contributed by John FX Flynn, row2k

New to your club or to the varsity boats? Not quite sure what coach was getting at with the drills this week? Pretty sure you are doing it all wrong and rowing yourself right into the last seat in the slowest boat on your team?

Well, if it happens to be dark for even part of your practice, we might have a simple hack for you: wear dark clothes so your coach can't see you.

Now, this hack will not make you invisible, of course, and won't likely make you row better, but it might just buy you the time you need on the warm-up at your next morning practice to start figuring some things out.

If you are lucky enough to row at a place with dark blades, you can really double down on the this stealth effect, at least until the sun comes out, especially if washing out in a spray of white--and very visible--water is not your particular issue. 

Kidding aside, there is plenty of research to suggest that you learn, and flow, better when you are relaxed. Being less worried about being seen and singled out could certainly help there, maybe just enough to put together what it is that your coach really wants--at which point we recommend donning much brighter colors so you get credit for your improvements, and maybe even a seat closer to the stern.

If you do try the stealth approach, we want to remind you to make sure that ALL your layers are dark: nothing ruins this hack faster than taking off your dark long-sleeve to suddenly highlight yourself with the white t-shirt you wore underneath.

Do you have a sneaky Rower Trick that helped you out on the water? Let us know in the comments below.

Have a great rowing hack for future inclusion here? Send it to us!