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

Rowing WOD:

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 10/10/15: 2x3k Row w/ 6min Rest – Post Avg. Splits

Try this RWOD on the water if possible!

2 x 3k Row w/ 6min Rest as follows …

  • 1k @26 s/m (@5k+5)
  • 1k @28 s/m (@5k+3)
  • 1k @5k Race Pace

Why is rowing fun?  One reason is that it provides a challenge in learning technique to be as efficient as possible while working everything from your head to your toes.  Elsewhere in sports and training, if you’ve tried the Pose Method of running you may understand the beauty of focusing on technique and the perception of what your body is doing in space. Focusing on form and technique gives your mind something to work toward rather than complaining about how much your legs burn.

At the end of the month we’ll be doing a week of testing to end the fall season and see where we’re at going into the winter.  We’ll be testing all distances, so keep training hard and keep it fun.  Focus on hitting the prescribed ratings and splits.  As we transition into the winter training period we’ll begin focusing on the 2k for the Renegade Rowing League and CRASH-B’s.  They’ll be here before you know it, so get pumped!

Today’s Rowing WOD is a good opportunity to focus on one or two form fixes but get after it as well.  Set the monitor for Intervals Distance and enter 3,000m of Work and 6 minutes of rest.  This WOD has the potential to build your confidence for the 5k.  Come up with a plan and execute.  Be consistent with your splits and stroke ratings for both pieces.  If possible go a little bit faster every 1k.  5k Race pace should be at a stroke rating of 28-32 strokes per minute.  Find your efficient stroke.  Novices should focus on one form fix for each piece and work hard.

Post your Average 500m Splits to Comments!

Rowing WOD 10/9/15: 6RFT – 250m Row, 15 Wall Balls, 1min Rest – Post Time and Splits

BC Men's Crew getting after some Wall Balls earlier this season

6 Rounds For Time

250m Row (@2k – 2 Pace)

15 Wall Balls (20/14)

1min Rest

Wall balls are great because they’re a pushing movement to counteract the pulling on the erg, but even more important they can mimic the explosiveness and rhythm of the rowing stroke.  During the drive phase of a wall ball you’re driving through the heels and finishing on the toes with full extension of the hips.  As soon as the ball leaves your hands you begin the recovery just like in rowing and your body has a second to gather itself, find balance, breathe, and then begin to load up the legs for the next drive as you catch the ball and sit back into a squat.  In competition you may be focused on cycling through them and bouncing out of the bottom, but in training you can focus on being smooth and adding some control on the way down.  This will give you a sense of the feeling you need during the recovery on the erg.  When rowing we want to stay light on the foot-stretchers as we swing and slide up to the catch.  Just as we approach the catch we should feel the weight start to come on to the big toe/balls of our feet.  Then when we’re ready to connect the chain to the fly-wheel and drive we put all of our weight on the footboards and push through the whole foot trying to suspend from the handle.  As you warmup for Today’s Rowing WOD try to feel these things.  Gaining awareness of our bodies as we move through full range of motion is key to mastering all of the general physical skills we’re developing.

Post your Time to comments!

Rowing WOD 10/7/15: RR Warmup, EMOM10 7DL@50%, AMRAP8, RR Warmdown – Post Load, Score, and Splits

Coxswains getting after it!

1. 2k Row @5k+6

2. 1 Mile Run (easy pace);

3. EMOM10 – 7 Deadlift @50% of 1RM

  • Every Minute On The Minute for 10min Perform…
  • 7 Deadlifts
  • Focus on Form, Rhythm, and Speed on the Drive

4. As Many Rounds As Possible in 8min

Fight to keep that chest up w/ active shoulders!

  • 5 OH Squats w/ PVC
  • 10 KB Swings
  • 5 Push Ups
  • 10 Oh Lunges w/ PVC

5. 1 Mile Run (easy pace)

6. 2k Row @5k+6

Today’s Rowing WOD is an opportunity to use rowing as a warmup and cool down.  The deadlifts are for power and speed on the drive.

Drive through the heels to activate the glutes!

Form and speed on the bar should be the focus in hopes of transferring power/skill to the boat.  Push hard in the metcon and get that heart rate and breathing up.    If you can do this on the water, do it!  This practice should take no longer than 2 hours.  Cut out some of the running/rowing if you’re strapped for time.

BC OH LungePost your load for the Deadlift, score for the metcon, and splits held for the rowing and running.

Rowing WOD 10/2/15: Row2k, 15 Bench Press, Row1k, 10 Bench, Row500m, 5 Bench – Post Time and Splits

Rowing WOD:

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 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.

A pace of 2k+3 can be figured out as follows.  If you would normally row a 2k in 8:00, your average split /500m would be 2:00.  So a pace of 2k+3 for the first part of this workout would be 2:03.  Hope this helps!

Have fun and get after it!

Post your time, loads, and splits to comments!