Weight Training for Rowing

[Cyclist2]

Here is a weight program for rowing, but more for endurance and strength than weight gain: http://www.drtri.com/videos.html. It is video #34, "22 minute routine". It was developed by a rowing coach at the University of Washington a few years ago. The idea is to do 15 reps each of all seven exercises in a row five times, never releasing the bar. If it takes more than 24 minutes reduce the weight, if under 21 minutes increase the weight. The first time I did it with a broomstick only, I could hardly walk the next day, so be warned! Oh, and have fun!

[ThatMoos3Guy]

Here is a weight program for rowing, but more for endurance and strength than weight gain: http://www.drtri.com/videos.html. It is video #34, "22 minute routine". It was developed by a rowing coach at the University of Washington a few years ago. The idea is to do 15 reps each of all seven exercises in a row five times, never releasing the bar. If it takes more than 24 minutes reduce the weight, if under 21 minutes increase the weight. The first time I did it with a broomstick only, I could hardly walk the next day, so be warned! Oh, and have fun!

That's kind of similar to a circuit my coach freshman year had us do a couple of times. It worked out like this:

the reps were 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (55 reps total)
Exercises:
Bent Over Row
High-Pull
Front Squat
Military Press
Back Squat

So, you would do 10 bent over rows, than 10 High-Pulls, 10 Front squats etc. after you'd done all exercises you would do 9 of each and so on until you finished. You were allowed to put the bar down after finishing a set, every time you put it down not after completing a set you'd get assigned a pull-up to do after the workout. Between sets you can rest as needed, but the goal is to finish the workout with taking as little time as possible. We started with just the bar and worked up in weight. Just the bar wasn't too bad, but the heaviest I got up to was 75lbs. That was awful. Whole body was wrecked the next day.

Another one was

Curls
Cleans
Military Press
Squats
Bent Over Rows
Lunges

10 reps each for 5 sets, with a minute or two of rest in between. This one was never that bad, at least comparatively.


In general we didn't do them that much, maybe once a week over the winter.

[bloomp]

Here is a weight program for rowing, but more for endurance and strength than weight gain: http://www.drtri.com/videos.html. It is video #34, "22 minute routine". It was developed by a rowing coach at the University of Washington a few years ago. The idea is to do 15 reps each of all seven exercises in a row five times, never releasing the bar. If it takes more than 24 minutes reduce the weight, if under 21 minutes increase the weight. The first time I did it with a broomstick only, I could hardly walk the next day, so be warned! Oh, and have fun!

Jesus, just did that whole set through. I did it in 18-19' - so more weight is needed. But I am exhausted now. Even just the 12 pound bar was enough to beat up. DAMN

[DanMartin]

If the overhead squat isn't feasible, try this:

Day 1
Press
Squat
Pull from the deck, i.e. high pull, power clean, SLDL, DL

Day 2
Pullover, a Nautilus Pullover machine is best but using an E-Z curl bar while laying on a flat bench will do
Squat
Farmer's walk

[Stroke4]

Everybody thank you so much for all the advice. I am a high school senior at 6 feet and 167 pounds for those who were wondering.

[sheehc]

Re: Weight Training for Rowing

Postby Cyclist2 » May 21st, 2010, 9:57 pm
Here is a weight program for rowing, but more for endurance and strength than weight gain: http://www.drtri.com/videos.html. It is video #34, "22 minute routine". It was developed by a rowing coach at the University of Washington a few years ago. The idea is to do 15 reps each of all seven exercises in a row five times, never releasing the bar. If it takes more than 24 minutes reduce the weight, if under 21 minutes increase the weight. The first time I did it with a broomstick only, I could hardly walk the next day, so be warned! Oh, and have fun!

Nothing new under the sun. It's a variation of the Penn AC circuit that has been around at least since the 80's. For HS/college aged athletes, this is something you can throw in while doing an AT workout so you aren't stuck on an erg for the entire workout. I imagine it could be the entire workout for a master's athlete, but don't have much experience with age groups.

I don't mean to be a stickler on names, but two exercises shown simply are not what they are labeled as. The only way to learn how to do something, is to actually know what it is you are trying to do in order to a)look up technique or b) ask someone to teach you the right exercise. That "Hang Clean" is more like a very poorly executed Clean High Pull or an attempt to connect a very deep stiff leg deadlift into an upright row. The deadlift is in fact a very deep Straight Leg Deadlift. Before you try any exercises that require coordination of the hips and back (i.e.: squat variations, deadlift variations, cleans, high pulls, etc....) you really should get someone who knows what they are doing to work with you. Minimally look on YouTube for instructional videos from actual major college S&C depts. The difference between an appropriately executed lift and a poorly executed one will entirely change the benefit and risk of injury.

Hang Clean from below knees (over exaggerates the jump, but makes the point) - as demonstrated by UMM S&C dept.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB-6F2WATRk

Hang Clean from above knees as demonstrated by LSU S&C coach and football players
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0bZPBAgaVs

Clean High Pull from UW-La Crosse S&C dept.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyI97sjhuWM

Straight Leg Deadlift - not perfect, but reasonable on a quick search
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpzRX3slWjE

[sheehc]

I am a high school senior at 6 feet and 167 pounds for those who were wondering.

Hmmm, I was expecting much smaller. Looking at your erg scores, unless the coach told you to put on weight, I wouldn't worry about it. If he has told you to put on weight, get on the phone and tell him to give you a program. If he gives you some crap about not being able to give you a program yet, then drop an email to the captain of the team and ask for advice on what they do for lifting year round. In any case, if you keep up your erging/aerobic work you'll be in the 6:20's soon enough and if you row well, that will get you into a first frosh boat at all but the top couple of programs (even then, you may have a shot).

[sheehc]

Just in regards to needing to gain weight to be competitive, thought this might be interesting. Taken from this week's interview with Chris Clark, Head Coach at U of Wisconsin who's varsity boat took 4th at sprints this past weekend:

The biggest guy is 229 pounds, 6'8 whereas the stroke is 169 pounds, and the seven man is 167 pounds.

Essentially, two lightweights in the varsity boat that took 4th at Sprints. Just something to think about when debating whether to emphasize mass gain or emphasize aerobics while also lifting.

[bloomp]

Just in regards to needing to gain weight to be competitive, thought this might be interesting. Taken from this week's interview with Chris Clark, Head Coach at U of Wisconsin who's varsity boat took 4th at sprints this past weekend:

The biggest guy is 229 pounds, 6'8 whereas the stroke is 169 pounds, and the seven man is 167 pounds.

Essentially, two lightweights in the varsity boat that took 4th at Sprints. Just something to think about when debating whether to emphasize mass gain or emphasize aerobics while also lifting.

Great interview, eh? A true cad.

Another gem of a quote from the RowingIllustrated forums about lifting:

I am convinced that strength training is, first and foremost, for injury prevention and improved athleticism. After that comes rowing specific strength. This is especially true for junior and college rowers and more necessary today with the X-box generation than it was 20 years ago. More rowers get hurt in the weight room and on the erg than in the boats, and injuries don't just affect poor rowers, in fact a lot of poor rowers never work hard enough to hurt themselves. In a team sport, you just can't afford to lose your best people. So the coach should see that the rowers are all around robust, balanced and agile. These are qualities that often keep the poor rower a rowing poorly. I think to meet these criteria, crossfit is probably very good for rowing and a lot of other sports. it builds an active, athletic strength, not just the ability to move a bar up and down.

Regardless of whether you want to put on weight or not, you should still lift. Aerobic conditioning should be your first priority, but use weights 2-3 times per week.

And not to knock your opinion of the UW men, sheehc, I'm pretty sure those 167 and 169 pound guys would have a very tough time getting below 160. If they're already in the V8 as men that small, they have a very low BF% making weight loss difficult. Not impossible but very difficult.

[milkman21]

Essentially, two lightweights in the varsity boat that took 4th at Sprints. Just something to think about when debating whether to emphasize mass gain or emphasize aerobics while also lifting.

You're assuming/implying a few things unfairly:

(1) That the 167- and 169-lb rowers are at their optimum weight, when in fact, they themselves may benefit from gaining strength and mass.

(2) That the 167- and 169-lb rowers beat out equally-skilled and equally-conditioned guys who happened to be bigger, when in fact, the team simply may not have 8 high caliber athletes in that weight range.

(3) That the 167- and 169-lb rowers are anything better than the slowest two rowers in the boat, when in fact, they may be the weakest links (see also points 1 and 2).


Basically, you can't prove anything by example ... but you know this. Just saying ...

[sheehc]

Milkman: I didn't assume nor meant to imply those things. I only intended on demonstrating that it is possible to be competitive on a good team while weighing less.

Bloomp: Regarding my use of the term lightweight, I usually use that to refer to anyone under 170lbs just based on observation over the years. However, you are correct, without actually knowing their bodyfat one can't really be certain they are "lightweights" and it is very likely that they are at the bottom end of their weight range as is.

For what it's worth guys, I'm not saying he shouldn't lift. I'm just saying lifting shouldn't be the focus over aerobic work. Particularly if he's heading to a competitive school where the volume is going to be a pretty big jump over HS.

PS: see if you can find some past interviews with Clark, they are even better. Around the time of the last NCAA motion and when they won Sprints/IRA's. That was a good interview.

[DanMartin]

They would all benefit from snatch grip overhead squats.

[Bob S.]

Just in regards to needing to gain weight to be competitive, thought this might be interesting. Taken from this week's interview with Chris Clark, Head Coach at U of Wisconsin who's varsity boat took 4th at sprints this past weekend:

The biggest guy is 229 pounds, 6'8 whereas the stroke is 169 pounds, and the seven man is 167 pounds.

Essentially, two lightweights in the varsity boat that took 4th at Sprints. Just something to think about when debating whether to emphasize mass gain or emphasize aerobics while also lifting.

That might be borderline lightweight for erg racing, but not on the water where the boat average is supposed to be 155. The individual rowers cannot be over 160 pounds. In my own college rowing days, I was in a varsity boat that averaged about 170 pounds. There was no lightweight category. In the 1948 Olympics, the U.S. 8 squad included a substitute port who was only 155 pounds.

Frankly, I would consider the 229 pounder to be too damn heavy. What is really important on the water is that the rower can pull his/her weight, and the really heavy rowers often don't do that well at it. Sure, as a coach, I would be more likely to pick a 6'5" 190# rower than a 6'1" 172# rower (which I was) - assuming equal skill. But 190 is a long way from 229, even if he is 6'8".

Bob S.

[bloomp]

Just in regards to needing to gain weight to be competitive, thought this might be interesting. Taken from this week's interview with Chris Clark, Head Coach at U of Wisconsin who's varsity boat took 4th at sprints this past weekend:

The biggest guy is 229 pounds, 6'8 whereas the stroke is 169 pounds, and the seven man is 167 pounds.

Essentially, two lightweights in the varsity boat that took 4th at Sprints. Just something to think about when debating whether to emphasize mass gain or emphasize aerobics while also lifting.

Frankly, I would consider the 229 pounder to be too damn heavy. What is really important on the water is that the rower can pull his/her weight, and the really heavy rowers often don't do that well at it. Sure, as a coach, I would be more likely to pick a 6'5" 190# rower than a 6'1" 172# rower (which I was) - assuming equal skill. But 190 is a long way from 229, even if he is 6'8".

Bob S.

The funny thing is, I recall the Wisco coach telling a room full of coaches that the biggest mistake he's ever made was putting a guy in the boat that weighed more than the boat...

[bperry63]

167lbs is quite reasonable for a college lightweight.

That being said, it's better focus on improving fitness, not losing or gaining weight. Heavy sets of squats, power-cleans and rdls will help build useful muscle. Just don't hurt yourself.

Also, adding more steady state to your training schedule will help with the transition to college. Most college programs involve a lot more volume on a day to day basis.