Tag Archives: mental toughness

Rowing WOD 10/15/13: 10x1min Race Pace w/ 45sec Rest – Post Avg Split

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Rowing WOD 10/15/13:

Head of the Charles is this weekend! Get Excited!

Head of the Charles is this weekend! Get Excited!

10 x 1min Race Pace

w/ 45sec Rest

  • Row Each Minute As Follows:
  • :30 @32 s/m
  • (then Ratio Shift)
  • :30 @30 s/m (Hold Same Split)

We’ve been working on ratio and shifting up and down the stroke ratings.  Today’s Rowing WOD is all about putting that ratio shift to work in a race situation.  Whether you’re on the water or on the erg the ability to ratio shift will allow you to breathe a split-second longer and under stroke your opponents.  Essentially you’ll become more efficient and be able to store up a bit of extra energy/focus to walk through someone later in the race.  Keep in mind this is at race pace and will be tough to maintain as you fatigue, so stay sharp and mentally strong.  Focus on squeezing with the legs and having quick hands out of the finish.  When you shift from a 32 to a 30, push a little more with the legs, have quick hands, then lengthen out the slide on the recovery.  Take a good breath and settle right to the 30 stroke rating.  The goal should be to maintain the same split through the whole minute.

Post your average split for the workout to comments.

Rowing WOD 10/8/13: 6x2min on, 1min Off – Post Avg Splits

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Rowing WOD 10/8/13:

Congrats to the WW Men for a solid weekend of racing. The Men's Jr 4+ took 2nd at the Textile River Regatta.

Congrats to the WW Men for a solid weekend of racing. The Men’s Jr 4+ took 2nd at the Textile River Regatta and the Men’s Jr 8+ took 5th.

6 x 2min On, 1min Off

3 pieces @32 s/m

2 @34 s/m

1 @36 s/m

When training it can be beneficial to work at a pace greater than you would normally compete in order to gain a greater sense of control and fluidity.  Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to push the stroke rating so that race pace feels smoother and more controlled.  Focus on your breathing for the first couple and when the rating goes up be sure to bring the split down accordingly.  Rowing at higher ratings can send the chain and boat all over the place if you aren’t smooth and horizontal with the hands.  At the finish you’ll need quick hands away to pick up the stroke rating, but don’t let the chain jump up and down or chatter.  During the minute off paddle at a light 14 to 16 stroke rating to catch your breath and re-focus for the next piece.

Post your Average Splits to comments.

Rowing WOD 10/5/13: 4x4min w/ 2min Rest – Post Splits

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Rowing WOD 10/5/13:

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

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!

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

Rowing WOD 10/4/13: Row2k, 15 Bench Press, Row1k, 10 Bench, Row500m, 5 Bench – Post Time and Splits

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Rowing WOD 10/4/13:

Renegade Rowing Team after launching for the Rumble on the River

Renegade Rowing Team after launching for the Rumble on the River

Complete for time …

2k Row, 15 Bench Press (135/95 lbs.)

1k Row, 10 Bench Press (185/125 lbs.)

500m Row, 5 Bench Press (225/155 lbs.)

Last weekend we re-tested our 5k.  If you didn’t get a chance to fit it in, try to do so this week.  At the end of October, as the Fall Head Race Season draws to a close on the water, we will perform a testing week to hit various distances and lifts.  This will let us know where we’re at for the year and what to start working towards this winter.  Keep fitting in mobility wherever you can and training hard.  It will pay off!

Today’s Rowing WOD comes from CrossFit Boston.  We performed this during regular classes in the gym yesterday and I just had to give you all a shot at it.  A good goal would be to complete this in under 20 minutes.  Scale the Bench Press accordingly and be safe if you don’t have a spotter.  Focus on keeping a big chest with shoulders pinched and pinned to the bench.  Make the Bench a full body lift by engaging and using everything to perform each rep.  Crush that bar in your hands and break it in half as you perform the lift. The sweet spot you should touch on the bench is the same sweet spot you’re looking to touch with the handle every time you finish the stroke, the sternum for men or bottom of the sports bra for ladies.

We’ve done this rowing sequence before.  Look back to see what you got for each piece in your workout log.  Remember there is work to be done in between, so you may need to adjust your goal splits a little.  Try to shoot for a pace of 2k+3 for the 2k, 2k pace for the 1k, and whatever you have left for the 500m.  Focus on breathing in the 2k, using the legs in the 1k, and being smooth with a higher stroke rate during the 500m.

Have fun and get after it!

Post your time, loads, and splits to comments!

Rowing WOD 9/28/13: 28 Burpees and 5k Test – Post Scores

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Rowing WOD 9/28/13:

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

28 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 28th of September, a great day to do 28 Burpees!  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.