Back to Spring Update 2001 Table of Contents

Rowing for Competition
The Training Year for Competitive Indoor Rowing, and What To Do in the Summer

Every sport has its annual cycle. There's a competitive season, and an off season. The wise coach or self-trained athlete makes a plan for the entire year to insure that the right kind of training gets done at the right time of the competitive year.

For the indoor rowing competitor, the main racing season generally comes in January and February, which means that the period from April through September is for groundwork and preparation (see calendar below). If your racing season is different, you can adjust the calendar accordingly.

April-May-June-July-Aug-Sept Oct-Nov-Dec Jan-Feb March
Groundwork, preparation:

Emphasize long, steady work, building endurance. Cross-training provides good variety, but be sure to include enough rowing to keep the specific muscles and motions familiar.
This is also the time to build your strength with a weight training routine designed to increase the maximum weight you can lift. 		Training:

Structure your workouts to match the event you will be racing.
For the 2000m, add intervals to improve power and pace. Keep lifting weights, but put more emphasis on speed and endurance than maximum weight. 		Racing:

Workouts need to fit around races. Keep sharp and rested without losing speed. Limit strength training to lighter weights. 		Recovery:

Take a break from rowing, or row easy for fun.
Tips for Distance Training:

Find out what works best to keep you going the distance. Here are a few suggestions:
  • Set a goal of rowing a million meters in, say, 4 months.
  • Challenge a friend to a distance goal.
  • Take C2's Indoor Rower's Tour of Lake Champlain.
  • Set up a tour route of your choice and mark your meters on a map.
  • Play heart rate games, looking for improved efficiency.
  • Structure your workouts to keep the distance interesting by alternating blocks of different stroke rates, different intensities.
  • Learn a new language by listening to tapes.
Guidelines for Groundwork and Preparation:

 Rowing:
  • Try to row a minimum of 30 minutes per session, aiming for an average workout length of 45 minutes.
  • Aim for 4-6 long workouts per week. This can include cross-training sessions like trail-running or biking.
  • Intensity of long sessions should be moderate-sometimes a little easier, sometimes a little harder.
  • Keep one shorter, more intense interval session per week in your training mix. You can do this at the beginning of a longer row, finishing the row with steady state after the intervals are done.
Strength Training:
  • Use a low number of lifts (reps), and high resistance to build your maximum strength. A standard lifting protocol is 3 sets of 8 lifts (reps), using the heaviest weight that still allows you to complete the sets. Or use the C2 DYNO and the appropriate resistance will automatically be created for you.
  • Safety: If you are using free weights, find a lifting partner or personal trainer to be sure you are lifting properly and safely.
  • Aim for three sessions per week for the whole body, or alternate upper and lower body every other day.





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