Category Archives: Strength

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!

Rest Day 11/5/15: Announcing the Renegade Rowing League 2015/16

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Rest Day:

Renegade Rowing League is Back!

Announcing the Renegade Rowing League 2015/16

2k Row CRASH-B Style @CFB

December 12th, January 16th, and February 20th

 If you’re in the Boston Area on December 12th, come to CrossFit Boston at 100 Holton St, Brighton, MA at 8am to compete Head to Head CRASH-B Style.  There’s a $15 Entry Fee and prizes for winner’s of all age categories.  There will be holiday drinks and socializing afterwards with athletes from all over the area.

Mike and Mike attacking the 2k at the RRL - Are you ready for the Renegade Rowing League?

We’ll have 10 ergs hooked up to one another and displayed on the wall via a projector so that competitors and spectators can witness how fast each boat is going.  The 2k Row is a test of how much pain and glory athletes can endure over seven to eight minutes.  Grab some friends, come on down, and get after it.  This will be the first of three 2k competitions called the Renegade Rowing League, which is a good lead up to the CRASH-B Indoor Rowing World Championships at the end of February.  Anyone is welcome to come test themselves to see how they stack up.

If you’re interested in competing please register here!  The Renegade Rowing League will use the same event categories as CRASH-Bs.

Shout out if you’re training for the Renegade Rowing League and CRASH-B’s!

Rowing WOD 11/4/15: 2k Row w/ 5 LEB’s EMOM – Post Time

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Rowing WOD:Lateral Erg Burpee Air

2k Row

w/ 5 Lateral Erg Burpees Every Minute On the Minute

Happy Wednesday!  Get excited because everyday is another day closer to the start of the Renegade Rowing Club, the Renegade Rowing League (RRL), and the CRASH-B’s.  More details on the RRL will be out tomorrow.  The RRL will be held on December 12th, January 16th, and February 20th.  I’m reaching out to those I know are interested this week.  If you or your box is interested in competing at the RRL please let me know – pat@renegaderowing.com.

Chest to the deck!

Today’s Rowing WOD should provide some fun and motivation for the RRL!  This is a great one to challenge a training partner with!  If you’re a novice rower pick one split that you can confidently hold for every stroke that you’re on the erg.  Focus on smooth rowing and being efficient.  If you’re a Vet try to hold your 2k goal split each time you’re on the erg and practice your quick release transitions getting the feet out to do the burpees.  Be sure to push both thumbs down as you pull your toes up to loosen those straps.  Remember, every minute on the minute you must complete 5 lateral erg burpees!

Post your time to comments.