Gain The Oarsome Power Of A Surfboat Crew

“Whether it’s on the ergometer or doing weights, my crew and I are always competing amongst one another and encouraging each other to push it to the limit,” says Morison

Vital Statistics

Age: 33
Lives: Sydney
Rows for: Mona Vale Surf Life Saving Club
Position: stroke
Height: 191cm
Weight: 86kg

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Getting to the top is a journey of commitment and sacrifice, and it’s one that Morison doesn’t believe he could take alone. “I’ve always played team sports, not only for the camaraderie, but because a common goal can bring the best out of you,” he says. “Whether it’s on the ergometer or doing weights, my crew and I are always competing amongst one another and encouraging each other to push it to the limit,” says Morison. In a study from the University of Pittsburgh, researchers found that people who received encouragement from a workout buddy achieved better results than those who trained alone.

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FINDING THE BALANCE
Surfboat rowing requires a balance of strength and muscular endurance, which Morison targets in the gym twice a week. “In preseason, we’re usually doing three sets of 20 reps to build muscle endurance,” says Morison. “However, with all the rowing throughout the season improving our fitness, we end up focusing more on explosive power with three sets of 4-5 reps.”

PUNISHING PACE
On top of 2-3 rows in the boat and a road cycle, Morison punishes himself on the ergometer to develop gold-medal fitness. “The erg’ is our bread and butter. We occasionally do a steady-state piece, but our main focus is 45-60 minutes of rowing intervals,” he says. Want to know what it takes? Try completing a 2km erg’ in under six minutes 30 seconds.

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CONCENTRATED RELAXATION
Being the stroke (pacesetter) of the crew, Morison needs unwavering discipline and concentration to keep the boat steady and the other three rowers in time. “I think we have been so successful due to our ability to relax and have fun right up until the gun fires,” he says. “As long as you have done the hard work during training sessions and give 100 per cent focus during the race, there is no point worrying about the result or how external factors might change the result,” he says.

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BEING THE ENGINE ROOM
Four rowers, a sweep and a hull mean that surfboats usually weigh upwards of 650 kilograms. To pull above their weight in the ocean, Morison and crew draw on total-body strength. “We use moves that get the whole body firing like a rowing stroke,” he explains. Squats, chin-ups and deadlifts are his go-to exercises for building explosive power, while medicine-ball twists and slams build abs that are essential to his endurance. “It’s great to have a huge back or strong quads, but if you aren’t strong through the middle, other parts of your body start to fatigue easier as they try to compensate,” he says.

FUEL AND GO
As amateur sportsmen, surf rowers usually have full-time jobs. That means a hectic schedule that requires efficient fuelling. “I focus on a high-protein diet to keep my muscles fuelled and recovering,” he explains. While carbs aren’t excluded from his diet, he opts for low-GI sources rather than white bread or white pasta. “I try to include all five food groups, so steak and vegies is the perfect dinner before race day,” he says. You need to put the right fuel in your system. “A petrol car doesn’t work with diesel in it, and your body works the same way,” says Morison