Mark's reference to the "sonic boom" created when going out in C4 for the first time made me wonder how much of that feeling was due to his attitude going out onto the water. How much impact do you think your initial attitude can have on a practice? If starting on a negative note, how do you turn things around?

Your initial attitude can have a HUGE impact on a practice. So many times a work out can end before it starts. It is very common for athletes to go on the water and have the mentality of just getting though the session. It is important to not ignore the work you are about to do before practice, but instead think about what you want to get out of it. Setting goals for each week, day, practice and piece can have a huge impact on what you get out of a session. Setting a goal puts you more in control of what you get out of practice, and leaves it less up to chance that you will feel satisfied coming of the water.

If a practice is going poorly, it is important to go back to things you know you are doing well and build off of those. For example, if you know you have a strong exit, think about ripping it out each stroke for a couple pieces to try and get your groove back. Also, if a session is going badly don’t be afraid to ramp it up a bit. Going harder and making the boat move faster for a couple pieces can save a bad session. It is also important to remember you don’t need to win every piece to have a good work out. Make sure you don’t get too focused on the people you are training with and not on what is going on in your own boat.