Tag Archives: personal experiences

Rest Day 5/8/14: Where does the stroke begin?

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Where does the stroke begin?RR Dad

When thinking about the stroke should there be any stops or starts?  Does the handle and seat ever stop moving?  If so where is it ok?

Ideally the rowing stroke is a cyclical motion that is fluid and dynamic without beginning or end.  When thinking of the catch you should be thinking of the weight coming on to the feet and being ready to push as soon as the shins are vertical.  Try to imagine your seat changing direction without any pause.  The only time the seat should pause is when you have pushed the legs down and are finishing the stroke.  Thinking of it like this the beginning of the stroke might be considered bodies over as the seat begins to slide or half-slide as you approach the catch on the recovery.

If you have time today, take 5 minutes to row in super slow motion feeling and thinking about the timing of the seat and hands.  Your goal in developing an efficient stroke should be smooth, continuous motion without pause or hesitation.

Rest Day 5/4/14: What are your favorite sides? Share!

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Rest Day:

What are your favorite sides?

kaleBelow is a great recipe from Alex Black of Wicked Good Nutrition.  Sides can really pump up a meal especially if they’re sides you can get excited about.  Share your favorites!

Kale with Dried Apples

Kale is a nutrient rich green vegetable, and makes a great side dish for your chicken, beef, or fish. Raw kale can be on the more bitter side (depending on whether or not you’re a bitter taster), which is why it’s often added to smoothies and juices, although some enjoy it as part of a salad. This recipe adds a little sweetness and makes 2-3 servings.

Rowing WOD 5/3/14: 2 x 5min w/ 3min Rest; ME Race Pace – Post Splits and 2k Goal

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Rowing WOD:

Renegades attacking the 2k this winter!

2 x 5min w/ 3min Rest

  • Max Effort and Focus
  • @2k Race Pace

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 7min or 8min 2k.  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 2k and what you will do to maintain mental toughness.  Be smooth, be consistent, breathe, and execute!

On Tuesday we fought to hold our 2k split for 3 minutes.  Today our goal is to push it further and hold it for five minutes.  Look back at Tuesday’s results and try to improve upon your performance.  Think back to where it got tough and then 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 2k Goal!

Rest Day 4/27/14: Go see a Regatta! Share your experience!

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Rest Day:

Big Regattas coming up this month! How many times will you race this weekend?

Big Regattas coming up this month! How many times will you race this weekend?

Go See a Regatta!

This weekend marks the beginning of the championship regatta season with many big regattas taking place around the country.  Find your nearest rowing center and see if there’s a race happening.  Set yourself up by the finish or start to see the best action.  Also check out the launching and landing areas to see the controlled chaos it takes to make a regatta happen.

Are you Ready to Race?

Share your experience!

Rest Day 4/20/14: Where should we gather during the stroke? – Share

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Gather just before sliding forward.

Where should we gather during the stroke?

When performing cleans or snatches in a wod with moderate weight it is possible to touch and go.  In order to touch and go there is a gathering point just above the knee when returning the weight to the floor where athletes lock in their posture and prepare their body for the next repetition.  When rowing on the water many coaches talk about body preparation by half slide to be ready for the catch.  This usually involves thinking about or feeling a gathering point as the bodies swing forward out of the finish so that everyone in the boat can get together and time the catch correctly.  When rowing by yourself on the erg it is possible to slow yourself down on the recovery and gather yourself and your body preparation as you start to slide forward toward the next catch.

Take 5 minutes today to row nice and slow and see where you tend to gather yourself.  Too often competitors or athletes in the gym gather at the finish and dump their weight to the floor.  Instead think about the finish as a continuous movement and put a gathering point just after you swing the body forward and begin your slide.  This will save energy, improve your sequencing, and make everything much smoother.