Tag Archives: inspiration

Video Review: How can Terese help you? Are you Prepared?

Posted on by
Reply

It’s that time of year Renegades!  The Holidays are upon us, the renegade rowing league is this Saturday, and it’s starting to look like snow.  Are you prepared?  Did you get your shopping in early and get the gifts you want to give?  Did you register and train for the Renegade Rowing League?  Do you have the tools necessary to deal with all of the snow this year?  If you answered yes to these questions you’re prepared and ready to have some fun.  It’s a good feeling that instills confidence and excitement rather than doubt and worry.

In the rowing stroke it also helps to be prepared.  If you’re prepared for the catch by 1/2 slide, you know your body is in a strong position and the timing of the catch comes together a lot easier.  It allows you to keep the hips and the hands connected, suspend, and basically pull whatever split you would like without wasting any extra energy.  Take a look at the following video review of Terese to see what I mean and how you might need to improve your stroke as well.

Another area where proper preparation can help is your WarmUP.  Performing an appropriate warmup for the workout that is set out each day can make or break a performance.  Below is the warmup we use fairly consistently in classes at CrossFit Boston and at the Renegade Rowing Club.  It’s a good 10min warmup to focus on control, connection, and recovering to strength.  Checkout how slow the Renegade Rowing Club approaches the catch in the beginning.  Executing this drill with control will allow you to really focus on putting technique changes into effect and hitting that catch with good timing and connection.

Please share your thoughts on preparation in regards to your stroke and your warmup to comments!

Renegade Rowing Club Warmup:

1min – 1/2 Legs Only

1min – Full Legs Only

1min – Legs and Body Only

1min – Full Stroke

1min – Pause @1/2 Slide Every Stroke

5min – 10 Strokes On/ 10 Strokes Off, 15 On/15 Off, 20 On/20 Off

Rowing WOD 12/16/14: 6x650m w/ 1:45 Rest – Post Avg Splits

Posted on by
7

If you haven’t had a chance to register for the Renegade Rowing League this Saturday, do it now!  Click Here to Sign Up!

Rowing WOD:

The Shallow V

6 x 650m w/ 1:45 Rest

  • FOCUS: RACE STRATEGY

Are you ready for your next 2k?  Our’s will be this Saturday, December 20th, at the second race of the Renegade Rowing League for this Winter.  Make sure you have a game plan going in. Use today’s Rowing WOD to test out different strategies and build confidence in your rowing. Perform the first two pieces with a focus on consistency in stroke rating and splits. If you’re feeling solid try to go a little bit faster each consecutive piece.  Keep after your training as we go through December and the Holidays.  It will be January before you know it and CRASH-B’s is right around the corner.  There will be more to come on preparing for the 2k.

Post your average splits for each piece to comments!

RRTP 12-15-14 and S&C WOD: 500m Row; 3Rds – 5 PC, 10 BBJ; 500m Row – Post Time and Splits

Posted on by
Reply

Here is the programming for the week!  I hope everyone is excited for the Renegade Rowing League and the chance to PR the 2k on Saturday!  Register Here!

Here's a snapshot of the programming for the week of 12-15-15!

Here’s a snapshot of the programming for the week of 12-15-14!

RRTP 12-15-14

Strength and Conditioning WOD:

Some friends doing something different on a Saturday morning! Competing at the Renegade Rowing League! Who's ready for tomorrow?

Some friends doing something different on a Saturday morning! Competing at the Renegade Rowing League! Who’s ready for tomorrow?

All For Time …

1. 500m Row (like start of 2k)

2. 3 Rounds Of:

  • 5 Power Cleans (135/95 lbs)
  • 10 Burpee Broad Jumps

3. 500m Row (like finish of 2k)

Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to practice both the beginning and end of your 2k race plan while developing power with the hips.  Treat each 500 as if they were your ideal 2k.  For the first 500m perform your starting sequence with a race start, high 7-10 strokes, and settle to race pace.  During the Power Cleans and Burpees work on efficient movement and connection through your hips.  Try to go unbroken and consistently jump the same distance for each broad jump.  If you’re still working technique for the power cleans, substitute 3 med ball cleans for every power clean to build up your strength and conditioning.  As you come into the last 500m you will be feeling it just like the 2k, so focus on breathing and holding onto race pace.  When you hit the last 250m start to negative split and practice your sprint for the finish.

Post your overall time to complete all three parts to comments along with your average split for each 500m.

Compete! Re-Test “Sculler X”! – Post your score and any improvement

Posted on by
Reply

Today is a Competition Day!  Compete with yourself and try to crush your previous time!

Results from Sculler X last week.

Results from Sculler X last week.

Preparation vs. Competition

In our plan one week will be a microcycle. Our microcycles can be classified as either preparation or competition. During a preparation microcycle a fitness block and/or a rowing block will be introduced and then repeated the following week. In the following week, aka – competition microcycle, those blocks will be repeated and individuals will be expected to compete and try to better their performances from the preparation microcycle.

This week is a great example.  Today is a Re-Test of “Sculler X”, which was introduced last week.  Last week was a preparation microcycle and this week is the competition microcycle.  If you did “Sculler X” last Wednesday and you are attacking it again today your goal should be to finish the rowing for calories in one less stroke and hold a more consistent pace overall.  Last week you prepared.  This week you drop the hammer and compete.  Have fun and get after it!  Let us know how you do and if you were able to improve.

The Renegades throwing down with "Sculler X" last week!

The Renegades throwing down with “Sculler X” last week!

Strength and Conditioning WOD:

Re-Test

“Sculler X”

5 Rounds For Time:

10 Pistols (5 each leg)

10 Push Ups

10 Kettle Bell Swings (2/1.5 Pood)

10 Calories on the Erg

  • (HOW MANY STROKES WILL THIS TAKE YOU?)

When rowing on the water balance and single leg strength come into play much more than rowing indoors on the erg.  Exercises like the pistol (single leg squat) really help develop the sense of balance and power needed to move a boat.  Think about making a big turn in a sculling shell mid race, like any of the turns in the Head of the Charles.  A sculler must be able to balance (a.k.a. set) the boat and transfer force to the water.  Those that do this well maintain boat speed around turns and can walk through opponents.  If you can’t do a pistol yet substitute goblet squats.

Keep a firm core

The push up is a great stabilizing exercise if you try to keep the hips and torso quiet.  Everything needs to move together.  Keep that core firm and ensure everything touches and leaves the ground at the same time.  Last but not least there is the kettle bell swing.  Really focus on driving through the heels and activating the glutes and hamstrings while keeping a solid core.

Full depth push up!

Now hold up!  What about all of the athletes out there that are using rowing as a cross training tool?  You’re in luck.  If you can piece together good efficient movement in the first three exercises then you should be able to crush the row for calories at the end of each round.

Your goal should be consistent, efficient strokes.  For those that have been working on suspension and have tried a drill like the strap drill, you’ll want to fully suspend throughout each stroke in order to get done in as few strokes as possible.  If you suspend well and can maintain a nice ratio then the rowing part of this workout will become active rest and allow you to breathe.  Don’t get me wrong, 10 calories is not much and you should be pushing the pace, but work on suspension and make the rowing as effortless as possible so you can crush the rest of this Rowing WOD.

Post your time and the fewest number of strokes it took to complete 10 calories!

Compete! S&CWOD 11/28/14: Re-Test “Rowing Helen” – 3RFT – 500m Row, 21 KB Swings, 12 Pull Ups – Post Time and Splits

Posted on by
2

preparation_mousetrapToday is a Competition Day!  Compete with yourself and try to crush your previous time!

Preparation vs. Competition

In our plan one week will be a microcycle. Our microcycles can be classified as either preparation or competition. During a preparation microcycle a fitness block and/or a rowing block will be introduced and then repeated the following week. In the following week, aka – competition microcycle, those blocks will be repeated and individuals will be expected to compete and try to better their performances from the preparation microcycle.

This week is a great example.  Today is a Re-Test of “Rowing Helen”, which was introduced last week.  Last week was a preparation microcycle and this week is the competition microcycle.  If you did “Rowing Helen” last Wednesday and you are attacking it again today your goal should be to hold more consistent splits and move a little bit faster in both your kettle bell swings and your pull ups.  Last week you prepared.  This week you drop the hammer and compete.  Have fun and get after it!  Let us know how you do and if you were able to improve.

Rowing is for all ages! Middle School athletes having fun learning to compete at the Renegade Rowing League!

Rowing is for all ages! Middle School athletes having fun learning to compete at the Renegade Rowing League!

Strength and Conditioning WOD:

Re-Test

“Rowing Helen”

3 Rounds For Time

  • 500m Row
  • 21 KB Swings (24/16 kg)
  • 12 Pull Ups

Today’s focus is Rhythm and Intensity. Get in some good skill work by warming up with a Reverse Pic Drill and Pic Drill in your 10min Erg Warmup. Go hard for the start and finish of this workout, but be smooth and efficient through the bulk of the work. Focus on breathing and consistent pace.  Find the right scale so that each movement is challenging and pushes your intensity while allowing rhythm and flow.  A good goal would be holding a 2k-1 pace for the 500m pieces.

This week is a competition week in the Renegade Rowing Training Plan. Today is your opportunity to compete against yourself and everyone else on your team to get a Personal Record for Rowing Helen. Dig deep and push harder for the person next to you!

Take quality strokes and have fun pushing yourself.

Post your time for the Strength and Conditioning WOD to comments as well as your splits for each 500m piece.  If you PR’ed let us know!