Rowing WOD 2/11/13:

3 x 7min Steady State w/ 2min Rest

Renegade Rowers at 2012 CRASH-B’s

• Race Focus and Visualization
• 1st piece – @2k+10
• 2nd piece – @2k+7
• 3rd piece – @2k+5

It’s the final countdown!  Last week of preparation for CRASH-Bs!  Today is a chance to practice your mental game.  Each piece should be rowed at a comfortable pace where you could hold a conversation of short sentences with someone.  I’ve suggested a pace scheme that should allow for that while giving you an opportunity to review your 2k race plan.  Each minute focus on the thoughts you’ll be using during the race.  One minute might be breathing.  Another minute might be split and stroke rating.  Another minute might be the rhythm of legs down, quick hands.  If your mind starts to wander bring your attention back to that one mental cue, technique fix, and/or feeling.

On race day your body will be ready.  You’ll be strong enough physically to reach your goals.  The thing that will allow you to execute and crush it is your mental game.  If you believe in your race plan, think positive, and commit to being mentally tough you can do anything.  Before starting today’s workout be sure to write down the mental cues, thoughts, and feelings you plan to use on race day.  Then execute them at the approximate time in the piece you expect to need them in the race.

Post you 2k Goal for this weekend and your main focus to comments!

Rowing WOD 2/5/13:

10 x :40 On, :20 Off (Race Pace)

Get After It!

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 10 pieces.  During the 20 seconds off, paddle lightly at a stroke rating of 14 – 16 to recover.  Focus on your breathing and form.

The first two 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 two 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 10 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!

CRASH-B’s are less than two weeks away!  Really dial in your game plan and attack each piece.  This is when you should have your race plan dialed in and really get comfortable with pulling the splits you plan to hold during the race.  Focus on consistency and make every single stroke count.

Post your average 500m split to comments and share your game plan.