Today’s Strength and Conditioning WOD is inspired by the beach to warm-up those that aren’t lucky enough to live in warm weather year round. You might not be doing this one at the beach, but it should be just as fun. Try to remain consistent on your 500m intervals.
Post your time to comments! Who’s Ready for the Beach?
Row Each Piece @28-30 s/m at the following paces: 2k+5, 2k+4, 2k+3, 2k+2
While it’s good to constantly vary your training to push your boundaries, there is something to be said about repetition to build your confidence! Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to build your aerobic capacity and work on a couple of tactical and technique fixes.
Have a game plan for each piece including the split and stroke rating you want to hold. Ideally each piece will be done consistently or a little bit faster. If you’re working on efficiency or sequencing, focus on one fix each piece. Perhaps you find your breath and rhythm on the first. Or maybe it’s sequencing and body preparation that needs attention on the second. If you choose the right pace it will build your confidence and you will be ready to tear up your next 2k and Rowing WOD.
Post your average splits and experience to comments.
How did that 2k go? Now that we know where we’re at, it’s time to get back to work. Today’s Rowing WOD is a chance to commit to your new 2k split from last Saturday and work on digging deep when the going gets tough. Every round is an opportunity to fight for that split, just like in the third 500m of a 2k. Focus on good form with the push ups and pull ups to strengthen our shoulders in different planes and promote good connection through the core. Attack each round like it’s your last and rely on that 30 seconds of rest to reset and do it all again. A good goal is to go sub 20 minutes.
Today’s Rowing WOD is a 2k Row. It’s a test of how much pain and glory you can endure over seven to eight minutes. Grab some friends and get after it. This is our second test of the Spring season and will give you an idea of how much you’ve improved since our last test over a month ago. Knowing your 2k time, split, and stroke rating is important. It will allow you to game Rowing WODs in competition, whether it’s Jackie, a 2k at the Games, or any other Rowing WOD that pops up at local competitions this summer. Be in the moment, execute your splits, smile, have some fun, breath, and get after it!
If you’re interested in taking your 2k split and learning how to pull it on the water, Concept2 and CrossFit Rowing have just the seminar for you. Back by popular demand, Concept2 and Craftsbury Sculling Center in Vermont will be hosting a 2-Day CrossFit Rowing Trainer’s Course this June. On June 13 and 14th you can learn to own your stroke on the erg and on the water with some awesome coaches and beautiful facilities. I’ve participated in this course and hosted it. Hands down this is an amazing opportunity for someone looking to get into the sport and enjoy the great state of Vermont! Register below!
As a coach I work with many different athletes. Yesterday I started my day coaching a group of Military Rowers from CRI. Half of them are brand new to the sport of rowing and half of them have been rowing for years. After that I worked with the Boston College Men’s Rowing Team. Later that morning I taught a new private client to row on the erg in the gym. Then I finished the day working with the Renegade Juniors who are working to make the CRI Competitive Team move boats faster.
Of all the tools I use with these athletes, whether it’s lifting form, rowing drills, or conditioning, mobility work has the biggest bang for the buck when it comes to making a change in rowing form. If an athlete can figure out what is tight and what is limiting them from making a change, then they’ve got a shot at making a change. Of course figuring out what is tight/limiting is a challenge in itself, but once that happens you can introduce various mobility exercises to help increase range of motion and make the change. In future posts I will roll out some of my favorite movement screens to help determine what is tight/limiting, but for now take a look at the possibilities.
Below are two videos of Drew, a renegade rower training to be elite. The first one is from 2013. Notice his hunch/lunge with his torso and shoulders at the catch. After that, watch the second video, taken last week. Notice how his torso is much more upright and his shoulders stay locked into a stronger position. In order to achieve this change he has been working on mobility in his hips and shoulders for the past 6 months. Checkout yesterdays post to see his current mobility routine.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Have you had any success making an improvement/change to your stroke by focusing on mobility?
Renegade Rowing 