Monthly Archives: August 2012

Rowing WOD 8/22: 750m Row; 4 Rds: 5 Deadlifts, 5 Wall Climbs; 750m Row – Post Time/Load

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Rowing WOD 8/22:

Complete For Time:

750m Row,

4 Rounds:

5 Deadlifts

5 Wall Climbs,

750m Row

Whether you’re picking up groceries off the floor, getting your body up off the floor, or taking a stroke during a race, you’re ability to transfer energy from your core to extremity will determine your success.  Your ability to transfer force from your feet to your hands and vice versa will get you where you want to go.  In Rowing applying pressure to the footboards and matching that feeling of pressure to the handle is what leads to a smooth, connected stroke.  

Today’s Rowing WOD gives us an opportunity to test our race pace at the 750m distance as well as develop our body awareness, core strength, and ability to connect the feet to the hands with a foundational lift and gymnastic movement.  For the deadlifts the prescribed weight for firebreathers is 315lbs for men and 275lbs for women.  Scale the weight accordingly.  For the wall climbs start on your belly with your feet touching a wall.  Then do a push up and walk your feet up the wall as you walk your hands toward the wall.  The goal is to touch your chest to the wall and then walk back down with control.  Scale by doing 3 instead of 5 or not going as high on the wall.

Post your time and load to comments!

Rowing WOD 8/21: 15 x :20 On :40 Off – Post Fastest and Slowest Split

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Rowing WOD 8/21:

15 x :20 On :40 Off

Max Pressure

Elite fitness is all about developing power through high intensity.  Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to push your boundaries and test the limits of your speed.  Catch your breath and focus on the 40 seconds off so that you can put every ounce of energy into suspending from the oar and going low on the split.  Compare your results to your 2k race plan.

On 8/7/12  we did a similar Rowing WOD, but with a fixed distance.  Compare your results and see if you beat that distance.

Post your fastest and slowest splits to comments.

Here is a drill to feel and think about suspension:

Rowing WOD 8/20: “7k in Heaven” – 7k Row w/ Rear End Elevated – Post Time

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Recover to Strength!

Rowing WOD 8/20:

“7k in Heaven”

7k Row

w/ Rear End of Erg Elevated

Rowing is all about the legs.  If you can’t initiate the stroke with your legs than you’re missing an opportunity to go faster.  Today’s Rowing WOD will give you an opportunity to feel the weight come onto your feet at the catch, keep your legs engaged, and really stand up off the footboards.  Place the back of the erg on a 45# bumper plate and get after it.  What you’ll find is that you’re forced to eliminate two common problems, clenching the arms early and over-compressing the legs at the catch.

This wod will take the average person over 30 minutes so keep focused on an efficient push with the legs without letting yourself go at the catch.  Once you settle into the piece and get used to using the legs more, then you can cycle through the following three concepts, which will help keep your form all the way through the piece.

Focus:

1. Consistent Pressure

  • Feel consistent pressure on the handle and the feet all the way through the drive.  Put the monitor on the power curve display by hitting the second arrow button from the top while you’re rowing.  The ideal curve you’re looking for is a smooth, inverse parabola.  Make that happen and you’ll have consistent pressure.
  • Also focus on holding a consistent split and stroke rating all the way through.  Whatever you can hold keep it consistent, efficient, and smooth.

2. Pointed Finish

  • Try to row the first half of the piece with your feet out of the straps.  As you finish the stroke ensure that you’re pointing your toes and your elbows.  This will promote a full pull without dumping your weight and having to do more work on the recovery.  Stay seated on your sit bones all the way through.  If you can master this you’ll be much more efficient.  Try to keep those feet attached to the footboards at all times…that’s how you transfer force to the handle.

3. Recover to Strength!

  • Hold your legs down as you finish the stroke and then swing your arms and body forward to start the recovery.  Keep your chest up and transfer the weight from the back of your seat to the front.  As you get half way up the slide you should be in a strong athletic position with your torso angled forward of your hip.  Broad Chest, Bones Stacked, Solid Core.  Ready for anything!

Get after it and post your time to comments!

Rest Day 8/19: Where do you get iron? Are you getting enough?

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Rest Day 8/19:

Where do you get iron?  Are you getting enough?

Below is an excerpt from Wicked Good Nutrition’s Alex Black on something we all need.  Get Some!

Iron is an essential nutrient with important functions in the body. Yet despite the fact that many cereals and grain are fortified with iron, iron deficiency anemia is a relatively common problem among athletes, especially females and teens. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 9% of adolescent and adult women have iron deficiency anemia. In addition, a small study in the<em “mso-bidi-font-style:=””>Journal of the American Dietetic Association from 2005 found that 36% of recreational female athletes (and 6% of male athletes) were iron deficient. In this post I’ll explain what Iron does, how much of it you need, and why you need it. I’ll also leave you with a delicious recipe for grilled apples, which go great alongside iron -rich foods like steak and pork.

… Check it out here …

Rowing WOD 8/18: 3 RFT – 25 Med Ball Cleans, 500m Row – Post Time

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Rowing WOD 8/18:

3 Rounds For Time

25 Medicine Ball Cleans (20#/14#)

500m Row

Functional Movements are glorious for both rowing and fitness.  They are the movements we need to survive AND excel in sports.  Functional movements are powerful, use multiple joints, and feel awesome when executed well.  Almost all functional movement involves the extension of the hips and the proper recruitment of muscles from core to extremity.  

When combining a foundational movement like the med ball clean with rowing on the erg there is an opportunity for skill transfer.  Athletes can use the med ball clean to promote good rowing form and rowers can use the med ball clean to focus on better hip extension and posterior chain engagement.  One main problem with athletes jumping on the erg for the first time is the tendency to clench and pull with the arms when all the work should be done by the legs and hips.  By engaging the legs first and getting full extension with loose arms on the med ball clean, the novice rower can think about and feel the same thing on the erg or in the boat.  For rowers looking for more power and speed, there is a lot to be gained in developing the ability to draw from the glutes and hamstrings during the drive and forcefully extend the hips as the torso opens.  Rowers should focus on driving through the heels and making the ball weightless with the hips.

For both movements in today’s Rowing WOD try to be smooth and efficient.  If you’re confident in your movement then push the pace.

Post time to comments!