Time away from rowing during the offseason

[trap_star]

Hello all, as fall racing nears to an end I have begun to think about the upcoming off season and how I want to approach it. I have found in the past 5-6 years I've rowed (OTW) that the winter season (too cold to row otw) has been very erg heavy and very early. What I mean is after maybe a week off anything I seem to start getting into erging 5-6 times a week by mid-november and I find myself very burned out later in the winter. I compete in erg competitions in Feb/March but and then OTW races in spring,summer,fall so I feel as if I never have much time away to rest, and after a long year of mileage and plenty of double rows and races I am very worn and getting a bit to the point of burnout and boredom in a sense. In the last 4 years the longest break I've taken between seasons is about 7 days because I seem to feel the need to always be in top fitness but really I need to learn to periodize better.

This winter I want to spend more time cross training and exploring other areas of fitness. I still plan to do the occasional erg or row (whether OTW if weather permits, or in an indoor tank) but maybe 2-3 times a week max, and eventually getting back into a daily basis after christmas perhaps. Other things I want to work into my schedule are weights, pilates/core, running, swimming, cycling, cardio based circuit training (burpees, plyometrics, and bodyweight calisthenics to build general endurance).

I am just looking for others input on whether this is a good idea or if it has worked or failed for them. I think if I come into late December/January in shape but fresh it will bode for a very enthusiastic year but again I am looking for input

[Rockin Roland]

There could be nothing worse than a long winter of training indoors on an erg. Cross training will keep you fresh and focused. Ergs during winter have a tendancy to leave you vulnerable to all the respiratory bugs and the possibility of burn out. More so than other forms of exercise.

If you have snow during winter then cross country skiing is an excellent cross training sport to do. I do both and find that these two whole of body power endurance sports compliment each other very nicely. They are both very technical sports too.

Try and stay outdoors, if possible, for your off season training and you'll be surprised how fit and fresh you'll end up for your next OTW season. Don't be concerned about missing indoor rowing races because the majority of the OTW rowing population doesn't do them anyway.

[TabbRows]

Off season is certainly a good time to try new things. But don't run around trying to load up on everything. Get a goal for the offseason be it, strength, overall endurance, improved core, improved cardio. And thne set up a program designed to meet that goal. If you're coming back to erging full bore after Christmas, you don't have a very long off season, so best to stick with one major goal.

Cross-fit type workouts 3-4 days a week, with a group is possible, will give you good overall conditioning in a short period of time. And you may even find a rowing workout tossed in. Pilates and yoga take a bit longer to learn th eproper technique and get the benefits to your core. But they are also types of excercises you can add to normal rowing workouts during the season and maintain flexibility.
A rowing specific weight training program on alt days should start to produce benefits in 6-8 weeks, if technique is good.

Otherwise, just go out and do something different, bike, swim, X-C ski, and have some fun at it. You'll keep your conditioning up enough that when you get back OTW or on the erg, you'll pick up quickly where you left off.