Rowing Training Program

[jmll89]

i'm looking for a good rowing workout routine, and google isn't turning up anything that is particularly detailed. i'm starting rowing in the spring, but am in pretty good shape being a runner and just general fitness fanatic. i'm looking for erging, crosstraining, and weightlifting details. i have my diet under control. any help would be great.

side note: the rowing program is new, and coaches haven't been lined up yet, otherwise i would just ask them.

[richardnich]

I'm the same. There seems to be very little information regarding rowing training, both on this forum and generally on google etc. I've come up with my own programs now, and whether they are correct or not...my erg times are falling. Plus anything that works on your overall fitness is going to be good for any sport.

I suggest doing plenty of work on the erg.
Do weights for your legs, and back, and do loads of work on your abs (everything else as well, but I'd say they are very important muscle groups for rowing)
Then I do 45 minutes of interval training between the treadmill, cross trainer, and bike 3 times a week to help improve fitness.

I know all thats quite vague, but thats just what I've been doing to try and improve my rowing.

[Aus101]

i'm looking for a good rowing workout routine, and google isn't turning up anything that is particularly detailed. i'm starting rowing in the spring, but am in pretty good shape being a runner and just general fitness fanatic. i'm looking for erging, crosstraining, and weightlifting details. i have my diet under control. any help would be great.

side note: the rowing program is new, and coaches haven't been lined up yet, otherwise i would just ask them.

Compared to other sports rowing has little in the way of conditioning/strength programs available on the net. Obviously you must have good cardio, which luckily you do. Most strength programs i've seen for rowing involve pre season strength/hypertrophy phases followed by in season circuit training (very similar to the mma circuit programs seen on this site with a greater emphasis on posterior chain and upper back work).

The school I coach at in australia won the SchoolGirl Eight national champs (i.e their the fastest school girl crew in the country) yet I am by far the most knowledgeable in strength and conditioning out of the coaches (I am the year 10 s/c coach, the head coach designs the senior weights program, of which I must almost constantly alter, or correct girls on technique etc). As I am only two years out of school this shows the lack of knowledge on the subject , at least in my country.

If I were you I would focus on both improving your cardio by your usual runs mixed with long distance ergs (cycling 20 minute ergs with slow runs is a good method, i.e rowing for 20 minutes jogging for 20 and repeat 3x).

For strength I'd work on first developing your over all body strength with a main focus on legs and back. Any good strength routine would be good for this, 5/3/1 by jim wendler for example. Remember that squats, deadlifts and bent over row all work the main muscles used in a rowing stroke.

Closer to the season I would switch from strength routines to endurance, so I'd start using circuit training. If your race is 2 kilometres then making your circuits run for around 7 minutes can be effective. We used to do 20 push up burpees, 20 squats, 20 bent over rows, 20 lunges and 20 deadlifts followed by a couple laps of a basketball court/ repeat 5x
in season when I used to row.

[sdierk14]

i'm looking for a good rowing workout routine, and google isn't turning up anything that is particularly detailed. i'm starting rowing in the spring, but am in pretty good shape being a runner and just general fitness fanatic. i'm looking for erging, crosstraining, and weightlifting details. i have my diet under control. any help would be great.

side note: the rowing program is new, and coaches haven't been lined up yet, otherwise i would just ask them.

my rowing preseason conditioning is a mix of interval and endurance rowing (on ergs), circuits, and running
a week might consist of a combination of:

day one:
-10 minute erg warm up
-10 minute stretching/bodyweight
-4x1500 with 5-8 minute rest between
-10 minute erg cool down and stretch

day two:
-10 minute erg warm up
-stretching/ bodyweight
-50 minute erg
-10 minute erg cool down/ stretch

day three:
-10 minute erg warm up
-stretching/ bodyweight
- 1 hour/ 10k outdoor trail run
-10 minute erg cool down/ stretch

day four:
-10 minute erg warm up
-1 hour bodyweight/ free weight circuit (jump squats, hand release push ups, burpees with push up, rows, planks, side planks, sit ups, etc)
- 10 minute erg cool down/ stretch

the erg sets are usually 4x1500, 4x1000, 3x1500, 2x200, 2x2500, 2x5000...you get the idea. these are pretty much interchangeable into the workouts. our coaches really just like to switch between short interval rows and longer endurance ones