Week 8

Monday

Threshold Intervals

Alternate 4 minutes of hard rowing with 3 minutes of easy rowing

Do the work intervals at a challenging pace but not quite max effort. Aim for 3-4 intervals

Tuesday

Steady Row with short bursts

Long moderate row with a “power ten” every 500 meters. (Power Ten = ten strokes at higher intensity).

Row 40-45 minutes

Wednesday

Short intervals

1 minute of hard rowing, followed by 30 seconds of easier rowing. Repeat four times for one set then take a break of 3 minutes before starting the next set.

For the first set, row at a moderate pace. For the next two sets, try to increase the intensity of the work intervals. If you feel good, do a 4th set and slightly lower intensity.

Thursday

Longer row with alternating intensity

Alternate 45 seconds (or 20 strokes) of moderately hard rowing with 15 seconds (or 5 strokes) of easy rowing. Make the transitions smooth.

Row with this alternating intensity pattern for 15 minutes. Take a break for five minutes of moderately easy rowing, then return to the alternating pattern for another 5-15 minutes.

Friday

Easy row!

Watch a movie; talk to a friend; row with your kids. Take a break to stretch in the middle.

Keep the pace easy and think about good technique. This is a recovery row.

Saturday

Decreasing length pieces

Starting with a 5 or 6 minutes piece, each successive piece will be shorter by a minute and a little more intense, until you get to the last piece of 1 minute as hard as you can go. Row easily for 2 minutes in between pieces.

5 minutes at moderate pace,
4 minutes moderately hard,
3 minutes a little harder,
2 minutes a little harder still,
1 minute piece as hard as you can go!

Sunday

Rest day

No rowing!

Rest, stretch, do something outdoors.

Week 9

Monday

Alternating intensity

Row three minutes at a low stroke rate (22-25 SPM); then two minutes at slightly higher stroke rate (24-27 SPM); then one minute at a still higher stroke rate (26-30 SPM).

Row this sequence 4 to 5 times for a total elapsed time of 24-30 minutes. Intensity as follows:
3min @ moderate pace
2min @ moderately hard pace
1 min@ hard pace

Tuesday

Steady row

Row at a comfortable conversational pace. Take a few power tens in the first 10 minutes to make the pace feel easier.

Nice steady rowing. Aim for 45-50 minutes total.

Wednesday

Short intervals

Row 20 seconds hard, 40 seconds easy, and repeat for a set of 10. Aim for a stroke rate of 28-30 SPM for the 20 second work interval.

Do 2 sets of 10 of these intervals. Start a little easy on the first interval of each set; then row hard for all the rest of them. Row easily for five minutes in between the two sets. Be sure to maintain good technique at the higher intensity.

Thursday

Long pieces

10 minute pieces with 4 minutes rest between

These pieces should be rowed at a moderately hard pace – not so hard that you can't finish them. Do 2-3 of them depending on how much time you have.

Friday

Mostly mindless, but steady and long. Earn your weekend!
Bring a friend so you can talk while you row.

Every 1000 meters row harder for 30 seconds.

Aim for 8-10k total

Saturday

Pyramid pieces

1-2-3-4-3-2-1 minute pieces with equal rest time

Row at a moderately hard pace as you work up the pyramid, then increase the intensity on each piece as you come back down.

Sunday

Rest. No rowing.

Rest, stretch, do something outdoors.

Week 10

Monday

Intervals

1000 meter pieces with 4 minutes rest between.

Row 4-5 pieces. First and last piece should be done at a moderate pace. The rest should be done hard, meaning you should be feeling ready to stop when you get to the end of each piece!

Tuesday

Easy steady row at a comfortable pace. Listen to music, talk to a friend or watch the news. Take a stretch break in the middle if you want to

Aim for 45-60 minutes.

Wednesday

Stroke pyramids

10 strokes hard, 
10 strokes easy; 
20 strokes hard, 
10 strokes easy; 
30 strokes hard, 
10 strokes easy; 
20 strokes hard, 
10 strokes easy; 
10 strokes hard, 
10 strokes easy. Row easy for three minutes between pyramids.

Do 3-4 of these pyramids. Be sure to maintain good technique throughout.

Thursday

Rest or Cross-Training

Rest or do some light exercise. This is your “taper” for tomorrow's time trial.

Rest, stretch, taper.

Friday

2000 meter time trial. 
Be sure to record your score!

Suggested warm up: Row 10 strokes hard, 10 strokes easy and repeat three times. Row 20 strokes hard, 10 easy and repeat two times

If you have done a prior 2k piece, use that pace as a starting point. If this is your first piece, start out at a pace that you think you can maintain for 2000 meters. In the second half of the piece, if you feel good, increase your intensity, and be sure you are exhausted by the end!

Saturday

Long steady row: 
Row with a friend, or listen to music or books on tape, or put your erg in a new location – even outdoors if you have the option and the weather is good!

Row 10 minutes, get off and stretch. Continue rowing, taking five power tens in the next few minutes. Settle into a comfortable conversational pace.

Aim for 70 minutes - or longer than you have rowed before at one sitting.

Sunday

Rest, celebrate!

play, do something active.