Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! See you in 2016!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Renegade Rowing!

Santas Rowing

The holidays are a time to spend with family and friends.  I hope you get to take some time to go sing carols and drink egg nog.  If you must have some fun, test your peak power with a few family members this Christmas.  Maybe you can show the sport to someone new!

The Peak Power Test will give you a sense of the raw power you can put into one stroke. For the Peak Power Test set the monitor for 20 seconds of work and 2 minutes of rest.  Start by paddling a couple of strokes to get the fan moving and then go for max watts.  It may help to video the test or have a partner watch to tell you the highest watts you pulled in just one stroke.  During the 2 minutes of rest paddle lightly or roll out.  Take 3 or 4 tries to find your max wattage starting with the damper set low and increasing the drag each successive try.  At some point you’ll find a drag that you like and gives you the most power.  Your score for the Peak Power Test is the Max Watts pulled in just one stroke.

Post your Max Watts and/or your favorite Christmas Tradition!  I’ll see you guys in the New Year.  Have a happy, safe, and fun Holiday!

Rowing WOD 12/22/15: 8x500m w/ 2min Rest – Post Splits and Focus

 Rowing WOD:

Abby getting after it at the Renegade Rowing League last Saturday!

8 x 500m w/ 2min Rest

1st/2nd – Like start of 2k

3rd/4th – Like 2nd 500 of 2k

5th/6th – Like 3rd 500 of 2k

7th/8th – Like finish of 2k

With our first 2k of the winter in the bag and Christmas upon us, this is a great opportunity to focus on a few tactical aspects of the 2k and get in some solid race pace work before the holiday.  Try to keep a consistent pace over all 8 or “negative split” toward the end if you’re feeling good.  Negative splitting means you pull a faster split than you did the last piece.

As a quick review for novice rowers, race pace over 2,000m will be at a stroke rating of 28 − 32 strokes per minute and a consistent 500m split.  The lower the split the better.  Good things to focus on include breathing, getting the knees down, driving through the heels, quick hands, and being smooth.  I also like to coach a smile or grin 10 just to take yourself out of your body for a second, have some fun, and then refocus with a fresh mindset.  Focus on one positive thought for 10 consecutive strokes and you’ll be that much closer to your goal.

Post your split for each piece and share what you focused on!

Rowing WOD 12/21/15: 2x15min w/ 5min Rest – Post Distances

 Rowing WOD:

RR Decal for Competitors at Renegade Rowing League!

2 x 15′ w/ 5′ Rest

  • 5′ @ 20 s/m
  • 5′ @ 22
  • 3′ @ 24
  • 2′ @ 26

Last Saturday we crushed a 2k at the first race of the Renegade Rowing League.  Results are in and can be found below.  Many thanks to all those that competed, especially the rowers that joined us from The Clark School!  We had a total of 12 athletes including the Renegade Rowing Club throwdown head to head over 2,000m on the Concept2 Ergometer.  We held one big heat and everyone had a blast.

Today’s Rowing WOD is a chance to work on Rhythm and Timing while building some aerobic endurance.  In long chippers rowing can be used as active recovery and a chance to catch your breath.  Try to find the efficient rhythm and consistent pressure you’ll need to recover mid WOD.  Every five minutes the rating will change to keep you focused.  Try to fix one part of your stroke each five minutes.  Your effort level on this should be such that you can get out sentences to a neighbor, but breathing is labored.  In the last five minutes keep your efficiency but really try to bring the split down as the stroke rating increases.

Post your distance rowed each piece!

**** The next Renegade Rowing League is scheduled for January 16th! Get ready because it’ll be even bigger as we approach the final month before CRASH-B’s! ****

RRL1 12-12-15

Rowing WOD 12/19/15: Row 2k! – Post Results

Rowing WOD:

Get After It!

2k Row

Today’s Rowing WOD is a 2k Row.  It’s a test of how much pain and glory you can endure over seven to eight minutes.  Grab some friends and get after it.  This is our first test of the winter season and will give us a baseline to work off of and use in pacing future workouts. Be in the moment, execute your splits, smile, have some fun, breath, and get after it!

Post your 2k results to comments!

Rowing WOD 12/18/15: 500m Row; 3Rds – 5 Power Clean, 10 Burpee Broad Jumps; 500m Row – Post Time and Splits

Rowing WOD:

Some friends doing something different on a Saturday morning! Competing at the Renegade Rowing League! Who's ready for tomorrow?

Some friends doing something different on a Saturday morning! Competing at the Renegade Rowing League!

All For Time …

1. 500m Row (like start of 2k)

2. 3 Rounds Of:

  • 5 Power Cleans (135/95 lbs)
  • 10 Burpee Broad Jumps

3. 500m Row (like finish of 2k)

Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to practice both the beginning and end of your 2k race plan while developing power with the hips.  Treat each 500 as if they were your ideal 2k.  For the first 500m perform your starting sequence with a race start, high 7-10 strokes, and settle to race pace.  During the Power Cleans and Burpees work on efficient movement and connection through your hips.  Try to go unbroken and consistently jump the same distance for each broad jump.  If you’re still working technique for the power cleans, substitute 3 med ball cleans for every power clean to build up your strength and conditioning.  As you come into the last 500m you will be feeling it just like the 2k, so focus on breathing and holding onto race pace.  When you hit the last 250m start to negative split and practice your sprint for the finish.

Post your overall time to complete all three parts to comments along with your average split for each 500m.