Tag Archives: recruitment patterns

Rest Day 4/18/13: Where does the stroke end? Share!

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Three Renegades

Find out more about the stroke at the CrossFit Rowing Course in Boston June 8-9!

Where does the stroke end?

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 end.  When thinking of the finish you should be thinking of releasing the pressure on the handle and smoothly changing directions quick and clean.  The only time the seat should pause is when you have pushed the legs down and are finishing the stroke.  A stable base is needed to swing the arms and body through with power and rhythm.  However, even as you swing forward to recover the seat will move a little bit as you push the hips backwards to prepare your body for the next catch.

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.

Rowing WOD 4/8/13: 1k, 3×3′ w/ 1′ Rest, 2×3′ w/ 1′ Rest – Post Total Distance and Experience

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Rowing WOD 4/8/13:

Checkout everyone's preparation for the catch!

Checkout everyone’s preparation for the catch!

1k Row

  • @24-26 s/m (note average 500m split)
  • 4′ rest

3 x 3’ On 1’ Off as follows

  • Hold 1k split
  • 3′ @26 s/m, 25 s/m, 24 s/m (rate changes every minute)
  • 3′ @25, 24, 23
  • 3′ @24, 23, 22
  • 4′ rest

2 x 3’ On 1’ Off as follows (holding 1k split):

  • 3′ @26, 24, 22
  • 3′ @24, 22, 20

One thing that all good athletes have in common is a sense of efficiency.  The athlete that can maintain proper mechanics and spend the least amount of energy to complete a task will be able to push harder and farther compared to the athlete that just flies and dies.  Todays Rowing WOD introduces a key concept to being efficient in rowing and may improve your efficiency in longer wods.

Start the workout by rowing 1,000m at 24-26 strokes per minute.  Effort should be about 60% – 75% as if you were jogging a half-mile, don’t go all out.  The average split for the 1k will be your goal split to hold through all of the 3 minute pieces.  Set the monitor for 3′ of work and 1′ of rest.  Each 3-minute piece is broken into 1-minute sections that should be rowed at the designated stroke rating.

In order to hold the goal split while decreasing the stroke rating you must perform a ratio shift.  A ratio shift changes the timing of the stroke on the drive and the recovery.  For example, shifting from 1 on the drive: 2 on the recovery, to 1 on the drive: 3 on the recovery.  This is a challenging workout.  Use it to develop a sense of efficiency.  A proper ratio shift maintains the power per stroke but allows the rower time to breath and prepare for the next stroke.

Post Total Distance and your Experience with ratio shifts.

Below are some pictures of Mike T. after working on staying connected through the finish.  What does your finish look like? Is it efficient?  How fast do your hands move through the finish?  … Just a few things to think about as we continue to work on suspension through the stroke and balanced finishes.

Rowing WOD 1/30/13: “Clean Your Erg!” – 500m Row, 5 Cleans, 5 Push Ups, … – Post Time

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Rowing WOD 1/30/13:

“Clean Your Erg!”

For Time (15min Cap) …

500m Row, 5 Cleans (155/105 lbs), 5 Push Ups

Stick that landing with elbows up!

Stick that landing with elbows up!

400m Row, 6 Cleans (135/95), 6 Push Ups

300m Row, 7 Cleans (115/85), 7 Push Ups

200m Row, 8 Cleans (95/65), 8 Push Ups

100m Row, 9 Cleans (95/65), 9 Push Ups

Focus on fully extending the hips! A Med Ball Clean would be a good scale for beginners.

Focus on fully extending the hips! A Med Ball Clean would be a good scale for beginners.

Quick transitions will be key in today’s Rowing WOD.  Practice a few quick releases from the erg and be sure to have the proper plates setup on your bar so you can strip them each round.  The focus of today’s workout should be to move with efficient power.  As you get fatigued focus on really using your legs and hips to generate power on the erg and in the clean.  Since the weight on the clean gets lighter you should be able to move faster and start catching the bar in a higher power stance.  Keep that bar close, resist pulling with the arms, and really extend those hips to generate speed through the middle.  Try to feel the barbell float weightless with your arms acting like ropes or cables.

For each rowing piece today try to mimic your start and settle of the 2k.  Get after the first 10 strokes, but then settle to your 2k race pace.  This will allow you to get the average split down, but maintain fresher legs for the cleans.  If you go all out, max effort, you may fly and die.  Of course on the last round you should push it.  A good challenge would be to try to pull 100m in 10 strokes.

Remember efficiency of movement and transitions are key!  Post your time and experience to comments!

p.s. – If you haven’t cleaned your erg in a while, Clean It!

Rowing WOD 1/21/13: “Spicy Steady State” – 2 x 15min w/ 4min Rest – Post Total Meters

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Rowing WOD 1/21/13:

Thanks to all those that competed at the Renegade Rowing League on Saturday!

Thanks to all those that competed at the Renegade Rowing League on Saturday!

“Spicy Steady State”

2 x 15min w/ 4min Rest

Complete Each 15min as Follows:

  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY
  • 1MIN @ 28, FULL PRESSURE
  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY
  • 1MIN @ 30, FULL PRESSURE
  • 4MIN @ 24, STEADY
  • 1MIN @ 32, FULL PRESSURE

Steady state rowing is good for building aerobic base and rhythm.  However, it can be easy to get lazy and slump, compromising your posture and inviting overuse injuries.  Today’s Rowing WOD is an example of “Spicy Steady State” and allows you to keep your focus throughout the piece.  During the four minutes steady try to focus on one technique fix or breathing.  Then when you bump up the intensity for a minute, see if you can apply that technique fix to pulling lower splits at full pressure.

Post your total meters rowed to comments!

Rowing WOD 1/16/13: For Time – 21-15-9 Calories, Power Cleans, Push Ups – Post Time

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Rowing WOD 1/16/13:

For Time …

21-15-9

Row for Calories

Checkout everyone's preparation for the catch!

Checkout everyone’s preparation for the catch!  They’re ready to suspend!

Power Clean (95/65 lbs)

Push Up

Rowing requires power and endurance.  Today’s Rowing WOD is focused on that power.  Keep a solid core and really stand up off of those footboards.  Try to feel like you’re suspending yourself weightless just above the seat without losing contact.

Post your time to comments.