Tag Archives: health

Video Review: How are you sitting and how are you connected to the erg? – Share your thoughts!

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How’s it going Renegades?  Today we’re taking a look at some of our athletes from the noon class at Our Crew Fitness.  This is a video review that I put together to help them and you develop your stroke and find new areas to improve upon.  I’ll be posting regular video reviews about once a week, usually on Thursdays.  If you’d like feedback on your stroke or would like to see me talk about a certain area of the stroke, please let me know in the comments.  If you’d like to be featured in the weekly Video Review please send me a 5 stroke video via email to pat@renegaderowing.com.

Today’s topic relates to how you sit on the erg and how your feet are connected to the erg.  Are you balanced on your sit bones or falling off them?  How does your point of contact with the seat affect your posture and positioning throughout the stroke?  Are your feet connected to the footboards at all times?  What part of your foot?  These are things to think about and an area where you can make a quick change to see big gains.  Let us know what you think and if you have any questions.

Also, if you’d like to join in the fun in person, Renegade Rowing Classes are held throughout the week. Checkout the schedule and pricing here.  When you’re ready to get after it and have some fun, sign up for a free consultation with Coach Pat here.

Rowing WOD 4/8/15: 4x10min w/ 2min Rest – Post Avg Splits

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Rowing WOD:

4x10min w/ 2 min Rest 

Pre-Season Tank Session

As Follows:

1. 4min @18 Steady, 1min @20 Full Pressure, 4min @18 Steady, 1min @20 Full Pressure

2min Rest

2. 4min @20 Steady, 1min @22 Full Pressure, 4min @20 Steady, 1min @22 Full Pressure

2min Rest

3. 4min @22 Steady, 1min @24 Full Pressure, 4min @22 Steady, 1min @24 Full Pressure

2min Rest

4. 4min @24 Steady, 1min @26 Full Pressure, 4min @24 Steady, 1min @26 Full Pressure

Do you know what your strengths and weaknesses are?  Are you good at long distance pieces or do you lose focus and consistency?  Are you strong during 500m pieces but can’t maintain power for anything longer?  Or perhaps your peak power needs improvement?

In Training and Rowing we are constantly trying to improve our skills and strengthen our goats.  Take a look at your performances and accomplishments since the start of the year.  What needs work or could use some improvement?  Take that to heart and if you can only fit in a couple of Rowing WODs per week, focus on the ones that will strengthen those weaknesses.

Today’s focus is developing the consistency and aerobic base to maintain pressure at race pace for longer pieces.  During the Steady State portion try to pull the same 500m Split every stroke.  Effort should be such that you can hold a conversation, but you are aware of your breathing.  During the Pressure portion ensure the split drops as the stroke rating increases.  It should be harder to get out full sentences during the one minute of Pressure.

Post your Average Splits and what you plan to focus on in the coming weeks!

Happy Easter and Rowing WOD 4/4/15: 8x500m w/ 2min Rest – Post Splits

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Happy Easter!

RRT practicing the release in singles!

RRT practicing the release in singles!

I hope everyone enjoys Easter Sunday tomorrow and can spend some time with family and friends.  Share if you do anything fun including family mobility or active recovery.  Perhaps challenging your family to an Erg Relay?

All the Best!

Coach Pat

Rowing WOD:

8 x 500m w/ 2min Rest

  • Race Pace
  • Race Focus

Today’s all about prepping for your next 2k.  Try to keep a consistent pace over all 8 or “negative split” toward the end if you’re feeling good.  Negative splitting means you pull a faster split than you did the last piece.

As a quick review for novice rowers, race pace over 2,000m will be at a stroke rating of 28 − 32 strokes per minute and a consistent 500m split.  The lower the split the better.  Good things to focus on include breathing, getting the knees down, driving through the heels, quick hands, and being smooth.  I also like to coach a smile or grin 10 just to take yourself out of your body for a second, have some fun, and then refocus with a fresh mindset.  Focus on one positive thought for 10 consecutive strokes and you’ll be that much closer to your goal.

Post your split for each piece and share what you focused on!

Rowing WOD 4/3/15: 4x10min Spicy Steady State – Post Distance

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Rowing WOD:

Lauryn and Terese getting in their warm up at CRASH-B 2015

4 x 10 min Spicy Steady State w/ 1 min Rest

10′ @ 18 s/m**

10′ @ 20 s/m**

10′ @ 22 s/m**

10′ @ Increasing Stroke Rating as follows – (5′ @24, 3′ @26, 2′ @28)

**First 3 Pieces – Row 4min Steady, 1min @-3 split seconds, 4min Steady, 1min @-3 split seconds

**Hold the same stroke rating all the way through each piece, but vary the pressure with your legs depending on whether you’re rowing steady or 3 split seconds faster

This is a great opportunity to work on the rhythm and consistent effort needed in long WODs with movements like kettlebell swings and sumo deadlift high pulls.  Focus on maintaining consistent pressure through each stroke and every piece.  Rate of Perceived Exertion should be around 60% – 70%.  Effort level on the last piece is open and should be based on how you feel.  Set the monitor for intervals-time with 10 minutes of work and 1 minute of rest. During the rest stand up and stretch out your back and foam roll any areas that feel overly tense.

Novice rowers should focus on one part of the stroke for each piece, like a horizontal handle path or trying to row feet out.

Vets should be dialing in their consistency.  During the last piece Vets should be focused on bringing their 500m split down as the stroke rating increases.

Post the total distance rowed to comments.

Video Review: Coach Pat – The Pistol and Rowing – Can you do a Pistol?

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Look Familiar? If you can do a pistol you can get into a rowing shell!

Look Familiar? If you can do a pistol you can get into a rowing shell!

Two very important skills required of elite athletes and rowers are balance and strength.  Have you ever seen a standing shove?  That’s the level of balance we need.  Have you ever seen good scullers take the Weeks Turn or the Elliot Turn super tight during the Head of the Charles Regatta?  That’s the type of strength we need to combine with balance and we need to have it in both legs independent of one another.

Mastering a pistol, or single legged squat, will help you develop both balance and strength.  In order to do a good pistol mobility is super important.  Be sure to work on mobility everyday.  Below is a video I put together of all the different progressions I will use to help an athlete develop their pistol.  See where you fall and then start working from there.

Have Fun training and let us know what you think of pistols!

Can you do a pistol?