Rowing WOD 8/3/13: 500m Test – Post Time, Avg Split, and Stroke Rating

Rowing WOD 8/3/13:

Bringing it home in the sprint! Checkout the Renegade Rowing Membership!

Bringing it home in the sprint! Checkout the Renegade Rowing Membership!

500m Test

Today is the day!  We’ve been focusing on improving our 500m time all month.  Now is the time to get it done.

How well does your body operate at max effort for 2 minutes?  How much power can you maintain before pain and metabolic waste slows you down?  Today’s assessment will give you an idea of your work capacity in the 2 minute time frame using all three metabolic pathways – phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative.  You’ll be pulling from both anaerobic and aerobic energy systems.

Set your monitor for 500 meters and get after it.  Be sure to record your time and average stroke rating.

Whether you’re a Vet or Novice, the goal should be to have a strong start, settle for 10 to 20 strokes, and then sprint all out for the last 200m.  Stroke rating should be high, above 30 s/m.  A good goal would be 5 split seconds faster than your 2k split.

Let us know how you do!  Post your results to Comments.

Rest Day 8/1/13: Have you tried Team Squats like in the Games? – Share Thoughts

As part of the Renegade Rowing Team Warm-Up, we always practice team squats as if we were in the boat.  It helps to learn how to follow and time the catch with the rest of the boat.  If you’re interested in Rowing on the water Renegade Rowing might be a great option for you.  Check it out!

This year teams competing in the CrossFit Games had to perform Overhead Squats and Log Squats together.  Rowing in an 8+ involves a lot of the same control and timing.  Have you ever tried doing a movement in sync with another person?  How about with 7 other people?

Share your thoughts on team squats?  Have you ever performed them in a team wod?

Rowing WOD 7/31/13: 2RFT – 800m Row, 60 DU, 40 KB Snatch, 20 Box Jump – Post Time and Avg. Splits

Rowing WOD 7/31/13:

Active Shoulder at the Top!

Active Shoulder at the Top!

2 Rounds For Time …

800m Row (@1k Pace)

60 Double Unders

40 KB Snatches (1.5/1 Pd) (20 Each Arm)

20 Box Jumps (24/20 in.)

Why do we train?  Why do we compete?  …  Fun!

What makes training and competition fun? … Variety, Challenge, Training Partners, and Intensity!

Load the hips!

Load the hips!

Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to have a ton of fun pushing yourself and others through a variety of skilled movements while executing a game plan.  I’d like you to challenge a training partner to this workout if at all possible.  Talk to them about your 1k pace and how you are going to execute it on this workout.  Get comfortable consistently pulling your 1k split under pressure.  Be mentally strong and stay positive on every stroke and every rep.  Remember to breathe deep after the row so you can fall into a rhythm and flow through the double unders.  During the KB Snatches make sure you have an active shoulder at the top and keep your arm close to your ear.  Use the hips to move the weight and punch through quickly as the weight becomes weightless so that you don’t bang the wrist.  Dumbbell Snatches can be substituted for the KB Snatch if needed.

Post your time and average 500m splits for the 800’s to comments!

Rowing WOD 7/30/13: 5 x 500m w/ 2min Rest

Rowing WOD 7/30/13:

Week 2 of Renegade Rowing Team, Get excited!

Week 2 of Renegade Rowing Team, Get excited!

5 x 500m w/ 2min Rest

1st/2nd – @ 2k Split

3rd/4th – @ 1k Split

5th – @ Max Effort

It’s been 4 weeks since we’ve attacked this Rowing WOD.  Look back at your results and see if you’re ready to step it up another notch.  This is a great opportunity to get in some solid race pace work and prepare for our next benchmark.  This Saturday we will test the 500m.

As a quick review for novice rowers, race pace is at a stroke rating of 30 − 34 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!

Rest Day 7/28/13: Can you imagine a Games Event on the Water? – Share

Rest Day 7/28/13:

Renegades Racing on the water!

Renegades Racing on the water!

Can you imagine a Games Event on the Water?

Wouldn’t it be epic to watch the “2007” Games WOD from last night with a 1,000m row on the water instead of the erg?  I don’t know if it’ll ever happen, but I hope I’m there if it does.   Let us know how you think they should incorporate rowing on the water into the Games!

The Renegade Rowing Team kicking off a great first week on the water!

The Renegade Rowing Team kicking off a great first week on the water!

The Renegade Rowing Team kicked off their first week of practice last week and had a blast on the Charles River.  We learned how to carry boats, set boats, and row barges.  This week we’ll be in the 8+ learning our race warmup drills and rowing by 6’s.  

Keep an eye on the website and blog for video blog updates as we go through the season.  I hope to start holding Renegade Rowing Classes at Community Rowing in September where we do workouts like “2007” on the water.  Can’t wait to share the fun with you all!

Post your thoughts about a Games Event on the water!