In the sport of rowing (crew) during a race the coxswain will call 10 strokes at 150% pressure, variations of it are common like power 5, 15's or 20's. They generally acure right when your thinking about how much you hate crew dead center in the race when you legs and arms feel like someone is literally ripping your muscles and tendons out but you would apply no less than 150% percent pressure as power 10's close gaps and walk boats like nitrous express in street racing. Power 10's basically suck massively but they can mean the difference between winning and loosing which in rowing is like life and death (the infamous jumpy is often used as "motivation" after a bad race by some of the tougher coaches). This is one of the many key strategic tools used in gaining water and generally sits high on the tactics used to do well, theres always a few power 10's thrown into a race no matter how far, how hard, or how well a crew is doing.
power 10 example:

Rower dead center in the middle of a 2000 meter race: wtf why did I become a rower? why couldnt I just cox or better yet be a fat ass and play xbox all day?
Coxswain: POWER 10 IN TWO, THATS ONE AND TWO, 1 SEND, 2, SEND, 3, SEND, 4, SEND, 5, SEND, 6, SEND, 7 SEND, 8, SEND 9, SEND 10.
Rower: I fucking hate this shit so much
by rower200 May 24, 2009
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A theoretical method to make crappy crews row faster. All it does is make the rowers pull harder for 10 strokes then return back to their initial state of mediocrity.(Most times they are worse after the power 10 than before and proceed to pull weaker and weaker.) You should pull hard on every stroke of the race, rowing 10 decent strokes then reverting back to miserable form and power is a terrible idea.
Bad crew: Power 10 in Two: One, Two!
*Boat goes slightly faster for 10 strokes then slows down to a slower pace than before due to fatigue.*
Good crew: Ha, now their worse than before and we just keep gaining distance!
by JustCallMeBob November 3, 2009
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