Colby Crew Training Plan: Weight Training Overview
"If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results."
-- Jack Dixon
The goal of our weight training is to:
#1: Increase performance by improving strength
#2: Have fun
#3: Bring variety to the training
#4: Prevent injury
As explained earlier, there are a number of different energy systems used in a 2000m race. There are our aerobic and anaerobic systems, i.e. the means by which oxygen rich blood is carried to our muscles, the efficiency of our muscles on a cellular level to use this and the efficiency of our body to get rid of byproducts of these natural reactions (ie. lactic acid). Our muscular-skeletal system also plays an important role in moving a boat. A long distance runner can be very aerobically fit, but unable to put a bend in an oar. Enter strength training. What is strength? Strength is the ability of a muscle to develop sufficient force to overcome a resistance. An example is lifting a boat off of the racks. We don’t need to do it quickly, but we generate enough force to do it. We can break strength down a little bit.
- Maximum strength is our ability to move a very heavy object once. It is sometimes called our 1RM (repetition maximum). We need to apply a good deal of force on the blade in order to move the boat up to our desired speed. Max Strength plays the determinant role in creating “sport specific” strength. It is important to develop our maximum strength before we go on to our next phase…Power.
- Power usually stirs up a bit of confusion and controversy. Power is work over time; how long it takes us to move an object. In rowing, we ultimately want to move the blade from catch to finish as quickly as possible (or push the boat past the blade as quickly as possible). The boat will only move as fast as the oars drive it. The speed at which we lift the weights is the focus here.
- Muscular endurance is our ability to sustain a contraction or a series of contractions over a longer period of time. For example, a 2000m race. A race requires us to take between 210-240 strokes depending on the event and the stroke rate. Our muscles need to keep firing for 6-7 minutes without losing efficiency.
- Flexibility is a very important aspect of our strength- training program. Good flexibility will keep us from getting injured and also allow us to comfortably translate our gains in the weight room to efficient rowing on the erg and in the boat. We need to apply a muscular force using our full range of motion. Our muscles and connective tissues must be flexible and supple to withstand the beating of our daily training and a 2000m race. Remember when a horse wants to run faster, it lengthens out. Also, flexibility leads to a 30% increase in muscular strength.
- Technique is crucial in not only rowing, but our weight training as well. Learn and use sound technique to prevent injury and to maximize your time in the weight room. Many neurological changes take place in response to weight training. Teach your muscles the correct way to move the weights and it will translate into the boats.
- Intensity is a crucial component in strength development. The muscles need to encounter sufficient overload in order to get stronger. This is why working out with a teammate is so important. You can push each other. The last 1-3 reps should be very difficult. You should need the help of a teammate in order to complete them. This is what we call working to temporary muscular failure (TMF). The initial strength gains that you get when beginning a weight-training program are due to your nervous system adapting to the new workload. This is why you see a rapid increase in strength when first start lifting weights. It is important to keep overloading the muscles after these initial gains are achieved because that is when you get true strength gains. Remember to maintain good technique.
As mentioned earlier, all aspects of strength and fitness cannot be developed at the same time because the means by which they are developed are different. So which is the most important to rowing and how “strong” does a rower need to be? The answer is that all of them are important and being “strong enough” depends on age and experience. Below is a chart to help you determine if your current level of strength for 3 very common rowing-related exercises is appropriate.
Men: for each of the following 3 exercises, you can see where athletes of various levels should be for one repetition of a maximum weight, relative to your body weight.
Level of Athlete:High SchoolU-23ClubNational TeamOlympic Team
Exercise
Squat1.01.31.41.71.9
RDL1.01.31.41.71.9
Bench Pull.7.91.051.21.3
Women: for each of the following 3 exercises, you can see where athletes of various levels should be for one repetition of a maximum weight, relative to your body weight.
Level of Athlete:
ExerciseHigh SchoolU-23ClubNational TeamOlympic Team
Squat.81.01.251.41.6
RDL.81.01.251.41.6
Bench Pull.6.8.951.11.2
Here is an outline of our yearly strength-training program:
PHASE I: General Strength
- Varsity: early September – early November
- Frosh/novice: early November – late December
- Typical protocol: 3 sets of 12,10, 8 repetitions
PHASE II: Maximum Strength
- Varsity: early November – early December & month of January
- Frosh/novice: month of January
- Typical protocol: 3-5 sets of 2-8 repetitions
PHASE III: Power
- Varsity and Frosh: February
- Typical protocol: 3 sets of 12, 10, 8 repetitions
- Speed of movement is emphasized
- Plyometrics (or jump training) will be introduced
PHASE IV: Muscular Endurance
Varsity and Frosh: early March – mid-April
- Typical protocol: lighter weights and many more repetitions
- Some things will be done with work time/rest time
PHASE V: Maintenance
- Varsity and Frosh: mid-late April
- Typical protocol: 2 sets of 12, 10 repetitions