Now that rowing season is officially over, for most of us anyway, we must resort to off water training. We have the Fall and Winter months to work on our mental and physical strength, aerobic conditioning and endurance, flexibility, coordination, and our ability to apply power. What can we do in our basements, in the gym, in the great outdoors to improve our ability to row well on the water in the Spring and Summer?
Let’s see…
One: Watch yourself! Erg in front of a mirror, video yourself, and/or work with a partner
Practice practice practice on the erg, but make sure you are practicing the right way and that you are not developing poor habits. A few options to improve your technique:
- If you have a mirror you can watch yourself as you are rowing. Front and side mirrors are even better. Take note of your movements/mechanics, posture, and composure. Have a look out for extra movements and tension and adjust as you row.
- If you have a phone with a camera (my iphone works really well), you can set it up on a bench and record yourself for a few minutes. Record, review, delete, incorporate the changes, repeat.
- If you are working with a partner, check your timing to make sure that both of you have the same movements and that your timing is perfect.
If you are not comfortable in critiquing yourself, enlist a friend or a coach, or ask a question in the comments section.
See The Rowing Stroke section to find out what to look for during each phase of the stroke.
Two: Work on conditioning and endurance
Rowing on the erg, running, biking, skiing, exercise classes, swimming, skating, hiking, trail running, kayaking…
“Keep active, stay fit.”
Three: Strengthen your core
Rowers often overlook core strength but a strong core adds so much to your ability to stabilize yourself in the boat, connect the blade to the handle, and to finish the stroke strong. Rowers who have back problems should really focus on strengthening their core in the off-season. Here are a few exercises that you can add to a workout.
- Medicine ball twists
- In and out sit-ups
- Planks – front and side
- Supermans
https://www.rowperfect.co.uk/an-introduction-to-core-strength-for-rowing-static-exercises/
Four: Bend and stretch
Take your stretching seriously over the winter. Most of us have tight hamstrings, glutes, ankles, and shoulders, which will impact our range of motion when rowing. We also tend to be tense, which is a no no in rowing.
- Take a yoga or flexibility class
- Take time to stretch during your warmups and after your workout
- Use a combination of static and dynamic stretching
http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/tips-and-general-info/stretching
Five: Get strong
Rowing is demanding on the muscles and the repetitions are high so it is important to develop muscle strength and endurance. Create a balanced routine that works the muscles in your chest, back, shoulders, and legs. You can put together a workout using one exercise from each grouping below.
- Incline chest press | overhead press
- Squats | lunges
- Seated or bent over rows | pullups
- Deadlifts | hip thrusts
https://www.t-nation.com/training/6-best-exercises-for-strength
Six: Explode!
Yup, you need to be strong but you also have to use that strength effectively. Work on your explosiveness with these moves:
- Box jumps
- Squat jumps
- Power cleans – ask a trainer for help to get the form right
- Kettle bell swings
- High intensity interval training (HIIT)
- Hill climbs or sprints – run or bike
- Heavy tens on the erg: 10 strokes at a 10 damper setting at 10 SPM with perfect technique
https://www.t-nation.com/training/10-movements-for-explosive-power
Putting it together
A weekly routine that incorporates all six of the above could look something like this (adjust as needed):
Monday
- 3-5 minutes dynamic stretching
- 30 minutes on a stationary bike
- 3 sets of chest presses, squats, bent over rows, hip thrusts – 8 to 10 reps each
- static stretching between each set of weights
Tuesday:
- 30-45 minute erg – the first 10 minutes will incorporate drills and stretching
- 15 minutes stretching – especially the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back
Wednesday:
- 3-5 minutes dynamic stretching
- 30 minutes running on a treadmill or outdoors
- 3 sets of overhead presses, lunges, pullups, deadlifts – 8 to 10 reps each
- static stretching between each set of weights
Thursday:
- 3-5 minutes dynamic stretching
- 30 minutes on a stationary bike or erg
- core routine
- static stretching between core exercises
Friday:
- 15 minute aerobic warm-up
- A HIIT routine (maybe all body weight exercises) including box jumps and kettlebell swings
Saturday:
- 30-45 minute erg – the first 10 minutes will incorporate drills and stretching
- 15 minutes stretching – especially the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back
Sunday: Off
Fixed Seat Rowing 