Concept2 Forum

Rowing well is "gymnastic."

It requires quite a bit of dynamic, interconnected, full-body power, relative to weight.

The three tests I like to check out my dynamic, full-body power are these:

(1) 30 pull ups (done quickly and smoothly)

(2) 50 jackknives (done quickly and smoothly)

(3) 20 extension press ups (done quickly and smoothly)

Pull ups are very sensitive to weight, and are surprisingly full-body, drawing down on the abs and lats as well.

Jackknives concentrate on core muscles, but also bring in the quads, and in a dynamic way that closely resembles the rowing stroke.

Extension press ups are the ultimate test of full body strength relative to weight, emphasizing a tightly knit back (lats, etc.) and strong shoulders (delts, etc.), but with stress stretching forward and back to triceps, hams, and calves as well.

ranger

Disregard.

bloomp wrote:I suggest scullies instead of jack-knife crunches, much closer to the rowing stroke than any other abdominal exercise.

And pull-ups (and pull-downs, the same workout essentially) are supposed to be largely lats, assuming you go all the way back down to straight arms again.

What's a "scully"?

ranger

Oh.

_That's_ what a scullie is!

http://www.collegiategreek.com/Scullies.asp

No problem.

I already wear a scullie when I row.

Perhaps that's why my abs are so strong.

At one point, when I was rowing to the WR in my 2K at WIRC 2003, the announcer of the race called me "hat man."

I am not sure that wearing a hat is as good for your abs as jackknives, though.

To each his own, I guess.

ranger

Disregard.

ranger wrote:Rowing well is "gymnastic."

It requires quite a bit of dynamic, interconnected, full-body power, relative to weight.

The three tests I like to check out my dynamic, full-body power are these:

(1) 30 pull ups (done quickly and smoothly)

(2) 50 jackknives (done quickly and smoothly)

(3) 20 extension press ups (done quickly and smoothly)

Pull ups are very sensitive to weight, and are surprisingly full-body, drawing down on the abs and lats as well.

Jackknives concentrate on core muscles, but also bring in the quads, and in a dynamic way that closely resembles the rowing stroke.

Extension press ups are the ultimate test of full body strength relative to weight, emphasizing a tightly knit back (lats, etc.) and strong shoulders (delts, etc.), but with stress stretching forward and back to triceps, hams, and calves as well.

ranger

So what stops you from getting the WR then?

bloomp wrote:Hah. No, a scullie is an ab exercise that essentially imitates rowing in a scull-rigged boat. You sit upright, legs tucked into your chest, arms out, then extend your legs straight and lean back. As you do that, you bring your arms in. Then tuck your legs back up again and return to balancing on your bootay.

Oh Rich, you're such a riot!

Paul

Sculliies are a cinch--and do nothing.

Try 50 jackknives off the floor, in quick succession.

Ouch.

The "ouch" means that you are doing something beneficial.

The "nothing" means, well, nothing.

Nothing comes from nothing.

Can you do 50 straight jackknives off the floor, moving quickly?

Try it.

Can you do an extension press up--even one?

Can you do 30 pull ups?

What is missing from the "scullie," of course, is the stress on your abs as you "pry" with your back while you drive down with the balls of your feet, hanging on the handle.

Take a few strokes at 15 SPI (or whatever).

That's rowing.

Scullies are nothing.

There is no pry, no drive down on the footplate, no hanging on the handle.

No abdominal stress.

Jackknives simulate the abdominal stress of rowing.

ranger

Rocket Roy wrote:So what stops you from getting the WR then?

Been there, done that.

Nothing stopped me.

I have three world record rows.

You have one.

Getting better, once you have done your world record row(s), is another issue, though.

That has taken some time.

I have needed to overcome my weakness.

My fitness is always fine.

But that only got me to a lightweight 6:28.

Rowing well and properly trained for rowing, I will now pull a lightweight 6:16.

As I said, I'll pull a lightweight 2K in 10 days or so, when I am down to weight, just a preliminary one, shooting at 6:28.

I am 170 lbs. right now.

I have to lose five pounds before I can do the lightweight trial.

In the meantime, I will be doing 500s every day (in addition to a lot of other stuff--10 MPS, biking, rowing OTW.

I will need to get to 8 x 500m (3:30 rest), 1:34 @ 37 spm (11.5 SPI), for the 500s.

That will predict 6:28 for my 2K trial.

I don't think think there will be any problem.

ranger

It's like rubbing your head and patting your stomach isn't it?

getting to 165 lbs and rowing a sub 6.38.1

Rocket Roy wrote:It's like rubbing your head and patting your stomach isn't it?

getting to 165 lbs and rowing a sub 6.38.1

No, not the seven times, and not this time, or ever again.

Racing while learning to row, rather than preparing to race, is like rubbing your head and patting your stomach.

Try it.

You'll see.

And that's just what I have been doing for the last five years.

Now that I am done learning how to row and am preparing fully to race, racing will be a cinch again.

Now it is just aiming straight at the target--and firing.

Your sharpening workouts, if you are doing them, predict your 2K--exactly.

Erg races are predetermined, automatic.

When you are fully prepared for a 2K, you can do them with your eyes closed, as I usually do (for most of the time).

Your racing just reflects your training.

The important fact for me now, though, is this:

Your training reflects how effectively and efficiently you row.

And my rowing is now astonishingly more effective and efficient, given my five years of work on technique (both OTW and off).

Fully trained, I will now a dozen seconds better over 2K.

Rowing is significantly technical.

For the last five years, I have been taking on that burden.

Get in a boat and try it out.

You'll see what I mean.

ranger

Rich,
Try this for power man...
6x90' on, 90' off doing jumpies
then, no rest,
6x90' on, 90' off doing barbell squats, so for me I do 115 pounds.


Paul

bloomp wrote:Rich,

Remind me, what does the majority of the work in the rowing stroke?




... Oh yeah, the legs.

Try this for power, and I bet you will come back whimpering like a baby.

6x90' on, 90' off doing jumpies
then, no rest,
6x90' on, 90' off doing barbell squats, so for me I do 115 pounds.

Yeah, let me know how that goes.

Paul

I prefer jumping rope, biking, and running for my legs.

In 2003, I ran 10 miles (or jumped rope for an hour) before I erged 20K each morning.

Then I biked/stepped for 2-3 hours in the afternoon, depending on the season.

For the last five years, I have preferred to build up my legs by rowing at 13-15 SPI at all times, about 20K a day, for 50 million meters or so in all.

Try it.

You'll come back whimpering like a baby.

I called it RWB (rowing with breaks).

Glad to be through with that!

Now, I am only rowing at 11.5 SPI, holding a ton of power in reserve.

No one my age and weight has ever pulled 11.5 SPI.

ranger

ranger wrote:

No one my age and weight has ever pulled 11.5 SPI.

ranger

Rubbish, I pulled more than that in a 30 mins at 20spm once and a 78 min HM. You do talk Bollox.

Disregard.