroke. With experience in racing himself, he has a personal insight into how to get the most from the Concept2 Indoor Rower.

As an athlete Tim represented GB for 10 years, and has set the British record for lightweight men on the Concept2 over 2000m, a record which has stood for eight years. Tim still plays on the ergo at BIRC, and utilizes its cross training effect to keep him fit for Triathlon. His BIRC results include:

1993: Gold J18 Lightweight
1994: Bronze Open Lightweight
2001: Silver Open Lightweight
2005: Silver Open Lightweight
2006: Gold Men's 30-34 lwt
2007: Gold Men's 30-34 lwt

Mark Pinches, MSc, BSc (Hons) Dip EHP, DCHyp, ACertCSHyp

Location: Cardiff
Tel: 02920652182
Mobile: 07980255190
Email: mark.pinches@totalmotivation.co.uk
Web: www.totalmotivation.co.uk

Mark is a Concept2 Master Instructor, Sports Physiologist and Psychologist and has worked closely with Concept2 over the last 12 years training instructors and users of the Concept2 Indoor Rower. Over the last 16 years, as a Personal Trainer, Physical Therapist and Clinical Hypnotherapist, Mark has helped everyone from professional athletes to those requiring motivation to achieve peak performance and their exercise & health goals. Throughout the period, Mark has used the Concept2 Indoor Rower as an integral part of his training approach.

Mark established Total Motivation Ltd in 1994 to develop ideas to realise a unique balance of training concepts and methodologies intended to maximise individual, team and corporate performance. The Total Motivation concept has grown out of a unique blend of academic and practical experience and has utilised the structured training methodologies from a wide range of physiological and psychological disciplines.

Mark focuses on 'personal training and coaching' clients requiring a wide range of specialisation from performance and life coaching, mentoring to behavioural post trauma therapy such as building self-esteem, confidence and stress counselling.

Following many years of rowing experience and following extensive research, Mark and his colleague Glenn Delikan, a Fitness Trainer, Martial Artist and musician formed Rowing2Music and produce a unique collection of music developed specifically for indoor rowing with the aim to create a 'themed atmosphere' to enhance the indoor rowing experience. The synchronised music uses specific rhythms and sounds to guide the rower by encouraging correct rowing technique and enabling 'seamless' changes in tempo and exercise intensity. The CD's have become an integral part of Rowing to Music classes and a means to assist individuals in maximising the enjoyment of their training sessions. The current range of CDs can be found on the Concept2 Shop, and at www.R2Music.co.uk

Ben Steadman

Location: Midlands
Mobile: 07850046367
Email: benjsteadman@yahoo.co.uk

Ben is a HM Prison Service Physical Education Senior Officer. Has been working in Sports and PE in prisons for 14 years after a fitness centre start to his working life managing a small hotel fitness centre. All round sportsman has represented his county at cricket and football, played south west England colleges volleyball and basketball and since joining prison service has been heavily involved in the indoor rowing scene. Played a large part in setting up the prison systems own ranking system as well as running a number of events, latest being a mass crew class with over 50 machines involved!

Ben has just attempted to row the Indian ocean as part of the woodvale Indian ocean rowing race. 3 years preparation and fund raising only to be thwarted by mother nature. Had to withdraw after 2 weeks due to equipment failure. A wide variety of sports specific knowledge and experience as well as being a qualified gym and circuit training instructor. Also level 3 nutrition and diet management qualified. As a prison service PE officer, adaptable and can deliver to most audiences!!!

Qualified as a master instructor in 2006 and has run a number of crew classes and instructor training courses within the prison to qualified gym instructors.

Happy to give advice and training to any groups from schools and colleges to small clubs and fitness centres. Based in the Midlands but happy to travel!