Ask Me Anything: Strength Training for Rowing/Erging

[StrengthCoachWill]

My name is Will Ruth and you may be familiar with my work under the name of "Strength Coach Will" and Rowing Stronger. I'm a former rower, current strength coach for the Western Washington University men's club team, online coach/consultant for many rowers and coaches of many different levels and goals, and I work with Rowperfect UK to podcast and write on strength training for rowing coach/athlete education. I started posting on here a few months ago and have promised a few folks that I'd do a big Q&A thread on strength training for rowing/erging. I've got a good opportunity today with a couple plane flights with long layovers, so let's do this! Post your questions and I'll check back on here later this afternoon/evening to start answering.

Obligatory disclaimer that I'm not a doctor, and cannot offer medical advice. I'll talk about injuries on a general level, but I'll refer you to a doctor/PT for anything specific/individual.

[Gammmmo]

Hi Will, in your opinion which single weights exercise contributes most to increased power on the erg, particularly with regard to shorter events such as 1min, 500m and maybe even 1K. Deads? Seated Row? BenchPull?

[KeithT]

I do CrossFit workouts (and compete in CrossFit) along with training and competing on the ERG. Is CF a few times a week enough weight training? I have found that I don't see much rowing improvements from any extra weight training but I was strong before I ever got on an ERG from decades of weightlifting. At my age I have sort of just tried to maintain strength.

[Tenshuu]

Hey Will! Grateful for the time you're taking away from your regular schedule to answer up some questions in here.

about me:
5'7" 190lbs with a little chunk to lose, I don't think I could lose enough to comfortably drop into the 165lb lightweight group though, maybe I can hit 170lbs lean.

I no longer have regular access to olympic weights. I do have a pair of 50LB Powerblock adjustable dumbbells, and I also have a set of gymnastic rings.

I miss being able to do my big 3 lifts at the gym (Squat, dead, bench), and I'm below maintenance level from lifting back then - But I want to do some weight training to compliment my rowing. I currently have been doing the mud madness 10k challenge, and plan on keeping my training volume very similar to what this has brought me to, or higher (Roughly 50km a week).

My TL;DR question: What kind of Dummbell/Ring exercises could you suggest to compliment my rowing? I could also invest in a kettlebell if there is a suggestion there as well (this item has been on the short-term wishlist for a while). How many of these sessions should I include weekly with my rowing?

[scottsaz1]

Hey Will!! You're awesome for taking the time to do this

My question: I've been suffering from medial epicondylitis for about a year with varying intensity. It does not impact my rowing (on the erg) at all, but it does flare up from certain movements in the gym. I'm following a plan with strictly compound movements (squat, bench, SDL, BOR, mil. press), but the Deadlift and bent over row kill my elbow (pulldowns are out too). Are there any alternatives you can suggest that hit those same muscle groups?

Thanks!!

[Studentrower]

Hey, can you explain to me the benefits of benchpress for rowers? In rowing we use the back, but we don't use our pectoral muscles am I right? So why train the chest in the first place? I think all rowers train their chest so I'd love to know why this is so important.

[StrengthCoachWill]

Hi Will, in your opinion which single weights exercise contributes most to increased power on the erg, particularly with regard to shorter events such as 1min, 500m and maybe even 1K. Deads? Seated Row? BenchPull?

Gammo, going off our other thread, I'd say trap/hex bar deadlift, followed by front squat. Most rowers tend to "get" trap bar better than front squat. It's still better than conventional deadlift for its greater lower body contribution, ease of technique, and minimizing shear force on the spine. The front squat would be my other close pick because it prioritizes leg development even more. I see more rowers who are held back by weak quads than weak backs. The tendency is to turn every lift into a back lift, and the front squat won't let you do that. As I've mentioned, I'm really not a fan of minimalist strength training programs, so even though these are my two favorite lifts for rowing performance, athletes I coach do a lot more than just this in training!

[StrengthCoachWill]

I do CrossFit workouts (and compete in CrossFit) along with training and competing on the ERG. Is CF a few times a week enough weight training? I have found that I don't see much rowing improvements from any extra weight training but I was strong before I ever got on an ERG from decades of weightlifting. At my age I have sort of just tried to maintain strength.

Keith, it depends. Enough for what? "Crossfit" can mean so many different things based on the specific gym -- or "box," sorry . If you're doing compound exercises in the 2-8 rep range, single leg work, and a variety of assistance work and upper body work in the 5-15 rep range, then I'd say you're probably doing enough so that your erging performance is likely not held back by insufficient strength. The "depends" comes into play when we start talking about specific goals on the erg, or in Crossfit, and with what exactly you're doing in your Crossfit sessions. With your previous experience in strength training though, I wouldn't be worried about strength as much as making appropriate changes when you focus on an erg event to avoid overtraining.

[StrengthCoachWill]

Hey Will! Grateful for the time you're taking away from your regular schedule to answer up some questions in here.

about me:
5'7" 190lbs with a little chunk to lose, I don't think I could lose enough to comfortably drop into the 165lb lightweight group though, maybe I can hit 170lbs lean.

I no longer have regular access to olympic weights. I do have a pair of 50LB Powerblock adjustable dumbbells, and I also have a set of gymnastic rings.

I miss being able to do my big 3 lifts at the gym (Squat, dead, bench), and I'm below maintenance level from lifting back then - But I want to do some weight training to compliment my rowing. I currently have been doing the mud madness 10k challenge, and plan on keeping my training volume very similar to what this has brought me to, or higher (Roughly 50km a week).

My TL;DR question: What kind of Dummbell/Ring exercises could you suggest to compliment my rowing? I could also invest in a kettlebell if there is a suggestion there as well (this item has been on the short-term wishlist for a while). How many of these sessions should I include weekly with my rowing?

Tenshuu,

I'm flying back to WA with a couple long layovers, so thanks for keeping me busy while I wait around!

Is the lack of bar/plates a short or long-term situation?

You can do OK in the short-term with limited equipment, especially if you have another goal you can productively chase during that time. In the long-term, I'd suggest trying to find a way to get a gym or some equipment of your own. This is a good time to watch Craigslist/etc. as failed New Year's Resolutioners are doing spring cleaning of their fitness equipment!

I like 2-3 strength training workouts per week. Either two full-body, or an upper/lower/full schedule. What exercises you do depends to some extent on how strong you are, and how much you can challenge yourself with <100lbs of weights. Goblet squats and dumbbell Romanian deadlifts are nice if that's challenging enough. Half-kneeling overhead press. Dumbbell rows. Batwing rows. Then there's bodyweight exercises too, some like the rear foot elevated split squat that you can do with added weight if bodyweight isn't challenging enough.

The kettlebell swing is one of my favorites for rowers to train the hinge muscles and that nice stroke-like motion of pulse/swing coming from the lower body, not the shoulders. The problem with KBs is expense and getting a weight that is challenging, but still allows for progression. I don't do much with KBs other than swings, but if you got a heavy one, you could do goblet squats, deadlifts, etc., with it if it's challenging enough.

Rings are great too. I've got a video here and a half-finished article expanding on the video, maybe I'll get around to finishing that in the next month or so. Video in the meantime: https://youtu.be/8lMCbGK9pIc

I'd also suggest getting resistance bands: https://rowingstronger.com/2019/01/21/r ... -training/

[StrengthCoachWill]

Hey Will!! You're awesome for taking the time to do this

My question: I've been suffering from medial epicondylitis for about a year with varying intensity. It does not impact my rowing (on the erg) at all, but it does flare up from certain movements in the gym. I'm following a plan with strictly compound movements (squat, bench, SDL, BOR, mil. press), but the Deadlift and bent over row kill my elbow (pulldowns are out too). Are there any alternatives you can suggest that hit those same muscle groups?

Thanks!!

Scott, thanks. The first rule of strength training is "do no harm," so even if the lift is beneficial for performance, it's not worth doing if it causes pain. I'm curious what exactly it is about deadlift and rows/pulldowns that aggravates it in a way that the stroke does not. Have you had a coach/trainer look at your technique? Do you use wrist (grip) straps when training? Looking for a technical or structural change to allow you to do the lift pain-free would be my first approach. Then, we'll look for substitutes. Romanian deadlifts or trap bar deadlifts instead of conventional barbell deadlifts? Neutral grip of a trap bar might be easier on the elbows. You could use it for rows too. How about resistance bands? I just posted a link to my article about those in another answer. I love them for rows and pulldowns. Are dumbbells OK? Single-arm rows in that case.

[scottsaz1]

Hey Will!! You're awesome for taking the time to do this

My question: I've been suffering from medial epicondylitis for about a year with varying intensity. It does not impact my rowing (on the erg) at all, but it does flare up from certain movements in the gym. I'm following a plan with strictly compound movements (squat, bench, SDL, BOR, mil. press), but the Deadlift and bent over row kill my elbow (pulldowns are out too). Are there any alternatives you can suggest that hit those same muscle groups?

Thanks!!

Scott, thanks. The first rule of strength training is "do no harm," so even if the lift is beneficial for performance, it's not worth doing if it causes pain. I'm curious what exactly it is about deadlift and rows/pulldowns that aggravates it in a way that the stroke does not. Have you had a coach/trainer look at your technique? Do you use wrist (grip) straps when training? Looking for a technical or structural change to allow you to do the lift pain-free would be my first approach. Then, we'll look for substitutes. Romanian deadlifts or trap bar deadlifts instead of conventional barbell deadlifts? Neutral grip of a trap bar might be easier on the elbows. You could use it for rows too. How about resistance bands? I just posted a link to my article about those in another answer. I love them for rows and pulldowns. Are dumbbells OK? Single-arm rows in that case.

What I 'think' is happening with those two movements is my elbow straightening at the bottom combined with a strong grip seems to aggravate the elbow. Wrist straps may help here with the grip, will have to try that I've used the trap bar for DL before and really like it but didn't help the elbow for the same reasons.

When I row my grip is much, much looser, and really only use my fingers and thumb to guide the handle.

Will definitely check out the article to learn more about resistance bands - thanks very much for your answer!!!!

[KeithT]

I do CrossFit workouts (and compete in CrossFit) along with training and competing on the ERG. Is CF a few times a week enough weight training? I have found that I don't see much rowing improvements from any extra weight training but I was strong before I ever got on an ERG from decades of weightlifting. At my age I have sort of just tried to maintain strength.

Keith, it depends. Enough for what? "Crossfit" can mean so many different things based on the specific gym -- or "box," sorry . If you're doing compound exercises in the 2-8 rep range, single leg work, and a variety of assistance work and upper body work in the 5-15 rep range, then I'd say you're probably doing enough so that your erging performance is likely not held back by insufficient strength. The "depends" comes into play when we start talking about specific goals on the erg, or in Crossfit, and with what exactly you're doing in your Crossfit sessions. With your previous experience in strength training though, I wouldn't be worried about strength as much as making appropriate changes when you focus on an erg event to avoid overtraining.

Thanks for the reply - at my gym a typical class/session will involve work on a basic lift or Oly lift with varying rep schemes. The workout or capacity training part can be a lot of different things but typically higher reps. I only dedicate a couple days a week to CF and then row at least 3 days and also have one day to just weight train and hit whatever area I think didn't get trained well that week. When I was preparing for the WRIC I barely lifted at all and rowed 5/6 days a week. I did get weaker and still trying to get that back, but my rowing was actually way better. As you can see I have been trying to be both a competitive erger and CF athlete at the same time - has worked out well for the most part but I know each may suffer some at the expense of the other. In the end, I guess as long as I am still fairly strong not much to change with the weights.

[Tenshuu]

Hey Will! Grateful for the time you're taking away from your regular schedule to answer up some questions in here.

about me:
5'7" 190lbs with a little chunk to lose, I don't think I could lose enough to comfortably drop into the 165lb lightweight group though, maybe I can hit 170lbs lean.

I no longer have regular access to olympic weights. I do have a pair of 50LB Powerblock adjustable dumbbells, and I also have a set of gymnastic rings.

I miss being able to do my big 3 lifts at the gym (Squat, dead, bench), and I'm below maintenance level from lifting back then - But I want to do some weight training to compliment my rowing. I currently have been doing the mud madness 10k challenge, and plan on keeping my training volume very similar to what this has brought me to, or higher (Roughly 50km a week).

My TL;DR question: What kind of Dummbell/Ring exercises could you suggest to compliment my rowing? I could also invest in a kettlebell if there is a suggestion there as well (this item has been on the short-term wishlist for a while). How many of these sessions should I include weekly with my rowing?

Tenshuu,

I'm flying back to WA with a couple long layovers, so thanks for keeping me busy while I wait around!

Is the lack of bar/plates a short or long-term situation?

You can do OK in the short-term with limited equipment, especially if you have another goal you can productively chase during that time. In the long-term, I'd suggest trying to find a way to get a gym or some equipment of your own. This is a good time to watch Craigslist/etc. as failed New Year's Resolutioners are doing spring cleaning of their fitness equipment!

I like 2-3 strength training workouts per week. Either two full-body, or an upper/lower/full schedule. What exercises you do depends to some extent on how strong you are, and how much you can challenge yourself with <100lbs of weights. Goblet squats and dumbbell Romanian deadlifts are nice if that's challenging enough. Half-kneeling overhead press. Dumbbell rows. Batwing rows. Then there's bodyweight exercises too, some like the rear foot elevated split squat that you can do with added weight if bodyweight isn't challenging enough.

The kettlebell swing is one of my favorites for rowers to train the hinge muscles and that nice stroke-like motion of pulse/swing coming from the lower body, not the shoulders. The problem with KBs is expense and getting a weight that is challenging, but still allows for progression. I don't do much with KBs other than swings, but if you got a heavy one, you could do goblet squats, deadlifts, etc., with it if it's challenging enough.

Rings are great too. I've got a video here and a half-finished article expanding on the video, maybe I'll get around to finishing that in the next month or so. Video in the meantime: https://youtu.be/8lMCbGK9pIc

I'd also suggest getting resistance bands: https://rowingstronger.com/2019/01/21/r ... -training/

Plenty of information here for me to digest and work through. I've got a pretty good strength base, definitely been watching for good deals on a Rack, bar, and plates - long term goal, lots of other important things ahead of it on the list unfortunately.

I do have resistance bands, I just forgot to mention them. I'm definitely going to look into some technique vids for the dumbbell lifts you mentioned, and a KB is still on the short-term buy list.

Thanks a lot man!

[StrengthCoachWill]

Hey, can you explain to me the benefits of benchpress for rowers? In rowing we use the back, but we don't use our pectoral muscles am I right? So why train the chest in the first place? I think all rowers train their chest so I'd love to know why this is so important.

Mr. Student: I don't use the barbell bench press in my strength training for rowers, but I do use the dumbbell bench press, pushups, and other variations for the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It's important to train these muscle groups **because** they are not used in rowing training. Rowers who only develop their rowing muscles can develop muscular imbalances and postural problems and set themselves up for injury. Horizontal pressing exercises also train the overall shoulder musculature, which is critical to develop for a good connection to the erg/oar handle. You can pack a bunch of power through your lower body, but it all has to transfer through your shoulders and arms to get to the handle.

[StrengthCoachWill]

What I 'think' is happening with those two movements is my elbow straightening at the bottom combined with a strong grip seems to aggravate the elbow. Wrist straps may help here with the grip, will have to try that I've used the trap bar for DL before and really like it but didn't help the elbow for the same reasons.

When I row my grip is much, much looser, and really only use my fingers and thumb to guide the handle.

Will definitely check out the article to learn more about resistance bands - thanks very much for your answer!!!!

Definitely give straps a shot. There's enough grip work in rowing/erging already, so I like straps to keep the focus on the target muscles/movement and to avoid pain in the hands (blisters) and continuing to tax the grip. I'd be interested to hear if it works, if you remember to comment back on here or shoot me an email.