Rowing WOD 1/18/13: AMRAP8 − 750m Row, 40 Burpees OTB, Max Thrusters – Post Thrusters and Avg. Split

Rowing WOD 1/18/13:

Coach Tapply warming up for the thruster

Coach Tapply warming up for the thruster

As Many Reps As Possible in 8 minutes of …

750m Row

40 Burpees Over the Bar

Max Rep Thrusters (135/95 lbs)

Today’s Rowing WOD is an awesome challenge on all fronts.  We did it at CrossFit Boston on Thursday and it is a great Games/Open style WOD.  The time domain is similar to a 2k row and that’s what you can focus on during the 750m.  In terms of rowing in a competition, this is an example of where a good race start comes in handy.  Get off to a quick start and know what you’ll settle to.  The first 500m should be executed exactly like your race plan for the 2k we’ll do on Saturday.  As you come into the last hundred meters you may want to ease off to save your legs and lungs for the burpees and thrusters.

During the burpees each trip over the bar counts as one rep.  Instead of jumping and clapping you just have to hop over the bar.  This slows you down a bit, but allows you to RR Thruster 2keep moving.  Find a consistent rhythm and just blow through them unbroken.

If all goes well you’ll have 2 to 3 minutes to tackle the thrusters.  Scale the wait accordingly and be sure to keep a solid posture with your chest up in the bottom.  Do as many as possible without putting the bar down and then game the rest in sets of 3-5 reps. You’re score is the number of thrusters completed in 8 minutes.  Be ready to finish strong and push it out in the last 15 to 20 seconds just like a 2k.

Post Total Number of Thrusters along with your Average 500m Split to comments.

Rowing WOD 1/16/13: For Time – 21-15-9 Calories, Power Cleans, Push Ups – Post Time

Rowing WOD 1/16/13:

For Time …

21-15-9

Row for Calories

Checkout everyone's preparation for the catch!

Checkout everyone’s preparation for the catch!  They’re ready to suspend!

Power Clean (95/65 lbs)

Push Up

Rowing requires power and endurance.  Today’s Rowing WOD is focused on that power.  Keep a solid core and really stand up off of those footboards.  Try to feel like you’re suspending yourself weightless just above the seat without losing contact.

Post your time to comments.

Rowing WOD 1/11/13: 3RFT – 500m Row, 10 StO, 10 Hollow Rocks, 20 Ball Slams – Post Time and Avg Splits

Rowing WOD 1/11/13:

3 Rounds for time…RR Hollow Rock1RR Hollow Rock2

500m Row

10 Shoulder to overhead (155/105)

15 Hollow Rocks

20 Ball Slams (20/10)

Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to work on moving through your hips and developing core to extremity power.  After rowing 500m you’ll be slightly gassed, so be efficient and move the barbell with your legs and hips.  The most efficient way to perform shoulder to overhead with this type of weight is a push jerk or split jerk.  The jerk allows you to jump the weight up with the legs and catch it strong with locked out arms and active shoulders.  Be ready to get under it so you don’t have to press it out overhead.

RR Ball Slam1In rowing posture is an important skill that must be learned and developed.  Exercises like  bird dogs, curl ups, and planks will develop core stability for those long sessions in the boat.  Along with core stability, we need to be able to engage the whole core while in motion and transfer force from head to toe in a powerful manner.  Today’s Rowing WOD delivers that not only through rowing 500m, but with hollow rocks and ball slams.  On the hollow rocks everything should be tight and connected.  If a coach were to push down on your feet your hands would move up the same RR Ball Slam2amount.  For the ball slams get the ball as high above your head as possible and then put your whole body into slamming it to the floor.  Be sure to catch the ball on the bounce by getting low and following it to the floor.

Report your time and average 500m splits to comments.  Have some fun and get after it!

Rowing WOD 1/4/13: “Row For It!” – 3RFT – 750m Row, 15 Deadlifts – Post time and cues

Rowing WOD 1/4/13:

“Row For it!” (AKA – Fight For It)

3 Rounds For Time:

750m Row (Race Pace)

15 Deadlifts (40% 1RM)

Members of the RRC getting in a quick AMRAP of jumping jacks, jump squats, and push ups pre-Rowing WOD

Members of the RRC getting in a quick AMRAP of jumping jacks, jump squats, and push ups pre-Rowing WOD

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.  We performed this WOD at the beginning of November.  Look back in your training log and see what cues helped.  Use those same mental thoughts and any others you’ve developed since then.  Your goal should be to go faster than you did in November by executing a good race plan and solid mental cues!

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 75om Row.

Post your time to comments and share your mental cues!

Rowing WOD 1/2/13: 5RFT – 250m, 15 Squats, 10 Push Ups, 5 Pull Ups – Post Time

Rowing WOD 1/2/13:

RRC 20125 Rounds For Time

250m Row, 15 Air Squats, 10 Push Ups, 5 Pull Ups

It’s official!  We have just over a month until CRASH-B’s.  By now you should have tested your 2k a couple of times and know what part of your game plan you need to focus on.  Do you need better focus through the body of the race?  Do you need to work on breathing and settling early on so you don’t fly and die?  Or, do you need to be more aggressive and work on pushing it at the end of the race?  In each 250m interval be disciplined and try to execute as if you were in the middle of a 2k.  Each day from here on out is an opportunity to build your confidence and improve your race plan.

Today’s Rowing WOD is a chance to get in that mind-set and work on some solid body weight conditioning for WOD’s like “Cindy”.  The combination of short rowing intervals and body weight movements should allow you to push the intensity and deal with staying mentally tough as the pain sets in.  Be efficient and get full range of motion.  Hip crease below the knee and hips all the way open at the top of the squat.  Chest to the deck and elbows extended at the top of the push up.  Chin over the bar and elbows extended at the bottom of the pull up.  Be honest and clean with all of your reps and get a solid day of training in.

Post your time to comments!