Elite rowing and fitness is all about developing power through high intensity. Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to push your boundaries and test the limits of your speed and endurance. Attack the first piece and get used to going faster. Imagine you are going to pull that split for your next race. Catch your breath and then focus on being efficient and powerful at race pace for 1,000m at a lower stroke rating of 30s/m. After another good rest, work on mental toughness and endurance over 2,000m as you get used to the time required for complete focus during a race.
If you’re interested in joining us on the water learning to row and race in sculling shells be sure to register here!
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 for the month of November. 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.
Post your Average Splits and what you plan to focus on in the coming weeks!
RRT Prepping for their epic end of term Renegade Rowing WOD last year.
Renegade Rowing Team
The Renegade Rowing Team is an opportunity to take your training to the next level and have some fun with other athletes outside of the gym. The Renegade Rowing Team will practice two nights a week from 6:45pm − 8:15pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting in June. Practices are held at Community Rowing’s Harry Parker Boathouse in Brighton, MA. Our goal is to learn to scull in quads on the water and become competitive enough to race this Fall. Each member of the RenegadeRowing Team will be expected to set goals both as individuals and as a team. Joining the Renegade Rowing Team is an opportunity to improve your training as well as everyone else’s. Learn to row and race with your friends!
We performed this WOD last Wednesday. Here is a chance to improve your performance. In today’s Strength and Conditioning WOD really focus on good connection and suspension with the legs. In this workout you will perform the work as follows: complete 12 calories on the erg, then 12 box jumps, then 12 push ups, then 11 calories, 11 box jumps, 11 push ups, … and so on. Coming off the push ups your arms may be feeling it so work for efficiency and power with the legs on the erg. Also, be sure to strive for virtuosity and complete each rep of the box jumps and push ups according to the standards of performance. For box jumps you’re hips must be fully open above the box and for push ups your chest must touch the ground. For maximum fun grab a partner and have a High Noon Showdown! Who can make it to 1 first? 3-2-1 Go!
I’ve always loved sports, especially when it comes to learning and competing at new sports that I don’t get to play often. Whenever we learn something new it’s far to easy to try to learn a couple of basics and then go full speed. Whether it’s golf, tennis, running, olympic lifting, rowing, or any other sport. The thrill of competition and grace in motion that sports played at full speed creates is amazing. Full speed competition elicits that feeling of joy and excitement that we all live for. However, a couple of problems usually arise at one point or another in our performance at full speed, especially if we take it up to full speed to quickly.
1. We lose form and things get sloppy. Basically the wheels come off.
2. We need more speed to out perform our competition, but it’s just not there.
Drew’s new Catch Positioning
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve experienced this situation with many of the athletes I coach, both on the water rowing and in the gym training. We’re always fighting for more intensity and boat speed, but too often something falls apart and our true potential is never reached.
Personally, I’ve experienced a similar situation while learning the piano. I currently take lessons once a week and have worked up to playing 4 songs and almost all of the scales, but my progress tends to stumble when I go to fast. It seems easy when I play a scale or a song slowly, so why not pick up the speed and just figure out how to not make mistakes playing faster? Well because it just gets sloppy and I never really learn what I’m doing wrong or better yet, what I can be doing better.
After being turned on to two great blog posts on slow motion practice, one from the music world and one from the golf world, I decided to share this idea with the rowing and strength training world that I hope you all partake in.
First, read through the above two blog posts and think about how slow is super slow. To often we think we’re going slow, but we could be going slower. Then, go out and practice super slow motion movements in your warmup. Be mindful, find the points where your focus lapses or you make a mistake, figure out how you can be more efficient, smoother, and more consistent. If you can take at least 20 minutes to practice this I guarantee you will find more boat speed, achieve more power, and perform at a higher level.
Here is Drew performing the Reverse Pic Drill in a single. Think about how many hours of slow motion practice, balance, and boat feel it has taken for him to get to this point. Look at where he slows things down to find better balance, feel, and connection to the boat and water. For him to make this better and go faster at full speed, he will probably need to practice this even slower. Now it’s your turn, get on an erg, setup a barbell, or get in a boat and master your movement skills with super slow motion. It’s harder than you think.
Renegade Rowing 