Rest Day 10/8/15: Go For a Walk! Along the Charles if Possible!

BC Men Spinning at the Canoe Kayak Dock - close to the finish line of the HOCR

Go For a Walk! Along the Charles if Possible!

Life get’s crazy, especially this time of year as we gear up for fall parties and the holidays.  Speaking of Holidays, the Head of the Charles is known to rowers as Rowing Christmas.  Every year on the third weekend of October, rowers past and present gather to remember the good old days and push themselves to the limit against the best in the world.  If you can get outside today, go for a walk along the Charles River.  You will more than likely see other random people both tall and small looking at the bridges and turns scouting their line for race day.  Keep an eye out for coaching launches filled with coxswains doing the same thing from the water.  The biggest regatta in the world is just over a week away.  Time to get excited!

Never seen the Head of the Charles Regatta before?  Try the following today!  Take 15 minutes today to stop.  Breathe.  And go for a walk.  If you’ve got a river or body of water nearby go for a stroll and watch some rowing.  How does the boat move in relation to the body?  What part of the stroke does the boat move the fastest?  How’s the form look compared to your erging?

If you’re lucky enough to do this please share your thoughts, where you were, and what you saw!

Rest Day 9/24/15: 15min of Mobility – Get Some!

Rest Day:

RRC getting after some Hamstring Mobility

RRC getting after some Hamstring Mobility

15min of Mobility

Over the last few days my schedule has kicked in to full gear and I’ve had the opportunity to coach a wide range of athletes. In the mornings I coach athletes from CrossFit Boston and Community Rowing. In the afternoon I coach high school athletes from the Wayland Weston Crew Team. The biggest thing all three teams need to improve their performance is mobility. Today is a good day to focus on improving your mobility. Let’s get after it!

In rowing the longer your stroke the further you can move the boat and ultimately the faster you can go. Same thing applies indoors, rowing on the erg. The only problem with that equation is your positioning. Are you in a strong position at the catch and finish? Today is a day to work on mobility and improve that positioning. Take at least 15 minutes, ideally longer, to work on your tight spots. What limits you? Ankle flexion at the catch? Shoulder mobility at the finish? Tight hips/hamstrings at Bodies Over?

Share where you tend to be tight during a row as well as your problem areas for WODs. What are you doing daily to work them out?

Rowing WOD 9/4/15: 4x5min w/ 2min Rest – Post Avg Splits

Rowing WOD:

Renegade Rowing Practice this week!

4 x 5min w/ 2min Rest

  • @5k+1
  • @5k
  • @5k-1
  • @5k-2

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 an 18min or 20min 5k.  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 your ideal race pace.  You should visualize what it will be like in the middle of your 5k and what you will do to maintain mental toughness.  Be smooth, be consistent, breathe, and execute!

All week we’ve been flirting with higher volume, longer pieces, and that 5k pace.  Think back to your 5k Test and where it got tough.  Mentally prepare yourself to crush it.  Be ready for the pain, accept it, and push through!

Post your average 500m splits for each piece to comments as well as your 5k Goal!

Rest Day 9/2/15: 15min of Mobility – Share Your Focus

Rest Day:

BC Men's Crew pushing it out during Cindy

15min of Mobility

In rowing the longer your stroke the further you can move the boat and ultimately the faster you can go.  Same thing applies indoors, rowing on the erg.  The only problem with that equation is your positioning.  Are you in a strong position at the catch and finish?  Today is a day to work on mobility and improve that positioning.  Take at least 15 minutes, ideally longer, to work on your tight spots.  What limits you?  Ankle flexion at the catch?  Shoulder mobility at the finish?

Share where you tend to be tight during a row as well as your problem areas for WODs. What are you doing daily to work them out?

Share your thoughts to comments!

Rest Day 8/27/15: Go Eat Some Watermelon!

Rest Day:

Image c/o Tony Alter http://www.flickr.com/people/78428166@N00/

Go Eat Some Watermelon!

Below is a blog post from Alex Black of Wicked Good Nutrition.  Read all about a recent study on watermelon and then tell us what you think.  Will you be sucking down some Watermelon after our 5k on Saturday?

Super Power for Watermelon

We all know watermelon is a delicious summer fruit. But some new research has indicate that it might also be a recovery aid – results of a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry showed that a compound found in watermelon juice may help athletes recovery after exercise.  … Click here for the whole post! …