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There is no better full-body workout than rowing. Not even swimming or cross-country skiing requires the expenditure of more kilojoules. But the same thing that makes rowing beneficial and beautiful also makes it difficult and frustrating: the stroke. The one thing to avoid during any phase of training for a race is rowing badly. Quality rather than quantity is paramount. A skilled rower in mediocre shape will always beat a less-skilled rower in top shape. Achieving proper technique is a never-ending challenge.
The Stroke:
You need to keep your posture erect but not stiff, and your head up, even when you get tired. Your arms should be straight at the point of catch, when the oar bites into the water. You have to drive the weight of the boat with your legs, bring the oar into your lap, while your hands stay loose on the oar handle. AS with swimming, it's essential that the aspiring oarsman recruit an expert who can head down the lake (or into the gym) and watch techniques and give pointers. Luckily a good stroke can be developed nearly as effectively on a rowing ergometer as it can on the water.
The Plan
As a typical sculling race will be a singles competition covering 2000 meters, entailing six to seven minutes of extremely concentrated full-body aerobic and anaerobic effort. Your programme provides an excellent foundation for training. Plan on a 10-12 week programme on top of the core routine.
Phase one: weeks 1 to 4
Aerobics
Focus on steady aerobic workouts, blending exercises such as running with four weekly sessions on the rowing machine. Row four times a week, from 20 to 30 minutes per session, at about 24 to 30 strokes per minute.
Strength Training
Continue the general weight-training part of the core programme, with the goal of building muscle and endurance, which is essential to rowing.
Leg extensions
Works the quadriceps. Sit in a leg-extension machine with your feet under the footpads and your hands grasping the handle or side of the seat. Extend both legs in front of you, raising the weight stack slowly until your legs are parallel to the floor. Lower and repeat. Add a leg curl to your routine to balance the exercise.
One arm dumbbell row
Focuses on the back muscles. Stand on the left side of a weight bench with a dumbbell in your left hand. Rest your right hand and knee on the bench and bend forward until your back is nearly parallel to the floor. Your left foot should be flat on the floor and your left arm hanging straight down. Pull the dumbbell straight up to your chest. Touch it briefly to your body and lower. Repeat on your right side. To balance, add a chest exercise.
Phase two: weeks 5 to 8
Increase your ergometer work to six sessions a week at 40 minutes per session. Mix long, slow intervals of 6 to 10 minutes (build endurance) with shorter, high-intensity bursts of 2 to 5 minutes (to build strength and explosive power). Your normal stroke rate, when you are not performing intervals, should be close to 32 per minute.
Phase three: weeks 8 to 12
Technique
You're now in the shell and on the water for most of your workouts. The important thing is never to work to point where you're rowing with poor technique. You always want to row well.
Race simulation
A race is mostly anaerobic, and very intense. Novice rowers can become distracted and disorientated, particularly in the beginning of the race. So get on the water and pretend you're in a race. Sprint from the staring line. Work on quickly establishing your rowing rhythm and staying in that rhythm through a wide variety of wind, weather and conditions.
Now you have a basic rowing program to prepare yourself for a rowing competition.
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