S5E11 - With Equal Parts Data and Devotion, Live2Row Founders Help Rowers Find More Speed

Twenty years after meeting as high school athletes, long time friends Stephen Pryor and Justin Knust are coaching in studio, online, and on the water, as the data-driven founders of Live2Row Studios.

While hauling regatta trailers and drinking beers in bars, Stephen and Justin realized that the coaching and training system they’d been developing for youth rowers could be valuable for the larger rowing community. In 2015, they opened the doors to Live2Row Studios in Ocoee, FL, and pivoted during COVID to offer live on-line training.

Today, their growing coaching staff uses ErgZone’s powerful metrics to provide personalized benchmarks and they are devoted to making a difference for the rowing community.

SIDE NOTE: We're grateful to Live2Row for creating a 6-month endurance training plan for our Allies with Oars crews to prepare for Race Around the Rock, an 88k coastal relay race around Salt Spring Island in British Columbia on Aug. 25, 2024.

 

QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Episode lead-in
02:45 - Rowing week on a scale of 1-10
04:28 - Hot Seat Q&A
13:19 -  Stephen and Justin's rowing origin stories
15:36 - Early days developing as a rower and coxswain with the Orlando Area Rowing Society
18:10 - The culture of suffering and working to change opinions about erg workouts
21:01 - Approaching the erg and culture around masters coaching
25:21 - Live2Row seeks to impact all levels of rowing from the top down, bottom up
29:34 - “Talking about rowing is becoming a better coach”
34:20 - How Live2Row pivoted (and grew) during COVID
38:22 - Live2Row camps are designed around the on-water training schedule AND with basement erg owners in mind
40:10 - The Live2Row community
44:14 - The guys describe the perfect stroke
47:54 - SSN events and initiatives

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To see photos of Stephen, Justin, and Live2Row members, and get links to the people, clubs, events, and resources mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode was made possible in part by Live2Row Studios, Breakwater Realty, RowSource, and our Patrons.

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Steady State Podcast is written, produced, hosted, and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering and is our sponsor coordinator. Rachel manages the website, social media, and e-newsletter. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.