With a 8 minute clock:
Row 1000 meters, then as many shoulder to overhead 135#(95#) with remaining time
Rest 1 minute
With a 7 minute clock:
Row 1000 meters, then as many toes to bar with remaining time
Rest 1 minute
Row 1000 meters
Post reps and time to comments and BTWB
Rowing Pitfall: Rocking the Drive – Maddie Berky
The drive is the power portion of the rowing stroke. It runs from the catch (you compressed at the front of the slide) to the finish (legs straight, arms bent, hips slightly open.) Where crossfitters tend to get stuck is by trying to pull that handle versus press that handle away at the catch. Take a second – look down at your body and consider what appendages are going to generate more power: those spindly little arms, or those very capable legs? I’m going with legs. Use those puppies! The goal of the drive is maintain as much pressure for as long as possible concentrated in the legs.
Think about a deadlift. When you lift a bar off of the ground a couple things are happening. 1) you are using your legs and the opening of your hips to generate power. 2) Your shoulders and hips are rising at the same rate. 3) Your weight is in your heels – good for a DL bad for the rowing stroke! Allow your heels to come up at the catch and then drive them back down as you straighten your legs. What setting your back in the DL allows (besides keeping you safe and whole) is a clean transfer of power to the bar. If you raise your chest early or shoot your hips out you break that chain of energy and your lift becomes less efficient and less powerful. It’s the same thing with the rowing stroke. As you press your legs straight think about maintaining a hollow body. Spine is bent, but not inactive as the ribs and belly are locked down big time.
It isn’t until you are done straightening your legs that you begin to hinge your body and finally bend your arms. Think about these final pieces not as generators of power but merely as continuers of momentum. They merely finish the momentum created by the legs. Akin to the arms and body in the clean – it is the aggressive opening of the hips that creates momentum – not the upper back or the arms pulling that gets that bar to move.
Your catch should thus feel sneakily passive while being extremely aggressive. Arms are outstretched and shoulders locked down – think about twisting them externally down into place. Your ribs and belly are pulling down into your spine. As you drive down with your legs none of that budges. A good visual is to see if your lats (the muscle right below the shoulder) engage at the catch. If they don’t then you are most likely opening up your back early (sending that pressure into the shoulders) or shooting your butt out (leaving the handle behind completely.) Let’s say that our hips are behind our shoulders at the catch. We want them to stay behind our shoulders (and at the same angle) until our legs have finished extending.
Strong catch = Strong drive = You being a rowing bad ass.
Reminder: Nutrition workshop this Friday night at 6pm. Sign up on MBO.
