Rowing and Weight Training

K

kd_dub

0
Hi everyone,

I'm just after a quick bit of advice. I started weight training around 6 months ago and have begun to see some pleasing results. However, I have taken up rowing this year at college and this has meant I'm now doing some very very intense cardio 5 times a week on the ergs and on the river (which, I should add, I'm enjoying immensly). I'm still hitting the gym 3 mornings a week, but I'm just wondering how (and whether) my approach should change? Can I still expect to gain with this amount of cardio? What can I do to maximise my chances other than try my best to eat like a horse?

For the record I'm 6'2" and weigh 13st2.

Thanks guys.
 
This is a difficult question. You probably won't have as great strength gains now that you do a lot of cardio, but the strength you do gain from lifting can benefit your rowing.

As for how much training you can handle, it's an individual question. IMO, lifting 3 times a week and cardio 5 sounds like a lot, but maybe you can handle it? Maybe you'll need to reduce the lifting to 2 times a week. Maybe you could do with just doing lifts that are highly relevant to rowing (which would be mostly legs and back, and not doing as much bench pressing, etc) but then again, the legs and back is probably what will take the highest beating, so you might need to reduce there too. Have you talked to your rowing coach about this? (if you have one)
 
I've been rowing and coaching for nearly 8 years, including winning a national title here in Australia.

How old are you? To give you an idea I'm 19 years old and do 11 cardio sessions (2 ergs, 5 rows, 2 rides, 2 runs) and 3 weights sessions a week.
You can definitely still expect to make gains in terms of strength and size while doing that much cardio training, just make sure you eat a lot. I eat about 4500 calories a day and I row lightweight (meaning I have to stay under 155lbs).
Our squad uses the Great Britain Sculling weights program, which is periodised for 12 months. If you want I can PM you the program we use for you to have a look at.
The most important exercises (IMO), depending on what phase of the season you are in, would be Back Squats, Bench Press (in order to balance out all the pulling movements you do through rowing), Bench Row, Chin Ups, Planks and Side Planks. Its also ESSENTIAL that you stretch. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of proper stretching and core stability.

Given that you are rowing in College I presume you are primarily rowing in Eight's, if so I would recommend that your weights focus more on maximal strength and power than in a sculling program (which needs to focus more on symmetry and power-endurance) as the races are substantially shorter.

Hope you enjoy your time rowing, I absolutely love it.

All the best
Sam
 
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