Rowing, Strength and All Round Athleticism

@Benanything - Thanks man. As a rower I generally keep my gym/strength work heavy and intense, hence the low reps and giant sets. I focus on building as much power without hypertrophy or weight gain as I can, whilst improving my ability to apply power even when tired and physically fatigued.

Dragonboat is quite a different sport, in that it is more upper body focused than traditional rowing, but I think the same principles would apply, just maybe more focus on the lats and arms. In terms of conditioning I try and keep as sport specific as possible (hence the volume of work on the water or on the Concept 2 erg) with occasional cycling session as crosstraining.

Hope that helps.

Been so slack with logging and not even done a race write-up on 4s head from Saturday yet. Going to try and get this done more often from now on.

10/11/2015

Am
8Km outing in double.

Pm
Max effort 5km run in 20:35.

Frustrating to not get under 20 but at least it gives me an idea of where I am at.

11/11/2015

3 x 17 minutes rowing on ergo.

Splits so smvarassing I ain’t writing them down but it least I completed it. Hopefully illness is behind me and can get consitent on these again

13/11/2015

40 minute cycle on turbo

14/11/2015

12km outing in coxed 4. Back out of the top 4. Got to go back to hospital soon but aim is to come back with a bang after that and get back in the top boat in the new year.

18/11/2015

1 hour cycling on turbo watching angels suffered at video with 3 x 8 minutes intense climbs

19/11/2015

12 minute run to the gym

Strength:
Deadlift: 60/3, 110/3, 140/3, 160/3, 110/3

Giant sets:
Bench press: 60/3, 70/3, 80/3, 90/3
Pull ups: 8, 8, 8, 8, 8
V sits: 15, 15, 15, 15, 15

Easing back into weights felt comfortable. All being well don’t need to go back to hospital anymore so all clear to ramp training back up.

20/11/2015

35 minutes row on ergo r19 at 1:57.5 split

Nothing special just decent ut2 rowing focusing on technique and consistency

21/11/2015

Rowing was cancelled so did some land training:

7.5km run.

Circuits:
3 rounds of following, 45s on 15s rest max intensity:
Mountain Climbers
Squat Hold
Inverted Rows
Erg Sprint
Plank
Lunges
Cherry Pickers
Burpees
Step Ups
Toe Reaches
Squat Jumps
Goblet Squats

22/11/2015

AM
Outing in a single scull.

PM
Did some bodyweight work including L-sits, Press Ups and trying to do a progression of the planche (just short of being able to do this, need to improve balance, core and losing a bit of weight will probably help too.

23/11/2015

2 x 5.5km row on ergo at 1:56.1 split r22

24/11/2015

AM
8km outing in a pair.

PM
12 minute run to gym

Strength:
Squats: 60/3, 100/3, 120/3, 130/3, 140/3, 120/3, 100/3

Giant sets:
Military Press: 40/3, 50/3, 60/3, 62.5/3
Barbell Rows: 60/3, 80/3, 90/3, 90/3
Romanian Deadlift: 60/3, 80/3, 90/3, 90/3
Knees to Elbows: 10,10,10,10

12 minute run back

Solid enough session getting back into swing of things. Will get conditioning work added back in and will look to progress weights each session.

25/11/2015

1 hour cycling on turbo watching 9 hammers sufferfest video. Upper the intensity today which was brutal.

27/11/2015

AM
15 minutes and and core
Tabata on bike

PM
1.5km swim and stretch in sauna.

27/11/2015

40 minute rowing on erg 1:59.2 split.

28/11/2015

Double outing:
13km in coxed 4
1 hour break
13km in coxed 4

29/11/2015

60 minutes row on ergo r18 as too windy to get on water today

30/11/2015

3 x 4km row on ergo r22 at 1:54.3 split 2 minute rest. Good progress.

01/12/2015

Complexes: 30kg x 8, 40kg x 8, 50kg x 4
Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift
Barbell Row
Power Clean
Front Squat
Push Press
Back Squat

Strength:
Front Squat: 40/3, 50/3, 60/3, 70/3, 80/3 (Nothing too heavy as I am getting used to clean grip, but this is first time trying them, so technically a PR)

Giant Sets
Pull Ups: 8, 8, 8, 8
Press Ups, 20, 20, 20, 20
L-Sit: 1, 1, 1, 1 (no stopwatch to time this but will start doing this)

Going to go with this structure for a while to help bring my weight down and improve aerobic fitness. As much as I love lifting, I am trying to gear things more towards helping with rowing. I am going to aim to go heavy on squats and deadlifts, bring in more bodyweight work and improve intensity of the conditioning.

02/12/2015

2 x 25 minutes row on the ergo r22 at 1:58.4 split. Little slower pace, but made to focus on technique and do this with the screen down by my coach so happy to be sub 2:00.0 as the temptation is to put no effort in when you can’t see your pacing.

03/12/2015

Really short on time so did some weights in the basement and quick turbo.

Superset:
Deadlift: 60/3, 90/3, 120/3, 130/3, 140/3, 145/3, 150/3
Press Ups: 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15

20 minutes high intensity cycling on turbo.

15/12/2015

Issues with my phone has meant I have not logged in ages, but I just started the 10000 kettlebell swing challenge today.

I knew it would be hard, but I have never underestimated a challenge so much in my life!

With a 24kg Kettlebell:
10 Swings
60kg Front Squat x 1
15 Swings
60kg Front Squat x 2
25 Swings
60kg Front Squat x 3
50 Swings

Had to then drop to 20kg as it was far far harder than I imagined, both for the conditioning, in my glutes and surprisingly the grip on the set of 50.

10 Swings
70kg Front Squat x 1
15 Swings
70kg Front Squat x 2
25 Swings
70kg Front Squat x 3
50 Swings

10 Swings
80kg Front Squat x 1
15 Swings
80kg Front Squat x 2
25 Swings
80kg Front Squat x 3
50 Swings

10 Swings
90kg Front Squat x 1
15 Swings
90kg Front Squat x 2
25 Swings
90kg Front Squat x 3 (Rep PR)

Couldn’t even finish the 4th set never mind start the 5th. Never been so humbled for a long time!

Still, I think there is a lot to gain trying to complete some of Dan John’s stuff, so will try better next time. Also, a rep PR on my Front Squat using Clean Grip so a small consolation I guess.

16/12/2015

55 minute cycle on turbo trainer to The Downward Spiral Sufferfest video.

Merry Christmas everyone and hope you all have a fantastic New Year.

I finally have a new laptop and my phone is back with the store now so will be able to pick that up soon, so will actually be like a normal human and have regular access to the internet so will be able to log more regularly again. I have mostly done sessions on the turbo and carrying on with the 10000 kettlebell swing workout. Been limited due to my back injury, but that is on the mend so will hit week 2 hard on this programme and hope to be back rowing over the next couple of days.

Merry Christmas everyone and hope you all have a fantastic New Year.

I finally have a new laptop and my phone is back with the store now so will be able to pick that up soon, so will actually be like a normal human and have regular access to the internet so will be able to log more regularly again. I have mostly done sessions on the turbo and carrying on with the 10000 kettlebell swing workout. Been limited due to my back injury, but that is on the mend so will hit week 2 hard on this programme and hope to be back rowing over the next couple of days.

27/12/2015

10 KB Swings with 20kg
1 Front Squat with 60kg
15 KB Swings with 20kg
2 Front Squats with 60kg
25 KB Swings with 20kg
3 Front Squats with 60kg
50 KB Swings with 20kg

10 KB Swings with 20kg
1 Front Squat with 70kg
15 KB Swings with 20kg
2 Front Squats with 70kg
25 KB Swings with 20kg
3 Front Squats with 70kg
50 KB Swings with 20kg

10 KB Swings with 20kg
1 Front Squat with 80kg
15 KB Swings with 20kg
2 Front Squats with 80kg
25 KB Swings with 20kg
3 Front Squats with 80kg
50 KB Swings with 20kg

10 KB Swings with 20kg
1 Front Squat with 90kg
15 KB Swings with 20kg
2 Front Squats with 90kg
25 KB Swings with 20kg
3 Front Squats with 90kg
50 KB Swings with 20kg

10 KB Swings with 20kg
1 Front Squat with 100kg
15 KB Swings with 20kg
2 Front Squats with 100kg
25 KB Swings with 20kg
3 Front Squats with 100kg (rep PR)
50 KB Swings with 20kg

New rep PR on front squats and a good session to get back into things after 2 days of Christmas indulgence.

28/12/2015

Good news, been given go ahead to start rowing again from physio and back has been feeling lot better. Will switch back to my traditional rowing programme, but will do and complete the 10000 KB swing workout in the off season as a challenge. That said, I am going to incorporate swings more often in my conditioning.

Pull Ups: 8, 8, 8, 8, 4
Deadlifts: 100/3, 140/3, 1603, 180/2, 140/3 (solid enough to work back up from)
20 minute intervals on the bike.