need help with crew (rowing) workout

vonshu · Oct 24, 2007

Hi. I did rowing at my school last year and I plan to do it again this year. I have about 3 months or so til the season begins. What I need help with is coming up with a weights routine for rowing. I'm guessing it should focus on endurance (higher reps), however I also want to gain a little size in the process. But most importantly, I want it to make me a better rower.

I do have the NROL, however that doesn't really cover anything about endurance. The races in crew are usually usually between 1500 and 2000 meters and last between 5 and 8 minutes so those specific number are what I want to train for. I plan to use the rowing machine and run on off days. In addition, I want to lose about 5-10 pounds of fat by the start of the season or atleast early on in the season. I'm 16, 155 pounds. I know I'm pretty light but I have a pretty big gut and I want to get rid of it because the lighter you are in rowing, the better you do. Like I said before, I also want to gain some muscle, but not before I lose some fat. Thanks for your help.

vonshu · Oct 26, 2007

so does anyone have any endurance routines they can share?

vonshu · Oct 31, 2007

Ok well i came up with a training routine. Hopefully someone can critique it.

Tuesday/Wednesday- Rowing machine resistance workout/Run (ill be alternating the two probably between Tuesday and Wednesday or it may just depend on what I can do that day)

Monday- rowing machine: substantial amounts to train endurance

Thursday, Saturday, Monday- weights

Squat/Deadlift 3x8, 3x10, 3x12
Bent over row/Cable row 3x8, 3x10, 3x12
Bench/Dip 3x8, 3x10, 3x12
RDL/Lunge 3x8, 3x10, 3x12
Pullup/Chinup 3x8, 3x10, 3x12
Military Press 3x8, 3x10, 3x12

If that takes up too much time such as more than 55 minutes or so then ill put the last 2 exercises into the rotation to only have a total of 4 a day. And I plan to have about 1 minute of rest between everything. Is that good for endurance strength training?

vonshu · Oct 31, 2007

ok its been 8 days....am i doing something wrong?

Chillen · Nov 1, 2007

vonshu said:
Hi. I did rowing at my school last year and I plan to do it again this year. I have about 3 months or so til the season begins. What I need help with is coming up with a weights routine for rowing. I'm guessing it should focus on endurance (higher reps), however I also want to gain a little size in the process. But most importantly, I want it to make me a better rower.

I dont know why no one has responded to you (no, you are not doing anything wrong)

Im not an expert in the area you are stipulating; however, I would gather building the back (of course

), and legs, will assist your needs a great deal.

Like with: Squats, Dead Lifts, Bent Over row, or a Progressive Rowing Machine.

Developing a FBW would assist you along with a appropriate and applicable diet to complement what you are doing.

I do have the NROL, however that doesn't really cover anything about endurance.

I think it can still assist your needs.

I plan to use the rowing machine and run on off days. In addition, I want to lose about 5-10 pounds of fat by the start of the season or atleast early on in the season. I'm 16, 155 pounds. I know I'm pretty light but I have a pretty big gut and I want to get rid of it because the lighter you are in rowing, the better you do. Like I said before, I also want to gain some muscle, but not before I lose some fat. Thanks for your help.

You could provide a small surplus in calories, and let exercise draw this down, and lose some (good fat tissue) while at the same time add some muscle.

I can show you how to learn your calorie needs if you WISH....I dont like NROLS "blanket" recommendations (this is just me though).

This is especially true if you havent trained before:

When one first starts to eyeball a diet and exercise routine, the person is in a unique position.

1. The body is accustomed to a rather high caloric content (say--for example one is overweight and wanting to lose weight)

2. The body has already adjusted to its environment (say no training, just daily routines) and has "developed enough strength and/or muscle" just for that.

Both 1 and 2 are extraordinary benefits to the new new person wanting to diet and exercise.

Why? Well.....lets see in the most basic sense.

1. If the body is accustomed to a rather high caloric content, and then suddenly the caloric levels DROP to the negative side........the body reacts rather strongly because if this------->Switch.........

2. In addition, one has introduced a new environment.......exercising/training, which is another rather drastic change.

Both of these set the course for the POSITIVE in one's goal to lose fat tissue--rather quickly----at FIRST. One can lose fat tissue AND GAIN muscle tissue at the same time........in this simple example........but this is only temporary....and will never be met again.....if the persons continues to diet and train regularly.

Otherwise:

Gaining muscle and Losing fat tissue------opposes the laws of energy balance (or the law of caloric balance, if you wish).

Therefore, it is possible for you to gain muscle and lose fat at first....but you will have to decide to to one or the other.

I do not think it a bad idea to cut first to rid yourself of the excess tissue, and then bulk up when you are satisfied with the tissue loss results--if your present unwanted tissue is too high or at a state that is considered to be unhealthy.

BEST WISHES IN ALL THAT YOU SET OUT TO DO!

Chillen

vonshu · Nov 2, 2007

Thanks a lot for the great response. I guess I should have provided a little more background information. I'm in great shape endurance and sprinting wise and overall. I just finished a swimming season where i practiced intensely 5-6 days a week. I have weight lifted before but not for any more than 2 months at a time and I haven't weight lifted in about three months(today was the first day in three months actually).

I think I'm going to change the set/rep scheme to 3x10, 3x12, 3x15 because thats more endurance focused rather than the slightly lower reps. For now I'm not gonna count calories but I am going to make a conscious attempt to eat less than I'm used to and eat cleaner(I already eat pretty clean tho). And is the routine I posted good to use (with the rep change)? Thanks

Chillen · Nov 2, 2007

vonshu said:
Thanks a lot for the great response. I guess I should have provided a little more background information. I'm in great shape endurance and sprinting wise and overall. I just finished a swimming season where i practiced intensely 5-6 days a week. I have weight lifted before but not for any more than 2 months at a time and I haven't weight lifted in about three months(today was the first day in three months actually).

I think I'm going to change the set/rep scheme to 3x10, 3x12, 3x15 because thats more endurance focused rather than the slightly lower reps. For now I'm not gonna count calories but I am going to make a conscious attempt to eat less than I'm used to and eat cleaner(I already eat pretty clean tho). And is the routine I posted good to use (with the rep change)? Thanks

Its your decision not to track calories.

I think some of Free weight routines will benefit you, like the dead lift and squat, bent over row (and other back exercises), and some pulling movements (pull-ups, etc)

Wrangell · Nov 2, 2007

vonshu said:
Thanks a lot for the great response. I guess I should have provided a little more background information. I'm in great shape endurance and sprinting wise and overall. I just finished a swimming season where i practiced intensely 5-6 days a week. I have weight lifted before but not for any more than 2 months at a time and I haven't weight lifted in about three months(today was the first day in three months actually).

I think I'm going to change the set/rep scheme to 3x10, 3x12, 3x15 because thats more endurance focused rather than the slightly lower reps. For now I'm not gonna count calories but I am going to make a conscious attempt to eat less than I'm used to and eat cleaner(I already eat pretty clean tho). And is the routine I posted good to use (with the rep change)? Thanks

When you say want ' endurance ' for rowing , wouldn't it make more sense to actually have some very high reps ranges ( i.e 40 or 50 ) in a circuit training context with much lighter loads ( i.e 35% +/- of 1 RM ) instead of 10-15 reps above so that you actually develop some actual muscular endurance in keeping with the long steady endurance demands rowing puts on your muscles ?

vonshu · Nov 2, 2007

When you say want ' endurance ' for rowing , wouldn't it make more sense to actually have some very high reps ranges ( i.e 40 or 50 ) in a circuit training context with much lighter loads ( i.e 35% +/- of 1 RM ) instead of 10-15 reps above so that you actually develop some actual muscular endurance in keeping with the long steady endurance demands rowing puts on your muscles ?

I was under the impression that doing such high rep ranges like 40 is ineffective even for something like training muscular endurance.

However to train more rowing specific movements I am going to be using the rowing machine on the off days to do things like 15 max strokes on the highest resistance and doing 6-10 sets of that with 1 minutes rests in between. I'm also going to row long distances as well on the machines such as 3000, 2000, 1000 meters, etc.