Tag Archives: exercise

Rowing WOD 3/8/13: 5RFT – 10 Calories, 10 Power Cleans, 10 Push Ups – Post Time

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*** Are you in the Greater Boston Area?  Would you like to Row and Race on the Water? ***

Want to Race on the Water?

Who wants to Race on the Water?

Come to the Renegade Rowing Info Session at CrossFit Boston Iron and Grit this Saturday at 8:30am!  Email Coach Pat for more information. ***

Rowing WOD 3/8/13:

5 Rounds For Time …

10 Calories (As few strokes as possible)

10 Power Cleans (95/65)

A Renegade Rower killing the Power Clean!

A Renegade Rower killing the Power Clean!

10 Push Ups

When combining rowing with other movements in a training WOD or competition WOD there are many ways to attack the erg.  You can use the erg as active recovery to get warm and crush the other movements.  You can go all out and pull as hard as you can every stroke to try to gain a lead on your competitors or increase your training stimulus.  Or, you can row efficiently at a consistent effort that is somewhere in the middle of the previous two methods.  All three are valid plans of attack and can be useful depending on the workout, your abilities, and your end goal.

Power!

Power!

Today’s Rowing WOD is all about trying to find that middle ground where you’re pushing as hard as you can with every stroke, but you’re also remaining efficient and balanced.  The goal should be to row the 10 calories in as few strokes as possible, which means your power per stroke should be high and your stroke rating will probably be lower around 24 s/m.  Be sure not to pause at the finish.  Remember that efficient rowing is a continuous, smooth motion even when transitioning from the drive to the recovery and recovery to the drive.  If you’re moving well you’ll be able to focus on the legs during the row, the hips during the power cleans, and the upper body during the push ups.  Try to bust through unbroken for everything.

Post your time and number of strokes per round to comments!

Rowing WOD 3/6/13: 3RFT – 300m Row, 20 Thrusters, 10 Pull Ups – Post Time

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*** Are you in the Greater Boston Area?  Would you like to Row and Race on the Water? ***

Want to Race on the Water?

Want to Race on the Water?

Come to the Renegade Rowing Info Session at CrossFit Boston Iron and Grit this Saturday at 8:30am!  Email Coach Pat for more information. ***

Rowing WOD 3/6/13:

3 Rounds For Time …

300m Row

20 Thrusters (45#/35# Barbell)

Coach Tapply warming up for the thruster

Coach Tapply warming up for the thruster

10 Pull Ups

When you look at a Rowing WOD how do you break it down?  What part of the workout will you attack and what part will you game?  Or, are you a well-rounded athlete ready to attack it all?  Will you drop the hammer all the way through each 300m piece or will you try to save some juice in your legs for the thrusters?

Today’s Rowing WOD is a great opportunity to go all out and see what you’ve got in the tank.  Be sure to mobilize those hips so the thrusters can be smooth and efficient.  If you’ve been working on linking kipping pull ups or putting the butterfly into play then today is a great day to make it happen.

RR Thruster 2Best advice I can give is to have a plan for each 300m piece.  When we race a 2k, the start is important because it sets us up for the body of the race and in this case all of the thrusters and pull ups.  Use each rowing piece as an opportunity to practice your 2k start.  Starting 3-5 strokes, 7-10 high, and then settle at your 2k pace.  If you do this effectively you’ll settle, be consistent, get your breath going, and be ready to hop off the erg with some pop left in your legs for those thrusters.

Post your overall time and average splits for each 300m piece to comments.

**If you would like to use the erg as your clock and have a record of each 300m piece then setup your workout using intervals distance: 300m and Undefined Rest**

Rowing WOD 3/4/13: “The Castle” – 21min @ Varying Rates – Post Distance and Songs

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Rowing WOD 3/4/13:

“The Castle”

The RRC getting after 2x2k after the holidays!

Row for 21min as follows…

3′ @20 s/m, 3′ @24, 3′ @28, 3′ @26, 3′ @28, 3′ @24, 3′ @20

  • Focus on Rhythm and Ratio

As we head into the open and games many athletes will need some extra time on the erg to focus on rhythm, timing, and overall form.  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 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.

Post distance rowed to comments along with songs that helped you stick to each rating!

A project that I’ve started thanks to Renegade Rower Mike T. is how to help people feel the proper rhythm and ratio by rowing to music.  Music can motivate us to push hard and row longer, but it can also give us a sense of timing.

If you have Spotify, I’ve created a playlist for each stroke rating.  Each playlist is named “Renegade Rowing @(insert stroke rate)”, so for songs that you could row to at a 20 the playlist is named “Renegade Rowing @20″.  If you have favorite songs that go well at certain stroke ratings please feel free to add to the playlists on Spotify.  Thanks Mike T. for kick starting this project and I hope this helps motivate everyone to find better rhythm and ratio!

20 s/m: Renegade Rowing @20

22 s/m: Renegade Rowing @22

24 s/m: Renegade Rowing @24

26 s/m: Renegade Rowing @26

28 s/m: Renegade Rowing @28

30 s/m: Renegade Rowing @30

32 s/m: Renegade Rowing @32

34 s/m: Renegade Rowing @34

36 s/m: Renegade Rowing @36

Rowing WOD 2/27/13: 4RFT – 400m Row, 20 Push Ups, 10 Box Jumps – Post Time and Plan

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Rowing WOD 2/27/13:RRC Get Some!

4 Rounds For Time …

400m Row

20 Push Ups

10 Box Jumps (30/24 inches)

To game a WOD or not to game a WOD… Last week we did a fun Rowing WOD that started and ended with the erg.  The middle of that workout included decently heavy snatches, which are one of the most complex lifts.  They must be respected on their own and especially in the middle of a WOD.  One of our regular Renegades from across the country posted his time and apologized for having gamed the rowing portion.  He posted a great score and I say no apology needed.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about that instance as I watch everyone attack these WODs.  TheRR Snatch Catch ability to feel your body pre, during, and post WOD is invaluable.  Is it under a lot of stress?  Has it recovered with enough sleep and nutrition?  Are you feeling great?  These are questions you need to be asking yourself on a regular basis and the answers will play into whether you decide to game a WOD or go all out from 3,2,1, GO!

When approaching a Rowing WOD or any WOD for that matter it helps to develop a game plan just like a 2k race plan.  It may be, that you feel great and are looking for a solid training day, so you decide to go hard and see how long you last.  On the other hand it may be a competition with more WODs to come later in the day, or perhaps it’s preparation for the Open and the Games that are coming up.  Lastly, you may know that you could execute the rowing portion as prescribed, but you want to tackle the other movements, for example the snatch in last weeks WOD.  I believe that’s what our Renegade had in mind and that’s totally fine as long as you know your plan, you commit to it, and you execute.

In today’s Rowing WOD you will have to decide again whether to game it or just go all out.

Mike w/ nice Preparation on the recovery!

Mike w/ nice Preparation on the recovery!

If you are training to drop your 2k time under 7 or 8 minutes I’d love for you to have a game plan.  Look back at last Thursday’s 6x400m intervals and see what you were able to hold.  If you held your 2k race pace for every piece then perhaps you try to do the same here.  If you know push ups and box jumps will drain you, then commit to a game plan that allows for some slippage.  Do the first piece at 2k pace, second piece at a split of 2k+5, third at 2k+7, and fourth at 2k+5.  If you’re still just getting into rowing then work on pulling a consistent split, maintaining form when it gets tough, and be efficient.

Post your time, game plan, and whether or not you executed to comments!

Rowing WOD 2/25/13: 7k Row w/ REEE – Post Time and Avg Split

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Rowing WOD 2/25/13:

7k Row

w/ Rear End of Erg Elevated

45# Bumper under Erg

45# Bumper under Erg

Rowing is all about the legs.  If you can’t initiate the stroke with your legs than you’re missing an opportunity to go faster.  Today’s Rowing WOD will give you an opportunity to feel the weight come onto your feet at the catch.  Keep your legs engaged and really stand up off the footboards.  Place the back of the erg on a 45# bumper plate and get after it.  What you’ll find is that you’re forced to eliminate two common problems, clenching the arms early and over-compressing the legs at the catch.

This wod will take the average person over 30 minutes so keep focused on an efficient push with the legs without letting yourself go at the catch.  Once you settle into the piece and get used to using the legs more, then you can cycle through the following three concepts, which will help keep your form all the way through the piece.

Focus:

1. Consistent Pressure

  • Feel consistent pressure on the handle and the feet all the way through the drive.
    Force Curve ℅ Concept2.com

    Force Curve ℅ Concept2.com

    Put the monitor on the force curve display by hitting the second arrow button from the top while you’re rowing.  The ideal curve you’re looking for is a smooth, inverse parabola.  Make that happen and you’ll have consistent pressure.

  • Also focus on holding a consistent split and stroke rating all the way through.  Whatever you can hold keep it consistent, efficient, and smooth.

2. Pointed Finish

  • Try to row the first half of the piece with your feet out of the straps.  As you finish the stroke ensure that you’re pointing your toes and
    Pointed Finish!

    Pointed Finish!

    your elbows.  This will promote a full pull without dumping your weight and having to do more work on the recovery.  Stay seated on your sit bones all the way through.  If you can master this you’ll be much more efficient.  Try to keep those feet attached to the footboards at all times…that’s how you transfer force to the handle.

3. Recover to Strength!

  • Hold your legs down as you finish the stroke and then swing your arms and body
    Recover to Strength!

    Recover to Strength!

    forward to start the recovery.  Keep your chest up and transfer the weight from the back of your seat to the front.  As you get half way up the slide you should be in a strong athletic position with your torso angled forward of your hip.  Broad Chest, Bones Stacked, Solid Core.  Ready for anything!

Get after it and post your time to comments!