skill in everyday practice?

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Renegade Rowing

Rest Day:

How do you incorporate rhythm/skill in everyday practice?

Rhythm and Balance are two skills needed in the boat and in the gym. One way to improve a skill is by deliberate practice on a regular basis and making every act an act of conditioning. Showing your body and brain how to move properly over and over again in many different situations will force it to adapt and make a movement second nature. The simple task of taking the blade out of the water and putting it in the water in time with the rest of your crew is one example. Below is a video of the BC Men’s Crew Team practicing building 30’s and the chop spin. How do you spin the boat? Have you ever tried the chop spin? Do you use spinning the boat as an opportunity to improve rhythm, balance, timing, and feel?

Rowing WOD 9/30/15: 6RFD – 7 Thrusters, ME Row – Post Total Meters Rowed

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Renegade Rowing

Rowing WOD:

6 Rounds for Distance

1:30 On, 1:30 Off

7 Thrusters (95/65)

Max Effort Row

Score is Total Meters Rowed

Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to pick up the intensity and push yourself. Each round you’ll have 1 minute and 30 seconds to complete 7 thrusters and then row as many meters as possible. Keep track of how many meters you row each round. During the rest control your breathing and get focused on the next round. As you fatigue be sure to keep a solid core in both the thruster and the row. Don’t collapse, keep a big chest, and use those legs!

Post your total meters to comments.

Rowing WOD 9/29/15: 12 x :40 On, :20 Off – Max Effort – Post Avg Split

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Renegade Rowing

Rowing WOD:

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 9/28/15: “Spicy Steady State” – Post Distance

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Renegade Rowing

Rowing WOD:

“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 9/26/15: 30 Burpees and 5k Test – Post Scores

Posted on September 26, 2015 by Renegade Rowing

Rowing WOD:

30 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 26th of September, a great day to do 30 Burpees! I’ll be doing them on Monday when I turn 30 on September 28th. 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.

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