What Strength Training Have You Done Today

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » January 25th, 2005, 8:26 pm

What are your favorite off-erg strength exercises? After reading the choice thread yesterday, I looked through my log and have decided the off-erg strength training did help me before, or at the least did not hurt. So I'm going to give it another go. My planned 3 exercises are: 1 arm presses, pull ups on a rollerboard, and deadlifts. I'm also focusing on doing the exercises slowly and not rushing. Today I did 8x 25# press with each arm. What exercises and how many do the rest of you do?

[old] donm79 · Post by **[old] donm79** » January 25th, 2005, 8:32 pm

Today was: Squat 95kgx5 95kgx5 95kgx5 Chin-up (full range from absolute dead hang to chin above bar) bodyweight+20kg x 6 bodyweight+20kg x 6 bodyweight+20kg x 6 Bench Press 87.5kgx5 87.5kgx5 87.5kgx5 Dumbell Curl 17.5kgx10 17.5kgx10 17.5kgx10 Dumbell Flye 20kgx12 20kgx12 Height: 6'1" (185cm) Weight: 174lbs (79kg) Age: 25

[old] Yoda1 · Post by **[old] Yoda1** » January 25th, 2005, 8:58 pm

What would really be interesting would be to have each person posting his/her exercises and resistance also make note of their height, age, and body weight. It would also be interesting to find out why they are doing the exercises they selected in their workout. I bet all of us could gain some knowlege here. I haven't been able to do a damn thing---kidney infection. Doc said take it easy. I hate it when this happens. Yoda

[old] GeorgeD · Post by **[old] GeorgeD** » January 25th, 2005, 9:28 pm

Having a beer dont have any energy for anything else.

[old] Jim Barry · Post by **[old] Jim Barry** » January 25th, 2005, 9:42 pm

Today: 15 pull-ups continuous. (palms facing away or pronated position, I feel best simulates rowing and mt biking, my two sports). 80 cross-overs (elbows touch opposite knee crunches).

[old] DIESEL · Post by **[old] DIESEL** » January 26th, 2005, 2:08 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Jan 25 2005, 07:26 PM)</div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'> My planned 3 exercises are: 1 arm presses, pull ups on a rollerboard, and deadlifts. I'm also focusing on doing the exercises slowly and not rushing. </td></tr></table> Hi John, Deadlifts aren't meant to be performed slowly. It kind of defeats the purpose of the exercise - which is to develop raw pulling power and the posterior chain of muscles. Deads are an explosive movement, best done for low reps (no more than 4 or 5) and with heavier weight. It's probably the best overrall strength building movement there is outside of the clean and jerk or snatch. Pull ups on a rollerboard ? Why don't you just do regular pullups? If you can't do a single pullup that might hint at a lack of upper body strength, which should be remedied - ideally by doing assisted pullups with a partner. peace, D

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » January 26th, 2005, 2:27 am

Hi D, Thanks for your suggestions, Yes I am absolutely lacking upper body strength. That's why I'm going to be using the rollerboard for pullups. It remains to be seen how well this works but I'm optimistic. The great thing is that the incline can be gradually raised, to where it even exceeds body weight on the pull up bar. I've done the deadlifts before and they have always been a slow lift for me. When doing weightlifting in my 20's I did the deadlift just once and did 3 reps with 335. Last year I was up to 185, so that's what I'm aiming for again this time. Have you ever tried overhead supports? We used to do these with more then 500 pounds. If you want an overall body strengthening exercise try those. Also I would get in the overhead position for the clean & jerk and then stand up with the bar. These are dangerous though, unless you have a rack that's locked up as well as two sets of pins on both sides.

[old] makesureyoudoitright · Post by **[old] makesureyoudoitright** » January 26th, 2005, 6:03 am

Just interested to see who does any training with the legs? I do squats, deadlifts, hamstring curls, calf raises and leg press as part of a once a week leg routine, the only problem is Im finding myself completely unable to erg for a few days after doing it. I can barely walk nevermind hit the erg! Anyone else been having a similar problem?

[old] donm79 · Post by **[old] donm79** » January 26th, 2005, 8:12 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'>QUOTE(makesureyoudoitright @ Jan 26 2005, 05:03 AM)</div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Just interested to see who does any training with the legs? I do squats, deadlifts, hamstring curls, calf raises and leg press as part of a once a week leg routine, the only problem is Im finding myself completely unable to erg for a few days after doing it. I can barely walk nevermind hit the erg! Anyone else been having a similar problem? </td></tr></table> A split routine (e.g. Monday: Chest+Back, Wednesday: Legs, Friday: Arms+Shoulders) is good for bodybuilding but is not the ideal way to strength train if you're also rowing a lot. It thoroughly exhausts each muscle group and leads to considerable inflammatory response, resulting in delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). As you've already found out, this will hinder your training over subsequent days. This is far from ideal since, as a rower/erger, your training priority should be, with very few exceptions, the boat/erg. Try doing a full-body routine two to three times per week. Do only three exercises as your core routine: 1. a lower body compound lift such as a squat or deadlift 2. an upper body pulling movement such as a chin-up, seated row, t-bar row, barbell row 3. an upper body pushing movement such as a bench press, incline dumbell press, dip, decline press Do 2-4 sets of each of these, varying the reps from session to session, always keeping reps between 3 and 12. You can vary the exercise you do each session as well. So on Monday you might squat and on Thurs you might deadlift. After you finish the core of the routine, you can do some fun "beach work" for some of the smaller muscle groups. You might do some curls for biceps, flyes for chest, lateral raises for deltoids, etc. Keep this extra work to 6 sets or less in total. I've made good progress training twice a week on a schedule like this while racking up 90-100km/week on the erg. Give it a go and avoid the DOMS!

[old] DIESEL · Post by **[old] DIESEL** » January 26th, 2005, 11:57 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'>QUOTE(makesureyoudoitright @ Jan 26 2005, 05:03 AM)</div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Just interested to see who does any training with the legs? I do squats, deadlifts, hamstring curls, calf raises and leg press as part of a once a week leg routine, the only problem is Im finding myself completely unable to erg for a few days after doing it. I can barely walk nevermind hit the erg! Anyone else been having a similar problem? </td></tr></table> Yeah, I squat - but you can't squat heavy and erg. One or the other (probably both) will suffer. I try to leave squatting for my last workout of the week - then take a day off from training. later, D

[old] DIESEL · Post by **[old] DIESEL** » January 26th, 2005, 12:14 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Jan 26 2005, 01:27 AM)</div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Hi D, Thanks for your suggestions, Yes I am absolutely lacking upper body strength. That's why I'm going to be using the rollerboard for pullups. It remains to be seen how well this works but I'm optimistic. The great thing is that the incline can be gradually raised, to where it even exceeds body weight on the pull up bar. I've done the deadlifts before and they have always been a slow lift for me. When doing weightlifting in my 20's I did the deadlift just once and did 3 reps with 335. Last year I was up to 185, so that's what I'm aiming for again this time. Have you ever tried overhead supports? We used to do these with more then 500 pounds. If you want an overall body strengthening exercise try those. Also I would get in the overhead position for the clean & jerk and then stand up with the bar. These are dangerous though, unless you have a rack that's locked up as well as two sets of pins on both sides. </td></tr></table> I think assisted pullups will work even quicker - the only catch is that you need a partner. Hence, you may have to go the board route. Anyway, you hang from the bar and bend your knees then have your partner steady your ankles and use that for a bit of leverage to push off. In a few weeks, you can let one leg hang free, and for most people within a month or two - they can crank out a few reps on their own. It works big time. I always use "bumper plates" - (heavy, bouncy, rubber plates) when I clean or do any kind of standing overhead movement - that way I don't have to worry about failing. I can just let them drop and it won't damage me, the plates, or the floor! - it's like big bouncing car tires... I've never heard of overhead supports - sounds old school - which of course when it comes to weightlifting, is the only way to train. Exercise description, please? peace, D P.S. as your deadlift improves - you'll note it'll be easier and easier to do pull ups. A good deadlift will also positively impact your arm and hamstring strength - all things that translate well to rowing - especially, on the water rowing, where arm, forearm and hamstring strength help in stabilizing the shell during the drive.

[old] Yoda1 · Post by **[old] Yoda1** » January 26th, 2005, 1:17 pm

donm79, Great call on the full body exercises, although I don't necessarily agree with the protocol. But that's okay. Everyone needs to find what works for them. Diesel, I can't believe you haven't heard of overhead supports. A great method for overhead work. Believe it or not, this particular method will kick the h*** out of your lower back. Great call, John. I agree with John regarding the deadlift. Although it's supposed to be explosive, it never comes off the floor as one thinks, hopes, it will. makesureyoudoitright, With your workout, how does your body recover? Wow, talk about volume lifting. I have mentioned the barrel squat before and I can't understand why no one has given it a go. This is a tough, full body exercise that will work every single muscle in the body, bar none. I mean this exercise will work you toes, fingers, ears, and nose. Would someone, please, pretty please give this one a go? Now how did we get off track of the original topic? Yoda

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » January 27th, 2005, 1:23 am

D, Thanks for your comments. I will keep trying the eccentric pullups now and then, along with the rollerboard. It rained all day today so I have to wait for everything to dry out to connect and coat it with sealer. I'm looking forward to doing these. We always used the big bumper plates too. It was nice being able to toss the weights back down to the ground haha. I kept my hands on the bar though. The overhead supports are two locked in poles on each side (ceiling and floor), with two sets of pins through holes in each set of poles, and the bar in between. The pins could be raised up or down, then the plates loaded up on the ends. Anyone who forget to put on the collars would get permanently banned from the gym by the coach. I saw this happen on a couple of occasions. I basically "invented" a couple of exercises on the supports, i.e. standing up from the clean & jerk position, then later doing the same from a squat snatch position. The American record holder visited the gym a few times and told me I had discovered a great exercise. He was doing it quite a bit after that. These are not really something people can do without having the special apparatus though.

[old] gw1 · Post by **[old] gw1** » January 27th, 2005, 9:26 am

George, the best curls of all!!!! Yoda get well soon. Great to see this thread under way. There should be some good debates with all the different lifting beliefs. I'm on the road till the weekend, after a long day at an expo, i spent 45 minutes playing on Hammer Strength toys, (not a luxury that i have at my disposal) but always fun for a change! Cheers GW

[old] Alistair · Post by **[old] Alistair** » January 27th, 2005, 12:18 pm

Hey guys. My Uni Rowing club (which I've just joined) do a weights routine. At the moment I'm just looking at one day a week full body as that's all I can fit in. Convieniently happens to be the day before a total rest day They currently do this: 3 x 10 reps Bench Press Deep Squats Upright row Lunges (with bar on shoulder) Shoulder pull Clean press Now to me this doesn't look ideal, as there seems to be a fair bit of very similar exercises, particularly the Upright row and Clean press. Also, while they work a lot on the quads, there's nothing really for the hamstrings. Which I accept isn't as useful for rowing, but to exercise one and not the other goes against everything I was taught back when I was doing sports science. Just wondering if anyone had any thoughts? At the very least I'm thinking about adding in a leg curl.