RR Training Plan and Rowing WOD 6/15/15: 4x10min w/ 2min Rest – Post Avg Splits

Hope you’re all enjoying this Summer weather!  Here is the RR Training Plan for the week.  Keep an eye on the Strength Blocks programmed for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.  They will be body weight movements per your request. Have fun and Get After It!

RR Training Plan 6-15-15

Rowing WOD:

4x10min w/ 2 min Rest 

Pre-Season Tank Session

As Follows:

1. 4min @18 Steady, 1min @20 Full Pressure, 4min @18 Steady, 1min @20 Full Pressure

2min Rest

2. 4min @20 Steady, 1min @22 Full Pressure, 4min @20 Steady, 1min @22 Full Pressure

2min Rest

3. 4min @22 Steady, 1min @24 Full Pressure, 4min @22 Steady, 1min @24 Full Pressure

2min Rest

4. 4min @24 Steady, 1min @26 Full Pressure, 4min @24 Steady, 1min @26 Full Pressure

Do you know what your strengths and weaknesses are?  Are you good at long distance pieces or do you lose focus and consistency?  Are you strong during 500m pieces but can’t maintain power for anything longer?  Or perhaps your peak power needs improvement?

In Training and Rowing we are constantly trying to improve our skills and strengthen our goats.  Take a look at your performances and accomplishments since the start of the year.  What needs work or could use some improvement?  Take that to heart and if you can only fit in a couple of Rowing WODs per week, focus on the ones that will strengthen those weaknesses.

Today’s focus is developing the consistency and aerobic base to maintain pressure at race pace for longer pieces.  During the Steady State portion try to pull the same 500m Split every stroke.  Effort should be such that you can hold a conversation, but you are aware of your breathing.  During the Pressure portion ensure the split drops as the stroke rating increases.  It should be harder to get out full sentences during the one minute of Pressure.

Post your Average Splits and what you plan to focus on in the coming weeks!

Rowing WOD 6/13/15: 6x650m w/ 1:45 Rest – Post Splits

Rowing WOD:

Renegade Rowing League Competitors throwing down in the 2k!

6 x 650m w/ 1:45 Rest

  • FOCUS: 2K STRATEGY

Are you ready for the 2K?  You’ll definitely want a game plan going in. This is a Rowing WOD we’ve done earlier this year and today is a chance to test your training and see if you’re ready to go.  Use today’s Rowing WOD to test out your race strategy. Perform the first two pieces with a focus on consistency in stroke rating and splits. If you’re feeling solid try to go a little bit faster each consecutive piece.  If you have your splits from the last time you performed this try to improve upon them and finish stronger on the last couple of pieces.  Next week we’ll be dialing in our speed with shorter intervals, so get after it today.  Now is the time to see what you’ve got and push yourself.

Post your average splits for each piece to comments!

Strength and Conditioning WOD 6/12/15: Re-Test: “Lil’ Nancy in a Boat” – 3RFT – 500m Row, 15 OHS – Post Time

Strength and Conditioning WOD:

Jimmy from the Loyola Men's Crew Team working his Shoulder Flexibility in the Overhead Squat last Winter.

Re-Test: “Lil’ Nancy in a Boat”

3 Rounds For Time

500m Row

15 Overhead Squats (75/55 lbs.)

Today’s Rowing WOD is a great opportunity for any athlete, experienced or not, to get a sense of form and rhythm and then apply it in competition.  Get in a solid warm up and hone your rowing skills with a 10min WarmUp on the Erg and then attack this Strength and Conditioning WOD with your new found efficiency and focus on form.

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” or the necessity to be fresh enough for the thrusters and pull ups in Jackie.  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 a 20 stroke rating to a 24 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.

When you attack “Lil’ Nancy in a Boat” pick a challenging split and stroke rating to hold, but make sure you’re able to remain efficient and fresh enough to perform the overhead squats unbroken.  If you know your 2k split, pick a goal split somewhere between 2k and 2k+3.  Try to focus on your rhythm and ratio to allow for breathing and recovery every single stroke.

Get after it and have a solid day of training!  Be sure to look back at your results from last week and try to beat your score this week!

Video Review: How can the Renegade Rowing Workshop at Mt. Strength CF help you?

Hey Renegades!

I hope everyone is enjoying this weather and planning a beach day sometime soon!  I just wanted to shout out to all of those athletes that participated in the Renegade Rowing Workshop at Mt. Strength CF earlier this year.  Well done learning the stroke and mastering those skills and drills.  I had a blast working with you guys!  I will be helping out the employees at Tufts Health Plan in a couple of weeks and I can’t wait to get them rowing.  If you or your company is interested in a rowing seminar, let me know and I can help you guys get started in an amazing sport that you will enjoy for the rest of your life.

IMG_3541Earlier this year I had the privilege to coach 13 athletes at Mt. Strength CF in Winchester as part of my Renegade Rowing Workshop.  The video review seen below was taken there and we all had a blast.  I love seeing people learn and improve.  If there is any way I can help you get better at something please let me know.

I’m constantly trying to learn more and improve myself as well as Renegade Rowing.  I would like to offer the best program and training I can and to do that I need your help.  If you have any feedback or would like to see something added to Renegade Rowing please let me know in the comments or via email.  I will soon be adding body weight movements to the regular programming for those without access to a gym/equipment.
Any feedback helps!  Thank you for being awesome!

Rowing WOD 6/10/15: 4x8min w/ 4min Rest – Post Focus and Avg Splits

Rowing WOD:J Row

4 x 8min w/ 4min Rest

@26-28 s/m (2k+4 to 2k+6)

Deliberate practice is key to success and mastery of any sport.  It’s been said you need to spend at least 10,000 hours to master a discipline whether it’s athletic or otherwise.  While this may be the case the more quality and purpose you bring to your practice the more you’ll get out of it.

Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to bring deliberate practice to your erging.  Row each 8 minute piece at a pace of 2k + 5 seconds.  Meaning if your 2k split is 2:00 /500m (8:00 2k) then you would row each piece today at 2:05 /500m.  Pick 4 things you want to improve about your technique and fix one per piece.  Things you can focus on are keeping level hands, initiating with the legs, smooth tension on the chain, keeping the feet attached to the footboards, or keeping the chest up at the catch.

Post your technique focus and average splits to comments.