Monthly Archives: March 2015

Ice Breaker Challenge and Rowing WOD 3/7/15: Race Pressure 2x1k, 2x500m – Post Splits

Posted on by
Reply

Hey Renegades!  Hope you’re as excited as me for the next few days of warmer weather to melt the river.  If you’re looking for a fun chance to test your speed and keep training hard, I’d highly recommend the Ice Breaker 1k Challenge held at CRI next weekend.  Here is the Facebook announcement and the registration link.  Sign up and throw down!  Today’s Rowing WOD is great preparation for the Ice Breaker Challenge.

Rowing WOD:

Greg of the RRC getting after it!

Race Pace

2 x 1k w/ 4:00 Rest

2 x 500m w/ 3:00 Rest

Have you ever seen a WOD posted in your gym like 5-5-5-5-5 Back Squat and that’s it?  Did you think that would be a good day to take off because there’s not much to it and you’d rather go to a session with more stuff?  Well snap out of it and hit that WOD hard next time.  High Intensity is your ability to push your boundaries a little further everyday.  If you never test your limits you’ll never know what you’ve got.

Todays Rowing WOD calls for Race Pressure and is a test of your ability to consistently perform at your highest intensity.  Set the monitor for Intervals Variable and input 1k, 4min rest, 1k, 4min rest, 500m, 3min rest, 500m, 3min rest.  Execute your 2k/1k Race Plan, both split and stroke rating, for each distance.  The first time you perform that distance execute that pace (split and SR) as consistently as possible.  When you repeat the distance try to be even more consistent and go a little bit faster.

Remember, the goal is to row at race pressure for every piece.  Focus on your split and stroke rate and row at high intensity with good form.

Post your average 500m splits to comments.

Rowing WOD 3/6/15: 4x10min Spicy Steady State – Post Distance

Posted on by
Reply

Rowing WOD:

Lauryn and Terese getting in their warm up at CRASH-B 2015

Lauryn and Terese getting in their warm up at CRASH-B 2015

 

4 x 10 min Spicy Steady State w/ 1 min Rest

10′ @ 18 s/m**

10′ @ 20 s/m**

10′ @ 22 s/m**

10′ @ Increasing Stroke Rating as follows – (5′ @24, 3′ @26, 2′ @28)

**First 3 Pieces – Row 4min Steady, 1min @-3 split seconds, 4min Steady, 1min @-3 split seconds

**Hold the same stroke rating all the way through each piece, but vary the pressure with your legs depending on whether you’re rowing steady or 3 split seconds faster

This is a great opportunity to work on the rhythm and consistent effort needed in long WODs with movements like kettlebell swings and sumo deadlift high pulls.  Focus on maintaining consistent pressure through each stroke and every piece.  Rate of Perceived Exertion should be around 60% – 70%.  Effort level on the last piece is open and should be based on how you feel.  Set the monitor for intervals-time with 10 minutes of work and 1 minute of rest. During the rest stand up and stretch out your back and foam roll any areas that feel overly tense.

Novice rowers should focus on one part of the stroke for each piece, like a horizontal handle path or trying to row feet out.

Vets should be dialing in their consistency.  During the last piece Vets should be focused on bringing their 500m split down as the stroke rating increases.

Post the total distance rowed to comments.

Video Review and Motivation for Warm Weather and Water!

Posted on by
Reply
BC Men working on their Deadlifts and Cleans in Jacksonville, FL during Spring Training.

BC Men working on their Deadlifts and Cleans in Jacksonville, FL during Spring Training.

Are you sick of Winter?  I think I am, especially after visiting Jacksonville, FL with the Boston College Men’s Rowing Team over the last three days.  It was so nice to coach in flip-flops, shorts, and a t-shirt. To inspire you and motivate you to join Renegade Rowing on the Water as soon as the ice melts on the Charles River, I’m sharing a video of some 4+’s and 2-‘s that I coached this week.  This is their first time on the water since last fall.  What are they doing well?  What do they need to work on?  Are you focused on rowing on the erg as if you were going to row on the water?  Please share your thoughts in the comments section and consider joining Renegade Rowing for sculling this Spring.

Rowing WOD 3/4/15: 15 x :20 On, :40 Off – Post Fastest, Slowest, and Avg Split

Posted on by
Reply

Rowing WOD:

Beautiful Sunset rowing in Jacksonville last night.

Beautiful Sunset rowing in Jacksonville last night.

15 x :20 On, :40 Off

Max Pressure

  • Post Fastest, Slowest, and Avg Split to Comments

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 our next 2k test which will be happening in about 5 weeks.  The idea of suspension can be very powerful when you’re trying to pull low splits under fatigue.  Check it out below.

1min Pieces during Spring Training 2015

1min Pieces during Spring Training 2015

Post your fastest, slowest, and average splits to comments.

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

Rowing WOD 3/3/15: Double Pyramids and Training in Jacksonville, FL

Posted on by
Reply
BC Men working in small boats at Spring Training.

BC Men working in small boats at Spring Training.

Rowing WOD:

Double Pyramids

 

2 x 19min as follows …

  • 4′ @18 s/m, 3′ @20, 2′ @22, 1′ @24, 2′ @22, 3′ @20, 4′ @18

2min Rest

  • 4′ @20, 3′ @22, 2′ @24, 1′ @26, 2′ @24, 3′ @22, 4′ @20

    BC Men working on their Deadlifts and Cleans in Jacksonville, FL during Spring Training.

    BC Men working on their Deadlifts and Cleans in Jacksonville, FL during Spring Training.

Competing in the gym or on the water requires rowing efficiency.  Taking a little extra time once a week to focus on rhythm, timing, and overall form will go a long way in performance come game day.  Today’s Rowing WOD is a great opportunity for any athlete, experienced or not, to get a sense of form and rhythm without the pressure of intensity and competition.  Sometimes it’s good to slow down for an active recovery day in order to go harder and faster later on down the road.

Rhythm and Endurance are two necessities for successful competition in longer WODs.  A great example would be the KB Swings and Pull Ups found in “Helen”.  Those who find a consistent rhythm can flow through the movements naturally and rely on their aerobic endurance without dipping into their anaerobic energy supply.

In today’s Rowing WOD the focus is developing rhythm and endurance.  Another word for rhythm in rowing is Ratio.  By varying the ratio of the drive to the recovery rowers can maintain the same pace or split, but work more efficiently and make the stroke feel lighter or heavier.

When going from an 18 stroke rating to a 20 you should focus on more pressure with the legs and quickly redirecting the hands through the finish.  This will help increase the stroke rating while leaving you the same amount of time to sit up, breathe, and relax as you slide forward on the recovery.

Post you’re distance rowed to comments as well as your thoughts on Ratio.