Tag Archives: water

Rest Day 8/14/14: How does sport specificity play into your training? – Share Thoughts

Posted on by
Reply

Rest Day:

The Renegade Rowing Team after a sunset row on the Charles River!

How does sport specificity play into your training?

When training with constantly varied, functional movements, performed at high intensity the focus is to build general physical preparedness.  The pyramid model of training has a base made of nutrition that supports metabolic conditioning, gymnastics, weightlifting, and a peak of sport.  So if the ultimate goal of our training is to compete in a sport and do so with super health and elite fitness, how do you work sport specific training into your daily/weekly routine?

In the sport of rowing it definitely helps to have as much water time as possible to become efficient at moving the boat.  One downfall of spending every hour in a boat can be a decrease in strength, power, and overall fitness.  How do we get enough time in the boat and still maintain our power and fitness?

I’ve combined the two – 1. Rowing on the Water with 2. Metabolic Conditioning and Strength Work – in the gym.  I’ve tested this program with the Boston College Men’s Team last fall.  For a two-hour practice we row for 15 minutes, run a mile to the gym, do a 45 minute session at CrossFit Boston, run a mile back to the boat, and then row back to the dock for another 15-20 minutes.

Having experienced this, I’m very excited to bring this Renegade Rowing programming to more rowers.  It allows for a sport specific warmup and cool down while mixing in an endurance aspect with the running and overall amount of work done in a two-hour practice.  The workout in the gym allows us to focus on building strength and power.  The best part is that with the right focus this work can be used for skill transfer to rowing.  While it’s not sport specific work, there are aspects that can reinforce the sport specific skills needed when we get back in the boat at the end of practice.

The absolute best part though is the Fun!  A two-hour practice of competition and fun, both on the water and in the gym.

Please share your thoughts and methods for combining sport specific training with general physical preparedness.

If you’d like to join in and train Renegade Rowing style this fall please get in touch with me … pat@renegaderowing.com

Rest Day 8/10/14: What is Renegade Rowing? – Check it out!

Posted on by
2

Rest Day:

What is Renegade Rowing?

This is a video highlighting everything that I’ve done with Renegade Rowing thus far and describing what Renegade Rowing is today.  There has been a daily blog from day one providing you with a Rowing Workout of the Day and a few thoughts to focus on while you attack it.  Many people from around the country and the world have jumped on board and given the Rowing WOD a shot as part of their regular training routine.  Thank you to everyone out there who has posted their results, commented with their experience, and given me great feedback.  I look forward to pushing you every single day and I love to hear your results.  Keep up the great work!

Calling all Renegades or potential Renegades in the Boston Area!  This video is for you.  If you’d like to row faster, than you need to schedule a consultation with me and start pushing to reach your goals.  Click here to set up your consultation now!

Rowing WOD 8/9/14: CF Rowing Total – Post Score

Posted on by
Reply
Rowing WOD:

CF Rowing TotalRR UVM Men Alumni HOCR 2012

Row 1′-1′-1′

Squat 1-1-1

Press 1-1-1

Deadlift 1-1-1

The last time we performed the CF Rowing Total was in March and I wrote the following post.  I wanted to see where everyone is at before testing our 5k next week.  The CF Rowing Total is meant to test your power and strength in the 1 minute range on the erg.  It’s also an opportunity to test your functional strength.

*****************

National Erg Standards

Many countries post national standards that athletes need to hit in order to tryout for the national team.  Below I’ve linked to the standards posted online by US Rowing and Rowing Canada.  In the coming month I hope to define Renegade Rowing standards for athletes looking to be competitive in both Rowing and CrossFit.  A good starting place is for athletes to see how they compare to elite rowers.  It’s a goal of mine to find a group of athletes that can train regularly on the water and in the gym without having to rely on hours and hours of steady state.  Would you like to help me?  How far off are you on the 1 minute test, 2k, and 6k?  Feel free to share your thoughts on the subject and what you’d like me to include in the Renegade Rowing Standards.

*****************

Today’s Rowing WOD

After doing a dynamic warmup, do a good 10 minute warmup on the erg where you build up to race pace above a stroke rating of 30 for a few bursts.  When you’re ready to go, set the monitor for intervals time with 1 minute on, 4 minutes off.  The goal is to do as much work as possible in a minute.  Be sure to paddle for a minute after each attempt to help your body deal with any lactic acid that may start to build up.

Heavy DeadliftThe stroke rating is open, but keep good form.  Don’t compromise you’re body.  Maintain a strong posture at all times.  Anyone can pull hard for a few strokes, but those with functional rowing form can build throughout the minute test, stay safe, and produce the most power.

In rowing there are three things you can vary to go faster.  Force, distance, and time.  The best rowers know how to combine all three… row harder, row longer, and row faster.  Basically, put more force into the handle, row as long as possible every stroke without compromising your body, and increase the stroke rating.

After making three attempts on the erg, setup for and perform the three lifts.  Make sure to roll out your back, hips, and hamstrings as needed in between lifts.

Renegade Rowing Team Pushing Their Boundaries!

How much Strength and Power do you have?  Your score for the CF Rowing Total will be
Max Average Watts + CF Total Score.

Post your total as well as each individual result from the row, squat, press, and deadlift to comments.  Report the max average Watts for the best Row.

Rowing WOD 8/8/14: 6RFT – 500m Row, 20 Push Ups – Post Time and Splits

Posted on by
Reply

Rowing WOD:

RRT Getting after their first Rowing WOD on the Water earlier this year!

RRT Getting after their first Rowing WOD on the Water earlier this year!

6 Rounds for Time (20min Cap)

500m Row

20 Push Ups

As we begin training for the fall season it’s important to work in some longer pieces to build up our endurance and prepare ourselves for head races.  Head Races are anywhere from 4k – 6k in distance and take around 15 minutes or more to complete.  They are run like time trials with one boat starting at a time.  Mental toughness is key to keep intensity up and push hard enough to catch the boat in front of you.

In today’s Rowing WOD you’ll need mental toughness to keep pushing through the middle rounds.  Imagine there’s a crew just ahead of you.  Chasing them down is the only option.

Pick one split you can hold all the way through each piece.  If possible try to negative split each round.  On the push ups get full range of motion and scale as necessary.  You can scale by elevating your hands, giving yourself a target, or decreasing the volume to 15 or 10 per round.

If you’re looking to spice things up and have some more fun try this on the water.  I’ve done this workout in a single off of the docks at Community Rowing.  It was pretty epic.  Can’t wait to have a group of Renegades doing workouts like this on the water with me.  If you’re interested let me know!

Post time and splits to comments!

Rest Day 8/7/14: What Competition are you training for this Fall? – Share

Posted on by
Reply

Rest Day:RRT13 Racing at ROR

What Competition are you training for this Fall?

An easy goal to kick-start a training cycle and get yourself motivated is picking an event to compete in.  As we come to the end of Summer and Fall picks up there are tons of fun competitions to look forward to.

What are you training for in the next couple of months?  Who are you training with?  Challenge a training partner to compete with you.  Share what competitions you’re training for to comments!