Monthly Archives: September 2013

Rowing WOD 10/1/13: 12 x :40 On, :20 Off – Max Effort – Post Avg Split

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Rowing WOD 10/1/13:

BC Men Spinning at the Canoe Kayak Dock

BC Men Spinning at the Canoe Kayak Dock

12 x :40 On, :20 Off

  • Max Effort

If you’re looking for an edge in Tabata This, Fight Gone Bad, or simply your Tabata Row, today’s Rowing WOD is the perfect opportunity to build your consistency on shorter pieces.   The focus is maintaining race pressure and mentally executing a race plan.  The goal is to be consistently strong through all 12 pieces.  During the 20 seconds off, paddle lightly at a stroke rating of 14 – 16 to recover.

The first three pieces should be executed like the start of a 2k race; sprint start, high ten, then settle to an efficient race pace.  The second three pieces should focus on holding a consistent race pace and stroke rating, around 32 for vets and 28 for novices.  The third section represents the third 500 of the 2k where mental toughness is key to keep the split from jumping up.  The last three pieces are an opportunity to either practice your sprint to the finish line or hold strong if you’re really feeling it.  When finished you will have 12 data points you can compare to see where extra focus will be required during your next 2k or first 2k if you’ve never done one!

Post your average 500m split and total calories to comments.

Rowing WOD 9/30/13: “Spicy Steady State” – Post Distance

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Rowing WOD 9/30/13:

Renegade Rowing Team - Racing at the Rumble on the River

Renegade Rowing Team – Racing at the Rumble on the River

“Spicy Steady State”

2 x 20min w/ 4min Rest

Complete Each 20min as Follows:

  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY, 1MIN @ 28, FULL PRESSURE
  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY, 1MIN @ 30, FULL PRESSURE
  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY, 1MIN @ 32, FULL PRESSURE
  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY, 1MIN @ 34, FULL PRESSURE

Steady state rowing is good for building aerobic base and rhythm.  However, it can be easy to get lazy and slump, compromising your posture and inviting overuse injuries.  Today’s Rowing WOD is an example of “Spicy Steady State” and allows you to keep your focus throughout the piece.  During the four minutes steady try to focus on one technique fix or breathing.  Then when you bump up the intensity for a minute, see if you can apply that technique fix to pulling lower splits at full pressure.

Post your total meters rowed to comments!

Rowing WOD 9/29/13: How do you get Motivated? – Share

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Rest Day 9/29/13:RR UVM Men Alumni HOCR

The Head of the Charles is taking place in three weeks.  A lot of rowers have used the Head to get motivated by setting goals to place in the top 20, top 10, or top 3.  I hope you can come check it out and witness one of the most awesome rowing events in the world.  If you can’t, what is motivating you this October?  Below is an excerpt from a great blog on motivation by Alex Black of Wicked Good Nutrition.

How do you get motivated?

The Land of Motivation

Motivation can be tough. It can be hard to find your way to Motivation-land, and once you get there, it can be even harder to stay. It takes at least a month to turn a behavior into a habit, and that month will typically be rife with challenges. Because, you know, the minute you decide to give up sugar or beer the next three social outings your friends plan are a baking pot luck and outing to your favorite craft beer bar…

On top of that, some research suggests it can take up to 3 years to reset your body’s homeostasis (sense of balance) at a new weight. What this means is, if you lose 20 pounds, it can take 3 years before your body recognizes this as its new and healthy weight.

But all that aside, there are a few tricks you can use to help you get motivated and stay motivated. These include:

…Read More Here…

Rowing WOD 9/28/13: 28 Burpees and 5k Test – Post Scores

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Rowing WOD 9/28/13:

Where do you test? Why? Come test yourself at the CrossFit Rowing Trainer Course!

28 Burpees For Time

5k Row for Time

It’s been another month of epic training.  How have you progressed?  Have you been consistent in your work?  Now is the time to test where we’re at and re-focus as the championship head racing season draws near.  It also happens to be the 28th of September, a great day to do 28 Burpees!  Good luck, have fun, and get after it!

How well does your body process and use oxygen to do work?  How long can you sustain work?  Today’s assessment will give you an idea of both your aerobic capacity and endurance.  Set your monitor for 5,000 meters and get after it.  Be sure to record your time, average 500m split, average stroke rating, and average watts.  This will give you an idea of your work capacity over about 20 minutes.

For those wondering why we’re doing such a long test and how to attack it, think of this as a Girl Wod like “Mary”.  The athlete who can efficiently and effectively move their body weight will be able to consistently do more work aerobically without having to dip into anaerobic energy stores.  Also, when tackling “Mary”, good competitors will go in with a game plan based on what they know they can maintain.  The first couple of rounds may be used to ease into the work without flying and dying.

Whether you’re a Vet or Novice, the goal should be to maintain a consistent 500m split and stroke rating throughout the whole piece.  If this is your first 5k aim to build your confidence by negative splitting.  Start the first 1k at a moderately hard pace that you can consistently hold.  Then every 1k after that try to pull a little bit faster, perhaps 1 split second every 1k.  What you should avoid is going out to hard, say 1:45 /500m, and then dying half way through to limp in at a split of 2:00 /500m.

Novices should try to maintain a stroke rating of 24 to 26.  Vets should work on executing a race plan, maintaining their splits, and rowing at a stroke rating of at least 26 to 28.

Let us know how you do!  Post your results to Comments.

Rowing WOD 9/27/13: RR Warmup, EMOM10 MR FS@40%, AMRAP7 Burpees/Planks, RR Warm Down – Post Scores

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Rowing WOD 9/27/13:

Working the Front Rack with BC Men's Crew

Working the Front Rack with BC Men’s Crew

1. 1k Row @5k+5

2. 1 Mile Run (easy pace);

3. EMOM10 – MR Front Squat @40% of 1RM

  • Every Minute On The Minute for 10min Perform…
  • Max Reps in 20sec
  • Focus on Form, Rhythm, and Speed on the Drive

4. As Many Rounds As Possible in 7min

  • 15 Burpees
  • Plank Hold – for as long as it took to do first set of Burpees
  • (Alternate between front and side planks each round)

5. 1 Mile Run (easy pace)

6. 1k Row @5k+5

Burpees and Planks!

Burpees and Planks!

Fire it Up!  It’s Friday!  Tomorrow we re-test our 5k.  Get in some solid work today and bring your A-Game.  Hope you had a great week of training!

Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to use rowing as a warmup and cool down.  The front squats are for power and speed on the drive.  Form and speed on the bar should be the focus in hopes of transferring power/skill to the boat.  Push hard in the metcon and get that heart rate and breathing up.  There’s a video below of the Boston College Men’s Crew Team using Renegade Rowing for their daily practice.  If you can do this on the water even better!  This practice should take no longer than 2 hours.  Cut out some of the running/rowing if you’re strapped for time.

Post your load and number of reps for the Front Squat, Rounds + Reps for the metcon, and splits held for the rowing and running.