In New England our race season gets going with the chaotic Snow Row in early March, then really gets cranked up in May and by September it is all but over. I extended my racing season by flying down to the popular North Shore Cup in Summerton, South Carolina. Now our attention turns to the off season. If you are a competitive surf ski racer at any level, you quickly realize that off season training is crucial to the upcoming race season. Thinking about my 2014 performances and the upcoming 2015 Race Season, I felt I needed more power. My off season workouts have been erging(Concept 2), paddling 2/3 times per week, push ups, sit ups, pull ups and the occasional run. With more power in mind, I hired a personal trainer/owner, Michael Cecchi, of Bridge to Fitness. Finding a winning trainer is key. I joined Bridge to Fitness two years ago specifically because they had two brand new gleaming, Concept 2 rowing machines. While I have one at home for the past 12 years, I found my gym erging to be helpful in terms of better erg times and meeting new people who like to erg.
My Trainer
Michael Cecchi has been a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer in Newport County for more than 20 years. His program design expertise includes general fitness, sport specific training, flexibility training, sports specific training and core conditioning. Michael has given numerous lectures and training seminars at area health clubs, hospitals, work places and schools. He has worked with professional athletes, college athletes and traveled the world as the trainer for the Puma Ocean Racing sailing team for the Volvo Ocean Race. http://www.bridgetofitness.com/index.php
My goal with Michael as I mentioned was to developed more strength in my core and shoulders. As Michael pointed out, core includes my upper/lower abdomen/back and my butt. The great thing about working with an experienced trainer is I am doing so many different dynamic exercises and getting out of my workout rut as you can see from the pictures. The other advantage of a skilled trainer is not only the motivation factor but they also recognize your limits(not getting hurt). Getting professional training has its’ benefits(think about your forward stroke and making it better too).
Rope Training
Band Training
I asked a few of my paddling friends what their off season workouts were and here they are.
Greg Lesher
The Concept2 rowing erg is the primary focus of my off-season workouts. I’ll generally do 3 or 4 days a week on the erg, with off days either running, on the elliptical, or on the paddling erg. I usually try to get a couple of days of weight training in as well. My favorite work-out is a 60 minute time-trial on the Concept2, which I do every other week. I try to increase my total distance for that duration by 100 meters each session, which is great motivation to push harder than seems reasonable (especially in the first 15 minutes, when I’m thinking “How can I possibly keep up this pace for an hour?”). My least favorite work-out is a 5x1500m interval session. My off-season goal is to break 6:30 at the CRASH-B rowing championships and to set personal bests for every distance in the online rowing nonathlon (http://www.nonathlon.com/ – a casual competition against yourself and others).
Greg 2014 World Indoor Rowing Championship(Crash B’s)
Greg’s Article on the 2014 Crash’B’s.
http://greglesher.blogspot.com/2014_02_01_archive.html
Tim Hudyncia
My two favorite weightlifting exercises involve significant torso rotation and connect/engage every part of the body simultaneously, just like the catch and power phase of paddling. Third one, on Total Gym, offers up a fantastic core burn quickly!
Tim doing One arm rows with Leg Drive
Goal 1: Improve technique and build a solid aerobic base with 2+ hours of flat water paddling twice per week (plus mountain biking).
Goal 2: With 1 hour of weightlifting twice per week, gain 5 more pounds for a total gain of 15 pounds in two years
My “minimum” workout, which I do between work and dinner on the crowded days:
5K on the Concept2, with a power 10 at every 500-m mark.
Chris Sherwood
Chris Sherwood, Race Director Cape Cod Downwind Race
More ambitious workouts:
8 x 500 m on the erg, with a pyramid: 2 @ 2:10, 2 @ 2:05 2 below 2:00, 2@2:05.
(would like to work up to 12 x 500)
10K at tempo…sometimes picking an old time to pace against.
Other days:
3 – 5 mile trail runs
NY Times exercises + shoulder exercises + stretching.
My goal is to better my 7:59.8 2K erg.
I’d like to be working harder than this, but I think I am basically lazy.
Favorite Pandora channel for workouts: Pink. Not ashamed. Ace of Base channel is also good
Mark Smith’s (Elite Ocean Sports) off-season training:
Mark Smith of Elite Ocean Sports and Wesley comparing the guns!!
ENDURANCE: 75-125 miles/week on the road bike
STRENGTH: Workout #1 – Biceps/Triceps (just because I like this and always have since I was 14 yo – maybe no benefit)
Workout #2 –
Chest/Back (Alternating sessions between incline/flat and
pull-downs/rows) Workout #1 and #2 every 3rd day.
SPRINT: Intervals on road bike. Concept2 rowing (new this winter)
500m w/ 1′ rest X 4-6 AND 1,000m w/ 2′ rest X 4-6. No 2000m yet
because I can’t – goal is 2,000m under 8′.
MAINTENANCE: Paddle, core, stretch – once a week!
PROBLEM: Very little paddling because of weather and very little stretching because of lack of motivation. If I paddle alone all
winter I get burned out, but no faster.
GOAL: Maintain strength and endurance so that once I start training in the boat in Jan./Feb. for spring races the strength and endurance
will not be a limiting factor. I will start stretching as I increase boat time. Tight hamstrings are a major struggle/issue.
THOUGHTS: Strength and Endurance training are building/maintaining
base. Paddling and stretching will refine.
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