Strength training for rowing

[JPFlores]

Am looking to combine Pete Plan (3-4 days of rowing/week) with a strength program 3 days a week.

Any suggestions on a training split to enhance rowing performance?

My initial thought is something like the following:

Monday - row long
Tues - lower body (squats, deadlift, lunges)
Wed - row intervals
Thursday - upper body (bench, shoulder press, core)
Friday - rest
Saturday - row medium (5K ish) or intervals, full body strength workout (push/pull/hinge/squat)
Sunday - row long

Depending on recovery, can drop 4th row session.

Curious how others are approaching this, hoping to learn from other’s experience.

[Sakly]

I exactly combine 3 gym days with 3-4 rowing sessions per week, but my approach is different.
I do full body training sessions in the gym, 2 alternating training days. For rowing I do mostly long steady sessions, maximum 1 hard intervals, otherwise my recovery is too low.
As it all depends mainly on your recovery, you need to try what's working for you.

[Dangerscouse]

It does sound possible and manageable, but I don't know you're age and other lifestyle issues that may impact on your recovery.

It essentially boils down to you can only train as hard as you can rest and recover. Try it and see how you get on, as you'll fairly quickly figure out if it's too much

[iain]

Don't know much about strength work, but wonder whether intervals after a lower body day might impede intervals (the core of any 2k plan). As rowing is mainly legs focussed, I would have suggested switching the gym sessions.

[Dangerscouse]

Don't know much about strength work, but wonder whether intervals after a lower body day might impede intervals (the core of any 2k plan). As rowing is mainly legs focussed, I would have suggested switching the gym sessions.

Good point. If possible, having a rest day after weights would be a better option.

[Sakly]

Don't know much about strength work, but wonder whether intervals after a lower body day might impede intervals (the core of any 2k plan). As rowing is mainly legs focussed, I would have suggested switching the gym sessions.

Good point. If possible, having a rest day after weights would be a better option.

3-4 times rowing with 3 times strength work does obviously not work with a rest day between sessions, if you don't want to go for both sessions on the same day every time.
For me it works to go for squats OR deadlifts each session and do steady sessions after it without feeling fatigued. For hard interval sessions I decide whether to add them to a gym session and exchange some exercises for lower body and core or do them on my second day off the gym.

[JPFlores]

It does sound possible and manageable, but I don't know you're age and other lifestyle issues that may impact on your recovery.

It essentially boils down to you can only train as hard as you can rest and recover. Try it and see how you get on, as you'll fairly quickly figure out if it's too much

100% agree. I do use a Whoop strap to track recovery and use it as a guide. If I see a couple poor recovery days, I’ll lower the intensity of a session or take an additional rest day. FWIW, I’m 53, but have been working out consistently 5-6 days/week for 20+ years. By this point, I’m pretty in tune in with how my body is feeling. The biggest shift for me of late is switching my focus from running and CrossFit to rowing.

I do agree with what someone suggested about moving a leg-focused session to later in the week vs. having it the day before an interval session. I did squats last night and 2k intervals this morning and my legs were smoked at the end.

[Dangerscouse]

Don't know much about strength work, but wonder whether intervals after a lower body day might impede intervals (the core of any 2k plan). As rowing is mainly legs focussed, I would have suggested switching the gym sessions.

Good point. If possible, having a rest day after weights would be a better option.

3-4 times rowing with 3 times strength work does obviously not work with a rest day between sessions, if you don't want to go for both sessions on the same day every time.
For me it works to go for squats OR deadlifts each session and do steady sessions after it without feeling fatigued. For hard interval sessions I decide whether to add them to a gym session and exchange some exercises for lower body and core or do them on my second day off the gym.

Yeah, I should have said that was only after the lower body session

[Sakly]

Good point. If possible, having a rest day after weights would be a better option.

3-4 times rowing with 3 times strength work does obviously not work with a rest day between sessions, if you don't want to go for both sessions on the same day every time.
For me it works to go for squats OR deadlifts each session and do steady sessions after it without feeling fatigued. For hard interval sessions I decide whether to add them to a gym session and exchange some exercises for lower body and core or do them on my second day off the gym.

Yeah, I should have said that was only after the lower body session

Yeah, that makes absolutely sense. That is why I do full body sessions and no specific lower body days.

[Elizabeth]

What does a typical week look like for you right now? I'm about to hit deadlifts and squats in the same session, and earlier this week did intervals the day after a full-body strength session, but I've built up to the volume/intensity over time and know it works for me.

I'd personally add pulls to the press day: pullups, Pendlay rows, something like that.