Rest Day 4/11/13: Blade Work – When is the blade Feathered/Squared? – Share your thoughts and preferences!

Rest Day 4/11/13:

Thoughts on Bladework?

Thoughts on Blade Work?

Blade Work

When is the blade Feathered/Squared?

At the CrossFit Rowing Course June 8-9 we will be learning how the blade and the oar move with the body during the stroke.  If you’re interested in dialing in your technique and pushing your rowing to the next level come to CrossFit Boston and Community Rowing.

On Saturday we will be crushing it with CrossFit Rowing Coach Shane Farmer on the Concept2 Ergometer.  On Sunday we will be putting our new and improved skills to work rowing in shells on the Charles River.  Sign up here and come enjoy the summer in Boston!

Share your thoughts on when the blade should be feathered and squared to comments!

Rowing WOD 4/10/13: “Hamilton” – 3 RFT – 1k Row, 50 Push Ups, 1k Run, 50 Pull Ups – Post Time

Rowing WOD 4/10/13:

“Hamilton”

Members at CrossFit Boston attacking Hamilton.  Come checkout CrossFit Boston June 8-9 at the CrossFit Rowing Course with Shane Farmer!

Members at CrossFit Boston attacking Hamilton. Come checkout CrossFit Boston June 8-9 at the CrossFit Rowing Course with Shane Farmer!

3 Rounds for Time …

1k Row, 50 Push Ups

1k Run, 50 Pull Ups

From time to time CrossFit creates a new WOD that is a step above all the rest.  These are called Hero WODs.  They are named after Heroes who have given their lives in the line of duty.  Every time we perform a Hero WOD is an opportunity to think outside ourselves and push a little bit harder for those that put themselves in harm’s way for us.

Over the past couple of weeks we have been preparing ourselves physically and mentally to crush this workout in its entirety.  Today’s Rowing WOD is the full thing, an awesome Hero WOD named Hamilton.  Today is the day to push ourselves harder, execute our rowing, and honor Hamilton.  Your focus should be to push the pace on the running, push ups, and pull ups.  Figure out how you’re going to game each movement to get through it the fastest.

On the 1k Row I would like to see everyone execute the first 1k of your 2k race plan.  We will be testing our 2k again soon and today is a great opportunity to build confidence and hit your new 2k splits.  Start quick and light, settle with breathing, and execute every stroke with balanced power.  Stay strong mentally and physically.  Look back at what you did in the last 2 weeks and try to hold a consistent pace through the whole workout.  If you can, negative split the run and the row to make each round a little faster than the first.

Execute your game plan.  Smooth is Fast!

Post your time and average splits for the 1k’s to comments.  Below is something to think about as you push through the pain.

Hamilton

℅ CrossFit.com

℅ CrossFit.com

Three rounds for time of:
Row 1000 meters
50 Push-ups
Run 1000 meters
50 Pull-ups

U.S. Army Specialist Adam Hamilton, 22, of Kent, Ohio, assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based in Fort Riley, Kansas, died on May 28, 2011 in Haji Ruf, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his father Scott Hamilton, step-mother Connie Hamilton, mother Nancy Krestan, brothers Brandon Hamilton and Nick Kristan, and sisters Shawney and Taya Hamilton.

Rowing WOD 4/9/13: 15 x :20 On :40 off – Post Fastest and Slowest Splits

Rowing WOD 4/9/13:

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.  Do you last through the first 7, but die soon after?  Could you go faster at the start of your 2k?  What happens to your focus in the last couple?  Use your results to adjust your race plan and goal for your next 2k which will be about a week before Regionals.

Post your fastest and slowest splits to comments.

Try warming up with a couple of strap drills to feel and practice suspending from the oar.    Have Fun!

Rowing WOD 4/8/13: 1k, 3×3′ w/ 1′ Rest, 2×3′ w/ 1′ Rest – Post Total Distance and Experience

Rowing WOD 4/8/13:

Checkout everyone's preparation for the catch!

Checkout everyone’s preparation for the catch!

1k Row

  • @24-26 s/m (note average 500m split)
  • 4′ rest

3 x 3’ On 1’ Off as follows

  • Hold 1k split
  • 3′ @26 s/m, 25 s/m, 24 s/m (rate changes every minute)
  • 3′ @25, 24, 23
  • 3′ @24, 23, 22
  • 4′ rest

2 x 3’ On 1’ Off as follows (holding 1k split):

  • 3′ @26, 24, 22
  • 3′ @24, 22, 20

One thing that all good athletes have in common is a sense of efficiency.  The athlete that can maintain proper mechanics and spend the least amount of energy to complete a task will be able to push harder and farther compared to the athlete that just flies and dies.  Todays Rowing WOD introduces a key concept to being efficient in rowing and may improve your efficiency in longer wods.

Start the workout by rowing 1,000m at 24-26 strokes per minute.  Effort should be about 60% – 75% as if you were jogging a half-mile, don’t go all out.  The average split for the 1k will be your goal split to hold through all of the 3 minute pieces.  Set the monitor for 3′ of work and 1′ of rest.  Each 3-minute piece is broken into 1-minute sections that should be rowed at the designated stroke rating.

In order to hold the goal split while decreasing the stroke rating you must perform a ratio shift.  A ratio shift changes the timing of the stroke on the drive and the recovery.  For example, shifting from 1 on the drive: 2 on the recovery, to 1 on the drive: 3 on the recovery.  This is a challenging workout.  Use it to develop a sense of efficiency.  A proper ratio shift maintains the power per stroke but allows the rower time to breath and prepare for the next stroke.

Post Total Distance and your Experience with ratio shifts.

Below are some pictures of Mike T. after working on staying connected through the finish.  What does your finish look like? Is it efficient?  How fast do your hands move through the finish?  … Just a few things to think about as we continue to work on suspension through the stroke and balanced finishes.

Rest Day 4/7/13: Sitting on the erg/boat; What is Port and what is Starboard? What direction is the boat going?

Rest Day 4/7/13:

Shane Farmer

What side is Port and what side is Starboard?  

What direction is the boat going?

Sometimes asking these simple questions even on the erg is helpful in thinking about balance, technique, and efficiency of movement.  If you ever plan to row on the water you will want to know the answers.  Especially if you want to stay safe and go fast!

Will you be at the CrossFit Rowing Course June 8-9 in Boston?

Sculling

If you enjoy Rowing, especially when combining it with CrossFit, then you should come get some knowledge on both!  CrossFit Boston will be hosting a 2-Day CrossFit Rowing Trainer’s Course June 8-9.  On Saturday CrossFit Rowing Coach Shane Farmer will be dropping some know-how on the erg and on Sunday all participants will get a chance to take their new-found knowledge to the water at Community Rowing.

Register Now before it fills up!