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.
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.
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.
How’s it going Renegades? Apologies for not posting over the past week or two. I’ve been busy getting one of my new teams up to speed. I’m now the Head Coach for the Wayland-Weston Crew Team. I hope to get back on a regular posting schedule this week. One thing we’ve been focused on at WW is Posture, Connection, and Suspension. Give this Rowing WOD a shot and let me know your thoughts on those three skills. How does one lend itself to the other?
Rowing WOD:
Suspension Drills
6 x 2:00 w/ 1:30 Rest,
@28 s/m for all
@2k+3, Damper Set at 8
@2k+3, Damper Set at 6
@2k+3, Damper Set at 4
@2k+3, Damper Set at 2
@2k+3, Damper Set at 5
@2k+3, Damper Set at Favorite
Check Drag Factor
Recently we’ve been reviewing the fundamental skills of posture, control, and connection. Today we’ll take the idea of connection one step further as we feel what it means to suspend from the oar handle. Suspension is all about using our body weight to hang on the oar and help accelerate the handle all the way through the drive. The key is not to create any force Upward off the seat, but to just become weightless off your seat while keeping in contact with it. Everything – forces, handle height, chain – needs to be HORIZONTAL when we row! NO need to do extra Work (W = mgh) by moving stuff up and down every stroke, keep it horizontal!
Drills we’ll cover include the Stand Up/Sit Down drill to get the feeling of suspending above the seat. Remember this is an exaggeration to get the correct sensation and feeling of good connection. We will also do the Strap Drill where we statically hang and suspend from the handle while maintaining our body angles and strong postures. Then we’ll do the Strap Drill dynamically by letting the strap out slowly and trying to hold suspension all the way through the drive.
In today’s Rowing WOD we’ll be varying the damper to find where we’re most efficient. Over the next week play around with the damper to find where you’re most comfortable/efficient . When you find a damper setting you like, check the drag factor so you can begin using a consistent drag factor. For more information on Drag Factors read this article: http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/tips-and-general-info/damper-setting-101
For today’s 2min pieces, try to focus on good connection and suspension while keeping a consistent split for all 6 pieces. After you’re done look back at the memory to see what your average stroke rating was for each piece. Whatever piece felt comfortable/efficient and was done at a stroke rating of 28-32 might be a good drag factor for you. Take a couple of minutes to set the damper to that number and check the drag factor on the monitor. Remember that drag factor and try to use it next time you row to see if you still like it.
Post your average splits and favorite drag factor to comments!
********** IMPORTANT *************
The biggest thing to focus on and practice right now is the fundamentals!!! Body Preparation by Half Slide is Key and Connection to move the handle with the seat out of the Catch is key! If you can Prep and Connect, the suspension will come. Whenever focusing on suspension ensure your abs are engaged and you have a solid hollow body! Protect those discs!
If you have any questions let me know!
Here is a quick video of the strap drill. It’s a fun challenge to do dynamically. If you like what you see, come try it and train with the Renegade Rowing Club! The Renegade Rowing Club practices Tuesdays at 6:00am and Wednesdays at 6:00pm at CrossFit Boston. Let me know if you’re planning on coming… pat@renegaderowing.com
This can be fit into a 2 hour practice with time in between each piece for mobility and rest. Push yourself, Have Fun, and keep good form.
Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to use rowing as a warmup and cool down. The deadlifts are for strength and muscular endurance. Form and speed on the bar should be the focus in hopes of transferring power/skill to the boat. Push hard in Helen and get that heart rate and breathing up. If you can do this on the water even better! This practice should take no longer than 2 hours. Cut out some of the running if you’re strapped for time.
Post your load for the Deadlift, score for Helen, and splits held for the rowing and running.
Renegade Rowing 