Tag Archives: health

Rowing WOD 10/3/15: 4x4min w/ 2min Rest – Post Splits

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Rowing WOD:

Renegade Rowing Team - Racing through last bridge at Rumble on the River!

4 x 4min w/ 2min Rest

  • 1st @5k
  • 2nd @2k+4
  • 3rd @2k+2
  • 4th @2k+1
  • Think about mental toughness needed during the testing week

When competing we need to be able to follow a game plan and execute it with control at full intensity, whether it’s a 5k row or a snatch ladder.  Many of you are looking to break a personal record during our testing week at the end of the month.  Those that can develop a race plan, hit their splits, and stick to their stroke ratings will come out on top and crush that goal.

Today’s Rowing WOD is all about focusing on that control and execution at full intensity.  Each piece should be full pressure trying to hold a consistent split just above your ideal race pace.  Use the prescription as a guide and execute your splits to build confidence for the coming weeks.  You should visualize what it will be like in the middle of your 2k or 5k and what you will do to maintain mental toughness.  Be smooth, be consistent, breathe, and execute!

Remember, 2k+4 means your average 2k split +4 split seconds.  So if you normally pull a 2k in 8:00, your average split /500m is 2:00 and your 2k+4 would be 2:04.  Hope this helps!

Post your average 500m splits for each piece to comments!

Rowing WOD 9/28/15: “Spicy Steady State” – Post Distance

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Rowing WOD:

Renegade Rowing Team - Racing at the Rumble on the River

“Spicy Steady State”

2 x 20min w/ 4min Rest

Complete Each 20min as Follows:

  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY, 1MIN @ 28, FULL PRESSURE
  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY, 1MIN @ 30, FULL PRESSURE
  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY, 1MIN @ 32, FULL PRESSURE
  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY, 1MIN @ 34, FULL PRESSURE

Steady state rowing is good for building aerobic base and rhythm.  However, it can be easy to get lazy and slump, compromising your posture and inviting overuse injuries.  Today’s Rowing WOD is an example of “Spicy Steady State” and allows you to keep your focus throughout the piece.  During the four minutes steady try to focus on one technique fix or breathing.  Then when you bump up the intensity for a minute, see if you can apply that technique fix to pulling lower splits at full pressure.

Post your total meters rowed to comments!

Rowing WOD 9/26/15: 30 Burpees and 5k Test – Post Scores

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Rowing WOD:

Where do you test? Why? Come test yourself at the CrossFit Rowing Trainer Course!

30 Burpees For Time

5k Row for Time

It’s been another month of epic training.  How have you progressed?  Have you been consistent in your work?  Now is the time to test where we’re at and re-focus as the championship head racing season draws near.  It also happens to be the 26th of September, a great day to do 30 Burpees!  I’ll be doing them on Monday when I turn 30 on September 28th.  Good luck, have fun, and get after it!

How well does your body process and use oxygen to do work?  How long can you sustain work?  Today’s assessment will give you an idea of both your aerobic capacity and endurance.  Set your monitor for 5,000 meters and get after it.  Be sure to record your time, average 500m split, average stroke rating, and average watts.  This will give you an idea of your work capacity over about 20 minutes.

For those wondering why we’re doing such a long test and how to attack it, think of this as a Girl Wod like “Mary”.  The athlete who can efficiently and effectively move their body weight will be able to consistently do more work aerobically without having to dip into anaerobic energy stores.  Also, when tackling “Mary”, good competitors will go in with a game plan based on what they know they can maintain.  The first couple of rounds may be used to ease into the work without flying and dying.

Whether you’re a Vet or Novice, the goal should be to maintain a consistent 500m split and stroke rating throughout the whole piece.  If this is your first 5k aim to build your confidence by negative splitting.  Start the first 1k at a moderately hard pace that you can consistently hold.  Then every 1k after that try to pull a little bit faster, perhaps 1 split second every 1k.  What you should avoid is going out to hard, say 1:45 /500m, and then dying half way through to limp in at a split of 2:00 /500m.

Novices should try to maintain a stroke rating of 24 to 26.  Vets should work on executing a race plan, maintaining their splits, and rowing at a stroke rating of at least 26 to 28.

Let us know how you do!  Post your results to Comments.

Rowing WOD 9/8/15: 4x2k w/ 4min Rest – Post Splits

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Rowing WOD:

One more week until the Renegade Rowing Team races at the Rumble on the River!

4 x 2k w/ 4:00 rest

  • Visualize the middle of our next 5k
  • 1st @5k+5
  • 2nd @5k+3
  • 3rd @5k+1
  • 4th @5k or @5k-1

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 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 5k and Rowing WOD.

Post your average 500m split for each piece to comments.

Rowing WOD 8/28/15: 800m Row; 4RFT – 4 Snatch, 8 Toes to Bar; 400m Row – Post Time

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Rowing WOD:

Renegades practicing their start and settle!

Complete All For Time …

800m Row (Like start of 5k)

then,

4 Rounds Of …

4 Snatch (95/65 lbs.)

8 Toes to Bar (sub V-Ups if no bar)

then,

400m Row (Like finish of 5k)

5k Test is tomorrow!  Move well today, recover well tonight, and crush it tomorrow.  Today’s Rowing WOD is focused on the ends, meaning the start and the finish.  A good start can set you up for a personal best and a solid finish can seal the deal.  The key to a good start is getting the flywheel moving quickly without taxing your body.  That’s where a sprint start comes in.

A sprint start is usually a short stroke, followed by a longer stroke, followed by a full stroke.  We like to say 1/2 stroke, 3/4 stroke, full stroke, or 1/2, 3/4, full.  Some athletes will get even more precise and do a five stroke sprint start, 3/4, 1/2, 3/4, Lengthen, Full.  Once the fan is moving, keep it moving with 7 to 10 high strokes above a 36 stroke rating.  This will bring your average split down.  As long as you keep it quick and light your body won’t feel it.

Grab a training partner and get after it!

However, as soon as you finish your high strokes it is important to settle to your race pace.  Otherwise lactic acid will start to build up and your legs will be on fire.  In today’s Rowing WOD be sure to settle to your 5k pace by 200m in so that you can be ready for the snatches and toes to bar.  Once you get into the last 400m be sure to paddle in at your 5k pace and then sprint all out at the 250m mark by negative splitting.  A good goal would be to have an average split for the last 400m that is faster than the average for the first 800m.

Post your time for the workout and average splits for each piece to comments.