Category Archives: Fitness

Rowing WOD 11/16/15: Double Pyramids – Post Distance Rowed

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Representing at CRASH-B 2013!

Representing at CRASH-B 2013!

Rowing WOD:

Double Pyramids

2 x 19min

w/ 2min Rest

  1. 4′ @18, 3′ @20, 2′ @22, 1′ @24, 2′ @22, 3′ @20, 4′ @18
  2. 4′ @20, 3′ @22, 2′ @24, 1′ @26, 2′ @24, 3′ @22, 4′ @20

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.

***Also remember to throw in a few strokes where you focus on Suspension!

Rowing WOD 11/13/15: “It’s all about the …” – 5RFT – 250m Row, 10 Goblet Squats – Post Time

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 Rowing WOD:

Break Parallel and Explode Up Through The Heels!

“It’s all about the …”

5 Rounds For Time

250m Row (@2k-2)

10 Goblet Squats to the Erg (25/15 lbs.)

Whether you want to win the Renegade Rowing Cup for your Box, take home the hammer from the CRASH-Bs, conquer the games, or just live a healthier life, you will need to be able to powerfully extend your hips.  In rowing specifically, we need to be able to turn on our glutes and hamstrings quickly in order to pick up the boat or flywheel before they die.  Getting our motor neurons to fire quickly in order to drive through the heels is the name of the game.  In today’s Rowing WOD use the erg seat, or the erg rail if the seat is to high, for goblet squats.  Focus on getting to the same depth every time, kissing the erg, and then exploding through the heels.  The weight is light, so focus on good foundational movement and generating speed with the legs and hips.  Cycle through the squats with good form as fast as possible.  If you think you have what it takes to go heavier, say 45/35 lbs., make sure you maintain the same explosive speed on the drive of the Goblet Squat that you have at lighter weight.  During the 250m pieces you can practice your 2k start and then fight to consistently hold a 500m Split that is 2 seconds faster than your current 2k average split.

Post your time and average splits to comments!  Also, would you wear a RR shirt that said that … “It’s all about the …”, strategically placed of course.  Let us know!

Rest Day 11/12/15: Got Skills? …Row and Get Some!

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Jodie from the 7am class challenging the BC Men's Crew Team!Rest Day:

How do you Master Skills?

As Winter starts to set in and you start working toward your goals, be aware of how you recover and master skills.  One goal you’ll probably set for the Winter is to master a new skill, like double unders, hand stand push-ups, or muscle ups.  I want to draw your attention to how you attack these skills and actually master them.

To master a skill is to know and have full control over every piece of a skill, both physically and mentally, when your fresh and your fatigued.  Lately we’ve been pushing the intensity in the gym and many people have found themselves sore and out of it for a few days. What would you do on the Monday following a solid week or weekend?

The days following a hard training day are perfect for mastering a new skill through active recovery.  Rather than going back for a second or third hard training day and not performing at full intensity, commit to an active recovery day focused on mastery of the skills you’d like to develop.

Coxswains pushing hard right alongside their rowers!

Rather than join in on the regular class at CFB, take 1 hour out of your day to actively recover, rather than sitting around and feeling sore.  Set the erg for 2,000m of work and 10min of rest.  Row an easy 2k and then spend 10 minutes working on goats, handstand push ups, pull ups, and Toes to Bar.  Three sets of this active recovery interval scheme will give you confidence with skills and prepare you for a hard training day on Tuesday.

The erg is a great tool to use as active recovery.  A few hard training days back to back will leave your body depleted and full of metabolic waste.  In order to replenish your energy and clear out the metabolic waste it helps to eat well, move, and keep the blood flowing.  The erg provides a stable platform and is low impact,  perfect for recovery at a sub-maximal effort.  Next time you’re feeling sore or a workout absolutely crushes you, go sit down on the erg and row for 10 minutes.  It doesn’t have to be hard.  Enjoy it!  Row at about 40% effort, just hard enough to breathe a little bit.  You should be able to maintain sentences and tell your training partner what you’ll be doing to master your next skill!

If you have any fun methods to master skills please share!

Rowing WOD 11/11/15: “Row For It!” 3RFT – 750m Row, 15 Deadlifts – Post Time and Load

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Rowing WOD:

“Row For it!” (AKA – Fight For It)

3 Rounds For Time:

750m Row (Race Pace)

15 Deadlifts (40% 1RM)

In a 2,000m race the pain really starts to kick in after the first thousand.  If you can be prepared with mental thoughts to stay strong and Fight for your goal split, every stroke for 750m after that first 1k, then you’ll be able to open the flood gates and sprint at 250m to go.  A key to having solid mental thoughts is building confidence in your training leading up to the race.  Have cues to repeat, especially cues that you can attach to specific moments in time or sessions you crushed like today.

In today’s Rowing WOD build and settle to your current 2k split right away.  You want to be in full control of your stroke rating, breathing, and split.  Hold solid, consistent pressure every stroke of each 750m piece.  Know that when things get tough and the pain tells you to stop, you can hold strong and fight for every stroke.  Bring that same focus to your Deadlifts.  Keep a neutral spine and focus on efficient movement through the hips.  Push through the heels and build the speed on the bar as you extend your hips.  Focus on keeping tight abs and feeling the connection of the hips and hands as you pry the bar off the floor.  Try to bring the feeling of a solid deadlift to your rowing and use the cue “heels down” as one motivational thought during that 750m Row.

Post your time to comments and share your mental cues!

Rowing WOD 11/6/15: AMRAP10 – 250m Row, 2 HSPU – Post Avg Split and Total HSPU

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Rowing WOD:

The Ladies getting after it at the Renegade Rowing League last year!

As Many Rounds As Possible in 10 minutes of …

250m Row

2 Hand Stand Push Ups (Add 2 HSPU every round)

***THE SECOND ROUND WOULD LOOK LIKE THIS:

250M ROW

4 HSPU … ETC.

Functional movements like squats, deadlifts, kettle bell swings, box jumps, wall balls, and ROWING require a constant awareness of midline stability and core strength.  In order to achieve the smooth, powerful motion we’re looking for in all functional movements we must be able to maintain a solid midline at all times.  Today’s Rowing WOD is a good burner that will test that midline stability.  If you have hand stand push ups be sure to keep that midline locked in through the whole motion.  If you don’t have hand stand push ups modify by kicking into a hand stand, pausing to make sure you have the midline tight, and then kicking back down.  Once you’re back on the floor do a regular push up before kicking into the next hand stand.  Strict Dumbbell Press is another good substitution for Handstand Push Ups.   All athletes should look to go hard on the row, but fight for consistent splits each round.

Post your average split and total hand stand push ups to comments!